Poplar Grove Practice

Poplar Grove Practice 2016-03-31 Person 1 5 0

Good doctors let down by dreadful surgery service. Never able to get an appointment without spending hours retrying the phones. It appears impossible to schedule a follow-up appointment in advance, although surgery are quick enough to call me when they want to cancel a booked appointment that they can no longer manage. Dislike the recorded messages that are bordering on being insulting. Service seem much worse since the new extensions and practice merger. Extremely difficult to get any continuity of care.

Poplar Grove Practice 2016-03-30 Person 2 5 0

Echoing many other patients view, the practice has gone downhill a LOT since the merger & extension. Appreciate the receptionists are under a lot of pressure sometimes but never seem particularly helpful or cheerful and considering the surgery is shut for staff training on a very regular basis, maybe this could be addressed. Appointment system is probably similar to many other surgeries but only real way of securing an appointment is to head down there in person on the day, otherwise it is about a months wait. To be honest, if it was not for the convenience of where the surgery is AND the nurses who do put themselves out for the patients and are very friendly, we probably would have switched practices. I was once prescribed a certain type of vitamins by consultant at hospital, dropped prescription in before going away on a weeks holiday, went in about a week after my return to find it STILL hadn't been passed on to chemist. Asked at surgery where it was and after 20 minutes was found it in back office and I was told 'as it is vitamins these can be bought over counter' - took prescription over to chemist who told me , it 'needs to be prescribed by doctor' - went back to surgery and had to wait another half an hour for this to be signed off. IF the reception staff (or doctor or whoever thought they were 'above' the hospital consultant) had thought the tablets could be bought over counter, why on earth were we not contacted earlier or was the prescription just going to sit in back office forever. Another time my husband was told a doctors would contact him for telephone consultation - absolutely nothing .... I do appreciate that we are very fortunate to be able to rely on NHS but there is definite room for improvement at this practice

Poplar Grove Practice 2016-03-29 Person 2 5 0

More receptionists on duty would help as seemingly only ever two on and if one is dealing with a patient who needs more lengthy help than standard ,then the queue just grows and grows. Also appreciate the receptionists are often in "firing line" but they are not always the most cheerful/helpful people ever It is ridiculously hard to get same day appointment unless you turn up in person at surgery , which is not always easy or practical to do. Actually even if it is not urgent it is ridiculously hard to get an appointment , have tried online and it was over a month before one was available! Used to really rate the surgery and staff but seems to have gone downhill a lot since the extension and merger

Poplar Grove Practice 2016-03-29 Person 1 5 0

I had no problem in securing an appointment at my previous Broughton house surgery but I now dread becoming so unwell that I need to secure an appointment as it is absolutely hopeless! It took me 180 attempts (mobile phones log the numbers!) to get through to wait in a queue just to ask about a blood test result!) I have queued to speak to receptionists who are aggressive/defensive before you've even finished speaking & I have seen fellow patients with serious conditions eg cancer reduced to tears by the receptionists. I dread to think how the very elderly cope with the appointments situation. Probably stay at home and quietly die! I currently have a urine infection but after today's 140 attempts at securing an appointment I have contacted a private GP service and will have to find £125 for the half hour consultancy fee. Yes, I'm fortunate that I can find the funds for the charge plus the medication fee, but many cannot do this and when I shortly retire I won't be able to do this either. In April I am due to have another TKR but I am frightened that I won't be able to get an appointment to even get the staples removed as by the time I manage to get an appointment they will have "grown in"! I need my hearing aids upgrading but as I need a referral letter from a GP I really can't face the monumental problem of securing an appointment. These large practices DO NOT work! No wonder A&E units are over run with patients who should have seen their GP! Interestingly, my very elderly parents live in a small Buckinghamshire village and receive excellent treatment from their local practice and they can easily secure an appointment and never struggle to speak to a receptionist on the phone! Perhaps we will have to move to the "sticks!?" Is there anything that can be done to resolve this situation at Poplar Grove that doesn't seem to be applicable to all practices eg the village example that I provided, or should I just save up for the Swiss clinic before I finally surrender to old age and its accompanying health problems? Thank you for reading this.

Poplar Grove Practice 2016-03-18 Person 4 5 0

Everyone at the surgery have been great. As i have needed them for a few weeks now. They are a very caring lot of people. The doctors have been brilliant. Just a pity it can be a long wait for an appointment, unless urgent.., but thats normal everywhere now i hear. Thankyou all.