Boris Karloff

Couldn't agree more with you, Sue

Dr Haldane has left

Errr ... correction - I was told that one of the two remaining GPs has also resigned!!!! Apparently they were threatened with redundancy earlier this year so that Concordia could offer more, cheaper, nurse-led consultations instead. Yes - we need to complain.

Melbourne Grove Medical Practice is rubbish. I was a patient of this practice and voted with my feet. I am aware that out of 4 GPs, 3 have either left or are leaving or are just not there! It is staffed by a bunch of bored nurses and temporary locum doctors. I think someone needs to inform the PCT because they are not aware of this problem. That's what a private company ('Concordia') can do to a previously excellent surgery.

Yes - your notes follow you, which allows continuity of care. This process can take several weeks, but does happen. Nunhead Grove and the Gardens are good GPs

Definitely - good luck Steve and Bev

yep - more ticket machines would be a simple solution to many problems

Couldn't agree more, Mrs P - shame you're not in charge of Southwark PCT - a bit of common sense is just what they need - it's a travesty that they gave the tender for melbourne grove to Concordia. I also thoroughly agree that Concordia Melbourne grove is just a business, so people should do what they do with any other business they don't like .......... take their custom elsewhere. Check these out: http://www.southwarknews.co.uk/00,news,8709,440,00.htm http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/2008/02/something-is-rotten-in-state-of-denmark.html Sad really

err ... sorry I maybe missed something - but why can't we mention the drains on here?

I do take your point Cassius, and I can see that if you have a very long relationship with a particular GP/GPs, or maybe with lifelong illnesses etc, then changing GP is not an option. I suppose I was think ing that it's not so much of a big deal to change GP if someone has barely seen the GP they are registered with. ... either way, as a more regular attender, I'd be interested to hear about your experiences of the new telephone appointment system at Melbourne Grove, because I guess the final answer will come from whether they are able to continue providing you with the service you are used to?

Yeah - but can you blame patients/parents going to A & E when they are being provided with a 'service' like this from Melbourne Grove Concordia? They ONLY offer you a phone appointment with a nurse?! I know one of the nurses there and they have been put under massive pressure from management to implement this dodgy system, with loads of complaints. As a result they raised it themselves with Tessa Jowell, the PCT (who regulate practices and gave Concordia the tender) and the Patient Forum - but no one has doen anything! Incredible. When General Practices are run by private companies - such as Melbourne Grove Medical Practice run by Concordia - profits and governmenet targets will come first. Full stop. Anything else is of secondary importance. What amazes me though is that no one on this forum has suggested a simple solution - CHANGE GP! CHANGE GP!! That's what I did. The Gardens or Nunhead Grove both in East Dulwich are great practices where you get to see a GP (great GPs too) without any of this telephone/seeing a nurse stuff - God knows what important medical things these people are missing by operating this way. You are not bound to your GP - you can move and because of the way GPs are operating now, under government initiatives, most GP practices have 'open' lists - they want patients to join their list. So if you are apathetic and stay with a practice that you are complaining about, then don't complain. or MOVE!!!

David - nicely put - note in teh articel it says: Dr Jane Fryer, Southwark?s Health and Social Care Medical Director, said: "We have now met with Concordia Health, who have given their assurance that delivering the highest and safest quality of care to their patients is their first priority. We will continue to monitor the situation and meet with Concordia Health to make sure that this remains the case." You may not realise that they had to meet in the first place because 1) they were laying the GPs off 2) there were issues surrounding patient satisfaction!!!

Yep - it's been REALLY controversial, and local GPs think Concordia are basically having a laugh. The PCT [which is the Southwark 'governing' body which gave out the tender to run the practice to Concordia] has a lot to answer for and yet has done nothing - same for the Southwark Patient forum. Sad really.

No it's not the way all doctors surgeries are going - it may have passed you by, but Melbourne Grove Medical Practice was taken over by Concordia Health (private company), and if you read my previous messages on this forum, you would see that they are making GPs redundant there so that they can provide 'more' appointments with nurses (cheaper!). Now this telephone thing because I heard that they were at cracking point using nurses. I'm voting with my feet as this is a dangerous system. Loads of stuff on the internet about Concordia and the dubious way they were awarded the tender for Melbourne Grove and how they're only in it to make money

Sorry - just seen the massive thread underneath mine about this ...

Hey everyone, Has anyone who is registered with Melbourne Grove Medical Practice (run by Concordia Health) heard of the new set-up where you don't get an appointment with a doctor? You get a telephone appointment with the nurse?

St Thomas' not Kings