Forest Hill Road Surgery - again.

[wonderwoman]

Regarding the Lister clinic I thoughtit was daft to not provide a message as Singalto says but when I spoke to them about this I was told you would only get appointment at Lister through FHR surgery as an alternative if you can't get an appointment on the day with the duty GP. If that's the case they shouldn't put the message on in the first place as it gives people a false impression or change the massage!

[nxjen]

Perhaps the current problem getting through is temporary due to the Easter holidays. I managed to get through last week and the week before within 10 minutes

[dbboy]

How does a telephone consultation get changed to a face to face consultation, answer incompetent receptionist, so why did I bother waiting for a call that never happened, Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[James Barber]

GP practices are regulated If you're happy or unhappy with any GP practice you can complain or praise them direct - they all have complaints procedure. if you're uncountable doing this direct with them you can do this via NHS England:

Complaining to NHS England - https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/complaint/complaining-to-nhse/

By post to: NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT

By email to: [email protected]

If you are making a complaint please state: ?For the attention of the complaints team? in the subject line.

By telephone: 0300 311 22 33 - opening hours 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, except Weds when open from 9.30am

Provide as much information as possible to allow NHS England to investigate. Include some or all of the following:

- your name and a valid email or home address for reply

- phone number in case we need to contact you for additional information

- clear description of what you want to complain about and when this happened

- name of the service you want to complain about

- any relevant correspondence

[alice]

There?s usually online appointments available. If all those with internet access used that method it may free the phone lines for those that don?t.

[nxjen]

Except there's NEVER same day, emergency appointments available online. Which is why those, like myself who book online whenever possible because the whole procedure is easier, have to phone if we need to be seen same day, or at least speak to a doctor, same day.

[dbboy]

So finally gave up and went to the surgery, after some time saw someone from the Pharmacy dept who provided me with the prescription I was due. It was a very very painful experience to get something so straight forward. Suggest they put the needs of patients ahead of the mundane processes and procedures they have that are clearly designed to take ages to work through.

How about a community owned and run Doctor's Practice were patients needs are at the heart of the practice. Does anyone know if community surgeries exist??

[Sue]

I moved to Elm Lodge Surgery in Burbage Road (just up from Herne Hill).

It's less convenient than walking round the corner to DMC, but I'm very happy with it so far in terms of both the receptionists and the medical staff.

[James Barber]

Forest Hill Group Practice has been moved from being in Special Measures to rated Good overall in a February inspection apparently.

But that inspection said they needed to improve access to appointments and telephone management.

You can see the full report issued 29 March here - http://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-544424476

[Renata Hamvas]

Here is the Southwark News article on this.

https://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/east-dulwich-gp-surgery-moved-special-measures/

I know local residents have had a difficult time securing appointment and there are still issues to be addressed for example with childhood immunisations. I hope the appointment issue gets improved soon. While it is great news that the practice gets a good rating, this needs to filter through to better access to services for local residents.

Renata

[dbboy]

SERIOUSLY, that must be an error, no way can it be classed as Good. It is the WORST GP surgery in South London.

Unfortunately Dr. McColl passed away last year so how can she be named as one of two people who run the service. The report says "The practice offers 44 GP sessions per week" This must be an error and a serious one at that.

Reception needs to get its acct together and treat patients with care and compassion because those who go to the surgery do so as they are unwell. If the surgery staff say they are going to do something for a patient or promise to return a call then I suggest they abide by what they say rather than doing what suits them and not the patients. It's the patients experience that is the most important thing, that starts from either phoning or going to the surgery. CQC can say what they like, they see the surgery on one day, the surgery needs to prove through it's actions that it has been assessed as being Good by CQC.

Patients are the one's who know best what their experience has been because they have regular interactions with the surgery. Only last week I spent over 30 mins waiting for the phone to be answered mid afternoon and eventually gave up and went in person to sort out an issue.

[Sue]

It is really really easy to change GP.

You just go to the new practice of your choice (having checked they cover your address) with your NHS number and proof of address.

And fill in a form.

That's it, so far as I recall.

[Pugwash]

I am afraid it is not as easy as you think, GPs have catchment areas and if you are outside these areas you will not be permitted to join that surgery.

Many years ago our family were not happy with the surgery we were registered with. ( I had been with the same GP surgery for most of my life but when the senior partner died suddenly the practice went downhill) We eventually registered with The Gardens. However, their catchment area has now changed and our road is outside the area, whilst we can still use the surgery, a relative who moved in in December has to go to another practice.

[ontheedge]

Thankfully l don?t need to see GP very often, however recently needed fairly urgent appointment as needed antibiotics, which I haven?t needed for 18 years no appointment available at surgery for over 2 weeks no appointments at walk in surgery either so advised to go to Urgent care centre, not what I wanted to do but a necessity at the time, advised to go to GP once infection under control, surprised to ring Friday and get appointment for Wednesday would have liked to see female GP but informed none currently at Forest Hill Road until end of May!! Anyway thankful to have appointment

[Sue]

Pugwash Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I am afraid it is not as easy as you think, GPs

> have catchment areas and if you are outside these

> areas you will not be permitted to join that

> surgery.

>

> Many years ago our family were not happy with the

> surgery we were registered with. ( I had been with

> the same GP surgery for most of my life but when

> the senior partner died suddenly the practice went

> downhill) We eventually registered with The

> Gardens. However, their catchment area has now

> changed and our road is outside the area, whilst

> we can still use the surgery, a relative who moved

> in in December has to go to another practice.

That's why I said "having checked they cover your address".

It's very easy. I did it last year. I moved from DMC to a practice in Herne Hill, having first checked I was in their catchment area.

[Growlybear]

I needed to see a GP quite urgently yesterday. I rang at 8.00 a.m., held on for less than ten minutes, and after explaining why I needed to be seen on the same day, was given an appointment the same morning. After I had seen the doctor, I was able to book a follow up appointment for two weeks time. The receptionist was extremely helpful and courteous as always. Having seen the service my mother and my mother in law get from their doctors, I have always felt very privileged to be a patient at this practice.

[dbboy]

Yet again another Practice Manager has left and has been replaced by an interim practice manager. Clearly their recruitment practices leave something to be desired, any chance they can provide consistency in staffing???????

[singalto]

I saw a GP there who said he was leaving because thepractice was so badly run.

[bobbsy]

Must admit I have to echo Growlybear for an urgent appointment 2 weeks ago, was very quick and painless to organise a same day appointment. Receptionist efficient and polite. Couldn't ask for more on that occasion.

[Eileen]

I have been with this practice for over 40 years. It was always very good. Does anyone have any clues about when and why the management took a turn for the worse?

[Penguin68]

Does anyone have any clues about when and why the management took a turn for the worse?

Like all GP surgeries, this one has been plagued by losses in the senior partners, through retirement and very sadly long term illness and death. This has put huge pressures (because of inner city GP recruitment issues) on GP availability and appointments (as well as losing GP managerial direction); the surgery has tried out many schemes to address this, most have failed although currently the system they are working on (using telephone 'appointments' and GP based triage) seem to be working. Their use of outbound communications (to notify of prescriptions being available, to request routine telephone appointments for test results etc.) has also been a useful innovation, as has requests for routine measurements (such as BP) now that so many have, or have access to their own monitors. The recruitment of a practice pharmacist and better use of practice nurses has also taken the pressure off GPs (but must have taken time to achieve). Reminders about appointments are also helping.

We all want to be seen immediately, but now the urgent cases are seen urgently, and the routine appointments have to wait. Which doesn't seem too bad. And there's always the Lister and SelDoc out of hours. I've been a patient there for 30 years; it's had its ups and downs, but my perception is 'up' (relatively) at the moment.

[savvygirl]

I found it very difficult to get an appointment by using the online facility. I eventually gave up and decided to call in at the surgery. The receptionist said that my contact details were out of date as they had an old email address for me which was the reason I couldn't make an appointment online. The fault was remedied and my details were updated and an appointment was made. However, it turned out (once I was home and able to check my calendar) that I had a prior engagement that same day. I phoned to cancel the appointment and was told there were no alternative appointments and to ring back on Monday morning after 10am. Usually at this time of day the recorded message will tell you where you are in the queue and I've always found it to be 8th or 9th! It's a long wait. Round and round in circles we seem to go! There was no chance of making an appointment online, as again that just informed me there were none available. I had been requested to make this appointment by the doctor, so that makes it even more bizarre. The whole system is a nightmare. It never used to be like this. I have been with this practice for over 40 years and even at its busiest times it was always quite efficient. It's just got worse and worse over the years and I've never known it quite as inefficient as it is now. It's very frustrating and extremely time wasting.

[FredCasa]

A few months ago we were told that the GP team was now complete - and still nothing changed. Dysfunctional appointments system, receptionists separated off by bulletproof glass to avoid human contact: and nobody can force them to change. Thanks, Andrew Lansley.

[intexasatthe moment]

savvygirl the online booking system can go overnight from "no appts available " to having bookable ones .

I think appointment slots are released on a Friday morning - but I'm not sure ,there's a notice in the surgery somewhere explaining when appts are released .

[Alan Medic]

I had an appointment this week which I had obtained online about a month ago. It was the only one there. When speaking with the Doc about a future appointment and telling her there's often nothing or very little available online, she said they have a new system in place (another one?). According to her the online booking are put on each day at 10am. I'd be interested to hear if anyone tries this and what the outcome was.

I also asked her how do I obtain the result of a blood test I was going to have, as I don't seem to be able to access my medical records via 'patient access'. She told me to let reception know I want this facility. The receptionist said that wasn't possible, that I had to complete a form and subsequently use a different site to access this info. Can't remember the name, something like 'my doc' possibly.