Dulwich Medical Centre - Any good?

[Helen Chown]

Thanks Tabbycat! Very good to see some positive feedback, and I agree that the staff work very hard for us.

An apology for last week's mistake with the surveys will be coming soon, I am assured, though the surveys have not been modified as far as I know. Helen Chown, PPG.

[Calsug]

tabbycat - I was the person after you and at 8:15 all the appointments were booked for the day, I was even on hold trying to book an appointment whilst waiting in the surgery. Sorry but for the whole day to be booked out in 15 minutes and no booked appointments available for a month is simply unacceptable - I changed GP's this afternoon...

[Pugwash]

We are with the Gardens (we are Barry Road) out of curiosity I looked at the new catchment area and entered our post code to find we are not out of the area!. Looking at the map, the Gardens seem to have extended more towards Nunhead and away from ED.

[tiddles]

Damn - we are just out of the area for the Gardens. Ok who else is worth changing to from DMC?

[Zebedee Tring]

I think that the Melbourne Grove practice is starting to look up. I have had two recent consultations with their new GP Dr Love which have been excellent and have also had a blood test at the surgery instead of having to wait for one at Dulwich Hospital. I have also had dealings with two new helpful and friendly receptionists, and they now have a new online appointment booking system.

These improvements may be down to the relatively new Practice Manager Sonia Hall who used to be a Nurse Practitioner there.

[Lynne]

No-one ever seems to answer the phone at Forest Hill Rd. We've taken to walking there if we need an appointment. Obviously this won't work if you're actually ill, so I don't know how people manage if they are. Waiting for an appointmant then seems to be about 2 weeks. My results got lost somewhere in the system last time, and the recaptionist took indifference to a whole new level

Lynne

[PT1986]

I specifically joined this thread just to discuss how shambolic this 'medical centre' is.

I'm sorry but all of the proposed changes are actually pointless and ignore the simple fact that the surgery is poorly run and the staff do not care.

For over a year I have had an ongoing issue. On the times that I do manage to get an appointment(calling up at 8am, crossing fingers,praying to all the Gods and then Settling for one 2 months down the line) I have seen a different doctor each time, all of whom have made me wait for a minimum of 45minutes, once I'm in there, they don't care and simply nod and then give average advice and misdiagnose. I've had several prescriptions, which I PAY FOR, that have made the issue worse. I return only to find receptionists, with bad attitudes who seemingly blame me for not being able to repeatedly take time off work.

I'm sat in the GP waiting for my 5:10pm appointment as I type this and still I haven't been seen.

Thank for the mention of the gardens,I live close and will be promptly looking to change doctors

PT

[Penguin68]

No-one ever seems to answer the phone at Forest Hill Rd. We've taken to walking there if we need an appointment. Obviously this won't work if you're actually ill, so I don't know how people manage if they are. Waiting for an appointmant then seems to be about 2 weeks. My results got lost somewhere in the system last time, and the recaptionist took indifference to a whole new level

Lynne

This has not been my experience - I have been answered on the phone within 4-7 minutes every time (calling before 8:30) and have been able to book any or all of a 'same day' urgent apppointment, an appointment with a named doctor (with 10-15 days wait) or a telephone consultation with a named doctor within the week. Calling for results (after 10:00) I have generally been answered within 3 minutes. I use the web based repeat prescription service entirely effectively - the scrip has always been there within 3 days. The receptionists are generally perfectly OK. There have been glitches - a referral letter took longer to get to me than the appointment which it was meant to have resulted in (but I know how to work the system) - but generally they are perfectly OK-ish - after a drop off when they tried a new appointment and work-time system about 5 years ago (can't remember exactly) which didn't work at all. But they found out and changed it to something that did. I have had 2 minor surgeries there, both good.

[tabbycat123]

I went to DMC again this morning a cued outside for the doors to open The lady on the front desk was very polite and greated everyone with a good morning and offered them all appointments, i was at the desk filling out a form and over heard the staff in the back very upset that someone was going to come down and stab the admin lady because she could not give him a appointment this is not on is this what it has come to. i will once more say this admin staff and the lady on the desk i beleive to be called Lisa work very hard and are willing to help as much as they can it is the management that is letting them down or should i say lack of doctors. If you have a problem talk to them and they will help you i know that getting appointment is hard but it's not their fault

[Monkey]

Welcome to the forum Tabbycat123!

[Enida]

I have always been very frustrated with DMC. Yes, you do get an appointment when you queue at 7.30 but we shouldnt have to do this. We should be able to get appointments on the day or the day after on the phone if it is an emergency and week after if it is not an emergency - it is difficult to take a sick child or a baby with you at 7.30am out in the cold, wait in the line, and then come back in two hours to be seen by a doctor. I imagine it is even more difficult for eledrly people. The surgery should have more doctors and more resources...

[muffins78]

Just want to say something positive about DMC this morning as I've been quite negative in the past. I rang for a telephone appt this morning, was a bit frustrated 20 calls later (kept that to myself when I eventually got through, it's not the staffs fault), and they were running a new thing today where you could go to the surgery and see a locum, but it would be a one ailment type question thing. You would have no specific time allocated to you, just complete a form and get seen by the doctor. I thought it was a good idea especially after a bank holiday weekend where there was probably lots of people trying to see a doctor. Unfortunately I couldn't avail of this and explained to the receptionist and he was really accommodating/understanding - and has me booked in for telephone appt. It was just to say something positive as I say and I do think what they are doing today is a great idea.

[Nigello]

The fact that people are being adventurous by posting a positive comment about what ought to be a consistently acceptable, if not good, service is an indication of how bad this place has become. I avoid it as much as possible; when I do, the doctor has been good as have the nurses, but the rigmarole of getting to see them is woeful.

[muffins78]

I think that if you don't provide praise where it due, then people may become frustrated with any forward attempts they try to make. I do get what you are saying though, I still don't trust that the care I will need on a regular basis may be met, but am hoping that I am wrong too! This is not about the doctors of course, we all know that :)

[JDR]

I haven't attended this surgery for some time until this morning. They had no slots left when I managed to get through but said they have a new system where you sit and wait. We did this, an awfully long wait but were seen and all staff were professional throughout.

There didn't seem to be any other doctors though other than the locum though....

Hopefully, things are on the turn

[standswithfist]

I called an hour ago to get my daughter seen (she is 5yrs old). earliest appointment they could give me outside of school hours was mid July.

I mean REALLY?????

[Sue]

JDR Wrote:

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

they have a new

> system where you sit and wait.

xxxxxxx

When I was younger, that was the "old" system, and having an appointments system was supposed to mean less of a wait ......

With this "new" system, what are they going to do if they get so many people turning up at the same time that the wait could turn into hours? And will there be some sort of cut-off time, otherwise the doctors could be working 24/7?!

I can see there are pros and cons of both systems - for example there will no longer be "missed appointments" with all the waste of time that entails - but oh dear, there seems to be no ideal solution, does there?

[adonirum]

Agree, Sue,that was the "old system", probably when we were all younger!!! If I recall accurately, the 2 hour surgery was for "emergencies" ( the here and now need to see a doctor today) alongside an appointments system, during other periods of the day, for other things such as routine tests or medicals for say an HGV Licence. The combination of both seemed to work back then. The cut off was 11.00am for turning up, even if the waiting room was going to take another hour or so to clear.

The irony is that I am referring to Dr. Gupta snr, from his house in CPR !!!

[Jeremy]

standswithfist Wrote:

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

> I called an hour ago to get my daughter seen (she

> is 5yrs old). earliest appointment they could give

> me outside of school hours was mid July.

> I mean REALLY?????

I'm as critical of DMC as anybody, but insisting on an appointment outside of school hours is probably being a bit too picky.

[standswithfist]

Jeremy - I disagree with you. School hours are 9-330pm. Surgery open from 8am until 7pm. That is a lot of appointments between now and mid July.

[Monkey]

Was there just one GP at the DMC this morning then?

I have been in a fair few times when the waiting room was empty in the afternoon with only one or two GPs working. But one GP on a Monday morning for such a big practice? Really?

[snooks]

hello I very rarely complain but this centre is terrible, unprofessional and no idea how to treat OAPs. Ive been poorly with very swollen glands, intense headaches, perspiration and loss of voice. It was a reall effort to get there but I had an obliging and thoughtful cab driver who tokk me, waited and brought me home. All this only to be told it would take 2-3 weeks to clear and to take ibuprofen (not even a prescription for that) very very shabby treatment

[kondolusly]

Im with Gardens and has had no problem.

[Sue]

snooks Wrote:

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

> hello I very rarely complain but this centre is

> terrible, unprofessional and no idea how to treat

> OAPs. Ive been poorly with very swollen glands,

> intense headaches, perspiration and loss of voice.

> It was a reall effort to get there but I had an

> obliging and thoughtful cab driver who tokk me,

> waited and brought me home. All this only to be

> told it would take 2-3 weeks to clear and to take

> ibuprofen (not even a prescription for that) very

> very shabby treatment

xxxxx

Sorry to hear you are feeling so ill, it sounds horrible, but did the GP not tell you what you have?

Because unfortunately, there are indeed some things for which the only cure is time - sometimes longer that 2-3 weeks. I've had them! They are a pain! (no pun intended).

If you think you have something more serious, then perhaps ask to see another GP? Otherwise, I'm not quite sure what else the GP could do if her diagnosis was correct and there was no other appropriate treatment? What could she have done which would have been "more professional"?

I'm sure she would have given you a prescription if you'd asked - possibly she forgot that you would get the ibuprofen free on prescription, because for most people, these days it would be cheaper to buy it over the counter than to pay for it on prescription? Also perhaps she thought you would already have it at home?

Also, I don't mean to belittle what you saw as a poor experience, but I'm also an OAP and I don't expect to be treated differently by a GP just because of my age? Surely poor treatment is poor treatment (if it is) however old or young you are? If you are feeling very ill, it's hard to get to the surgery whatever your age, unfortunately :(

I hope you feel better soon.

[spider69]

Dulwich Medical Center. Crystal Palacce Road

Has the service got better.

Dropped renewal request into chemist first thing Tuesday morning. To be ready for collection after 5 on Thursday

Went in midday Friday, no medicine.

Told to come back before 6. Result no medicine. Reception told chemist prescription in front of doctor still to sign.

Asked if they could go and ask doctor to sign. Answer we are to busy to do this

Come back next week

MAKE YOUR OWN MIND UP. HAS THE SERVICE IMPROVED

JOKE