Anyone experiencing even greater issues securing a GP appointment with Tessa Jowell GP practice?

[Jenijenjen]

11 hours ago, alice said:

That they’re separate is totally fine. That digital communication between them does not exist is not so good. 

Yet there seems to be good communication with other GP practices. A couple of times I've phoned my GP FHRGP and been given same day appointments with EPCS. 

Also, if TJGP claim shortage of staff, is it because the conditions offered make it unattractive for GPs to work there?

[first mate]

9 hours ago, heartblock said:

Both services are in the same building, but they refuse to communicate, so if there isn't a free GP, they tell you to call 111 to be able to see the SELDOC. For me I knew what I had, I knew the prescription I needed - a GP would have been able to sort it out in a matter of a minute or less. Instead they advised me to go to King's A&E. The idea was that TJ was supposed to be a community service - providing local amenities so we did not need to go to A&E and sit there for 14 hrs just for a prescription for antibiotics. It should have all been an in-house, non-profit service with seamless connections, GPs, physios, nurse-led clinics, pharmacist-led clinics and diagnostics on-site - we were even promised a minors and minor surgery. A wasted opportunity and now a service not fit for purpose. 

All the services we were promised were to ensure a large part of the site was moved from NHS use to enable building of the Charter School. I remember Cllr James Barber making all kinds of promises as to the wonderful services that would be available at the new 'state of the art' medical centre; there to serve the community.

As it is we have lost a hospital that although very rundown did provide lot of services, including x-ryas, maternity and rehab for the elderly- all services we need. TJ has fairly active physio and phlebotomy depts ( so did the old hospital) but what else does it provide?

Do they do x-rays on the site? When last there I saw an MRI sign. Do they have an MRI scanner? Who uses it?

 

[Froglander]

10 hours ago, trinidad said:

I am expected to receive a written response for my complaint with the ICB on April 23rd 2024. I am not really expecting any major changes, other than escalating the complaint again. I notice the Practice manager is no longer responding to comments on this forum. 

There is also alot of one star reviews on the NHS review website. these reviews. These issues seem to be going on to at least January 2024. Look for yourself:

Ratings and reviews - Tessa Jowell GP Surgery - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

 

Trinidad,   Are you sure the Practice Manager has replied on this Forum? As you said, he hasn’t replied to the NHS website since January this year.  It’s good that you attached the NHS TJ link.

Edited April 2 by Froglander

[JohnL]

I used to be able to go to Melbourne Grove - chat to the receptionist and get a same day appointment - I guess it was a cancellation but one was available if I hung around or went for a coffee - this was maybe 10 years ago.

I guess this is banned in the new surgery.

Edited April 3 by JohnL

[Slocky]

Practice Manager hasn’t bothered to reply to my complaint letter sent on 23 February. I raised this with Helen Hayes who has contacted the NHS Integrated Care Board. She has had similar complaints from a number of constituents so it’s worth writing to her.

[OutOfFocus]

Helen's staff have gone the second mile to complain about a health issue i have (with CCG as was).

[Froglander]

On 10/04/2024 at 09:51, Slocky said:

Practice Manager hasn’t bothered to reply to my complaint letter sent on 23 February. I raised this with Helen Hayes who has contacted the NHS Integrated Care Board. She has had similar complaints from a number of constituents so it’s worth writing to her.

When you say from a number of constituents, do you mean about Tessa Jowell GP Surgery?

[trinidad]

On 02/04/2024 at 12:10, Froglander said:

Trinidad,   Are you sure the Practice Manager has replied on this Forum? As you said, he hasn’t replied to the NHS website since January this year.  It’s good that you attached the NHS TJ link.

Yes, I can confirm the practice manager has not responded to this forum. The GP practice does not care.

I have received a letter on 11th April from the Practice Manager - Roberta Flectcher. The letter is dated 10th April, and acknowledges my complaint on 8th February 2024. It has taken the GP practice two months to send an acknowledgement, totally and utterly unacceptable. I am sure Roberta contacted me, because the ICB has made contact with them. I am awaiting for a response to my complaint from the ICB by 23rd April 2024. Tessa Jowell GP practice continue to let patients down. 

[Froglander]

52 minutes ago, trinidad said:

I have received a letter on 11th April from the Practice Manager - Roberta Flectcher. The letter is dated 10th April, and acknowledges my complaint on 8th February 2024. It has taken the GP practice two months to send an acknowledgement, totally and utterly unacceptable. I am sure Roberta contacted me, because the ICB has made contact with them. I am awaiting for a response to my complaint from the ICB by 23rd April 2024. Tessa Jowell GP practice continue to let patients down. 

I think she is the assistant practice manager unless Golam Morshed left.

 Really unacceptable. Send her an email back, expressing your displeasure at not having received a reply and ask for an immediate face to face meeting. Take someone with you.

[Froglander]

6 hours ago, Froglander said:

I think she is the assistant practice manager unless Golam Morshed left.

 Really unacceptable. Send her an email back, expressing your displeasure at not having received a reply and ask for an immediate face to face meeting. Take someone with you.

I checked their site and Golam Morshed is down as the Practice Business Manager. Cigdem Korkmaz has Complaints Department after her name, so send her a copy of your complaint too.

Edited April 14 by Froglander

[Forest Hill Climber]

I am registered at a different practice which I moved to three years ago following a steep deterioration in service at my former GP surgery. The new practice is even worse  -  it seems that everything has changed from around three to four years ago, and we no longer have a functioning GP Service.  So many disturbing aspects to the situation e.g. having to share personal info with 'health care assistants' and administrators who are effectively gate-keepers for the doctors.  One way I managed to get a GP to talk to me was by calling NHS Direct who called my GP surgery and they did call me back within 24 hours. What a waste of time!

There was an article in the Evening Standard about people queueing in Brockley from 7 AM and even then not getting appointments. 

Quote

'The system is broken': Dozens of patients queue outside south London GP after struggling to get appointments

 

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/hilly-fields-gp-london-nhs-patients-queue-appointments-b1150599.html

[Slocky]

On 12/04/2024 at 18:19, Froglander said:

When you say from a number of constituents, do you mean about Tessa Jowell GP Surgery?

Yes

[Froglander]

On 03/04/2024 at 08:25, JohnL said:

I used to be able to go to Melbourne Grove - chat to the receptionist and get a same day appointment - I guess it was a cancellation but one was available if I hung around or went for a coffee - this was maybe 10 years ago.

I guess this is banned in the new surgery.

Less than ten years ago, one could just ring the surgery on the day in the morning to hopefully get an appointment for that day or the following day.  It was also possible to book into the future for appts with Graham,  the osteopath or with Dr. Johnson who did the dry needling acupuncture.  Same with nurse appts.  It all changed during Covid, the surgery moved into the new premises and morphed into Tessa Jowell and never returned to how it was.

[Froglander]

The CQC report, published last Octobe, says TJGP requires overall improvement.  I have not yet read the whole report.  Under the section on the TJGP site which names the staff, starting off with the GPs, it states Male after the first three and then after that no other staff member has their sex mentioned. Very odd.

[Happyme5]

It is hard to get an answer when even phone them.  

[sandyman]

On 15/04/2024 at 19:58, Froglander said:

Less than ten years ago, one could just ring the surgery on the day in the morning to hopefully get an appointment for that day or the following day.  It was also possible to book into the future for appts with Graham,  the osteopath or with Dr. Johnson who did the dry needling acupuncture.  Same with nurse appts.  It all changed during Covid, the surgery moved into the new premises and morphed into Tessa Jowell and never returned to how it was.

About 25 years ago if you felt poorly you just went and you'd be seen. You might have to wait but no  appointment needed, you'd be seen while you were there. As they say, different times, 

[Happyme5]

I just joined when I moved to Dulwich 3 years ago.  I have never seen a GP and I wouldn't even know their names.  It is a shame.  I have had to go to AnE for a chest infection as I was sick for over 3 weeks. I don't know what to make of it.  Is this a conspiracy to force people to go private.  If they can afford it.  Or are they just trying to kill us off through lack of medical support.  I do not think that I am qualified to diagnose my own medical condition.  This system is surely not a safe one.   And people will eventually die due to lack of basic health care.  It is a very bad situation.   From cradle to grave.  It seems more grave than cradle to me.  Are all so called GP practises as bad?

Edited April 16 by Happyme5
Typo

[Sue]

12 hours ago, Happyme5 said:

Are all so called GP practises as bad?

No, and it's very easy to register with another one.

Just check you live within its catchment area, research its reviews, then just walk in and ask to register with them.

They do all the rest. You don't even have to tell your old surgery that you are leaving.

I've done it twice. I honestly can't understand why people put up with such extremely poor service. 

The NHS is in a bad state generally, I know, but nevertheless some GP practices seem to be a lot better than others.

Please put your health first!

[Happyme5]

Thank you Sue. I will change in Summer when I am off of work X 

[Peckhampam]

4 hours ago, Sue said:

No, and it's very easy to register with another one.

Just check you live within its catchment area, research its reviews, then just walk in and ask to register with them.

They do all the rest. You don't even have to tell your old surgery that you are leaving.

I've done it twice. I honestly can't understand why people put up with such extremely poor service. 

The NHS is in a bad state generally, I know, but nevertheless some GP practices seem to be a lot better than others.

Please put your health first!

Usually you don't even have to go in-you can do it all on-line

[HHetherington]

Hello all,

Please excuse me/feel free to remove the comment if this isn’t the appropriate place for it.

I am an East Dulwich resident writing a story for the South East Londoner (https://www.selondoner.co.uk) about the problems patients are facing with the service at Tessa Jowell GP Surgery and the Health Centre.

I would like to speak with people currently or formerly registered with the practice to learn more about their experiences.

This story won’t seek to single out or ‘have a go’ at individuals – by most accounts the quality of care for those who do get an appointment is good – but will look at the quality of service and why it seems to be worsening. 

If you would like to speak to me, you can email [email protected] and we can arrange an interview. If you’d like to check who I am first, my editor Tom Holmes can be reached at [email protected]

Thank you,

Harry Hetherington

[Happyme5]

Brilliant.  This is the right place As we need some support.  I will be in touch. TY

[sandyman]

This is clearly far from a unique issue. Somebody posted this on Facebook and it is so similar to posts here I asked him if he was with Tessa Jowell - he said "no, Lewisham". 

"This morning on the microsecond of 8am I tried to get through to my GP on the phone...it went straight through to Hold. Tried again. Same thing. Tried a third time...Same thing. OK, I thought, I will hold. 32 minutes later, I gave up. The voice said "Did you know you can now book appointments online?" NO YOU CAN'T...I have the Patient Access App & for the past 2 years it has said "This practice is unable to book appointments online." Anyhooooo...on way back from shops I popped into the actual surgery to see if I could book an appointment in advance...that was my second mistake...Receptionist said "No. You will have to ring up on a Monday morning to see if we have any for that week" "Oh, and what time should I ring?" "It's best to ring at 8am" "But i just spent 32 minutes this morning on hold and couldn't even get through" "Yeah, sorry about that, we are short-staffed at the moment...but did you kn ow you can now book appointments in advance online?" "No, you can't" "Well, there are sometimes some appointments available online" "Nope, no there aren't...looked every day for 2 years and not a scintilla of an appointment..." "Well, you could always ring up at 8am" "You do know the whole system is completely falling to pieces?" Receptionist gives rueful look. In case I lost it and set fire to the whole fecking GP Practice there and then, I left. I will try again tomorrow morning at 8am. And see if Dr Godot will see me...We are well and truly f****d, peoples."

Edited April 20 by sandyman

[Froglander]

On 19/03/2024 at 11:29, Froglander said:

Was told today by TJGP (not a doctor) that if you want a referral, then they can only be done on a Monday and a Thursday.  This means that you can only book a consultation for that purpose on those days.  I sincerely hope this information is incorrect.  Has anyone heard this before?  

Bumping this up - Has anyone else had this problem?  I was gobsmacked when a person at TJ who answered the telephone told me this.  So you eventually get through if you are ‘lucky’ enough and you need a hospital referral and are told that this can only be done one a Monday or a Thursday!  WTH!!!

[Happyme5]

Tessa J GP. LOL

You can not even book an advance appointment.  You can only get one on the actual day if you win the lottery and get through before all the alloted call backs are taken.  Not even an actual appointment a telephone screening call.   So you don't actually get to see a GP. The app is always down.  If you work and can not use your phone how do you get a call back?????

You can't even go sick for the day because there is very little chance of securing a call back.

We didn't ask for a reduction in NI and I don't think most of us really minded paying it.  Why cut NI when the system obviously needs some investment.  Even if this means that and I can't believe I am saying it. Even if that means that there is more auditing and inspection of how the monies are being used.  

 

Previously the staff from the Pharmacy practically carried me upstairs and begged the staff to get a GP to help me.  They refused even though it was obvious I was very ill.  I had to take myself to AnE at Kings where they saw me within 30 minutes even though the were very busy.  All I needed was antibiotics for a chest infection which was untreated as I could not get an appointment with the GP.  I had been really ill for a few weeks.  I would have. Probably ended up being admitted if I hadn't got to AnE that evening.  The staff at the pharmacy where really supportive and worried about me.  They even asked me to call them when I could because they wanted to know that I got some help.