“I have not used this surgery, but have found this attitude at every surgery I have used in the UK. The bedside manner of the doctors is often utterly appalling. A friend of mine who is supposed to have a wound dressed everyday was refused appointments and told to do it herself. Due to the location of the wound this wasn't an option. She went six days without having the dressing changed. One wonders when doctors took over from god as supreme beings.”

“I read a while back that patients now trust Google as much or, in some cases, more than their own doctor when it comes to diagnosing ailments.”

“I agree about doctors arrogant attitude my 2 yr old son died due to the arrogancy of a doctor at the out of hours gp service at grimsby hospital several years ago, but due to ongoing legal action cannot mention the name of the doctor, yet, but we do not trust the local gps any more and this doctor will be reported to the medical council.”

“I have not used this surgery yet, but I am considering doing so.

I have had a wrist problem for about 12/13 weeks and have seen four different doctors at my surgery and all give a different opinion.

One said it was bruised, and give my some ointment to apply, another said it was inflammation and give me some tables, the senior doctor just said, "it's not broken," and then his daughter said it was the tendon. She reluctantly agreed I could have an X-ray, this was about 9 weeks after I first complained about the wrist! Then I had to wait over a week for the appointment.

I've even had to buy wrist supports, as they would not give a prescription. What have I paid my NI subscriptions for 50 years for, If I have to buy my own medical aids?

The X-ray didn't show any break, then I didn't expect it would after that time, (the hospital wouldn't tell me the result, I had to see my doctor, which took another week) as it would have started to 'knit."

Their attitude was something like, "you're getting old, it's "wear and tare."

The problem is they are too busy hammering away at the keyboard to LISTEN to what you are trying to explain why you are there.

Oh, and yes, I still have the wrist problem.”

“At my doctors you have got to know 2 weeks in advance when you are going to be Ill.

When you ring up they ask "is it an emergency, do you need an appoint asap" I feel like saying no book me in for 3 weeks on Tuesday I think I might be ill then!!

I then try to arrive 5 or 10 mintues early for my appointment to make sure I'm on time.

Usually then you wait for anywhere between 30 and 60 mins after your appointment time to actually see a Doctor!

Dont get me wrong the NHS does wonderful things but some GP 's create their own rules.”

“Cant comment on Doctors , Ive never managed to get past a receptionist yet.”

“our local surgery have a strict ring at 0800 policy to book an appointment its unavailable at 0759 , engaged at 0800 and all appointmants gone by 0805hrs . Now that is efficiency.”

“@mallard1938
"I have had a wrist problem for about 12/13 weeks"

Better delete that picture that you have of Jo White. You don't want hairy palms as well!”

“The last time I went to see a doctor was about ten years ago when I had the worst illness of my life and thought they'd be able to shed some light on what it was. After jumping through hoops to get an appointment, I trundled my way there only to find they had absolutely no idea what the illness was and just told me to go home and rest. I was ill for another 2 weeks and didn't feel right again for about 3 months.”

“hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Oh very good, Godbur.”

“Well, you never know .. maybe you've got a thing for old women, Mallard?

It takes all sorts!

(grin)”

“tut tut .. how terribly ungallant of you.
I'm sure Jo will be mortified!”

“You are Jo, 'mighty mouth' inmeoffice, you are.

You wouldn't know the meaning of gallantry and you only get what you deserve.”

“Well Mallard .. Sad to say, I have pledged not to get drawn into any more of these childish exchanges. I really *am* better than that.
So I'll let you have the last word.

Now isn't that noble of me?

I am a saint, I tell you .. a veritable saint!”

“Inmeoffice said: 'I'll let you have the last word'. Didn't ime have the actual last word? :)”

“Well. I am a patient at Clee Medical Centre and find the reception staff incredibly helpful and the G.P's extremely competent, willing to listen and they don't treat patients like a supermarket queue :)”

“Jo, aka inmeoffice, dizzy drip, janew, etc,

I'm not bothered about having "the last word," but if you insist, how about this?

"I really *am* better than that." Sorry Jo, no you are not!

So, you have elevated yourself from being "The Queen of Sheba" to a Saint, have you. You know what they say about "self praise...."

Is THIS the "last word?"”

“Get a grip Mallard. All you are doing is making yourself come across as some king of bitter and twisted weirdo.

I hope your wrist gets better and you receive the correct treatment soon.”

“Andrew wrote: "Didn't ime have the actual last word?"

Yes, I did, you're quite right Andrew.

I should have written .. "the last insult".”

“Andrew,

I don't think Jo did.

Nice of you to admit you DO write insults, but then again, you usually do and then cry when some-one sends a few back, don't you Jo? But then again, you ARE insulting.


Banned, thanks for the good wishes about my wrist, but got "No joy" at the Access Centre to-day, they don't give "second opinions." But you are wrong with the rest of your post.”

“In reply to TheOracle - The surgery you talk about has GOT to be The Clee Medical Centre surely.....”

“Sidthesquid1, I agree. I used to attend the Clee Medical Centre but found another surgery as I was fed up of having to book my illnesses two or three weeks in advance. However at the surgery I went to next I rarely got to see my own doctor and on one ooccasion when I had been feeling particularly unwell for some weeks I saw a doctor one Friday afternoon, explained my symptoms and I don't think she listened to a word I'd said. She just sat and tidied up her desk! She could at least have pretended to be interested/concerned. It was almost like it was Friday afternoon and she couldn't wait to get home!
What a lot of doctors don't seem to take into account is that we patients are not medical experts. That's why we go to the doctors because we don't know what's wrong and we might even be a little bit concerned. Whatever we're seeing the doctor about might be trivial, run-of-the-mill, everyday stuff to them but we patients don't necessarily know that and it would be nice just for them to explain things clearly and show us a little dignity and respect. I'm not suggesting all doctors are like this, there are some fantastic doctors out there and they all do a brilliant job and work hard but there are a few who treat their patients like dirt.
On the whole I find that doctors' receptionists are far far worse when it comes to "customer service". A lot of them seem to have a qualification in downright rudeness (and I know I'm not the only one who thinks this). They are very abrupt on the phone and if you dare to enquire about something (the surgery opening times for example) they're at your throat quicker than an angry pitbull. They make you feel like you have to apologise for being ill sometimes.”

“sidthesquid1

no its not Clee medical centre.
I'm not going to name them because they have moved into new premises about 6 months ago but I havent needed to go in that time so they may have got it together now.

On the other hand the missus and kids go to Birkwood Medical centre opposite the college and you cant fault them. I sit there in amazement when they get called in early for appointments. Yes Early!!!!! She has needed last minute appointments too and got them without having to jump through hoops.”

“Wow peers1981. All those words and not a punctuation mark in sight! Didn't they teach you about full stops and commas at medical college? I bet you're constantly out of breath with all those words.”

“Mallard buddy, I've had a word with a surgeon friend of mine and he says "Stop it or you'll go blind!"”

“GC, that was actually quite funny, oddly enough his typing wrist seems unaffected.”

“Let's hope your nursing skills are better than your spelling”

“Banned, 'Get a grip', are you sure that's good advice?”

“I've worked as a Doctors receptionist in two different surgeries in Grimsby. I can honestly say that before working in a surgery, I used to sit for an hour at my GP's and moan like hell, the receptionist would usually get it from me too. Now, after working in a surgery I see things a little differently.

1. It's not the receptionists fault! They don't set the appointments, the doctors do. And with x amount of people living in Grimsby to the number of qualified registered GPs, you can't expect appointments left right and centre. I have worked in reception and had people walk in with all sorts of queries and have always done everything in my power to help, sometimes patients just walk in looking for an argument and sadly the GP isn't the one on the desk, it's you who gets it.

2. Have you ever wondered why you sit there for 40 mins? Oh it's because the GP is sat listening to a patient list several different chronic problems in one 10min consultation and they are trying to sort them all out, some may require further on the spot investigations like ECG's, blood tests etc, some may require in depth referrals doing. There is a reason for being kept waiting 99% of the time, and believe me, if you're that ill, or want to see a doc that badly, you will gladly sit and wait.

3. I have worked with some horrid DR's and some amazing ones. One doctor would storm into the office because we dared to book a really ill patient in as an emergency, but they had blocked all their appointments and didn't want anyone booking in. We got shouted at, screamed at, told we were useless. The same Doctor just spoke to us like dirt 90% of the time. I also worked with a wonderful doctor who would go and visit their cancer patients at weekends, who would always go the extra mile for their patients.

4. Yes us taxpayers fund the NHS. I could go on forever about the fact I pay into it and some people don't. But... The NHS is free, the problem is not with GPs, or their reception teams, it is simply primary care, primary care has and will always be the same, it will always be hard to get an appointment because there are far too many people per doctor, you will always be asked the same questions by receptionists, because that is their guidance from GPS and nurses, and without appointment management, these centres could not run at all.

5. Anyone who needs to be seen on the day (as in sudden illness or urgent cases) will always be seen, I've never known any GP I've worked with turn anyone away who did need seeing on the day. Routine appointments will always take longer, if a person has been suffering with back pain for 3 months and hasn't consulted a doctor, then rings one day and wants to come in that day or the day after, they are more than likely going to be told to wait, they've lived with it 3 months so does not fall into urgent care. It may seem unfair to you, but there a huge amounts of people who have illness with a sudden onset that need seeing first.

Next time you decide to moan about primary care, you may be sat waiting 40mins for an appointment that took you ages to make but just take a step back and think.

I've been in banks, shops, surgeries etc and had terrible service, yes I've moaned about it. But if patients came and did a week behind the scenes they'd soon change their tune.

I no longer work in a surgery due to being fed up with getting so much abuse from patients, and unecessarily so too.”

“I've worked as a Doctors receptionist in two different surgeries in Grimsby. I can honestly say that before working in a surgery, I used to sit for an hour at my GP's and moan like hell, the receptionist would usually get it from me too. Now, after working in a surgery I see things a little differently.

1. It's not the receptionists fault! They don't set the appointments, the doctors do. And with x amount of people living in Grimsby to the number of qualified registered GPs, you can't expect appointments left right and centre. I have worked in reception and had people walk in with all sorts of queries and have always done everything in my power to help, sometimes patients just walk in looking for an argument and sadly the GP isn't the one on the desk, it's you who gets it.

2. Have you ever wondered why you sit there for 40 mins? Oh it's because the GP is sat listening to a patient list several different chronic problems in one 10min consultation and they are trying to sort them all out, some may require further on the spot investigations like ECG's, blood tests etc, some may require in depth referrals doing. There is a reason for being kept waiting 99% of the time, and believe me, if you're that ill, or want to see a doc that badly, you will gladly sit and wait.

3. I have worked with some horrid DR's and some amazing ones. One doctor would storm into the office because we dared to book a really ill patient in as an emergency, but they had blocked all their appointments and didn't want anyone booking in. We got shouted at, screamed at, told we were useless. The same Doctor just spoke to us like dirt 90% of the time. I also worked with a wonderful doctor who would go and visit their cancer patients at weekends, who would always go the extra mile for their patients.

4. Yes us taxpayers fund the NHS. I could go on forever about the fact I pay into it and some people don't. But... The NHS is free, the problem is not with GPs, or their reception teams, it is simply primary care, primary care has and will always be the same, it will always be hard to get an appointment because there are far too many people per doctor, you will always be asked the same questions by receptionists, because that is their guidance from GPS and nurses, and without appointment management, these centres could not run at all.

Next time you decide to moan about primary care, just take a step back and think.”

“I will just say this .. the front desk receptionist is probably the most important member of staff at the surgery (apart from the doctors and nurses themselves). They need empathy, patience, kindness, good manners and be able to smile at even the rudest patient .. who is probably feeling pretty lousy. So why oh why does so little energy go into finding the right person?

It's no good getting a young school leaver and paying the minimum wage, or dragging someone out from the back office to do the job. The job requires a very special sort of person.

The right person up front can make so much difference to the overall perception of the surgery.”

“I'm currently registered there as its just round the corner from where i live. Unfortunately there are a few members of staff that are atrocious but not all of them are. Although one time when i went with a friend (about a year ago) to get myself a pregnancy test the doctor was completely IDIOTIC! He queried why i was there and who my friend was. As i told him and he gave us both an unacceptable look (due to the fact we are both females). His reply to me when i asked for a test was " Why don't you just go buy one from the shop" to which my reply was ' i cant afford it ' and what i think was the most outlandish thing i have heard from a doctor say was this- his reply " Well, if you can afford to get pregnant you can afford a test! " with an unacceptable tone.
I don't know what your situation was with the doctor but all i could do was laugh at him. the stupidity of his reply and the worst part of it, being from a doctor who are trained and there to help you with your problem. But most doctors on NHS don't care and can't be bothered! It's stupid and sickening. they shouldn't be a doctor if they don't want to help people even for the simplest things like that.”

“Sorry Kay, but is that meant to be a serious post?

If so I 100% agree with the doctor - if you cant afford a pregnancy test (£3.99 from boots) then you certainly cannot afford a baby.

Do you realise how much money was wasted in unnecessarily seeing that doctor, its not surprising the NHS (and I suspect welfare system given your response) are in such trouble!”

“My medical centre is based at cromwell rd, and I have to say my dr and all the other drs which number3 in the practise are polite, civil, courteous and very professional.yes there are times when you have to wait to be seen, but lets face it if you've made an appointment, then you surely HAVE to see a doctor, to resolve your problem.all the drs in my drs practice are very new as my original dr retired and he was an absolute gem, butI have to say that the drs who replaced him are excellent. I urge you to think hard and fast because they do sometimes have a difficult job to do.”