A Ryde doctor’s surgery has apologised after patients spent more than 90 minutes on hold last week.
While trying to raise a complaint with Esplanade Surgery last Wednesday, 1 patient, who wished to remain anonymous, was trying to speak to someone for an hour and 35 minutes, moving from 9th to 1st in the queue.
In the end, they resorted to visiting the surgery on Ryde Esplanade and have since called for improvements to be made. Responding to concerns, Esplanade Surgery said the long answer times were a result of staff sickness and apologised to any patients inconvenienced.
In the recently released GP surgery survey, Esplanade Surgery ranked seventh — out of the 12 Island doctors — on how easy patients thought it was to get through to the practice by phone.
Another complaint was also made about the surgery refusing to accept patients’ letters to doctors, some containing medical information.
In 1 instance, a patient, who had a letter from a specialist which had been requested by their GP, was turned away with their letter rejected.
Esplanade Surgery said in that instance the patient’s letter should have been accepted and was resolved the next day. Following the problems, the surgery has now suspended a trial service — which was implemented to improve patient care, it says — whereby receptionists made clinical appointments for patients who brought in letters.
A health watchdog has also been involved and contacted the surgery, who told them they were looking to resolve the issue.
Joanna Smith, manager of Healthwatch Isle of Wight, said:
“We are aware that a significant number of Island residents have reported difficulties in accessing their GP practices, so we would urge all practices to provide as many opportunities as possible for people to correspond with them.
“Many people have communication difficulties — they do not have access to the internet or are not able to spend long periods of time on the phone — so it is essential they have the same opportunities to correspond with primary care services as everyone else.”
The news in this article is not in the delays and stonewalling – we take that as normal these days – it’s the apology that is worthy of the front page
Sadly, I believe most if not all medical services are hiding behind a covid smokescreen. The staff did their upmost to maintain services during the pandemic but now probably due to red tape, management or hierarchy they fail in giving the service they would have taken pride in giving before covid. We have to live with covid not sweep it under the carpet.
This is appalling I really fear for people who need help, we simply can’t build more & more houses until we can safely deal with resources NOW !
This happens all the time nothing new here thought this was standard
Many people have communication difficulties — they do not have access to the internet or are not able to spend long periods of time on the phone
……
that is probably more associated with the receptionists rather than patients.
I have just spent nearly 20 minutes on hold waiting to speak to staff, phone tells you that you are number 1 in queue then goes into an endless cycle of “music” and telling you that you are still number 1
I find it disgusting that you are expected to tell the “trained patient advisers” your medical details when they are unqualified receptionists.
Disgusting. Since the UK has become the choice destination for every poor family we can no longer treat the very people whose families have paid into the health services for their families and descendants.
Hardly coincidence that our health services and prisons have both failed to cope since imo
Well…. Its the same at the Dower House Pyle Street Newport and Carisbrooke Health Centre.
You will be waiting for up to an hour to get an answer on the phone.
The Receptionist will NOT book appointments.
The Surgery is empty or just one or two patients and they are seeing a Health Assistant ! or a Nurse, very rarely a GP.
On line is the only way and then its not instant so you will have to wait for several days.
Its discriminating againt the elderly who may not be computer literate.
Little wonder the Hospital is overflowing when people must be soooo sick they end up calling 999 because they are not able to get the care by a GP.
You are totally right about this poor excuse of healthcare offered by this third rate service. I have been with them since I was a girl many years ago and they are a disgrace to the medical profession. No wonder they came bottom in most categories in the recent healthcare survey but don’t appear to be concerned at all.
On balance I must be lucky as a patient of this surgery having never waited more than ten minutes for a response.
I do quite understand the frustration though but after twenty minutes I would hang up anyway and try again later..
It’s the outside of this building, front doors and windows – that are so very dirty and in a state of disrepair. A good deep clean would go
not fit for purpose, worst surgery on the island, disgraceful..
I applied for esplande receptionist after 5 attempts got an interview but wasnt excepted. 2 weeks later same job was available again. Hmm a little fussy or clicky as why is that job reoccuring. Short staffed hmm maybe needs looking at
Work on your spelling, ‘accepted’, not ‘excepted’.
Poor service currently been waiting 28 minutes to get through to book a test
Phoned them when they opened this morning at half 8, got through to them 10 minutes later and got told that all the appointments had gone for today already. Then got told that I couldn’t get an appointment until NEXT MONTH and id have to contact 111. I’ve currently been undergoing tests for a health issue and have not even been able to get ahold of my doctors to speak about the results and for the next step. Never known a GP practice so awful.
We should protest, and block streets to demonstrate our disappointment at the poor service from our GP, they have hidden behind the” Covid Circus” long enough