complaints

[piccadilly]

hope this is the right site, but where do i complain to about a gps practice? i'm fedup with being fobbed off by lazy useless gps at my local health centre, i can never see the one that i want and get these useless clowns instead

[boxtops]

Ladyalex, I know you are in Scotland but I am amazed that you have had no reply to your complaint.

In England and Wales there is a laid down procedure, piccadilly - each practice has a complaints manager and once they receive your complaint (written in best) they must acknowledge it and then reply to say they will investigate and come back to you within a set period of time. If that doesn't satisfy you then you escalate the claim to the Independent Claims Advisory Service.

have a look here re process http://www.nhs.uk/cho...es/NHScomplaints.aspx

You might find your local PALS service at your local Primary Care Trust will help you , they are skilled in this sort of subject and are very helpful.

However - for some time, the arrangement with GPs is that you have a right to see A GP in 48 hours, not your GP of choice - that hasn't been the option for a while. Depends on what you need to see them for, but you could always ask to see the nurse instead.

I do endorse what salla and others say though - complaints when justified are well-made, but most people would be amazed how much flak and rudeness GP staff have to put up with on a daily basis.

[ladyalex]

Perhaps I won't follow up my complaint then.
Sounds as though, from what you all say, I am being unreasonable in expecting to be able to book an appointment with the GP of my choice. (This was not for a matter of any urgency whatsoever, just a follow-up to her suggested treatment. We had discussed the treatment at length and it seemed ridiculous to start all over again with one of her partners. What shocked me was not even being allowed to book an appointment at all, being asked to call back in 2 weeks time with only the possibility of being able to book an appointment then, that appointment going to be at least a further two weeks on.)
I am not rude to receptionists. I am sure that receptionists do get a lot of flak, but you mustn't assume that every patient is the enemy. We're not. And usually when we come in to a surgery it is because we are not at our best physically and/or mentally. I do often think that surgery workers can forget that and do not make allowances for it.

[boxtops]

I do agree ladya, and many patients come in to GP practices a) worried and ill, and b) not understanding the system, so are defensive from the outset. We had similar systems here until quite recently, no booking by phone etc., it was a nightmare, you couldn't make an appointment for a fortnight. Things seem to be improving!

[ladyalex]

Here's hoping they improve here too !

Though, as I said, for emergency or on-the-day appointments I could not have a better surgery.

[SRH]

Couple of things worth doing:

1. Have a look at the latest GP survey to see whether other patients are of the same opinion as you: http://www.gp-patient.co.uk/results/ If they all seem happy then it might be that you are expecting too much.

2. Join another practice - different doctors and practices can have very different styles and attitude so you might find one you are happier with.

3. If you are certain there is a problem with the practice then go to the people who commission their services - your local primary care trust (see http://www.nhs.uk/Pages/HomePage.aspx). They will have a PALS (patient advisory liaison service) or complaints dept. They are obliged to look into your problem and, if they get more than one complaint about a practice, may well take it further.

Hope it all works out okay.

[ladyalex]

Thanks , SRH.
Unfortunately, I cannot find my practice on your first link, but perhaps that is because I live in Scotland and I cannot get your second link to work.
:-((

[ladyalex]

I found the Scottish GP survey results and it appears from my reading of them that I am by no means alone....52% responded positively to the question about being able to book an appointment in advance, which I guess means that 48% of those surveyed expressed negative opinions about booking in advance. Most practices in the area (but sadly not the next nearest to me) were doing a lot better than 52% positive.

[anneasquith]

ladya, how did you access the scottish practices ?

[piccadilly]

there is no way i would condone rudeness or bad temper to either receptionists or gps, but its like joko mentioned, that they are not above reproach, and you can't help but feel annoyed when you feel like the gp just couldn't be bothered with you

[scotman]

For AnneA

http://www.scotland.g...PAccessSurveyResults/

is the link

[ladyalex]

Thanks for pasting the link, scotman, just logged on.
That's where I looked.