Argyle Doctors Surgery change your telephone system for appointments

This massively needs changing for so many reasons. The current system dose not work, never has and never will. Please change and allow people to make appiontments in advance.

something has to be done about this dreadful service. I find it hard enough myself I dread to think how the older generation manage...

Live in Pembroke and work in Tenby so obviously I have to try and ring whilst getting ready for work. Today 6/11/15 got through to surgery call queue after 25 minutes, 10 minutes in that queue and then after 10 minutes got ringing tone. Waited a further 10-12 minutes for the phone to be answered but it just kept on ringing. This has happened before and the phone has just rung off. This was not for an emergency, I just want a follow on appointment with a named doctor for help in managing an on-going condition. Further to earlier suggestions not all patients are familiar or comfortable with smart phones and texts. Just an efficient system where appointments can be booked by phone or at the surgery at a time to suit would suffice.

You can never get thru when u fone n by the time u do all appa hav gone even wen on the rare occasion u get straight thru wen the drs opens at 8 the receptions tell u all apps gone u hav to try again at 8 the nxt day. Ridiculous!!!

Sort it out

Dear Argyle medical group surgey practice - This service has not worked from the begining of amalgation, yes, I am aware of the why's this had to happen! It would be helpful if at some point AMGDSP, actually apoligised and had some real customer feedback, their website, instead of a 'poor us' attitude. Also interesting to note the last 'patient participation group' meeting was held March 2015!!

Something needs to be done but they don't have enough doctors too

The system is appalling especially when you feel ill. Systems that work in England where several practices have amalgamated is to break the teams down into 4-5 doctor practices having separate phone lines for appointments with their own receptionists but sharing the background facilities with the other practices.Appointments can be forward booked with a named GP who has seen you before and knows some history especially where there are complex medical conditions. Your time is up by the time different GPs go through your history. Urgent cases can be fitted into either one doctor/nurse slots kept especially. Education in the form of asking pts was it really urgent when they attend if it is thought that they are abusing the system

Suspect that any appointment system will be overwhelmed if the GP to patient ratio isn't manageable? The key to GP numbers must actually be staff retention not recruitment and that comes from job satisfaction. The telephone system could be easily be altered with an extra receptionist at that time of day and another line released. Ultimately not enough appointments to meet demand is probably actually behind the crazy restricted phone system. You can't service the patients you have either by telephone or when consulting. 10 mins is not enough to do a good job and is incredibly stressful to work under.

Quite simply the 8:00am telephone only appointment system - IS NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE. The very many minor 'tweeks' that have been tried have failed to provide any improvement. Time has now run out for amendments to the existing arrangements; radical changes are needed to facilitate immediate improvements for the benefit of patients. You never know, maybe the receptionists, nurses, nurse practitioners, doctors and even the Practice Management Team could benefit from dealing with happier patients!

It is a nightmare trying to get through especially when you are not feeling unwell.

The current system is unacceptable, anything from 30 to 45 mins to get through to be told no appointments. Not all appointments are emergency but there are no facilities to pre book an appointment at a time you can attend. A portion [1 hour for each doctor] of the day should be for pre booked appointments, if not full then the daily appointments can fill in. Would also be good if you could see the same doctor for the same condition there is no continuity with the system as it stands. Bring back the old system at least it worked you knew who you were seeing and maybe you waited at the surgery for an hour no different than hanging on a phone for the same time getting exasperated.

Utterly impossible to get an appointment. I have to be in work in Haverfordwest by 8:30am. I don't drive, so can't turn around and get back to an appointment even if I was lucky enough to get one. Only way is to take a day off work and hope I'm lucky. Colleagues going to St Thomas' Green (Haverfordwest) surgery seem to have no problem, so please adopt their system.

Impossible to get through to see doctors. Mother in law has been so ill, doesn't want to make a fuss ended up in hospital twice cos she didn't get appointment

I was supposed to come back for a review with a nurse practitioner but due to the system have actually given up!

Good suggestions. I had already requested an online or voice mail facility to at least cancel appointments and therefore make appointments available.

There is room for improvement

Its 2015 and you should be able to make an appointment in an easy way without stress, strain or hassle!

What is happening to the national health in Pembrokeshire?

Two chances of getting through would be good.