Argyle Doctors Surgery change your telephone system for appointments
314 Comments
N
natalie
11 years ago
Some of the Staff on reception need re-training in customer services/handling.
All.doctors employed there should have contracts of at least 30hr week, not 1/2 day a week. People who work should have an allocated block for appointments. There should be a £25 fine if you miss an appointment an you shouldn't be able to get another until it's paid.( methods been highly successful in other areas)
S
Simon wiggins
11 years ago
Nightmare every time to get appts
J
Jo
11 years ago
Many time I have been ring for over an hour that's over 100 time to try and get through only to be told all appointment have gone ring back tomorrow by then the kids are late for school and there is £60 fine so you have to pay that then the phone bill
E
Elaine Watson
11 years ago
I endured years of constantly ringing to try to get an appointment. Absolute nightmare!
P
Phil McFadden
11 years ago
Surely the obvious fact is we need more clinicians to satisfy the demand? So many of us have had to wait on the line for too long. Why isn't there enough money to provide for this?
M
mena
11 years ago
On many occasion I have had to wait hour to get through to Des to be told all appointments have gone for the day you'll have to come in after 5 and wait as emergency, It is a terrible system and must change for the better.
A
Anonymous
11 years ago
Needed an emergency appointment, rang from 8-9am, over 100 times . By the time I got through to someone all the appointments were gone and I was told to phone tomorrow. Aweful service, needs to be fixed
E
Elizabeth Cook
11 years ago
There are too many patients registered at Argyle surgery whose GP's are mostly part-time. It's a simple supply and demand issue. You can book appointments in advance for flu jabs and diabetic appointments so why not your appointment with a doctor. The fact is that in effect they are treating EVERYONE as an EMERGENCY with their current system, which is bonkers. If they cannot provide the service required for the townspeople of Pembroke and Pembroke Dock, they need to get out of the business and get someone in who can.
L
Lorna Bond
11 years ago
It's so hard to come to doctors when really need too as I often am too ill in the mornings to call so early . If I could book in advance for the afternoon I'd be looked after better.
L
luke parfitt
11 years ago
useless system, get it changed!
R
Rob
11 years ago
200 times and was full!!!
C
Cindy doherty
11 years ago
The calling system completely don't work, lines open at 8, some people are driving to work or are in work at that time and can't keep hitting redial in hope to get lucky.
A
Alun Davies
11 years ago
The present system does not work and further stresses patients who are allready ill. It must be changed.
C
Chantelle kemp
11 years ago
Shocking that people who work can never get an appointment!!!!!
B
bethan hughes
11 years ago
on the phone for sometimes over an hour to be told no doctors appointments! what happened to pre appointments and take a number sit and wait!
V
Vicki carter
11 years ago
Defiantly. Never get through or can hardly get an appointment when u really do need 1. People are suffering because of this
P
Pearl Harries
11 years ago
My husband and I fully endorse all the ideas put forward on Elizabeth Austwick's 'change your telephone' online page. We should like the opportunity of advance booking,, whether in person at the desk or by telephone. Also the need for several operators to answer calls during the day, particularly first thing in the morning. We agree that other surgeries work a far better management style and their patients are very much happier with the service they receive. The excuses currently put forward by the Argyle Medical Group for their appalling service are just that - excuses.
M
Mrs Hay
11 years ago
When I am ill I need to see a doctor, Sim
P
Peter Robinson
11 years ago
The current appointment system is from a patient perspective simply not fit for purpose.
I completely agree that any system needs to incorporate the following
Forward booking both online and over the phone for less urgent and repeat appointments
Same day appointments for urgent available on line and over the phone
Early and later appointments for people to access both before and after work, again available both online and over the phone.
Sometimes just a phone conversation with a GP will suffice so how about booking a callback appointment.
Surely offering more advance appointments will ease the pressure on same day.
A
Alison Collins
11 years ago
Something needs to be done. Recently I tried to get through and had 52 failed calls in 3/4 hour. I decided to call into the surgery in Argyle Street and see if I could book that way. I was very quickly told in no uncertain terms that I would have to phone and that they can't book over the counter. There isn't a perfect system, but maybe they should adopt the "bacon counter system" take a number and wait your turn.
Some of the Staff on reception need re-training in customer services/handling. All.doctors employed there should have contracts of at least 30hr week, not 1/2 day a week. People who work should have an allocated block for appointments. There should be a £25 fine if you miss an appointment an you shouldn't be able to get another until it's paid.( methods been highly successful in other areas)
Nightmare every time to get appts
Many time I have been ring for over an hour that's over 100 time to try and get through only to be told all appointment have gone ring back tomorrow by then the kids are late for school and there is £60 fine so you have to pay that then the phone bill
I endured years of constantly ringing to try to get an appointment. Absolute nightmare!
Surely the obvious fact is we need more clinicians to satisfy the demand? So many of us have had to wait on the line for too long. Why isn't there enough money to provide for this?
On many occasion I have had to wait hour to get through to Des to be told all appointments have gone for the day you'll have to come in after 5 and wait as emergency, It is a terrible system and must change for the better.
Needed an emergency appointment, rang from 8-9am, over 100 times . By the time I got through to someone all the appointments were gone and I was told to phone tomorrow. Aweful service, needs to be fixed
There are too many patients registered at Argyle surgery whose GP's are mostly part-time. It's a simple supply and demand issue. You can book appointments in advance for flu jabs and diabetic appointments so why not your appointment with a doctor. The fact is that in effect they are treating EVERYONE as an EMERGENCY with their current system, which is bonkers. If they cannot provide the service required for the townspeople of Pembroke and Pembroke Dock, they need to get out of the business and get someone in who can.
It's so hard to come to doctors when really need too as I often am too ill in the mornings to call so early . If I could book in advance for the afternoon I'd be looked after better.
useless system, get it changed!
200 times and was full!!!
The calling system completely don't work, lines open at 8, some people are driving to work or are in work at that time and can't keep hitting redial in hope to get lucky.
The present system does not work and further stresses patients who are allready ill. It must be changed.
Shocking that people who work can never get an appointment!!!!!
on the phone for sometimes over an hour to be told no doctors appointments! what happened to pre appointments and take a number sit and wait!
Defiantly. Never get through or can hardly get an appointment when u really do need 1. People are suffering because of this
My husband and I fully endorse all the ideas put forward on Elizabeth Austwick's 'change your telephone' online page. We should like the opportunity of advance booking,, whether in person at the desk or by telephone. Also the need for several operators to answer calls during the day, particularly first thing in the morning. We agree that other surgeries work a far better management style and their patients are very much happier with the service they receive. The excuses currently put forward by the Argyle Medical Group for their appalling service are just that - excuses.
When I am ill I need to see a doctor, Sim
The current appointment system is from a patient perspective simply not fit for purpose. I completely agree that any system needs to incorporate the following Forward booking both online and over the phone for less urgent and repeat appointments Same day appointments for urgent available on line and over the phone Early and later appointments for people to access both before and after work, again available both online and over the phone. Sometimes just a phone conversation with a GP will suffice so how about booking a callback appointment. Surely offering more advance appointments will ease the pressure on same day.
Something needs to be done. Recently I tried to get through and had 52 failed calls in 3/4 hour. I decided to call into the surgery in Argyle Street and see if I could book that way. I was very quickly told in no uncertain terms that I would have to phone and that they can't book over the counter. There isn't a perfect system, but maybe they should adopt the "bacon counter system" take a number and wait your turn.