They actually listened and agreed to overhaul the entire miserable call system. I never thought I would be typing this but Modality folded and honestly I am just sitting here in total shock scrolling through these thousands of signatures and feeling like maybe we actually fixed something. Keep an eye …
April 2, 2023
Final supporters
This is a formal complaint from the residents of East Grinstead and surrounding areas concerning the operation of the Modality Practice in Ship Street, East Grinstead.
The current problems affecting the NHS and shortage of GP’s are well publicised but we feel that these are not the only contributory factors to the poor service being offered by Modality.
The appointment system is totally inefficient A waiting time of over an hour to answer calls is unprofessional, and on reception of that call to be told all available appointments have been allocated and to resume the whole process the following morning is wholly unacceptable.
There doesn’t seem to be a working procedure in place with regards to prescriptions. A lack of communication between reception staff, GPs and pharmacies is causing confusion, inconvenience and stress that could quite easily be avoided, with unnecessary travel to alternative pharmacies rather than our local one being utilised.
Patients seem to be sent to surgeries and hospitals outside of their catchment area with no reasonable explanation from their GP only to be met with animosity by the receiving surgeries and departments.
Despite many attempts to contact Modality for clarification on the points above there seems to be a total lack of concern or desire to address any of them. It is also puzzling as to why a practice that is suffering from staff shortage and being over subscribed with patients would be considering expanding its operation?
We appreciate that over the past few years there have been many contributing factors to the problems the NHS are now facing, but suggesting GP surgeries such as Ship Street for non life threatening cases, will exacerbate the situation rather than cure it due to the problems we have previously highlighted.
Any rare response that we have had from Modality has not offered reasonable explanation. Ship Street used to be the best surgery in the area until they took over and many contributing factors have led to it becoming the worst primarily due to bad management, and not financial restrictions as they are trying to lead us to believe
We would respectfully ask for answers to the above points and some sort of clarification going forward that an improvement to the management of the practice will ensure that the Ship Street surgery will regain its reputation as being the best in the area.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
March 8, 2023
March 1, 2023
I have been sitting here reading through the stories you are all leaving and honestly it is heartbreaking to see how many people are suffering just to get basic care at Ship Street. I am currently trying to get a direct line to someone in management because the current radio silence from them is just insulting at this point.
Reached 100 supporters
February 22, 2023
February 21, 2023
I was just checking the counter and we are hovering right near that hundred mark which is honestly moving faster than I ever thought it would. If you know anyone else in East Grinstead who is tired of waiting on hold for hours maybe just ping them a quick link to this page because we really need to show them how many of us are actually fed up with this situation.
581 Comments
For all my recent appointments I have been sent to Crawley Down Surgery although I'm in the heart of East Grinstead. Getting an appointment is a frustrating experience. This was not the case when Judges Close Surgery was run by the previous management.
It used to be a great surgery, but now impossible to get an appointment. Admin does not seem to be joined up - it seems staff turnover is very high - makes you wonder why. Do your own online monitoring - no 6 month review or tests, have to wait a year..
We seemed to have ended up with a profit making business, rather than a doctor’s surgery providing a service to its patients. It’s extremely worrying, you cannot get an appointment unless it’s urgent and even then you are just told to go to East Surrey A&E.
Waited 2 hours on the phone when I had shingles for an appointment. Medication requests often take over a week to process. Appointments are never available and always told to ring the next day to be given the same answer. End up calling 111 or going to A&E.
I have been unable to get appointments for myself and my 7 yo. The fact I have health issues and can’t get an appointment is ridiculous. My 80 year old MIL and FIL also have not been able to get app and are vulnerable. It’s appalling.
Cannot get an appointment with a doctor face to face. Can only go to a pharmacist so many times before they send you back to the GP. What is Ship Street there for? No complaints of NHS at consultant level. The surgery cause problems with long term medication, interfering when it’s not their job to.
I have been a patient at Ship Street surgery since moving to East Grinstead in 1983. The practice's default position seems to be to refer patients without an appointment to Crawley Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre. I have experienced this on my last 3 attempts to see a GP. There is simply no contingency for seeing patients with urgent needs. My most recent experience earlier this week involved concerns about my heart (I have a history of heart issues). I was in no fit state to drive the 10+ miles to Crawley with tachycardia, light headedness and nausea my main symptoms - it would have been irresponsible to do so. Fortunately, my wife was on hand to drive me there. The receptionist was insistent that I could not see a GP and was obviously not qualified to assess my condition or my ability to get myself to Crawley Hospital.
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They actually listened and agreed to overhaul the entire miserable call system. I never thought I would be typing this but Modality folded and honestly I am just sitting here in total shock scrolling through these thousands of signatures and feeling like maybe we actually fixed something. Keep an eye …
April 2, 2023
Final supporters
This is a formal complaint from the residents of East Grinstead and surrounding areas concerning the operation of the Modality Practice in Ship Street, East Grinstead.
The current problems affecting the NHS and shortage of GP’s are well publicised but we feel that these are not the only contributory factors to the poor service being offered by Modality.
The appointment system is totally inefficient A waiting time of over an hour to answer calls is unprofessional, and on reception of that call to be told all available appointments have been allocated and to resume the whole process the following morning is wholly unacceptable.
There doesn’t seem to be a working procedure in place with regards to prescriptions. A lack of communication between reception staff, GPs and pharmacies is causing confusion, inconvenience and stress that could quite easily be avoided, with unnecessary travel to alternative pharmacies rather than our local one being utilised.
Patients seem to be sent to surgeries and hospitals outside of their catchment area with no reasonable explanation from their GP only to be met with animosity by the receiving surgeries and departments.
Despite many attempts to contact Modality for clarification on the points above there seems to be a total lack of concern or desire to address any of them. It is also puzzling as to why a practice that is suffering from staff shortage and being over subscribed with patients would be considering expanding its operation?
We appreciate that over the past few years there have been many contributing factors to the problems the NHS are now facing, but suggesting GP surgeries such as Ship Street for non life threatening cases, will exacerbate the situation rather than cure it due to the problems we have previously highlighted.
Any rare response that we have had from Modality has not offered reasonable explanation. Ship Street used to be the best surgery in the area until they took over and many contributing factors have led to it becoming the worst primarily due to bad management, and not financial restrictions as they are trying to lead us to believe
We would respectfully ask for answers to the above points and some sort of clarification going forward that an improvement to the management of the practice will ensure that the Ship Street surgery will regain its reputation as being the best in the area.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
March 8, 2023
March 1, 2023
I have been sitting here reading through the stories you are all leaving and honestly it is heartbreaking to see how many people are suffering just to get basic care at Ship Street. I am currently trying to get a direct line to someone in management because the current radio silence from them is just insulting at this point.
Reached 100 supporters
February 22, 2023
February 21, 2023
I was just checking the counter and we are hovering right near that hundred mark which is honestly moving faster than I ever thought it would. If you know anyone else in East Grinstead who is tired of waiting on hold for hours maybe just ping them a quick link to this page because we really need to show them how many of us are actually fed up with this situation.
581 Comments
Atrocious. Hours of calling to be told to call back the next day. Then when you do get through you get "no appointments available". Online triage system for appointments only available for 3 hours & never get a response. Revoke this company's contract.
For all my recent appointments I have been sent to Crawley Down Surgery although I'm in the heart of East Grinstead. Getting an appointment is a frustrating experience. This was not the case when Judges Close Surgery was run by the previous management.
It used to be a great surgery, but now impossible to get an appointment. Admin does not seem to be joined up - it seems staff turnover is very high - makes you wonder why. Do your own online monitoring - no 6 month review or tests, have to wait a year..
We seemed to have ended up with a profit making business, rather than a doctor’s surgery providing a service to its patients. It’s extremely worrying, you cannot get an appointment unless it’s urgent and even then you are just told to go to East Surrey A&E.
Waited 2 hours on the phone when I had shingles for an appointment. Medication requests often take over a week to process. Appointments are never available and always told to ring the next day to be given the same answer. End up calling 111 or going to A&E.
I have been unable to get appointments for myself and my 7 yo. The fact I have health issues and can’t get an appointment is ridiculous. My 80 year old MIL and FIL also have not been able to get app and are vulnerable. It’s appalling.
Cannot get an appointment with a doctor face to face. Can only go to a pharmacist so many times before they send you back to the GP. What is Ship Street there for? No complaints of NHS at consultant level. The surgery cause problems with long term medication, interfering when it’s not their job to.
I have been a patient at Ship Street surgery since moving to East Grinstead in 1983. The practice's default position seems to be to refer patients without an appointment to Crawley Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre. I have experienced this on my last 3 attempts to see a GP. There is simply no contingency for seeing patients with urgent needs. My most recent experience earlier this week involved concerns about my heart (I have a history of heart issues). I was in no fit state to drive the 10+ miles to Crawley with tachycardia, light headedness and nausea my main symptoms - it would have been irresponsible to do so. Fortunately, my wife was on hand to drive me there. The receptionist was insistent that I could not see a GP and was obviously not qualified to assess my condition or my ability to get myself to Crawley Hospital.
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Atrocious. Hours of calling to be told to call back the next day. Then when you do get through you get "no appointments available". Online triage system for appointments only available for 3 hours & never get a response. Revoke this company's contract.