Poor Customer Service

JennyCee

This is really unsettling. No Pharmacists or only for a short time. And we don't always have access to a Doctor. What is our country coming to? A local GP’s, not mine, is now telling people to fill out a form online???????
This is disgraceful is it not?

I know people are often disgusted and unhappy that surgeries are putting some or lots of their business online and asking patients to use some form of electronic consultation as the first point of contact. I initially didn't like it when my surgery did it and actually emailed the Practice Manager asking if this is what primary care has come to.

However, I've come to realise that it's actually quicker and more convenient for most things.We can use e-consult at our own convenience for both medical advice / consultation request/ prescription request etc and in a separate section of the site, admin requests like sick notes / copies of test results etc. My surgery responds within 24 hours often by text message saying things like "we have printed your blood results. Please come into the surgery with some ID to collect them". It saves them and me time and unnecessary visits and also, really crucially, reduces the telephone enquiries queue, which benefits everyone trying to ring in, especially those wanting an urgent or on-the-day appointment.

If you want a routine appointment, they are released at certain days and times but you must complete an e-consult first. This allows the doctors and nurses to assess how important your issue is and what's the best route for you. I queried the dose of one of my meds and the surgery have arranged for a pharmacist to call me about it.

Of course I realise that if you don't have internet access you can't do an e-consult but the receptionists are all very pleasant and will complete an e-consult over the phone on behalf of anyone who can't navigate the app.

It's really working for everyone and I urge people who are resistant to this new way of working to give it a try and see how it can actually make life a lot easier. Why not contact your Practice Manager and ask for someone to "train" you on using the electronic service - I'm sure they'll be happy to help.

Apologies if this is somewhat off-topic but I wanted to respond to JennyCee and try to reassure her that this progress is actually beneficial. By the way, we can still see a doctor if necessary or requested but it's far from the only route to help now.

In a supermarket queue ask -in a loud voice- What should I do with this frozen food which is fast defrosting?
When I worked in a shop and a customer was on the phone ,I ignored them and went on to the next customer or put away the stock they were looking at.

It is always frustrating when others chat for ages when they’re at the front of the queue but I’m sure there are folks for whom it’s the only person they’ve spoken in that day or maybe all week. Happy to chat type benches etc would be great for those folks.

the issue about rude people hogging staff's time is a real problem. No doubt the same people who leave a shop but then stand in the doorway so nobody can enter or exit. the shop assistant should have said that there were other customers to serve

As for happy to chat benches these are so common . What is not so common is a cafe asking for people to sit at tables and chat to solo customers - refreshments provided .

NanaPlenty

I’m normally the most patient person in the world but our local chemist causes everyone to complain. I went in today to pick up an urgent prescription and was second in the queue- the lady in front of me had been given what she came in for and then proceeded to ‘chat’ with the assistant . Their conversation about all sorts went on for ten minutes by which time there were ten people behind me all rolling their eyes! Why doesn’t the man who owns the shop say something ….I wasn’t rude but said to the lady excuse me there is now a queue back to the door! Apologies for the rant but really!

A Receptionist at my GP surgery does this. Last time I was there a queue formed and she nattered on and then the woman asked where the X-Ray Dept. at the local hospital was - as if there would not be directions and receptionists when she got there. By the time she left 15 people were waiting and the nurse was calling for those who had not 'signed in' saying that the Notice on the wall was there to remind people to inform Reception of their arrival. Several people said they were in the queue to do that and the nurse said they should do it immediately that they arrived. You could not make it up!

I sometimes dread using the local Spar on a Sunday afternoon where there can be a very long queue and only one till switched on. It's petty and time consuming and smacks of poor customer service.

Maybe go another time Cumbrianmale as you know it’s busy, particularly if you’re retired and can go during the week when others are at work.

Poppyred you have the ability to make any queue you join judder to a halt. My DH can turn traffic lights red as he drives towards them. These are your superpowers! Sorry, you don’t get to choose which superpower you have, you can do nothing about it, it’s tough, get used to it.