Falkland Surgery, Me sad. Options

[TallDarkAndHands...]

Does anyone else find that this Doctors surgery is not what it used to be? I think the service they offer the local community has gone downhill. I know this is partly due to the large increase of population in the area and the volume of patients they have. Surely though this can't be the entire reason? Just getting an appointment within 3 weeks of phoning for one is an achievement in itself!

Bring back the good old days of Dr Britz and Dr Chapman... Proper local GPs.

[Simon]

I actually think the surgery has improved. I dont need appointments very often but when i do, i get them within a few days and using the online booking tool makes it all alot easier.

Dr Chapman was my doctor since i was a child, but to be honest i rpobably only had three apointments with him, as he was soo busy. Since he left I just move from doctor to doctor, but it seems to work

[NWNREADER]

Does anyone else find that this Doctors surgery is not what it used to be? I think the service they offer the local community has gone downhill. I know this is partly due to the large increase of population in the area and the volume of patients they have. Surely though this can't be the entire reason? Just getting an appointment within 3 weeks of phoning for one is an achievement in itself!

Bring back the good old days of Dr Britz and Dr Chapman... Proper local GPs.

Are you saying the Drs are not as good, or the operation of the surgery?

[TallDarkAndHands...]

Are you saying the Drs are not as good, or the operation of the surgery?

I think its a combination of both.

[Biker1]

It's like this...........
More and more people>more houses>bigger surgery needed> more (new but not enough) doctors> less personal service>less time per patient>etc.
Sign of the times?

Having said that I don't really have much trouble getting to see a doctor at Falkland if I ring up early enough.
I wish they could keep to, or revise, their schedule so that my appointment was actually on time, and the reception folk could do with a little customer service refresher training.

[CBW137Y]

Just checked out their website and there are only three names on there I recognise now! Dr Diggle used to be my GP when I was a child, until my mum changed begged Dr Endersby to add me to his list (long story).

I don't live in the area any more, so if the surgery has gone down hill, it's a real shame. That said, I can only imagine the number of patients now on the books, which would of course add to the waiting issues.

[Batfink]

The Surgery itself, I don't mind - although I agree about some customer service on the reception desk. Especially that touch screen pad thing - it never smiles at me! One of the things I do find irritating is the lack of comms to their patients - they seem to change the appointment booking system every few months - but never letting us know exactly what it is until we phone only to be made to look stupid!

What grinds my gears about the place is the pharmacy over the road. I used to use it through "convience" - get prescription, cross car park and submit. I don't do this any more. In 8 years of using it I have NEVER had a pleasant experience there (and I'm on monthly repeat meds - so you can imagine how often I went there!). Now I go to Boots, and whilst I feel sad at moving towards a "highstreet" pharmacist from something "local", at least I get good customer service from polite members of staff, I also get the benefits of a shorter waiting time and clearer guidance about things like batch prescriptions, repeat prescriptions (and what the lead time for ordering medicines is etc).

[Biker1]

What grinds my gears about the place is the pharmacy over the road. I used to use it through "convience" - get prescription, cross car park and submit. I don't do this any more. In 8 years of using it I have NEVER had a pleasant experience there (and I'm on monthly repeat meds - so you can imagine how often I went there!). Now I go to Boots, and whilst I feel sad at moving towards a "highstreet" pharmacist from something "local", at least I get good customer service from polite members of staff, I also get the benefits of a shorter waiting time and clearer guidance about things like batch prescriptions, repeat prescriptions (and what the lead time for ordering medicines is etc).

Agreed.
Why, when there are so many behind the counter, does it take so long to dispense a few pills?