School Lane Surgery
Feedback
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GP appointment
15th July 2024I want to complain about my recent GP appointment and the service I received at SLS. I had a GP appointment on 05 July 2024 with one of the doctors - not on the list of regular doctors at SLS which raises questions about SLS's reliance on agency staff. I explained my flu symptoms in the form I completed the morning before the appointment. At the end of my 10-minute appointment, I asked the doctor about the status of my colonoscopy referral, originally requested in November 2023. I was concerned about rectal pain. The doctor responded that this topic was not on the list of my symptoms described in the form I submitted in the morning and he doesn't have now the time to discuss this issue and needs to treat other patients. He was unable to verify the status of my colonoscopy referral and suggested instead to speak to the receptionist. When I asked how is it possible that since November 2023 I asked about the same issue, he responded to leave the room, otherwise, he'd call the receptionist. I responded that I found his response unacceptable and unprofessional and felt after this experience treated like a number rather than offered medical support. This is not the first episode of very poor communication by staff at SLS. In January 2024, I was finally given an appointment for flu-like symptoms after requesting it several days in a row. I was told on several occasions by the receptionist that I was not considered an emergency and was referred to a pharmacist instead. Unfortunately based on my experience, issues of concerns raised by patients are ignored and not followed up adequately by SLS staff. Communication is very poor, staff is poorly trained unable to cope with mounting pressure when demand for treatment on the patient side can not be met by the supplied number of doctors at a time when patients face unprecedented waits for poorly founded NHS care.
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Reply from School Lane Surgery
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience at SLS. We understand your concerns and apologise that you feel you did not receive the level of service you expected. We strive to provide the best possible care to all our patients, and it is disappointing to hear that your experience fell short of this standard. We would like to take this opportunity to address your concerns and encourage you to contact us directly, either through our website or by contacting the surgery, so that we can fully investigate the issues you have raised. You can contact the surgery via the website here: https://www.schoollanesurgery.co.uk/feedback-complaints/ Your feedback is valuable to us as it helps us identify areas where we can improve our services. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns and work towards a positive resolution. We understand your concerns regarding the use of locum GPs. We want to assure you that we use locums only when necessary to cover for sickness or holidays. We have also expanded our permanent GP team with three new salaried GPs since March 2024 and have a further two joining us in August and September. Our aim is to minimise the use of locums and when we do use them, it is often with the same GPs to provide continuity as much as possible. BR M. Rolph Business Manager -
Easy to book in and was seen shortly after appointment time when doctors that day were under pressure because of sickness and leave.
2nd July 2024She carried out a detailed examination ruling out other conditions, gave me a detailed examination and diagnosed me with Bell's Palsy. She went into detail about this condition how it is caught etc and other symptom s to look out for . She prescribed medication and how and when to take it and what I should do if things don't improve or get worse. I was extremely impressed in her knowledge and kindness in my visit. Well done Dr Llewellyn
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Reply from School Lane Surgery
Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience with Dr. Llewellyn. We are thrilled to hear that you were impressed with the thorough examination and the detailed information provided about your diagnosis. Dr. Llewellyn is dedicated to ensuring our patients receive the highest standard of care, and your feedback affirms her commitment to excellence. We truly appreciate your understanding and patience, especially during this challenging time with staff sickness. I will make sure that Dr Llewellyn receives this feedback. -
Receptionist
26th April 2024A lovely lady I believe her name was becky, was amazing with me to do when j was stressing over the phone regarding my sons blood results, she went above and beyond to reassure me and got it dealt with ASAP, we need more like her, very helpful and friendly thankyou for putting my mind to ease
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Reply from School Lane Surgery
Thank you so much for your kind review! We're thrilled to hear that Becky was able to put your mind at ease regarding your son's blood results. Her dedication to patient care and reassurance is truly appreciated. We'll be sure to pass on your positive feedback to Becky, it will definitely brighten her day! We're always striving to provide exceptional service, and your feedback helps us achieve that goal. Regards M. Rolph Business Manager -
On its knees
20th April 2024Everything is difficult, from actually seeing a doctor to the doctor actually wanting to help.
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Reply from School Lane Surgery
We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback with us. We're truly sorry to hear about your experience. Providing accessible and compassionate care is at the core of what we strive for, and it's disheartening to learn that you've encountered difficulties. We understand the frustration that comes with navigating healthcare, especially when faced with barriers to accessing the care you need. Your concerns are valid, and we are committed to addressing them to improve our services. We have recently employed two new doctors and made job offers to three more GPs who will be starting in May, July, and August this year. Additionally, a new Advanced Clinical Practitioner will be joining the School Lane Team in May, along with a Diabetic Lead Nurse. We have been actively trying to recruit new staff for several months, and we are glad to have now secured these new additions. With them joining the School Lane team, the capacity to offer more appointments will increase for our patients. We value your input and would like to learn more about your specific experiences so that we can make meaningful improvements. Please feel free to reach out to us directly so we can discuss your concerns further and work towards finding solutions. Regards M. Rolph Business Manager -
Doing their best
18th March 2024Been here 46 years. They're doing their best under the circumstances. Its difficult to get an appointment. The problem is with only having one phone line I think. That's the only problem I have, They need 2 separate lines. The doctors are very good.
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Reply from School Lane Surgery
Thank you for your feedback. We truly appreciate your understanding of the challenges we face and your recognition of our team's efforts in delivering care under sometimes difficult circumstances. Your acknowledgment of our doctors' skills is immensely gratifying, and we are grateful for your kind words. Regarding your observation about our phone lines, we want to clarify that while it may seem like we have only one phone line, our telephony system actually can handle multiple calls simultaneously. The main limiting factor is that we only have a set number of staff within the admin team to answer calls at any one time. At the start of each day, we mobilise as many staff members as possible to handle incoming calls and patient requests efficiently. Of course, the natural response to this would be to suggest that we hire more staff. Unfortunately, we are not in the position to hire more staff as we do not have the money. We must work the best way we can within our budget. Instead, we are focused on optimising our existing resources and exploring ways to better manage call volumes to provide you with more timely access to our services. This includes looking at a call back feature for patients. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we continuously strive to improve our services and enhance the overall patient experience. Please rest assured that we are committed to finding innovative solutions to address ongoing challenges we all face. Thank you for your feedback and for being a Patient for 46 years. It is very much appreciated. Regards M. Rolph Business Manager -
Very hard to see a doctor
18th March 2024Trying to see a doctor is a nightmare. They just want to talk to you on the phone. I saw one a few weeks ago but it was an enormous task. If you phone at 8 there could be 15 in the queue. The doctor was concerned about my blood pressure. I did all the tests for 6 weeks like I was asked and fed it back online in details. I then got an email saying they needed more detail. It was exasperating.
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Reply from School Lane Surgery
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We truly value all comments as they provide us with invaluable insight into areas where we can improve our services. We're sorry to hear about your recent experience in trying to see a doctor. We understand the frustration that can arise when faced with long wait times on the phone and the challenges of remote consultations. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused. Regarding the queue times on the phone, we acknowledge that our telephony system may not accurately reflect the efforts we've made to ensure efficient service. While the system may indicate a significant number of callers ahead of you, it doesn't consider the multiple staff members actively answering calls to reduce wait times. We are actively looking into possible upgrades, including implementing a call-back feature, to alleviate these wait times and enhance the overall experience for our patients. We also appreciate your diligence in following through with the tests and providing detailed feedback online. It's disappointing to hear that you encountered difficulties even after diligently fulfilling the requested tasks. Please rest assured that we take your feedback seriously, and we are committed to streamlining our processes to ensure smoother communication and more effective follow-ups in the future. Thank you once again for bringing this matter to our attention. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we strive to make improvements for the benefit of all our patients. Regards M. Rolph Business Manager -
Nurse appointment
18th March 2024I saw the nurse, it was very good. She was friendly and explained everything to me. I moved from the other surgery and it's much better here.
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Reply from School Lane Surgery
Thank you for your feedback and we are pleased that you are happy with the service. Regards M. Rolph Business Manager -
Long waits for call backs
11th March 2024It's good, but when you phone you have to wait for someone to call you back. This can take all day which can be an issue, especially if you need a prescription.
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Reply from School Lane Surgery
We apologise for the inconvenience caused by our system. Currently we are operating NHS England's suggested approach to booking appointments. This means that all requests for an appointment have to be triaged. At School Lane this is done in a dedicate GP led hub where all requests are triaged, the urgency is determined, and an appointment offered based on the details provided by the Patient. We are actively recruiting for more Drs, and one has recently joined the team with another joining next month. We also have an Advanced Care Practitioner who will be joining the team in May. So, we hope to be able to increase the appointments offered to our patients. Thank you for your feedback. Regards M. Rolph Business Manager -
Always lovely
11th March 2024It's always lovely, the Drs are nice.
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Reply from School Lane Surgery
We're delighted to hear about your positive experiences with our doctors! Thank you for your kind words & we will share your feedback with the team. Regards M. Rolph Business Manager -
I'm put off getting an appointment
11th March 2024I've not called when I've needed a Dr. as other times I've not been able to get an appointment. I'm put off by that and having to phone in, or go online as I can't do that. Drs aren't the same anymore, the NHS is ran down.
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Reply from School Lane Surgery
We're sorry to hear about your difficulty in accessing appointments. We understand your concerns about the NHS and assure you that we're committed to providing the best possible care within the resources available. We have a range of options when trying to book an appointment, this can be via phone, online or at reception. Please do not be put off. If you are having an issue, then we are more than happy to chat through the options open to you and how we can help you specifically. If you would like to discuss further, then please contact us. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Regards M. Rolph Business Manager