The Orchard Surgery
LA
Lilian A. 3 years ago • From Google
Bad
I missed an important call and attempted to reach out by phone. I've been stuck at number 4 in the queue for half an hour. It's truly disheartening. As many have previously noted, securing an appointment is essentially a morning lottery. When you finally do get through, the consultation lasts barely 5 minutes. How can any medical professional possibly diagnose an issue in such a brief window? I understand staffing might be challenging, but this approach only exacerbates the problem. The inability to provide timely care pushes patients towards emergency rooms as their conditions deteriorate. Ironically, they might have avoided hospital visits if initial GP appointments were more substantive. For anyone listening, I recommend using the econsult platform. Yes, you'll wait a week, but it's marginally better than complete radio silence. However, this shouldn't be the standard solution. My GP practice's appointment system is fundamentally broken - booking anything is practically impossible. They desperately need to either expand their staff or reduce their patient catchment area. It's abundantly clear they're completely overwhelmed, and this dysfunction has persisted for years. Absolutely shameful.
Michelle F.