The Laurels Surgery
ST
Steve T. 5 years ago • From Google
Bad
"Health and Wellbeing", good grief, the pretentious title is almost comically pathetic. My son is a casualty—I mean patient—of this medical practice that rivals the chaos of Fawlty Towers. He simply needed a repeat prescription for acid reflux medication. Supposedly straightforward: tick a box, request repeat, collect meds. But wait—an unexplained word appears on the prescription, leaving both us and the pharmacist bewildered. Preparing for an epic phone odyssey, I pack provisions for what promises to be a bureaucratic battle. After connecting, I learn the mysterious word means "requires GP consultation before repeat". This is a basic indigestion remedy, for heaven's sake, not a treatment for a deadly epidemic! Naively, I ask how to secure this elusive consultation. The response? Accessing their "Inner Sanctum" is about as easy as scaling Mount Everest. Instructed to call at 8:30, I dive into the familiar phone call lottery—endless ringing, recorded messages, more ringing. Forty-three excruciating minutes later, a voice announces all consultations are full. My son, undergoing dialysis, has already had his repeat sorted by his consultant. So "Health and Wellbeing" can return to their standard inefficiency. One burning question: since you apparently don't see patients and home visits seem prehistoric, what exactly do the doctors here do? I'm genuinely curious, not just being snarky. No wonder doctors fled en masse last April—a remarkably sensible decision.
Roy W.