Beech Tree Surgery
5 months ago JW
Jennie W. 6 months ago • From Google
Bad
My recent visit left me feeling disappointed, as it seemed the practice was reluctant to arrange a doctor's appointment for me. I attended in person because the online system didn't adequately address my health concerns. The receptionist insisted I complete the process through the app despite my presence at the desk, and expressed concern about discussing personal information in front of other patients. I proceeded as instructed. Once submitted, I was informed that a healthcare professional could handle the procedure and that a doctor's consultation wasn't necessary. However, I felt it was important to discuss my symptoms with a doctor beforehand to ensure the procedure was the right decision for me. After considerable effort, I eventually secured appointments for both consultations on the same day, though this was scheduled two weeks ahead and conducted over the telephone. The entire process felt unnecessarily difficult and frustrating.
Jennie, thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. I’m genuinely sorry that your experience felt so difficult and frustrating, and especially that it felt like a battle to access the care you needed. That is not how we want anyone to feel. We use our online system to help triage requests safely and fairly, but it’s clear from your experience that we did not explain this well enough, nor did we make the process feel supportive or respectful in the moment, particularly given the sensitive nature of the information being discussed at reception. Your wish to speak to a doctor before making a decision about a procedure was entirely reasonable, and I’m sorry it took so much effort to achieve that. Your feedback has been shared with the team so we can reflect on how we communicate and support patients better, especially when someone attends in person because they are unsure or concerned. If you would be willing, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further and learn from it directly. Thank you again for being open with us. The best email if you would like to discuss further: [email protected]
Shirley F.