St Mary's Surgery
SG
Sam G. 9 years ago • From Google
Bad
A complete embarrassment to the NHS and a threat to health. My partner sustained a knee injury in a road traffic accident; a car struck him while walking on the pavement. He repeatedly sought advice and help at St Mary's due to persistent knee pain and difficulties. Each time, he was brushed off and told it would heal. After 2 YEARS, his condition only deteriorated, prompting him to visit a walk-in centre for assistance. The Doctor immediately identified the issue and referred him to a specialist at Addenbrooke's Hospital, who quickly diagnosed the problem and began surgery arrangements!! St Mary's had completely overlooked this!! Both the Walk-in doctor and specialist determined that given his knee's condition, he should not be working (a physically demanding job, standing 10+ hours daily, running on hard ground and lifting heavy loads) and should be signed off pending surgery. St Mary's, his registered GP surgery, was informed and initially signed him off. For two weeks. After two weeks, they acknowledged the surgical appointment hadn't been confirmed and extended his sick leave by another 2 weeks. The surgery is now scheduled for mid-May. His knee hasn't miraculously improved... especially after 2 years and with two professionals, including a specialist, agreeing surgery is necessary... yet St Mary's GPs seemingly disagree and refused further sick leave without examining him. AND they cannot provide an appointment for THREE WEEKS!! Consequently, he's listed as "Unpaid Sick" since his employers won't pay without a doctor's certificate declaring him unfit. He must either return to work and risk further knee damage - damage that could have been limited YEARS ago if St Mary's had prioritized patient welfare over quick consultations - or we lose nearly a month's income! This. Is. Unacceptable. The sick note is merely a formality, as the specialist's opinion supersedes a local GP's; yet dragging him to the practice and potentially suggesting they might not extend his sick leave is utterly disgraceful, adding stress to an already challenging situation. Perhaps if they spent less time on bureaucratic nonsense, patients wouldn't wait 3 WEEKS for appointments, and they wouldn't need to issue excuse-laden letters explaining their poor availability. Blame staff turnover and missed appointments all you want - every GP surgery faces these challenges - yet I've never encountered such mismanagement. Want better availability? Stop wasting time on unnecessary in-person consultations! Did St Mary's GPs suddenly become knee specialists? Or magical healers? What will consuming more time tell them about his knee that they couldn't identify 2 years ago? A complete disaster. I shudder thinking about potential patients potentially facing life-threatening delays. In some cases, a 3-week wait can mean the difference between life and death... imagine the damage possible in 2 years. They might be adequate for antibiotics or repeat prescriptions, but for genuine medical investigations and appropriate treatment, seek a practice that truly cares about patient welfare.
Nicki M.