Ball Tree Surgery
Western Road North, Sompting, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 9UXContact details and opening times
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Reviews
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Review titled Need more education on Adrenal insufficiency.
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 28 November 2024
I unfortunately had to pay for my wife to see an endocrinologist privately as she was getting more unwell by the day. NHS tests showed a Cortisol level of 81nmol/l which is a medical emergency but didn't want to use a bed in hospital if she could stay at home. I received an e mail from the endocrinologist to say she needed to take Hydrocortisone and on enquiring with the secretary I was told it was urgent. They could send a private prescription through immediately which would be £25. We don't have private health insurance and I have retired aged 57yrs to look after my wife as she has been unwell for 4 years. We do not have any financial help so the initial appointment at £250 was difficult to manage, but essential. I took my wife to the Surgery to ask if they could issue a prescription as it was urgent and was told it would have to go "upstairs" and not sure when it would be ready. Eventually we were left with "sometime tomorrow". I appreciate that G.P's can't possibly know everything but they need to educate themselves on what Adrenal Insufficiency is, which in minutes, can become an Adrenal Crisis and without treatment is always fatal. The medication she needs is to keep her Adrenal gland stable to avoid a Crisis until she has the appropriate tests done. She was told an NHS referal could take between 1 and 6 months. Time she doesn't have! I have come home despairing at not being heard once again. Despite being "Urgent" nothing could be done. My fear and frustration, not to mention, possibly losing my wife, doesn't seem to mean anything.
Visited November 2024
Review titled Ball Tree Surgery
Replied on 03 December 2024
Dear Anonymous, We are concerned to receive your note. Please do contact us directly so that we are able to review your experience. Kind regards, Gerard
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Review titled Disappointed
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 19 July 2024
Disappointed in the way I was spoken to today by receptionist on early today. I understood all systems had crashed but I’ve had to speak to her before and she was very rude then. As I needed urgent medication,and speaking to NHS111 as advised by said receptionist ,I was directed to Boots pharmacy in Lyons farm whose hands were tied,so I went back to Drs Surgery,and a lovely,caring Receptionist was there this time,who listened to me(not like other one)and did all she could for me to get the help I needed and I got my urgent medication. I felt so stressed with the situation,that I was made to feel a nuisance and maybe the said Receptionist, could get some training on how to put her point across without being rude? The GP I saw today was lovely she was caring and understanding and gave me the prescription I needed straight away. Can’t fault the Doctors there,just one very rude and uncaring Receptionist on at 8am.
Visited July 2024
Ball Tree Surgery has not yet replied.
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Review titled not so great practice in my experience so far
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 20 March 2024
Recently had some blood taken, been told I need to book a doctors appointment to discuss results, been through the whole rigmarole of trying to get through to reception at the short time available to book appointments, only to be told, "we don't have any appointments for that, try again tomorrow or Friday", I already went in yesterday to clear up some confusion over an appointment that I have been given for more blood to be taken, Wasn't sure if this was with a doctor or a nurse, turns out to be a nurse. I was made to feel like I was a bother, and to be told "you don't have time for that", has only exacerbated that feeling, how do I get an appointment if I am not going to be taken seriously?
Visited March 2024
Ball Tree Surgery has not yet replied.
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Review titled A disappointing experience
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 22 January 2024
I have written a good review about this surgery previously and for the most part I do feel this way. I can only speak for myself of course and generally have a good experience with staff when using the surgery including doctors. I did however have a not great experience that I would like to highlight. I recently went for a routine smear test which I received a letter about before Christmas so went in January after the holiday period. The nurse was quite cold upon arrival which is disappointing as a smear is quite intimate and can be a triggering experience for women. I was questioned a few times about if I was in fact invited for this, nothing on the system showed my previous one which made me feel uncomfortable having to search my phone for a previous date and prove I am worthy to be there. Then I got undressed and on the bed and no lube was used so it was very uncomfortable , again could be very triggering for someone who has been a victim to sexual violence or sexual trauma. When I was asked to dress myself the nurse sat right behind the curtain leaving me with little to no room to dress myself and often exposing myself feeling quite vulnerable in that position. I was then asked if I wanted a flu vaccine (despite it no longer being flu season) and was told a letter would be out within a few weeks with results and I left feeling quite uncomfortable in myself. I fully appreciate the NHS is incredibly busy and with lots of patients coming in daily, doing the same work over and over and trying to maintain a positive attitude can be tricky but nonetheless as a patient you still have a duty of care and it goes along way to show respect and kindness.
Visited January 2024
Review titled Ball Tree Surgery
Replied on 22 January 2024
We are concerned to read about your recent experience and apologise for how you have been left feeling. Please do contact us directly so that we can talk this through more with you in detail so we can learn from this and continue to improve our services. You are correct that our duty of care is very important to us and it is very rare that we have such feedback. I am sorry that your interaction was difficult and hope that you are in touch shortly so we can support further as needed.
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Review titled Rubbish I'm afraid
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 27 May 2023
I have been at this surgery from many years. The service has got worse and worse and now is non existant. When I went to the practice a couple of weeks ago I was literally told I couldn't have an appointment at any time. I had had a message from the Dr's to ring and make an appointment. I rang but couldn't get through so I went to the surgery but was told there were no appointments available! As I'm a teacher I can't ring from 8 am and could only ring at lunch but the surgery is closed then. If I ring after school there are no appointments. Maybe I should give up my job?
Visited May 2023
Review titled Ball Tree Surgery
Replied on 30 May 2023
Dear Patient, I am sorry to learn of your frustration accessing the surgery. We have recently been able to reintroduce prebookable appointments as the ongoing impact of COVID has been slowly reducing. Currently, we have advance availabilty bookable later this week, next week and for a few weeks ahead. We suggest contacting the surgery now that our new system is in place. Though we agree it was far from ideal, the 8am call in was the only safe and fair option available for the triage model that were were needing to operate previously. We are seeing much improvement with our access due to our new phone system, online consultation options and advance face to face and telephone appointments. The demand for our services has increased and continues to increase during since COVID and we have not had any additional resources to help us manage this. We hope that you are able to access us more readily in future. Practice Manager
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Review titled Not so good practice
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 04 April 2023
Covid in most cases has been resolved. In the high street, supermarkets everywhere things are back to normal with one exception our GP surgeries. Before Covid the Ball tree surgery had full waiting rooms, getting an appointment was easy so what do we get now,empty waiting rooms, more staff than patients and about as much chance of seeing a doctor as getting to see the pope . Did Covid kill them all off. You have to ring at 8am and what do you get, the phone just goes dead and then you try later and get the message no more appointment today try another day . The system is broken.
Visited April 2023
Review titled Ball Tree Surgery
Replied on 18 April 2023
Dear Ball Tree Patient, I am sorry that you have experienced frustrations accessing us recently. We are working daily to optimise patient access within the resources that we have. To ensure that we are able to prioritise those most unwell, we use a clinician-led triage process for access. This means that our waiting rooms will have far fewer people within them as only those who need to come for an in-person interaction need to come to the surgery and we are able to time these appointments to prevent any crowding in the waiting areas. Unlike other public locations, we have many patients who are particularly vulnerable and so we want to reduce the number of people in shared waiting locations. Ball Tree and the PCN have invested in additional team members to help support the increased demands that we are facing during and since COVID despite concerns regarding the ongoing reduction in the finances that we have to support our patients. COVID and its ongoing impact is still having a huge effect on the whole NHS with demand for all NHS services being above capacity. The majority of work that occurs within as GP practice is invisible to patients and so viewing the surgery without insight into how primary care works will not be informative. We are increasing the number of our face-to-face appointments and we are seeking support for additional premises which are needed for us to be able to increase this further. We have introduced a new telephone system that can call people back once queues have started to build. We regularly have over 500 incoming calls per day. We will be introducing a digital route into the surgery in the forthcoming weeks as an alternative to using the phone. As will all GP practices, we are continuing to work upon improving access in challenging circumstances and we hope that you are able to access us with less frustration in future.