Blackmore Vale Partnership
Old Market Hill, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 1QUContact details and opening times
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Reviews
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Review titled Urgent treatment knocked back by a Receptionist. Again.
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 26 August 2022
How different it is to talk to the surgery after using NHS111 when we were concerned about shingles, and had already spoken to a pharmacist. NHS111 answered within a minute, did extensive triage, and a doctor called us back within five minutes. She advised us to contact the GP for shingles treatment within six hours as it's time critical. More in hope than expectation we rang the surgery. To be told that 'their triage is not our triage and our doctor will have to do triage' and 'all our doctors are in a huddle at the moment, someone will call you back sometime today'. Every time we contact this surgery the reception is the same, a lot of waiting, music and 'use our website', but no actual practical help. Shingles is a dangerous virus, and when told that treatment is needed within six hours, to be knocked back by a receptionist is yet another kick in the teeth. We understand that there are GP vacancies, and the workload is growing, but really it's time GPs got back to working at the surgery, organised their business efficiently and stopped hiding behind the pretence of covid security and receptionists who are not medics. Very angry indeed.
Visited August 2022
Review titled Blackmore Vale Partnership
Replied on 26 August 2022
Dear Patient We are sorry to hear that you are very angry and have had difficulty contacting the surgery. The demand on our service along with other GP surgeries is currently very high, and we are all struggling to recruit. Staff shortages have meant there has been longer waits, and we are working on ways to improve this. To ensure that the most urgent patients are prioritised, our clinicians do have to triage as we don’t instantly get information from other services, including NHS111. The daily huddle that you mentioned is for the team to discuss urgent, end of Life or complex patients and is a very important part of the clinical day. I am sorry that you felt you where knocked back by a receptionist, our team works very hard to reassure patients that they will get a call back within a few hours when added to the urgent care team, however the demand each day can be very high and we can take up to a 1000 calls per day. Our GP’s and staff have worked on site throughout the Pandemic, however the way we had to work had to change, to protect patients and staff. We are very grateful to all our team who continue to work very hard to provide the best service we can, whilst being short staffed, and receive daily abuse from patients. Although I do not have your details, I am sure that you would have been contacted by a member of our urgent care team within a few hours, and are now recovering, however if this was not the case and you would like to discuss further please do not hesitate to contact the surgery directly and ask to speak with any of the management team. Kind Regards BVP
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Review titled Much too difficult to get an appointment
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 24 August 2022
The answerphone has a really grumpy sounding lady who gives the impression you are being a nuisance. Then you get endless vivaldi played at you, when you do get a person they are really offputting and then you get told your being ill is routine and they don't have any routine apointments but you may get a call in about 2 weeks. Today it is enagaged and it says you can book online but guess what ? You need to call the surgery to get a code so what use is that ? I have a mentally ill child and when she is ill she is distressed and can self harm. As a carer I also need medical help sometimes without the surgery trying to put me off at every step. I have gone without seeing a gp sometinmes because I can't face dealing with the hurdles they put up to discourage us from seeking help. This not right and something needs to be done about it. Starting with the unfriendly voice on the answer phone.
Visited July 2022
Review titled Blackmore Vale Partnership
Replied on 26 August 2022
Dear Patient We are sorry to hear that you have had difficulty contacting the surgery. We have passed your comments to the grumpy lady and she has taken your comments on board, we are currently working on our phone options to provide a better service, however the demand each day can be very high and we can take up to a 1000 calls per day, due to staff shortages and demand there could be a delay at times. Patients can also submit an electronic consultation via our website which is triaged usually the same day. (depending on the time submitted and the urgency) We are encouraging patients that do have access to the internet to submit their enquiry in this manner to ease the pressure on the phone lines. We are recruiting to help with the demand on services, but this does take time, and we are very grateful to all our team who continue to work very hard to provide the best service we can whilst being short staffed. Kind Regards BVP