EAST COWES MEDICAL CENTRE

I have luved in the area for 2 years, and this surgery is terrible. I have worked in several primary care settings and 2 secondary care places and this is the worst. I have been a receptionist, and know they say to the patient what they are told to say by the drs and manager, but since when did that positiion receive through in-house training , almost all of which is done online, to qualify them to tell me if my problem is urgent? If that is the case, I assume they have now been given the remuneration to reflect their amazing study skills which gps generally spend years using to gain their qualifications.. We the public know when we are ill. I rang to try and sort out a prescription problem and was told by the receptionist to come in and fill in a form - he couldn't do anything on the phone. Feeling really ill, I explained as he spoke over me in a patronising tone that I had bern diagnosed with Covid and was unable to attend in person. In fact, 4 times I tried to tell him I was unable to attend whilst he chatted over me. I rang back having a short while later and asked to speak to the practice manager. I was told no, you can't do that, put it in writing - come down to the surgery and fill in a form. No, I have Covid, I can't come in, please put me through to the Practice Manager. No, put your complaint in writing, then we'll contact you. Having written in and asked to speak to the Manager before regarding my disabled husband, and been completely ignored - it was months ago and I am still waiting!- I was eventually got put through to a prescription clerk who was simply amazing. I cannot thank her enough for her help. I understand that Primary care is under immense pressure, that gps are hard to attract the Island, that people have to be kept safe from Covid... But the truth is patients are being failed badly. Not everybody of the older generation has a computer or is comfortable filling in forms online. People are not numbers in a system, and they do not wish to divulge personal and sometimes intimate details to some patronising know-it-all on a telephone whether they are called 'Navigator' or their correct title of receptionust as per the description in the English dictionary. Not every older person has a younger friend or relative to assist them. My own 80+ year old mother had a COPD review over the telephone! Of course, they could properly assess her down a landline - she doesn't use a mobile. Her medication just carried on. Hope after more than 3 years it is still appropriate. Stop the fancy titles, the patronising behaviour, the insistence on online usage and give a service that is friendly, helpful, by people who are approachable and qualified to asses we patients in the first place and give the personalised service that us required. With a manager who is willing to engage with the service for which they purportedly represent, who doesn't hide behind letters and forms. Who knows, if these things were addressed, complaints might be less and the rating of the surgery by the patients improve.

Explained why I needed to see a Dr having already tried to use their econsult (48 hour response). Got told by the receptionist my appointment would need to be longer than 10 mins so must use econsult! Have been a drs receptionist for some years so am wondering why this woman thought she knew my problem well enough to tell me both how long the dr needed for my appointment and that my condition could wait. Just moved back to the Island and am wondering just what sort of surgery this is. If ever I am allowed to see a dr for my problem my opinion might change, but 2 days on I am getting quite worried as still not seen anybody, and still cannot access this econsult-but-wait-48hrs-for-us-to-get-back-to-you lark.