Question For My Dodworth Friends (non-football)

Has anyone managed to book a non-urgent appointment to see a doctor at Apollo Court recently? I've been trying for weeks without success. They've told me this morning that I should book an urgent one at 8am in the morning to see a doctor that day, even though it's a non-urgent issue!

 

Both me and wife had same problem in the 3 years we've been at that practice it's got worse and the pharmacy is going downhill as well.

 

Yrs I rang them a few weeks ago for the Mrs the answer was when can she get here no problem

 

Hmmm....

I remember my daughter-in-law not long ago being told by a doctor at the same surgery that she shouldn't have booked an urgent appointment because it wasn't an urgent issue.

NHS off to hell in a handcart or just a local problem?

 

Never had an issue with them like that.

 

Must be me who's unlucky I guess...

 

Possibly. Our family's had problems with them in the past, mate, just not with the issue you've had.

 

Never had a issue with the doctors but the admin can be a bit of a pain.

We want Doctor Pat back. :smile:

 

'Like'

 

I've just been in to book a non-urgent appointment. I was told there aren't any. None. Zilch. I said I didn't mind if it was in 3 or 4 weeks time. Same answer. No appointments at all. Bugger all.

"You could try ringing this afternoon after 2" said the lady. "But no-one answers the phone." I replied. "I know." said the receptionist, then smiled at me sweetly.

I wish I know someone who could sort this out, it's horrendous, and it's not the fault of the staff there or the doctors. I think it's the fault of the minister whose name is surely rhyming slang...

 

I had exactly the same problem at Dodworth Surgery last week. I couldn't speak to a real person at the time so decided to try the telephone booking system. You get told to press 1 for an urgent appointment, and 2 if it's not urgent (or summat like that). I pressed 2 and was asked which Dr I would like the appointment with; there was about 5 different Doctors but I chose Dr Ali as he'd been great in the past. The message then comes on to say that there are no appointments with Ali, so I try the next Dr, then the next, until i've tried all 5 and none have any appointments. I then started again and chose the urgent appointment option to see what would happen, and I was offered something in 2 weeks time. 14 days for an "urgent appointment"? Reight laugh.

 

Update: Couldn't get through on phone so I called in again, got an appointment on 27th October which is OK. Why they couldn't tell me that this morning is anyone's guess.

 

They told me that the appointments were going on the website first thing this morning. Then it was going to be after 2pm. Still not there. Just about to ring.

 

If it's anything like my doctors then the receptionists can't even see the appointments until a certain time. They are all greyed out on the system and then suddenly appear at a set time. It's an absolutely crazy system that I can't see benefitting ANYBODY.

Last time I went to the doctors the first thing he said to me when I walked into the consultation room was 'i can only give you 4 minutes'. His conclusion after 240 seconds? 'im not sure what's wrong, you'll have to book another appointment '

 

Update: Automated phone booking system says no appointments available. Got through to a receptionist who said they only had one appointment available - 24th October with a locum. Took that on the basis it's better than nothing.

 

That's exactly how it works at Dodworth. For some bizarre reason, a chunk of appointments are released, then they all get taken very quickly, after which patients are told there's no appointments. It's like the Monty Python Cheese Shop at the Apollo Court Health Centre at Dodworth.

 

I'm afraid it looks like they're making it up as they go along, depending on who askes what. I made my appointment at about 3pm, before you made yours. They told me the only appointment was 27th October, with a locum, which I took. I wonder why they didn't give me your slot when I called in?