Dawlish Discussion

Been feeling sick as dog all week, but felt good enougth today to see the doc's to find out what was going on. I try and keep away from anywhere where sick people congregate.

Anyway, call the appointment line and speak to a person and request an appointment, yes with a specific doc. I find only one doc there has the energy and respect for their patients and listens to you when you speak.

In a calm and ordered manner the person on the appointment line say's 'OK'.

Amazing an actual appointment, indeed, but not for a week. Hopefully my illness will have gone by then I can just have a good chat with the doc instead.

You've got to love the well oiled machine we call the U.K. no wonder everyone and their mate want to come here

Apparently 250 people failed to turn up for their appointments at Barton Surgery in January.

@ZIGGY - they most probably forgot they had booked it, seeing how long they may have had to wait!

Well people i have never had a problem always get a appointment the day i phone never had to wait more than a few hours to see the Doctor of my choice.

Then tell us your secret Leatash!! Everyone I know who phones at 8.30 gets the dr the receptionist assigns them to!! 

I've struggled to see my GP in the past.  The new(ish) system means that if you phone on the day for an urgent appointment you get the duty doc, if you phone wanting an appointment with your GP in a week you have to also phone at 8.30 - which I think is bloody stupid, everyone phoning at the same time!

Regarding Deedoodle saying that there's only one doc with time for you, some of the new doctors are actually really nice.  I've seen Dr Tripp - she's lovely and very thorough, Dr Douglas - very efficient, not warm and fuzzy but knows his stuff and was very kind to an elderly relative, and one family member saw another of the new female docs and loved her (can't remember the name).

(as you can see - we're frequent flyers!!!)

@Duckileaks - i most probably haven't seen the new influx of doc's. as the last time i went to barton( or any others doc) was about 3 years ago. i can only give my opinion on what it was like 3 to 14 years ago.

250 people failing to turn up for appointments is 41.66 hours of appointments taking appointments are 10 mins each thats one days worth of appointments wasted each week, if that is the case only 80% of appointments are being used maybe a fine should be levied.

Perhaps they were too ill to attend.

@HM2

If that was the case, then surely a phone call out of courtesy would be welcome by the surgery.

Put it in your phone  01626 888877 in this day and age is it not one of the numbers folk would automaticaly store in there mobile.

250 people fail to attend their appointments. So what action is taken to maximise this failure?

When a person fails to attend for their appointment wouldn't the first action be, by Barton, to try to make contact with the patient to find out if they had just forgotten or possibly now in hospital due to not being able to see their requested g.p. in a timely manner.

Does reception restructure the appointments for those who have turned up and/or contact those patients who are waiting to see anyone of the doctors on duty the failed appointment was for?

How many appointments did Barton have in Jan. Is Jan's stat's better or worse than other month's or year on year.

It's all well and good quoting individual statistics, but the whole picture needs to be seen. At least then efforts could be taken to correct these issues.

I see massive investment and expansion to Barton, but a big failing in the basic g.p services that should be the bread and butter of the services to the community of Dawlish, Barton surgery should be suppling at its core and I, personally, feel it is wanting relative to the money being pumped into it.

The point is if you dont attend a appointment you deprive someone who could be desperate of that oppointment who then goes to AE and clogs up the system. When goverment propose a charge for seing a GP folk are up in arms and yet dont seem to care about not attending  appointments maybe a deposit scheme would work say £20 you dont attend or cancell you lose your deposit.

@leatash...you are missing the point. stop barking on about charges/penalties. if someone does not have a genuine reason for missing their appointment, and i agree a phone call to cancel isn't that difficult to do, then if they repeat this on a number of occassions then take them off the barton surgery attendance list.

It seems to many people seem to be happy to have penalties/charges/fines etc, but we already pay for this service as it is and many have done for over 50 years or more.

If someone repeatedly abuses the system take the out of it.

@DEEDOODLE you say you are as sick as a dog and only one doctor at the barton surgery has the energy and respect to listen to you!!!!

Judging by your activity on daw.com I recommend a referral to a psychiatrist immediately... You're barking.

@Dr Jack Hyde - with a name like your's I would have thought you would be ahead of me for the line for a psychiatrist!

I thought the idea of going to the doctors was to see a doctor, tell him/her what your symptoms are, get prescription and go home to get well, not to go there and have a good social chat with them.

Really getting a pungent odour of morty vicker coming from this thread.

The pungent odour to this thread was started by you DEEDOODLE with your insulting and critical attack on the Doctors of the Barton Surgery.

Why should the surgery contact patients to remind them they have an appointment it brings to mind teachers phoning pupils who are perpetially late or worse knocking on their door to get them up.  We have become a country of individuals who dont take responsibility for there actions me i am always 15 mins early for any appointment.  We live in a nanny state and i for one don't need a nanny to remind me i have an appointment my mobile does that for me.

A lot of surgeries/hospitals have an automated system for sending out appointment reminders via text message.  The wonders of modern technology.

@Dr Jack Hyde - my post was not critical and insulting attack on the doctors, but my opinion from previous encounters. don't over dramatize for effect.

It's people like you who make posting on this site hard work.

If you don't like my opinion, feel free to comment just don't be a drama queen about it.

I've moved down here recently from a city where I used to have to wait two to three weeks for a non emergency appointment with a doctor, and it was not unusual to be called by that surgery to delay that appointment nearer to it. After registering at the Barton Surgery, I went and asked for a non emergency appointment, during a busy week in my life, expecting the same service. First I was offered a cancellation appointment the same afternoon, and when I said I was busy, I was offered an appointment the next morning. I explained that I was not free till the following week, and was given an appointment for the following Monday morning. The receptionists were so polite and professional and the service I received was top class.