SHP - Grove Surgery

Getting an appointment has become very difficult as the biggest hurdle is trying to get through to someone via telephone. Tried to phone multiple times to make an appointment for my son but was unable to get thru as the recorded message stated that the call queue was to the maximum capacity and to call later. Once I managed to get through but the call was disconnected. Tried 5 times without success and gave up as couldn’t carry on doing that because of being at work. I have had good service in the past before this surgery joined the partnership and had to wait in the call queue to make an appointment but usually had success if needed a same day appointment. Personal experience with the doctors has been good but the current system is not working. I feel that it is big partnership to be managed by a single call system and perhaps Grove road, Blossomfield and Monksoath surgeries could be in one group to manage the calls etc.

Whilst appreciating the new system of triage etc which clearly doesn’t work for all SHP must be held to account by some body within NHS for their dreadful telephone system which is a joke. Cut off at 8.05 call list full.....9.10 45 minutes wait to connect then put onto the next queue 28 minutes. Another day 1 hour 7 minutes holding to speak to reception. Let’s make it our jobs to hold on for SHP eh! Healthwatch what are you doing about it?

Over an hour to talk to someone and never get an appt in person, disgusting

Tried to get through on phone on my day off t
could not get through, went into surgery as recommended on their Facebook page to be told no you have to call. Explained I can't as I'm back at work in a busy office From 8am and cannot make calls, offered no alternative. Shocking service when all I wanted was a blood test

Always very caring and efficient

Attempted to speak to a particular doctor who I had managed to get an appointment with the month before. Took an hour to get through on the phone. Asked for a telephone call back from this particular doctor. Was told she was not working together and to ring back tomorrow. I asked if said doctor would be working tomorrow and was told “I’m not sure”. Complete lack of care or understanding. Still not managed to get a phone call from this doctor.

I joined this surgery the being of last year. I have had the same repeat prescription for as number of years. They gave me the wrong dose of medication the first time and they did not believe me when I phoned back for my repeat. Also it can take over 1hour to get through

Have to wait up to an hour to get through triage to then have to wait at least another 30 mins to speak to someone. They are. Poor at instigating referrals. They are. Poor at not returning phone calls. My mother is housebound. Took 8 weeks to get a private. Mri scan, which should have been a ct scan with contrast. Difficult to even get mother out of the house for the mri. Unable to take pain meds of any description be aise nothing works Nd they won't have her in hospital to. Explore this further. Mother is existing not living. She feels that because she is over 80 they don't really want to know. She was supposed to have had a call back from a doctor last Friday. SHE IS STILL WAITING! Give up calling when you are caller 48 and takes over an hour to get through. Perhaps they should add a # no. Option For covid information rather than it take 2 mins to even get into the queue by telling us what we already know about covid.

Why cant they get the phone system sorted? This time 23 in a queue, couldnt wait so rang off. Tried again 10 mins later, message: Call queue over 50 so now full (??) , ring later(!). Message said to go to Patient Acess and use On line Consult Banner. No such banner. Health advice page all specific ailments, nothing relevant to our call. Nowhere to send a communication different to the ailments listed. 3rd rate service which is appalling for Solihull. It has been bad for all of 2020 and Covid is no excuse, SHP patient facing systems need major change. It is getting worse and worse. Somebody in authority should take responsibility for getting this sorted.

Grove surgery services has deteriorated further after joining the partnership : SHP. The wait queues on phone lines are minimum an hour ( even at offpeak times). After the initial phone handler talks to you , you have a further indefinite wait to speak to your care personnel for a triage. This service esp at Covid times is more looking after the health and pockets of doctors rather than patients. They have GPs who are locums and only care about their hourly rates. Others prescribe medications without protocol. They are reading out of the same google page as you. A few times I have had to remind them the possible diagnosis! They have failed me repeatedly and I have recently ended up in the A&E due to this. They promise a call back and dont call back. This service is a joke!!!