Priory Medical Centre
Priory Road, Warwick, CV34 4NAContact details and opening times
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Review titled Appointment system unacceptable
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Vanya - Posted on 12 June 2023
In general once you see a doctor or nurse, they are good for basic needs. There have been a few occasions when I have not been happy - once when a GP was very brusque and unsupportive and recently a referral to a NHS service has been cancelled because not enough information provided by GP.. The competency of reception and admin staff is variable. It really depends on who you get. Some are friendly and helpful, some are not. The main reason for not recommending this practice is because getting access to see a GP is a nightmare. Below is one experience, which is quite typical: Called at 8.30 (opening time) then waited for an hour in phone queue to talk to receptionist. I have had my symptoms for over two weeks - did all the responsible things to treat at home but symptoms not getting better. Receptionist very condescending, asking what have I done to relieve my symptoms, then said she was referring me to a pharmacist!! (After waiting on phone for an hour) I had looked on the NHS website and it had said with my symptoms I should see a GP if they have not got better in a week. It had been two weeks so I thought my appointment request was reasonable. In the end I had to be quite firm and pressed that I wanted to see a GP. She said a GP would do a telephone consultation and to expect a call any time between now and 6pm. I do feel sorry for reception staff as they have to deal with frustrated patients - that does not mean patients frustrations are not valid. The practice needs to change it’s appointment system, because at the moment it is a joke and people are suffering unnecessary. Please understand I know how busy the practice is and am a responsible patient. If I am calling for an appointment it is because I genuinely feel I need to see a GP, and do not need to be made to feel I am nuisance, which is what the present system does. I wonder how many people avoid making appointments for what might end up being a serious medical condition because of such a system. I have to take day off work just to make an appointment because I can’t have my phone on me at work - even then an appointment is not guaranteed. Very stressful process, even more so when you are ill.
Visited June 2023
Review titled Priory Medical Centre
Replied on 24 November 2023
Dear Vanya, My name is Robert Massey-Ellis & I am the Executive Director at Priory Medical Centre. Many thanks for your feedback regarding your experience of booking an appointment at Priory Medical Centre. I apologise on behalf of the practice if your recent experience was not up to your expectations. I hope the below will help explain the new system further for you. As of 13/11/2023, we have been trialling a new appointment booking system called Total Triage. The reason for trialling this system is to allow us to better manage patient demand, and also allow us to clinically triage requests for appointments so that the patient can be signposted to the most appropriate person at the most appropriate time. This should allow us to see those patients requiring urgent clinical assistance quicker & hopefully on the day. The Total Triage system does ask patients to submit a simple Online Form, which is accessible from our website or the NHS App. Upon submitting this form, it will be sent to a Doctor to clinically triage. The Doctor then advises the receptionist when to book an appointment and with whom (it may not necessarily be the Doctor/GP dependant on the request). This has resulted in patients being seen quicker, and also obtaining an appointment in a timely manner. I understand that not all patients will be au fait with technology, or able to submit the Online Form. In these cases, patients are asked to still ring the practice, at which point, one of our reception team can take down the necessary details and submit this form on your behalf. As mentioned, this request will still goto a doctor to clinically triage and an appointment booked at the appropriate time. Throughout the trial, we are limiting the number of Online Forms that can be submitted to allow us to manage demand accordingly. If you are unable to submit a form to do our capacity being met, then please do ring the practice to request an appointment. I request you to listen to the messages at the beginning of the call as they contain important information about changes at the practice, and more importantly, our appointment system. We change these messages regularly to advise if we have appointments available to help manage patients expectations. We also advise on there to ring after 1030am if your enquiry is not appointment related. This will then free up the phone lines for those wanting an appointment. I hope the above helps explain the new process, which has also been created based on patient feedback, however should you wish to discuss further, I am more than happy for you to email on managers.priorymed@nhs.net Further communications regarding this Total Triage trial will be posted to our social media pages & website in the near future. Kindest regards, Robert Massey-Ellis Executive Director Priory Medical Centre