Melbourne Grove Medical Clinic

[Australianmumdad]

Sorry for this mini rant, but is the Melbourne Grove Medical Clinic the posterchild for incompetence? We have tried three days in a row to see a doctor about our 18 month old toddler who seems to vomit at certain times of the day. Each time this happens my wife takes him in and they tell us to come back in the morning to make an appointment. It's a toddler...we know it's not life threatening, we just need to know what to do next.

Another thing is that they refuse to answer their telephone, why have one if you don't answer it especially if you are a medical clinic. Is there a government number I can call to make a complaint and ask for new staff

[morgy]

leave. I signed up with them year ago and stayed less than a month. Can't believe they are still behaving like that

[dulwichfamily]

Similar experience - baby vomiting every day over a few days, which stretched to weeks.

Went 3x to gp over this period - told to basically go home and have a cup of tea

eventually I just went to A&E and the baby was kept in for 2 days, on a drip, as he was so thin his bones were showing through his bottom :(

we have a different gp now

[Australianmumdad]

that's shocking. Our little guy fortunately isn't so little and is still all energy etc. We just want to know why he's doing it and we don't want to go to A&E because there are people who are worse off than us that need it more. But my biggest gripe is that they don't invest in an answering machine or pick up the phone.

[Robert Poste's Child]

If you want a second opinion you can go to the Lister walk-in clinic in Peckham any time. It's effectively the next step up. Or you could call NHS Direct and let them help push things along for you.

(Edited to correct what I put before below)

According to my own GP's surgery, if you can't resolve the issue with the practice direct and do want to complain, the next step is to raise it with the NHS for SE London via the following details:

NHS England

PO Box 16738

Redditch

B97 9PT

tel: 0300 311 22 33

email: [email protected]

If that fails, there's an ombudsman or your MP.

[SebsC]

I had similar problems at the Dulwich Medical Centre on Crystal Palace Road and after months of frustration and fruitless complaining I contacted NHS England. I phoned them, got through straight away and it only took 5-10minutes. you can remain anonymous if you wish. They phone you back to update you on what they have done, what the feedback from The surgery is and the more people that complain the more they will escalate the complaints.By letting NHS England know the extent of the problems, they will open a file and monitor the surgery to ensure they are putting into place all the things they promise. The contact details are in the post above.

[KatDew]

We left after a similar problem a toddler in agony with a UTI. They also messed us around getting results of the cultures and swore at me. We left, the new GPs are lovely and I'm just cross that I put up with them as long as I did.

[Countrlass22]

I was wondering about Melbourne grove practice looks very run down is it closing?

As sign they removed most details open hours etc from it.

[Pollypops]

I accept that this is probably quite inconvenient, but it is possible if you turn up at the the surgery at eight am in person and make the appointment for some time shortly after nine. It's a total pest, but you do get seen.

[Northeastview]

Melbourne grove has a long history of being crap. For me personally some issues were (just to be part of the rant):

1. GP having a personal mobile conversation halfway through my consultation

2. Having a pregnancy test with a nurse, who sat in silence for the minute it took, looked at the result and just typed on the computer. I had to ask 'is it positive?'. 'Yes' she said not even looking at me. She clearly saw I was cross with her behaviour, 'I don't know if the woman wants to be pregnant or not, so I never say congratulations'. I don't know, maybe she could have asked me that while we were waiting??

3. rubbish appointment system.

4. Have to ask at reception for contraception- my new GP just has bags on the counter

5. the upstairs consulting rooms!! How many elderly/ infirm/ with kids people have you seen struggle up those steps? It turns out the staff just like using certain rooms- often the ground floor rooms are not in use when you are struggling up.

I could go on for ever....

[maxxi]

I'd also advise leaving. I left there over two years ago after their incompetence, rudeness and laziness were compounded by them trying to send my OH off to an appointment miles away at a place also run by their parent company (Concordia at the time)rather than a nearer, more experienced and more convenient one (i.e. King's Hospital). Seriously, just leave, asap.

[first mate]

This practice was taken over by Concordia in the noughties and was meant to be a prized example of the new and progressive GP Practice piloting phone consultations and greater use of nurses at the expense of permanent Doctors, instead drawing on locums with seemingly dubious skill levels. From that point it rapidly became a disaster and a scandal. Why it has never been investigated and closed down is a major question fir Southwark Health. It is owned as a chain of Gp practices and medical offerings, and a revealing example of the new medical model espoused by this government, health for profit, money first patients last.

Run....literally for your lives.

[andresult]

Completely agree...can never ever get through on the phone, have called for over 3 days once until they finally answered, and often get prescriptions wrong!! I was supposed to be referred to Kings for an MRI over 6 months ago, and shock...I still haven't heard anything as I don't think it's been done!! Absolutely awful surgery and don't know why I've stayed so long, time to leave I think!

Thanks Robert Posts Child for the info on complaining, I am definitely going to do this!

[Robert Poste's Child]

Just wanted to add that I've had a few problems with my own surgery recently but I just spoke to the practice manager a couple of times. Might be worth trying if you haven't already as it's their job to sort out any blips and make sure things run smoothly.

[KalamityKel]

I don't even attempt to phone I just go round in person. The receptionists are a little bit of a headache, you have to be quite persistent and clear in what/who you would like to do/see and when. Unfortunately, you do need to do a lot of the chasing around yourself but if you are concerned about your health I guess that is what anyone would do right? :-s

I also find it annoying that if you are one of the persistent (not rude) kind of people they do make a note of it on your patient records - now I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing - currently I'm going with good as you get what you want a little quicker with less of a fight.

[Annasfield]

Having similar problems getting appointments myself. I often find myself not bothering at all now, which can't be good for me.

Can anyone recommend anywhere else?

[first mate]

This place really needs to be investigated. I hope one of the papers might take a look at the parlous state of a number of GP Practices in ED and do some in- depth investigation. It is a reflection of where our health system is heading when an organisation like this is able to operate without proper oversight and scrutiny.

[James Barber]

If you have reasons for complain or priase a GP I created a pagein April with all the details of how to do this:

http://jamesbarber.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/04/15/gp-complaints-and-praise-how-to/

[Mustard]

The practice manager's email is

[email protected]

[kapaxiana]

I recently ended up taking my 3 year old to a private clinic after giving up on trying to see a doctor. I tried to book an appointment for 3 days in a row. Would ring in the morning and be asked to ring back at 12am. When I finally got through it was just to hear that there were no more appointments left. The only appointment they could give my daughter was in 2 weeks time. In all fairness the doctor called me back BUT I had explained to the receptionist that I would be at work and not allowed to have a phone on me. Needless to say that I missed 2 phone calls from the GP. I paid ?50 for a private consultation and it was the best thing I did as the doctor sorted my child's problem. I suppose the GP couldn't have possibly helped as he barely looked at her and was with us for all but 2 minutes.

[first mate]

Yes, something like the American model of private healthcare is where we are being herded by the coalition. It is astounding that MGMP/Concordia - the preferred model where chain surgeries ( city boys at the helm) are run for big bucks and doctors are merely employees- has been allowed to continue without investigation. Anyone would think they are being protected in some way.

I have also heard rumours that they will be moving into the new health facility on the Dulwich Hospital site.

[Australianmumdad]

-- moved topic --

[Angharad_L]

Can anyone recommend a better doctor?

[MrBen]

My last ever MGMP experience was requiring an injection. I had to wait 4 weeks for an appointment...then the nurse first selected the wrong size of needle from the storage cupboard... "too large" according to the Doctor. Both were hesitant and her hands were shaking. So I asked if I could do it myself and did.

I'm kind of ashamed to say I've gone to a private GP when required ever since....but not by choice. I agree that the situation requires a full investigation.

[tstoilov]

We used this practice for 3 yrs and it was horrible. The reception people did not know what they were doing. A few examples: 1. When I was booked for a new patient appointment I took time off from work, turned up and I was told the nurse was off and I have to come another day - no phone call to tell me not to come; 2. I was booked for the same tests twice - I assumed they were different tests so I took time off work twice and the second time I was even told off by the nurse for wasting her time; 3. I could never - not once - get an appointment for my toddler within 3 days of calling ( a few times I was told I had to wait over one week!), as if you can wait when you suspect chest or ear infection or else. I thought this was normal but I moved a few mths ago and the new surgery is amazing - I get an emergency appointment each time I need to, the communication is great.