GGGRRRRRR - I know its been done to death but I need a rant about DMC!

[jennyh]

Got there at 7.45am this morn (was a little delayed due to toddler antics, was aiming for 7.30) and was 6th in line waiting patiently. They were late opening the doors and by the time I got in and got to the front of the queue the earliest appointment was 11.10! Only 6 people had been ahead of me and without eavesdropping I can tell that only 2 of them made an appointment. By the time I left there were about 20 people, all looking a little frantic and desperate.

The only reason I stay is because I missed out on the great midwifery services when I had my first and if there is a chance of having another I would like better midwives than I had before.

Does anyone know if the phones are put on hold until they have dealt with the people at reception or do they simultaneously take phone calls out the back and do appointments in person up front?? If so then I will have to start standing in queue and on the phone at the same time as I am sure that there would have been an earlier appointment, surely!!!!

Sorry,rant over. Just so annoying as I started a new job a week ago and already have to take time off. geez.

[oimissus]

is this the Crystal Palace Road branch? There's a very long ongoing thread about this in the General section of the forum, doesn't sound good at all! I'm at Chadwick Road, it's not too bad, I've never gone down first thing but have generally managed to get through on the phones to get an appt that day.

Were you taking your child to the doc's? If you've just started a new job couldn't your partner take them?

[jennyh]

Yeah I am at Crystal Palace Rd. I have seen the other thread, I just felt like I needed to expel some energy to the lovely family people as you're all nice! Very selfish I know:) I will def start considering a move to a new doctor though if there are any recommendations on widwifery services - I was at the Gardens before but it was too far away and I rarely saw the same midwife throughout my pregnancy, was always changing and I didn't feel I was getting the information/support I wanted.

Appointment was for me so sadly I couldn't get my husband to do it...will do next time though if I can get away with it!

Edited to say - live towards the top of Crystal Palace Road,anyone got any good recommendations of other GPs??? With good midwifery services??

[sillywoman]

Oakwood midwives affiliated to Forest Hill Road practice - operate very similarly to The Lanes. i.e Caseload Midwifery.

[simonethebeaver]

Forest Hill Road has the brilliant Oakwood midwives. Appointments are not that difficult to get for a child in my experience.

[Monkey]

Shame on the DMC.

[Jessie]

I had an appt at DMC yesterday which i made about 6 weeks ago and told the dr all of my gripes and concerns as a patient. Probably will have no impact but felt darned good to get it all off my chest.

[Gidget]

Jessie,

You should put it all in writing to the practice manager and the PCT. The doctors are usually just self-employed bods hired by the surgery. They can be off at any time.

[nymom]

Just for information purposes. I got through at 8:01 this morning on the phone and there was one person ahead of me. I was offered a morning appt but elected for an afternoon as I actually wanted a double appointment for my daughter and I. Normally I have rang for 20 min or more so maybe today I was lucky. I think there is someone in the back on the phones and someone in the front simultaneously. I will also say that I used the Lanes based at DMC and they book their own appts.

[Otta]

I'm pretty sure they answer the phones too.

If it makes you feel any better, I think most practices of this size and ilk are just as bloody annoying.

I used to be with DMC, then moved to Sydenham and joined Wells Park Practice. Very similar place, and very similar pain in my arse!

[Polmoche]

We changed GPs and can't believe what we used to put up with at the DMC!

[crystal7]

I live near you jennyh and use Forest Hill Rd GPs, just because I never got around to changing to DMC when I moved. I have always managed to get a same day appointment for my children. It can take a while to get through on the phone (would never go down and queue though) and have had to be quite firm and say yes I definitely want to be seen today. A few times a Dr has called me and then asked me to come in. There are some fab drs too. I've had 2 homebirths with the Oakwood midwives and they were fab. Highly recommended.

[jennyh]

Thanks everyone! and that is intersting nymom. I reckon that the tactic of being there in person and also trying on the phone might be a good on, would look a bit nuts though. I think that the receptionist was a couple of minutes late opening the door by which point the phone was in full swing :) Those couple of minutes are vital!

Fortunately I have an understanding boss. Might check out the forest hill road practice though seeing as there are a few recommendations.

[nabz]

Im at the DMC too but never go in to book appointment if you call at opening times you usually have to wait a gd 10mins but they do eventually get to you and i get an appointment! x but tbh their still super crap... My daughter needed immulisations and they had no appointments for over two months!! So she was behind on getting them which really worried me x

[Saffron]

I loved the Oakwook Midwives at FHR practice! Sadly I did not have good experiences with the Drs or HVs, and we've since moved and changed GPs. As it wouldn't be your first baby, probably you'd be more savvy about rubbish HVs and not be put off by it. Also, I understand that there has been a change of drs at FHR since I moved, so they are better now perhaps.

Just to put it in perspective, if we were still in the catchment for FHR and were going to have another baby, I'd be willing to heckle the rubbish GPs and disregard the ingonorant HVs just to have access to the Oakwood midwives. They really were brilliant.

[jennyh]

Thank you Saffron, appreciate that. You're right, it wouldnt be the first baby so wouldnt be looking for the same services I guess, it is also a fair while away so a bit crazy to talk about at this stage!!!! :)

[Otta]

"Sadly I did not have good experiences with the Drs or HVs"

Has anyone in the world ever had a good experience with Health Visitors?

Actually to be fair, I think my wife met one who she said was very good, and knowledgable (an older lady). But it would seem that 99 out of 100 are total shite.

[simonethebeaver]

I made an official complaint about a HV at FHR. I never got a response from PALS now I think about it. The one I have seen since then is very nice and sensible though.

[crystal7]

Oops forgot to mention rubbish FHR HVs, 2nd time round though I've just avoided them!

[Al&Em]

I've queued at the DMC from 8am before but used mobile to get in the phone queue at the same time - phone won...

[Smiler]

They used to take phone appts at same time, I would use mobile and landline on redial at same time to get through!

From a demand management point of view, it's actually sensible to discourage people from coming into the surgery to make appointments and do stuff by phone. But v annoying for patients.

For the Lanes you didn't used to need to go through DMC (other than being a registered patiend at DMC) to get on their list, you could just write to them with details making clear that you were with DMC. I did this the minute got a positive test result!. Might've changed though. they were fab!

[midivydale]

Yes I hear you. My 7mnth old son and I have had numerous health issues sine his birth and getting an appointment is turning into a farse. I keep turning up with him before 8 in order to be seen, have since long given up on phoning. There are some truly great GPs there but some rubbish ones too. I always make sure that I get one of the ones I know and like if I dont I just go back the following morning to try again. Even if urgent I wouldnt go with the bad GP's but get back in my car and drive my son to Kings. This has happened on several occasions.

In addition, the repeat prescription service for me and my son has not worked as it should once! Not once

I was with the Lanes and got good care with them pre and postnatally. However, I would not change practice to DMC just to be with the Lanes.

May I add to the rant, Lloyds pharmacy on North Cross Road? Useless service and I have now made several formal complaints and have promised myself and DH never to use them again- EVER. If I do, shame on me.

[Beagle]

I'm with a surgery in Sydenham since we moved and it strikes me forcibly every time we go there the contrast between them and DMC. The tone is set from the helpful and competent receptionists throughout the practice and what is sad is that after 8 years with DMC I had such low expectations of the NHS and general practioning, which is surely the antithesis of how it should be. The only good thing about the DMC was that I ended up being looked after by the Lanes midwives, which I didn't even know was a service available.

PALS did take up an issue I had with DMC and were really good at following it up. DMC spent months telling PALS they had replied and PALS would ask me was this the case. No it wasn't. And without PALS involvement I wouldn't have even have had the courtesy of a reply.

If you had to pay for DMCs services, frankly would you?

[Vickster]

There is a new(ish) HV at Forest Hill Road GP who I found to be absolutely outstanding. Her name is Andrea. Agree that all the others are totally rubbish. I also loved the fabulous Oakwood midwives, and actually delayed moving house so I could have my second baby with them.

[simonethebeaver]

Andrea is the good one I was thinking of.