Melbourne Grove GP - new lows

[Sue]

Mrs TP Wrote:

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> I've been taking my mum-in-law to her surgery over

> in Lambeth a lot recently and I am amazed that if

> she is not seen within 5 mins of her set appt time

> there are floods of apologies. We are always in

> and out within 15 mins of arriving.

xxxxxxx

I don't understand this - how on earth can a GP know in advance how long an appointment will take? It's not like a dentist, where they know exactly what job they are booked to do!

I'd be quite worried if I thought my GP was looking at their watch the whole time, and then booted me out because my time was up. I'd rather wait in the knowledge that another patient was being given a thorough consultation and so would I be when it was my turn!

[Mrs TP]

Sue - I don't know how they manage it. It is a sizeable medical centre with lots of clinics running at the same time and it just seems smooth. I have taken my MiL there for blood tests, chiropody and routine GP check-ups (she has lots of meds and the dosages are kept under constant review). On occasions I have been a little up-tight re timing as it has been close to me rushing back to ED to pick one of my brood up from school / nursery etc but (fingers crossed) it has always worked. It just struck me the other day that when I make an appt at Melbourne Grove I try to allow a time gap of 2hrs before I may need to walk a short distance up the road and similarly pick up one of the kids.

[josephineB]

I think this practice has gone down hill too in terms of the management. I can't fault the nurses I've seen but I really resent having to give personal details over the phone to an untrained receptionist. The appointment system is haphazard and the general look of the surgery is shabby now.

[sandyman]

Actually nice receptionist today, nice French locum, no long waiting time. Might have been a fluke but happy customer.

[cactus]

I called them yesterday morning to make a same day appointment, and was offered one without any problem.

Decent enough receptionist who didn't demand to know what the issue was, I only waited a couple of minutes for my turn,

and the GP was fine - patient and thorough.

[Callie]

cactus Wrote:

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> I called them yesterday morning to make a same day

> appointment, and was offered one without any

> problem.

> Decent enough receptionist who didn't demand to

> know what the issue was, I only waited a couple of

> minutes for my turn,

> and the GP was fine - patient and thorough.

lol, it might be a lot quieter now since a lot of patients have

given up & left...

[mrure26]

I'm reiterating what I wrote previously that I have been with the surgery since 2009 and never had a problem with them. I get appointments quickly, attended well by whoever I have to see, rarely had to wait over my appointment time, and never had a problem with the reception staff.

[dino99]

There was a letter from about a year or two ago (around the time dr. bhatia started) where they pledged to give patients appointments within a day and better general overall service. I have framed this and placed it over my mantle.

[indiej25]

Can anyone tell me how I can book an appointment if all phone lines are down and they don't respond to emails?

[Guest]

The website doesn't work either.

[modi]

Just changed from Melbourne Grove to the Gardens after being at Melbourne for the last few years. Had a similar experience where I called for an appointment with a doctor a few days in advance and was told they couldn't make any appointments and I had to call first thing in the morning on the day, to see if there were any free... Of course, there was nothing! The amount of times they have messed up or plain forgotten my repeat prescription was just getting ridiculous. My girlfriend also registered there a couple of years ago, and recently needed to see a doctor, only to be told she was no longer registered there because she hadn't seen a doctor in over a year, so they just took her off! Guess she should be ill more often?! A complete joke of a surgery. Gardens is much better.

[Zebedee Tring]

We arrange for our prescriptions via Day Lewis by using that exciting new form of communication which I believe is called a telephonic conversation - the chemists answer the phone much more quickly. Even then it often takes Day Lewis a week or more to extract a prescription from the jaws of the practice and Day Lewis are after all next door.

[peristalsis]

" We now accept requests via email. If you would like to order your repeat prescription by email please write to [email protected] "according to http://www.mgmp.co.uk/repeat-prescriptions

[Zebedee Tring]

Just to make it clear, we request Day Lewis to obtain the prescription - we then collect the prescription from Day Lewis, although I believe that Day Lewis do run a delivery service for people who find it difficult to collect them

[KestonKid]

My email also bounced back twice so I went to the practice yesterday in person to find out what was going on. It seems that they recently changed their email address. The receptionists were perfectly nice and helpful but not much bothered! The whole place had a rather odd look - big sign warning patients not to attempt to discuss more than one complaint per appointment. Surely it is well known that patients can have two apparently separate conditions wbich should be considered together. The appointments screen had an "out of order" sign on it.

Getting close to jumping ship

[JohnL]

I saw that sign when I popped down.

I think maybe they should explain more - as a quick google seems to say a GP

appointment is 8 minutes - and the general advice seems to be to book a double

appointment if you have more than one issue.

KestonKid Wrote:

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> My email also bounced back twice so I went to the

> practice yesterday in person to find out what was

> going on. It seems that they recently changed

> their email address. The receptionists were

> perfectly nice and helpful but not much bothered!

> The whole place had a rather odd look - big sign

> warning patients not to attempt to discuss more

> than one complaint per appointment. Surely it is

> well known that patients can have two apparently

> separate conditions wbich should be considered

> together. The appointments screen had an "out of

> order" sign on it.

>

> Getting close to jumping ship

[Vik]

Must admit I've never had any major problems there but the place does always look like it's in the throws of closing down!

[James Barber]

My understanding is that this practive is intended to move onto the Dulwich Hospital site when whatever health faciltiies are decided upon proceed.

But as we've waited 20 years so far and it looks like another 2-3 year it must make it very hard to decided whether to invest in the practice or not.

If you have a comment or a complaint about a GP, dentist, pharmacy or optician contact the London office of NHS England at [email protected]. You can also contact NHS England on 0300 311 22 33. There is more information available at http://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/complaint.

[Borderlands]

I thought it might just be me, I'm desperate to leave MGMP because I'm being forced into the hands of Dr Barnwal who is utterly incompetent, arrogant and someone who, but for the intervention of Dr Zhang (who has now left the practice), would have precipitated a personal health crisis because she refused to do a repeat prescription - aren't these people supposed to have taken an oath to 'do no harm'?

[maxxi]

Borderlands - for what it's worth my OH and I moved from Melbourne Grove back in March and even back then Dr Zhang was the place's only saving grace and Dr Barnwal (and this is only my personal opinion) a ludicrously self important and rather rude idiot who I wouldn't trust to lance a boil. It is the single best decision I have ever made re my own personal health. Get out. Now.

[wellington]

I don't have anything positive to add to this thread but wanted to say that leaving the practice was also one of the best decisions I've made. We are now at a lovely, extremely competent surgery that is over a 20 minute walk away while MGMP is only a 5 minute walk. This inconvenience has been well worth it in my experience.

[first mate]

James Barber Wrote:

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> My understanding is that this practive is intended

> to move onto the Dulwich Hospital site when

> whatever health faciltiies are decided upon

> proceed.

> But as we've waited 20 years so far and it looks

> like another 2-3 year it must make it very hard to

> decided whether to invest in the practice or not.

>

> If you have a comment or a complaint about a GP,

> dentist, pharmacy or optician contact the London

> office of NHS England at

> [email protected]. You can also contact

> NHS England on 0300 311 22 33. There is more

> information available at

> http://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/complaint.

James, now that is a truly scary thought. Who has ok'd this horrendous practice to get such a prime spot. it feels all wrong. this practice is truly, truly awful and in ten years it has not improved. Folk have moved in their hordes. This proposal needs looking at by decision makers. I suggest they visit the practice incognito so they can see firsthand what a disaster it is. it feels as though Concordia has too much influence and something needs to be done about that.

[Northeastview]

Melbourne grove are v.poor. Always sending infirm people upstairs for appointments when the rooms downstairs are free to use. Hated it there, even many medics there were pretty poor, one took a call from her daughter during my consultation! Now at DMV Chadwick which is better as long as you don't see a locum

[ianr]

Borderlands wrote on 29 November

--------------------------------

> and someone who, but for the intervention of Dr

> Zhang (who has now left the practice),

Is that definite? He still apppears on their team list. http://www.mgmp.co.uk/about-us

[Mustard]

ianr Wrote:

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> Borderlands wrote on 29 November

> --------------------------------

> > and someone who, but for the intervention of Dr

> > Zhang (who has now left the practice),

>

> Is that definite? He still apppears on their team

> list. http://www.mgmp.co.uk/about-us

He is definitely not there, Dr. Jonathan Love has just replaced him, apparently from Sternhall Lane Surgery in Peckham.