The Hall Practice

Needed additional medication for going away on holiday. Sent request through via email as usual 5 working days before holiday (sent on Monday plus 2 weekend days). Attempted to pick up meds from chemist on Wednesday afternoon to find out no prescription had been sent through.Rang surgery on Thursday and spoke to the receptionist who quizzed me why I needed them, (this had been spelt out in the request email). I was then told that it would be done on Friday by my Dr I asked if another Dr could sign them Thursday so that if there was a problem we still had time to resolve as I was going on Holiday Monday. I was told it would definitely be done. Foolishly I believed the receptionist. Friday came and the pharmacy said no prescription had been sent through. They said they would contact the surgery, however it isn't their job to chase up the surgery so I rang the surgery to get the same receptionist again, who proceeded to tell me how could she know why it wasn't done and it was I. Hand as a matter of urgency. I was utterly flustered by the total disregard by this public facing person of the distress this was causing. There was no Apollo, no we do understand and we are making efforts to understand what happened, just that it's not my fault jack approach and as such I in total frustration slammed the phone down. After a few minutes I decided that this was not good enough and utterly wrong, I had simply asked for an update and yet this person seems to think I was an utter hinderance to her job. As such I rang back to enquire as to the complaint procedure to which the receptionist wished to know why I was needing to complain which I straightforwardly said her attitude. At this point the receptionist proceeded to try to tell me what she had said but frankly we will both disagree with that, maybe the telephone records can be recovered and transcribed. At the end of this exchange the receptionist put the phone down on me. I re-dialled immediately to which the phone was picked up and immediately put down. This juvenile behaviour happened again until the next call the receptionist answered 'Mr Gordon!' needless to say with contempt. I informed the receptionist that I would keep calling until I have the complaints procedure detailed to me. She informed that I needed to call the practise manage to which I responded can I leave them a message for her to call me on Monday, as this was when the receptionist had said I needed to speak to them. At this point it was obvious that the receptionist was not going to help any further and I hung up. Rude I know, but I did say thank you first. Clearly the receptionist we that I was away on Holiday on Monday and presumes this will affect if I complain. I shall be contacting the practise manager and cannot believe that such a restrictive complaints procedure is normal and believe that at least a heart felt apology for this utterly distasteful incident. I eagerly await a response and find it hard to positively review a practise which I was asked to be an advocate for! And who's clinicians seem to honestly want the best for the patients
Original Comment Report...