Bill Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 The wife and I have just been out visiting some friends and as usual the discussion soon turned to all the things they didn’t like and how the country was going to the dogs. Most of our problems might have grown over decades but the one that got me thinking was why given the covid panic is essentially over can we still not get to see a doctor? Prior to covid we could at least get to see a doctor reasonably quickly, or at least I could, but now it seems like telephone consultation and online questionnaires introduced during covid look set to become the preferred choice for doctors while people like us absolutely detest them. Why is this and why can’t we return to how it was in the past? Personally, I get the feeling that they’ve got carried away with the use of technology to save themselves from having to speak with us. They might save a couple of minutes, but we on the other hand must endure long winded telephone messages that ramble on and on with options that are completely irrelevant to us. And if you ever do finally manage to get sorted, there’ll be automated timewasting questionnaires asking us to rate them on their performance. Any statistician will tell you it’s just not necessary to question every single patient and that a small random sample will give a representative result but because you’ve seen them you feel you need to respond. My last online questionnaire from the hospital had 24 pages and took me over half an hour to complete and I’m 100% certain nobody would have even looked at it. 🤬 Bill 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted July 22, 2022 Report Share Posted July 22, 2022 my doctors changed the address of their website slightly recently. This resulted in me getting a page not found message when i tried to access it to check my medication due date. after some faffing about via Mrs sid's doctors i got to the online section i needed. I did manage,with the help of google, to find my doctors webpage. the only change n the address was that "dot xxx" had been taken off the end of the address. Have to take mrs sid to the hospital today for something. got a call yesterday asking if she was available for a appointment at 1.45. I think it may be at the ophthalmic place but the person who i spoke to just said 1.45 and that they would send me a text. they did speak to mrs sid but if it is not to do with one of the soaps it just doesn't register. i keep getting requests for online questionnaires from virgin and the last time i had anything to do with them was when they contacted me to say they were giving me a free upgrade. three months ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer II Posted July 22, 2022 Report Share Posted July 22, 2022 just spent time trying to book a blood test; listening to music in a queue; tried three different venues, and all kept you in a queue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted July 23, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2022 Talking with others, there seems to be a view that this is all part of a master plan to privatise the health service. I hope not but I do know of several people that have resorted to paying for private procedures that would normally be carried out by the NHS. My arm operation was done at a private facility but paid for by the NHS. God only knows how much they charged them but judging by the array of exotic cars in the doctor’s car park, it won’t have been cheap. Bill 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer II Posted July 23, 2022 Report Share Posted July 23, 2022 Seems all our public services are at risk, and not just from Gov, but from internal mis-management turning them into woke jokes, where diversity managers matter more than workers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer II Posted July 25, 2022 Report Share Posted July 25, 2022 Got my blood test today, there was two people in the queue, there were four nurses taking blood or just stood around. Didn't seem an efficient use of the person power that the NHS claims it doesn't have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted July 25, 2022 Report Share Posted July 25, 2022 do you still need to book for a blood test or is it back the walk in and take a ticket? had to order my repeat prescription today. went onto the online system at ten to one and ordered the pills needed and clicked the send button. at half past one i got a text to say that the prescription had been sent to the chemist. hopefully will get a text from chemist to say the prescription is ready. didn't even speak to a human being to do it.......👽 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer II Posted July 25, 2022 Report Share Posted July 25, 2022 There are several blood test centres throughout the Town, your expected to ring one and book an appointment; but like GPs surgeries, your held in an automated queue listening to music for ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Confused52 Posted July 25, 2022 Report Share Posted July 25, 2022 10 minutes ago, Observer II said: There are several blood test centres throughout the Town, your expected to ring one and book an appointment; but like GPs surgeries, your held in an automated queue listening to music for ages. The mathematics behind queueing on the phone is well understood and to get a good customer experience requires a lot of potential agents waiting to answer, the trick is to use those agents to do other things using the phone as well. ( The reason why lots of companies who answer fast use shared call centres). That means one number for all the centres and anyone who answers the phone able to make an appointment. I suspect the service design minimising the cost to the NHS is the opposite with only one person at each centre answering the phone whilst doing other jobs away from the phone. The NHS does not put the customer first. Remember that the automated queue happens AFTER the call is answered and you are paying for the call during the wait, not always free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted July 26, 2022 Report Share Posted July 26, 2022 On 7/25/2022 at 4:22 PM, Observer II said: There are several blood test centres throughout the Town, your expected to ring one and book an appointment; but like GPs surgeries, your held in an automated queue listening to music for ages. You’re lucky if you get put in a queue at our Doctors, just rings out as engaged and then cuts you off, and so starts the cycle again. You can carry on like this for 2 hours, all the time that the reception is open to take appointment bookings. 8 through 10am Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer II Posted July 26, 2022 Report Share Posted July 26, 2022 That's why I now always call in to the GP and book an appointment Ian; with the Hospitals you have to phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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