"Extremely Disappointing Appointment System"

I live overseas and on a recent visit home I was trying to help my 81 year old mother make an appointment to see a dr. I find it unbelievable that a receptionist must ask a patient why they need to see a doctor to ascertain whether an appointment is needed for that day; what has happened to patient privacy and confidentiality? In this instance it was an acute problem that needed attention, however, there is no booking system in place, to my knowledge, that would have allowed my mother to book an appointment for 2-3 weeks' time had it not been an acute problem.

With respect, I do not believe that administration staff can effectively 'triage' the patients requiring appts as I was told that the issue would be documented in my mother's notes, and a call would be received the next day as the surgery was full to capacity for that day, surely this increases the workload for the medical staff if they have to then go through all the documentation in preparation for which patients get the next appts. The receptionist also told me and my mother that she should go to A&E if she felt it could not wait, aside the fact that my mother is 81 years old and not very mobile due to her current medical problem, I am sure that those already over-worked staff in A&E are unaware that this advice is being given by a non-medically trained member of staff who hasn't even seen the patient in person. My mother missed the call by a whisker the next day and there were no further calls to her phone, therefore we had to go through the whole process again. I find it hard to believe that patients cannot book an appointment and have to rely on this system, which I have never experienced anywhere else. I have friends and relatives who are patients in other local surgeries, and they do not experience such issues when making their appointments.

I fully support the signs that quite rightly state that staff will not tolerate abusive behavior, but this system must leave them wide open to frustrated and sick patients having to wait on the line for an eternity only to be told they have to try again tomorrow.

My mother, as I am sure along with many others, also cannot use online apps and booking services, therefore, I urge the practice manager and the doctors at Warsop surgery to review the appointments system to make it easier for all, both staff and patients.

Thank you.