Bad experience with GPs using eConsult system
My normally excellent practice has begun filtering requests for GP appointments by asking one first to fill in the eConsult questionnaire, which would be fair enough if it did what it promises and took one on to book an appointment if needed. But it doesn't - at least not from the patient's point of view (perhaps the practice's version works better).
All I got when I'd answered all the questions was a blandly unhelpful screen, telling me that I had to speak to someone today (as if one could achieve that...!). The system didn't even send all that painstakingly completed data to the practice, so that the doctor could use it.
The practice has just won an award for their reception staffing but the silly girl who took my call insisted that she'd fill in the form for me (as if I were incapable of doing it myself, as I made very clear that I am not) and put the 'phone down on me after I told her why that wouldn't work and explained the problems that I'd had using it directly.
Surely patients should be free to point out that there's a problem and ask that the practice staff work around that, rather than the staffer sticking to a script which assumes that everything works and the only problem must be the patient.
All I got when I'd answered all the questions was a blandly unhelpful screen, telling me that I had to speak to someone today (as if one could achieve that...!). The system didn't even send all that painstakingly completed data to the practice, so that the doctor could use it.
The practice has just won an award for their reception staffing but the silly girl who took my call insisted that she'd fill in the form for me (as if I were incapable of doing it myself, as I made very clear that I am not) and put the 'phone down on me after I told her why that wouldn't work and explained the problems that I'd had using it directly.
Surely patients should be free to point out that there's a problem and ask that the practice staff work around that, rather than the staffer sticking to a script which assumes that everything works and the only problem must be the patient.
