Dr Solway & Dr Mallick Practice

Due to unforeseen traffic conditions I was late for my appointment with the nurse for a very important blood test. I was 20 minutes late. The receptionist spoke to the nurse at 9:05/9:10 and the nurse catagorically refused to see me and said she was too busy, this takes all of 5 minutes. I was in traffic for over an hour and this was unavoidable as the town was highly congested, making it impossible to get there. Historically I have never missed or been late and take the first appointment of the morning, and have never been seen on time often 15-20 mins beyond appointment time. I have not been able to reschedule this appointment as I have to make the lost time of 1 hour and 45 minutes up at work,surely some concession must be made for people who are genuinely not well and urgently need their appointment, this has now set me back because I will have to wait for a suitable time with my employer.
Some consideration is needed and compassion for patients and their wellbeing. Something I don’t seem to be experiencing at the moment at Orchard St. with the exception of your lovely receptionists.

I have found the surgery is very good and helped me though some difficult times health wise. Although you have to jump through some hoops to eventually get what you need, it is not the surgery that put that in place, they just guide you. I found they communicate well about this and tell me 'how it is' for every one who is trying to access things.

Personally, although I do not use the surgery often, when I do I do not have any issues. The phone system is ok, although like most people who work, it is difficult to answer the phone later in the day. They do try a couple of times though and I have managed to get it the second time.

When I ring in, I think the staff ask a lot. I understand they need to ask some things, but it feels intrusive after you state some of the basics and yet they want to know more.

Things can be difficult when English is not your first language.
My wife does not speak any English, and I have to go into appointments with her. Today for blood they did not let me in, but I know she will panic a bit. They need to have cards with pictures to help to know what to expect if no translator.

Today I am in for a vaccination, which was all great, easy to book etc.
Trying to get a normal appointment just is very difficult and so far I cannot get one. The telephone waiting is not too bad, but things are gone by the time you get through.

Don't like being diagnosed on the phone by a GP. Rang me back about a pain I had, told that it is probably arthritis without seeing me and no offer to do so after a few weeks of no change. I ended up in A&E for an X-ray and it turned out to be ligament damage. You can only have seen this by seeing me face to face too.

Some things in the past have been reasonably good. However, I won't see one person who was really rude about my depression. I did access 'wellbeing' which is time restricted, and I would hope that there is a follow up about this, but there is not.

This service is reasonably ok. I have not used it much until recently, and I am finding that things do trot on, timewise. You realise that 10 months later, I have still not got an answer to the issues. They are doing what they can, the system for referrals etc just takes a lot of time.

Urine samples taken here are 'stick tested' at the time and I am told there are issues. It then gets sent to hospital and they say it is all clear. Four times this has happened whilst it was thought our child has an infection. It was receptionists that were telling us wrong information, was we then spoke to the Practice manager who said something different. It fills me with little confidence and now in the process of changing as they are incompetent.