Triage services a colossal waste of time
HAVING been totally unable to make an appointment at my local GP practice, I went to the Walk In Centre on Osmaston Road.
This was packed, and several of us were told to wait outside the building. It wasn’t too bad, and I was allowed in after 12 minutes, but what if the weather had been extreme in some way? The elderly wouldn’t be able to cope with that.
I gave my name and all relevant details to the receptionist, who typed it into the computer. I then waited an hour and 15 minutes before being called in to the “Triage” room.
The nurse there took all my details again, including, of course, why I was there, and typed it into her computer. Three hours later, when I finally got to see a doctor, his first words were “What can I do for you today?”
With the necessary information having already been recorded twice, he should have had it at his fingertips. What is the point of “Triage”? Can anyone explain to me who actually benefits from what appears to be a colossal waste of time and money.
I see that the facility has been re-named the “Urgent Treatment Centre”, so it probably won’t be long before many patients are turned away from there as well, on the grounds that their condition is not urgent. Where will they go then?
It really is time that GPs started to see their patients again. This would stop unnecessary visits to the Walk In Centre, and also stop the backlogs in A&E departments and the ambulance service.
Will someone from the NHS hierarchy please make this a priority?
These practices are being paid excessive amounts of money for doing less than they have ever done before, but they operate a “zero tolerance policy” about complaints, and have the nerve to claim that they are stretched to breaking point, which is clearly not the case.
At my local surgery, the waiting room can be seen through the windows, and there are never more than three people there. It’s time for change.
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