Automated voices leave no faith in GP surgeries

AFTER reading about accessing appointments at doctor’s surgeries, I feel that the health chiefs must live in cloud cuckoo land, as I have been trying to get an appointment with my doctors since Monday, October 4 (“At least as many GP slots as before pandemic, chiefs say”, October 7).

I have been ringing before 8am and then through to 8.30am to obtain an appointment, only to be met – when I do get through – to a

voice saying that the day’s appointments have already been taken, even at two minutes past the telephone opening time slot.

How can you expect people to have faith in the doctors or the surgeries themselves when you cannot get through to speak to a human being and being fobbed off with an automated voice?

All they say is if it is urgent to call 111 or go to a walk-in centre. Yeah right!

I have been to the walk-in centre and seen the waiting masses outside not moving so that is out, and as for even thinking about going to the A&E at the Royal Derby, whih is overrun with similar patients to myself, who cannot obtain either a face to face or phone appointment, it’s simply disgusting, a situation where soon people who cannot get help will possibly end up dying at home because they don’t/can’t get help.

Peter Pares, Spondon