Changed Doctor's Surgery

Carol and I have changed our doctor's surgery. We were with The Grove Surgery in Netherfield and had decided, after some consideration, that we wanted to change our doctor as The Grove hasn't been exactly pro-active. We haven't been all that impressed with the service we've been having there. For a start, you can never see the same doctor more than a few times in succession, whenever you make an appointment.  I can say that I was annoyed by the lack of action over my blood tests, and when Carol had her recent eye infection the doctor poked her eye with the swab and appeared to make it worse, and also the ridiculous appointments booking procedure that it was time to change.  Whenever you ring up (if you can ever get through on the telephone system) the receptionist asks 'what's the appointment for?' I don't see why you need to tell the receptionist; it should be confidential and between you and the doctor, in the privacy of the surgery. On one occasion Carol and I went in to book an appointment and the receptionist was giving out her details so that everyone waiting could hear. Also, when we first registered with the surgery, it was done in the open reception-area, and not in a private room, away from other people who could hear. We had to change doctors when we moved from Crownhill, which we actually didn't want to, but it appears that it Health Authority rules that when you move away from a certain doctor's catchment area you have to move doctors surgeries, even though we had build up quite a good relationship with Hilltops, the health centre we used to go to in Great Holm.We knew that there was a new surgery, Ashfield Medical Centre, opened in Beanhill,  not far from where we live (actually closer than The Grove Surgery.) so we went to investigate whether we could transfer, and learned that we could, so we got the relevant paperwork and got it filled out, and went back later that morning, together with several forms of identification. At least this interview was done in the privacy of an office, away from the reception area. Once this was done, we had to make further appointments (which could only be made the following day.) as each of us is on repeat medication. So this was done, and new prescriptions issued. At least at Ashfield Medical Centre there is far better parking, and there is a chemists next door which means we can take our prescriptions in immediately to be made up.