Portsdown Group Practices

Where to start, after having put up with a painfully sore throat from Friday to Monday and seeing no improvement and in fact getting worse, I decided that it was no good and needed a doctor to look at it and determine what was wrong. I checked the Portsdown website for bookings but all I could find were vacancies for Flu jabs. So Tuesday morning at 8am I rang the number to get an appointment. Having had no decent sleep in 3 days I was really keen to see a doctor. Each time I pressed 1 to see a doctor, the message said you have called at a busy time and you'll have to call back. I did this for 15 mins and gave in. I then decided to try and 10am and after quite a bit of waiting in the queue I got through to a lovely lady. She explained to me that I would have to call back at 2pm because all the morning appointments had gone but there were some this afternoon. Before I go into why you are keeping appointments back I will address this, why would you make a sick person who had called several times in the morning and had to go through that whole palaver and then rang again at 10am and being put on hold in a messaging queue - why would you put that person through the experience again? It is really really poor customer service - no one wants to go through that once when they are ill let alone twice and then with the uncertainty of not actually getting an appointment. When you are unwell, you are tired, you can't concentrate - the last thing you want is this sort of thing.
So I rang back with both my work phone and my own phone in the afternoon and managed to get into the messaging system which after 10 mins again I got through to a younger, rather stroppy woman. I asked her why were they keeping times back in the afternoon? Why wouldn't you just give them all out in the morning to the people that NEEDED THEM then rather than make them go through the same pain again? She explained that - someone after 11am might get sick and then they need to call in, so I said so you are keeping them on the off-chance that people get ill and not giving them to the people WHO ARE actually ill in the morning? To me this needs looking at - Can I suggest getting everyone booked in for the whole day from the morning wave of 8am call (if all the appointments in the morning all go of course), and as soon as it is full up a message on the answering machine telling people that appointments for the day are fully booked and give them some alternatives (St Mary's walk-in centre, QA A&E etc. The way it works at the moment is just too work intensive for your staff and for your customers. I truly hope that someone read's this and it gets to the people in charge and they honestly review because at the moment it's painful.

I called to see if I could get an appointment for that day, the lady I spoke to on the phone was professional, caring and helpful. I saw a Nurse Practitioner who was again professional, caring and helpful, my medication was ready at the pharmacy within 10 minutes. Lovely, efficient and helpful. Cannot fault anyone. Thank you so much.

For this appointment, I had a very quick response. I had a callback, appointment, referral appointment made, all within 2 hrs.

As per usual I was treated with the utmost kindness and politeness by all. I am from the old school and that means a lot to me.

I always have good service when I am at the surgery, it's just a shame it's such a problem getting through to make an appointment.

Good and quick visit.

Waiting time over my appt time

Didn't take long to get into the appointment and good explanation of the test.

Professional, calm, respectful and concise.

Because the reception are rude and when I came for my appointment the doctor didn't know about my head or my change of medications my mental health is bad d and the way you treat people is so bad!

Nice. Friends speak to me. 10 out of 10.

I think the doctors and nurses are wonderful at Cosham Park House, they do an excellent job.

Very well spaced waiting area. Only a short wait to be seen. Friendly health professional. My only reservation would be that I don't think I gathered when I might expect to hear of any concerns re the blood test.

Very professional in what they do. Always willing to help and give advice.

I had a flu jab. I was not seen until 15 mins after my appt time. I noted there were only 3 persons in front of me all having the same thing, a flu jab.

I always have good care there.

As it should be.

How much empathy was in the doctors voice, you could tell he wanted to help me.

A very pleasant and professional service provided; thank you.

The nurse was very friendly and helpful and acted without delay to help resolve my issue - thank you.