Penygraig Surgery

Thank you soooo much to Dr James Walter for saving my life and for taking the time to put my mind at ease. The receptionist made my life a living Hell. She told me "its been put on the system that am not allowed to book an appointment for you". She always have a go at me for not taking my medication. I have never had a GP receptionist having a go at me for not taking my medication and the end result is her not willing to book an appointment for me every time for nearly two year.I get an appointment if my support worker call on my behalf then I will get an appointment. I can think of one occasion where I managed to book an appointment by myself and that was earlier this year. You know who you are and you made my life a living hell. I was denied my basic human rights (accessing GP). Everyone including my support workers, Crises team,community mental health team, police and NHS help line and no one was willing to help me.

Receptionists are terrible, appointment are 2 weeks. useless and should be investigated 😖

Giving a 1 star as I'm unable to give Zero! Absolute shambles! 7 years ago my husband seen the nurse for a crippling bad back to be told by the practice nurce he's lying with regards to his symptoms. Bare in mind he's not had a day off on the sick since. Outcome-We paid private to get his back corrected. Today, 7 years later (hopeful for a 2nd appt), he was told by a cheeky, unqualified receptionist that he could not see anyone as it was passed 11am! Therefore, being in so much pain was taken to hospital where 5 hours later they gave him antibiotics which could have been distributed in a 10min appointment at the surgery! After ringing to complain and ask for the complaints procedure, 6 minutes later the nurse rings with an appointment. How convenient! Would NEVER recommend this Surgery due to its lack of empathy, uneducated staff, their ignorance and common disregard for public wellbeing. Needless to say, he will be changing practices.

Need to learn how to deal with mental health patients. It takes alot of courage and time to phone in the first place. When you do have the courage to phone and try and register with a new practice and need to be seen not very helpful at all we all have procedures in life however this is a medical center that's supposed to care and help people. Watching someone in a waiting room having a panic attack after pulling up the courage to phone and go to the doctors as unable to get to the old doctors which is 40 mins away need to be acknowledged. Not just saying to someone go to the crisis team is not the answer when staff are willing to phone a doctor to sort out an appointment for an asthma patient as there are none and then books one for them after a phone call. All that is needed is to sit with someone be human and try and help them just be kind explain I can see your upset and everything is on top of you let me atleast speak to the doctor get them to call you and see if there is anything we can help with. You then phone up two days later as you are told tog et an appointment to be told the next ones are in June. I never go to the doctors but can't see any other way of getting better and this is how I am met. I am lucky I have a good support network however when I left the doctors that day I felt like what's the point no one cares not even my doctors why be here anymore I can understand how a simple thing like this can make people commit suicide. I think you practice need mental health training.