This letter is re your advert dated February 1, 2023, ‘Medical centre seeks support’.
I have lived in Launceston nearly all my life and have always attended Launceston Medical Centre.
I found some of the comments true, especially ringing to book an appointment. You hang on in the queue for sometimes 30 minutes, then to be told the appointments are all gone for the day except emergency only (emergency to me would be if you’re having a heart attack or something as serious as this). So then you would ring 999 not the surgery.
Then they say please ring back tomorrow and then you have to go through the whole process again. Frustrating!
Sometimes when you ring and it’s really busy the message will say a quick and easier way to make an appointment is to go online. That’s ok if you’re on the internet. I am not, and surely I’m not the only person who doesn’t do online, there must be lots and I’m guessing they find this very frustrating just like I do.
I have been having tests on and off over the last year/year half, and had a letter asking if I could make an appointment to discuss my results. After ringing several times and no joy of getting an appointment I gave up. I’ve had several tests since then but nobody has mentioned the results of the time before. I’m thinking if it was that important the doctor would get hold of me and let me know as I can’t get hold of them — frustrating.
Please could I ask why we cannot see the same doctor all the time, so they would understand you and you would be comfortable with them? At least then your doctor would be able to spot if there is anything else going on that would be relevant to a diagnosis.
They say that they have improved the medical centre, but still you have to wait to collect your prescriptions. Waiting in the cold and wet, when you eventually get to collect sometimes they say “There not quite ready yet, would you mind waiting 10 minutes while I finish them off.” After already waited 30 to 40 mins in the queue — very frustrating, especially when their put in 28 days before.