Difficulty getting an appointment.
I've been registered with Buxted Medical Centre for many years. It is a very good GP medical centre. All the staff I've met have been polite, helpful and very professional. The medical staff, especially the excellent doctors are obviously having to work extremely hard and long hours, to cope with the number of patients registered with the practice who need help. But it is very difficult to book a consultation (even over the phone) with anyone, let alone a GP. Patients are asked to use the online form to request an appointment as the phone lines are too busy, especially in the morning, and the number of calls overwhelms the ability of the staff to answer them quickly. Unfortunately, in my experience, the online form system has to be closed down not long after opening at 8am as there are seemingly too many requests for medical help for the staff to cope with. If you are able to get through to reception by phone after about 8.30am there will probably be no appointments left, either in person or by phone. All they can do is suggest ringing 111. I have a lot of sympathy for the practice as this situation is obviously not their fault but the result of "factors" outside their control. I do wonder what the solution is, because this problem (too many patients for the number of staff available), which is clearly part of wider problems within the NHS and its funding and governance, is not really sustainable for the ever increasing number of patients who need medical help.
