Havens Health / Meridian Surgery

The receptionists are often cold, rude and dismissive. They also act as doctors telling you that something is not urgent when I as the patient know it is very urgent eg: severe mental distress. I also once had an infected skin abscess; when explaining to the receptionist she informed me that she would not give me a phone appointment because a pimple is not urgent. I ended up in a&e at the weekend, in terrible pain and was put on antibiotics.
The receptionists need to stop thinking they are in a position to decide what is and what isn't urgent; only a qualified GP can do that!

The doctors on the whole are very good. With some exemptions. It is just getting an appointment or even getting through to the surgery.

I had an appointment as I found a lump in my breast. I found the Female doctor to be very cold and I had to ask to be referred as she wanted me to wait another month. I’ve had a similar experience several times with this GP to the point I’d rather not have an appointment. I have had great support from the nurses. Paramedic also very good, called to check things were okay.
I am concerned by how many calls are required to get through as had to call 48 times to try and get through, although found the new system to complete on the website where they call you back was successful.

Trying to get through to get an appointment is near on hopeless. I don’t even bother unless my chest is really bad, I just self medicate from a pharmacy.

I spent 40 mins trying to get through only to be told to ring 111! I am a Rowe avenue patient not used to this standard of care, I am going to try Saltdean and Newhaven surgeries to see if they will accept me and my family

Had go private to get treatment for infection

I had to call the surgery as I was not able to request my asthma medication on pharmacy4u, it instructed me to call surgery. I spent 10 minutes trying to get through, I tried to explain that I was requested to call the doctors re my asthma medication as I believed it had been too long since I was reviewed, receptionist kept interrupting me and told me to call another for prescription, so I did and that took me 10 minutes to get through, only to be told I had to call the doctors which again took me 10 minutes to get through . Where again I had to stop the receptionist so I could explain fully what the issue was. Luckily I was then offered a phone call with nurse Sam

Can sit and try to ring the surgery for over an hour . Impossible as a working person .

trying to get an appointment is nearly impossible. i’ve had to consecutively call over 100 times just to get through to reception. the receptions are quite rude when you do eventually get through. the few times i’ve managed to get an appointment however, the doctors/nurses have been superb and done everything they can. they’ve even booked appointments for me because they knew i wouldn’t get one if i spoke to reception.

I have spent days trying to get though on the phone for an appointment. Always engaged. When you do get told no appointments available, try tomorrow. Start the same process trying to get through. I suffer from copd and get chest infections which needs medication straight away. I feel gthe appointment system is costing lives.