Havens Health / Meridian Surgery

Firstly your phone system is putting us all at risk. Whoever is in charge of issuing repeat prescriptions need training, your practice manager also need training twice in two months my medication was not complete correctly and your receptionist lied.

They are very hard to get through to. Although when I did I got a call back quickly from a doctor who recommended blood test. I hadn’t heard back in just over a week so I phoned and was told that they were satisfactory but I think I should have been phoned or text to give me results and not me having to ring them

Medical expertise is fabulous if only you can get through or make an appointment - I tried 102 times .... but if you are really ill you can’t do this!

The ‘new’ phone system BBC which supposedly queues you in turn always advises that the caller is No. 1 in the queue. Not true and recently called on 2 lines at the same time and both said I was No. 1 in the queue. This is not helpful. Knowing where one is in the queue allows someone to make an informed decision as to stay or call back later.

you can never get through on the phones and if you do all appointments have gone and just told phone back next day or just phone 111. doctors seem to busy to really listen to what's wrong with you and palm you off.

It is very hard to get a telephone appointment, have to wait in all day for the doctor to call me, and when he calls me he is tired and crampy, the last doctor that called he could not wait to put down the phone, he put the phone down mid sentence and barley understood what I wanted, and now that my surgery is joining another this will cause even more confusion, I use a online prescription doctor to get prescriptions faster I suffer from cystitis a lot and it is less hassle than trying to get through to my doctor, they prescribe simple things. There have been times when I have gone to the A&E, I had gout and I wanted some pain relief, I can not see things improving only I hope things do pick up.

Each time I have contact the surgery by phone, I have phoned after 3.00pm and always received a polite and cheerful response-never had any issues. Clinical care is excellent.

The nurse who fitted my coil was absolutely lovely, however, on reflection I do feel that there should have been a lot more information provided by the surgery pre procedure. I booked my appointment and that was that. I normally have quite a high pain threshold, but I found this extremely painful during and after. Once I got home I had severe cramping (which I expected), sweating, dizziness and vomitting. This eventually subsided and I asked my friend who is a charge nurse what her own experience was like. She was offered gas and air- I didn't even realise this was an option. Why would you put someone through that pain when there's an alternative?

Also, I later read that pain relief should be taken beforehand and that you should not drive to your appointment... Which I did. And that you should wait 10-15 minutes before leaving the surgery.

I expected the procedure to be uncomfortable and a bit painful, but not to this extent. And if I had been advised of the above beforehand, maybe it wouldn't have been quite as painful. Furthermore, had I been advised previously, I would not have driven.

Trying to get through on the phone. Gave up after several attempts at holding on for 15-30 minutes and being told by the automated message that I was 1st in the queue! Also no other way to contact the surgery, no contact details for the practice manager who should be first point of contact for issues

When it merged with Rowe Ave Surgery the Doctors were all brilliant, but getting through by phone was nigh impossible. It took me 3 days of constant phoning and being put on hold only to be told 'there were no slots' available every time I managed to get through (6 times am & pm). The final time I told the receptionist I was desperate and could I just speak to anyone for advice as I was very concerned regarding my symptoms. She replied 'if I was that concerned to phone 111' and then hung up. I did an online survey on 111 and a nurse phoned me back within 10 minutes and after a few more detailed questions said she would try to contact Havens Health. I was surprised to receive a phone call from one of the Doctors at Havens Health 5 minutes later who prescribed antibiotics to be delivered urgently - which they were. One surgery for the whole of Peacehaven and Telscombe Cliffs is a recipe for chaos and disaster. Lewes District Council should hang their heads in shame (building more housing estates). Also the 111 service will be inundated with phone calls from patients who are unable to access their surgery.