Havens Health / Meridian Surgery

So hard to get in contact with the doctor, and no chance speaking to the same doctor twice. when You do get through you are put on hold even though you’re are the 1st in line for a long time. Most of the receptionist are lovely, as are the doctors , but a few are rude and abrupt which you don’t need when feeling unwell. No contact details of the Practice Manager.

Was a patient at this surgery for over 8 years. Not had an issue until recently. Couldnt get through on the phone lines had to ring over 100 times. Phone often gets disconnected. When you eventually get through your on hold for ages. When eventually answered all appointments are gone. You can't go up a d book an appointment. Your told to ring. I was seriously ill in December and ended up being rushed to A and E due to being unable to contact the GP. I have now left the surgery and go out of town to Newhaven. A much nicer surgery with no problems. But it's unacceptable that I have had to do this. Everyone has a right to medical advice when they require it

The surgery is slightly easier to get hold of now than a few months back.
When phoning though and having to queue, your queue position is alway s“1” , you could be number one in the queue for an hour ! I’d love to know who they are talking to for that long?
One of the Doctors is rude and stand offish with older people.
Older people in the community often cannot contact gp surgeries themselves , so if their care call is after 08.30am, where they have the chance to say they are ill or a carer picks up on something, all appointments will be gone.
The surgery reception do not pick up, or act on emails sent.
When dealing with end of life patients with this surgery, it is a huge worry. At times they need urgent medications and the surgery don’t do urgent anything

My husband has lots of long term conditions. We I need help or advice I’m unable to get the same doctor/s so I have to explain what’s happened over the last few years, before I can talk about a current problem. Before he had a couple of regular doctors (your own Gp) it make everything so much easier when you have to talk to a doctor over the phone that knows him.

I had felt unwell for several days before being notified that my Covid test was positive. So I had already spent a couple if days in bed but was amazed to receive a phone call from Havens Health to ask me how I was! I live alone and was obviously self isolating so the concern expressed was very much appreciated. They also said they would deliver an oxymeter for me to moniter my oxygen levels at home - it would be left on my doorstep. This happened later that day (complete with the required batteries). They also phoned me on two other occasions to see how I was. Thankfully I made a good recovery and returned the oxymeter to the surgery for someone else to use. Very impressed.

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.