GP surgeries will be publicly rated on a TripAdvisor-style website, it has emerged.
The favourite forum for disgruntled travellers everywhere has proved immensely popular and is now being used as a model for providing feedback in primary care.
The new website, which aims to give GP practices a star rating, has been piloted. Here are just a handful of comments:
‘The receptionist was great, all smiles. I can’t thank the staff enough for all their help and understanding. I was even allowed to bring my bottle of cider into reception.’ – Keith from Dunbar
‘After waiting for half an hour for service I was ushered into a dimly-lit room to see the doctor who looked a bit like Gollum on a bad hair day. If GP surgeries could speak, this one would be screaming “get the hell out”.’ – Anon
‘I ordered a drink but never got it, I ordered a burger but was told to “do one”, and when I licked my finger and ran it over the top of a curtain fixture I was bitten by what I can only describe as a massive hairy scorpion. Not impressed!’ – Alison from Northamptonshire
‘I spend most of my mornings putting everything I own into boxes and wherever I go I take an enormous suitcase with me. When I arrived at the practice they sprayed me down with Glade and opened all the windows. You don’t get service like this everywhere.’ – Joan from Essex
A spokesperson for the scheme told us: ‘GPs love getting feedback, at least that’s what they keep telling themselves, over and over again. So anything which ushers in an age of greater transparency and encourages disgruntled patients to spew out their never-ending torrent of bitterness has to be good for the profession.’
Dr Kevin Hinkley is a GP in Aberdeen.
