I’M sure I am not alone in wondering what the several Modality-managed GP practices in Keighley think they are providing as a service. I have news – it seems in need of a makeover and a half.

I have had early-diagnosed prostate cancer since May and receive Airedale Hospital treatment as an outpatient. On the morning of Thursday, September 1, I rang Farfield Surgery, as previously advised by them, to book a routine stomach hormone injection. I first phoned at 8.20am, to be told even at that hour of “heavy call volumes”. After several further attempts came the message that the day’s appointments were booked.

I called in person at the surgery at 10am that same day. The waiting area was deserted, while one receptionist looked less than hassled in dealing with two callers. My query was handled in three minutes, leaving me to wonder at the jarring discord between this and Farfield’s pre-recorded message of “heavy call volumes”. It would have been downright hilarious in any other context but this one.

This is by no means the only instance over the months to have left me wondering what the blazes is going on. Similar waste of effort has proved the rule and not the exception, while NHS nurses at Airedale Hospital and pharmacists in the town have been openly critical as to the sheer uncontactabilty of Modality practices. Someone seems to have concluded, for reasons best known to themselves, that verbal contact from the outside world is to be well nigh cut out of existence. Airedale Hospital staff cannot afford such luxury in dealing with their patients.

It is time for Modality management to concede that things need fixing and then find the openness of purpose to say what they’re going to do. No one with any sense likes being critical of GPs – but this present state of play is unacceptable.

Peter Morrison, Keighley

* Dr Phillipa Smith, Farfield and Holycroft GP partner and exec board member of AWC Modality, responds: "We are sorry that calling the GP practice can involve a long wait but first of all we want to explain how busy we are with calls and this might help patients in similar situations who are struggling to access care.

"The patient called at 8.20am that Thursday, admittedly for a ‘routine appointment’, and was given the message of ‘heavy call volumes’.

"On this day alone, between 8am and 10am, Farfield and Holycroft received 288 inbound telephone calls (we use the same phone number). During the course of the day, we received 1,174 calls.

"When there are over 80 people waiting in the queue, the telephone system automatically informs patients of high call volumes and you will not be able to join the queue.

"We have since updated our telephone messages in an attempt to re-direct patients that are calling during the busiest periods or for non-urgent queries to call later in the day.

"Each day, every member of our patient services team answers calls from 8am to 10am, other than one team member that is on the front desk, meaning that during this time (and from 4pm to 6pm each day) we are prioritising calls and not the other of the many daily general practice administrative aspects. We are aware this is one of our busiest times and have ensured that we have as many of our staff answering calls as possible.

"Across Farfield and Holycroft our average available appointments per day are between 500-650 (this is calculated on the number of clinicians available each day). Every single appointment each day is used, we are full to and working at capacity consistently – this is clear evidence that we are extremely busy and our staff are working at unprecedented, overwhelming and under-appreciated levels. In an average week, over ten per cent of our patient list is trying to contact us. This is way above the contract amount we signed up for – and we are not resourced properly to meet this demand. This is a national issue across general practice.

"The patient arrived at Farfield at 10am. He says the waiting area was ‘deserted’, however there are 18 clinical rooms in this building that are always in use and full, every day.

"Our clinicians ensure that only patients that require a face-to-face appointment are allocated one, this enables us to work in the most efficient and effective way, allowing for more patient contacts.

"The member of staff on reception may have seemed ‘less than hassled’ however telephone calls are never answered at the front desk, or within any visible part of the practice as we operate with the strictest patient confidentiality measures. All our staff that are answering calls do so in sound secure offices within the practice.

"Any patient that arrives at our practice mustn’t and will not hear private, confidential conversations between our trained patient services team and other patients.

"Our patient services assistants cover the reception on a rota basis and as no telephone calls can be answered here, this member of staff is dealing with other administrative duties in between dealing with patients arriving for appointments and with queries/requests.

"The patient admits his query was handled in three minutes, we hope this could be recognised as good service.

"You only have to pick up a newspaper or put on the TV and you will hear about NHS crises and the demands on the health system, whether that is waiting times for ambulances or millions of people on hospital waiting lists (usually in the care of the GP until they can get their hospital appointment!).

"We are not making excuses as we believe that in Keighley we have a plan – that has brought local GPs together, is improving services for our patients and ensuring the future of GP services in the town – but we would encourage the patient to raise this with our local MP and maybe support general practice as we continue to be stretched thinner and further in terms of resources and lobby Government for the resources that are essential for improvements in the health services people want.

"Thanks for sharing your experience."

** Email your letters to alistair.shand@keighleynews.co.uk