We have been made aware by some patients that their call has ended prematurely when speaking with the surgery. We have notified our telephony provider who have conducted both a remote and on-site investigation.
Our provider is confident that the fault is not down to the telephone system itself, nor down to the handling of the calls by our staff members. The area surrounding Goffs Oak and Cuffley has shown evidence of poor mobile signal and coverage. Tests via the Vodafone / O2 / EE and 3 Network have shown patchy signals in multiple locations along the B156 and northbound on Newgatestreet Road. It has also been noted that the 3 Network have confirmed a fault with their nearby mast since the 7th of March and the repair is ongoing.
It’s important to note that the practice and our telephony provider have minimal influence as to the network coverage mobile operators apply around the UK.
We are however aware that investment has been put into newer mobile technologies such as 5G and this in turn will gradually improve coverage and stability for mobile calls across the UK.
In the meantime, it is recommended for patients to use landlines where possible, or to avoid dead zones where mobile signal is known to be poor.
We appreciate your patience and understanding with this matter.
We are also pleased to announce that our telephony system will be undergoing an upgrade within the next month which should hopefully increase patient satisfaction in getting through to the surgery. More details will follow soon.
