G P surgeries hiding appointments

[ell]

Thankfully because of my age I don't have to go often but even pre covid it was a 3week wait for an appointment so you just hoped it wasn't serious. At my wifes doctors she has to ring about 58 times on the morning of and just hope you get through and they have a slot, how in this day and age that is an acceptable form of healthcare I do not know.

 

[heslops barnet]

I have to say ref all these whines I see hear and read about GP's surgeries really don't echo my experience where I go even allowing for the pandemic. You ring you get if its a query about a prescription press 1 otherwise hold. You hold and you get answered in a couple of minutes. A chat with the receptionist gets you routed to an appropriate person who hears you out then advice is give, a telephone consultation booked or an F2F one - I am seeing my doctor F2F on Monday.

And before anyone says anything one moan you get around here is the fact that there are 7 new housing estates in town completed or started since 2015.......with no new GP practises established. It’s just down to proper hard work and organisation by the Garth surgery I assume.

“You’re number 29” in the queue…..lost the will to live!

 

[One Fan Clapping]

I can highly recommend the NHS app where you can make appointments in seconds and view your medical history and any medication etc.

 

[MCFC Wirral]

Seen on the day when very ill in 2020 and 2022. Six and a half hour wait for an ambulance for hospital one time (they ended up putting me in a taxi.)

 

[dronefromsector7G]

They’re ok when you have suspected cancer symptoms. Had a consultation a week after GP visit. Then a laryngoscopy and biopsy a week later.

 

[kaz7]

They’re ok when you have suspected cancer symptoms. Had a consultation a week after GP visit. Then a laryngoscopy and biopsy a week later.

Same when i had pain in my boob , seen a nurse the same day then at the breast clinic at the hosp six days later , we might be lucky with our surgeries but i hope every one of them would do the two week referral fine

 

[stonerblue]

Thankfully because of my age I don't have to go often but even pre covid it was a 3week wait for an appointment so you just hoped it wasn't serious. At my wifes doctors she has to ring about 58 times on the morning of and just hope you get through and they have a slot, how in this day and age that is an acceptable form of healthcare I do not know.

I'm near 60 and since i was about 16 i've been to the doctors twice.

 

[mackenzie]

A lot of people try to access the wrong part of the health service. So I can see why GP surgeries try and direct people elsewhere.

Loads try and get a GP appointment when they just need to go to the Chemist. Loads go to A&E when they just need to go to a Walk-in Centre. Loads just need to realise that humans sometimes get ill, feel like shit and get better after a few days and don’t need to be accessing any part of the health service.

I suspected I had shingles last year. Didn't even try and get a GP appointment (because you can wait weeks in this area), just went straight to the local pharmacy. Pharmacist agreed and sent me to A and E. Saw a nurse who also agreed and then arranged a phone appointment with a GP and I had to upload a photo of the rash.
Shingles confirmed at that point but the process had involved 3 different individuals.
At least it was confirmed and meds given within the day but it was very convoluted.

 

[BigBluey]

My own GP’s practice has gone down hill ever since Covid without doubt. It is very difficult to see a doctor. Most of the appointments are FaceTime calls and then a trip to the chemist to pick up your meds.
Recently I had a growth on top of my scalp. I contacted the GP Receptionist and sent a picture of the growth. I was told to make a routine appointment with the doctor (1 month)
I turned up at the practice 4 weeks later for the receptionist to inform me it was a telephone appointment. I insisted I wanted to see a Dr
I had to wait an hour before I saw one even though the practice was empty.
The Dr was clearly annoyed at seeing me and didn’t even look at the growth, she just said she would refer me to the hospital.
To cut a long story short it turns out I’ve got a carcinoma which needs to be operated on and skin grafts. To say the least I’m less than impressed by the way I was treated by my GP

 

[domalino]

At the end of the day it's all an issue of not having enough doctors. GP surgeries are having to do a level of screening and triage of people making appointments because the demand is just too damn high.