Currently all first GP appointments at our surgery are telephone. Which is OK for most things, even good, more efficient for both GP and patient. However, for some things a telephone appointment is never going to be any use. For example, if I'd been able to explain to "someone" that I needed an appointment for a dodgy looking mole, surely they could have seen that a face to face appointment was necessary?
Anyway, I waited 3 weeks for my telephone appointment. GP said she couldn't do anything by phone and she'd need to see me (like it was my fault, I hadn't seen her!). So that's one completely wasted appointment.
10 days later I had the f2f appointment. Buzzed the door, not allowed in before they've checked you out. Receptionist said she'd tell doctor I was there. 10 mins later the doctor herself came to collect me from the door. Now this is a large medical practice, it's a fairly long walk, involving 2 flights of stairs and she was wearing heels she could barely walk in
I was with her literally seconds before she said she'd refer to a dermatologist. So, at least 20 mins of her time, for a few seconds with the GP to do something she probably could have done at the telephone appointment, if that was going to be the level of the examination.
Either way, she could have dealt with other patients in that time. Why on earth are the admin staff still working at home? There are usually loads behind the large reception desk, but only the one answering the buzzer currently.
And why not just refer the first time and save everyone so much wasted time?
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No wonder you can't get a GP appointment
281 replies
Intherightplace · 04/08/2021 10:01
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