To think its ridiculous I still haven't seen a doctor?

[curiousgeorgie]

I am 31, with a long history of breast surgeries (followed by a bout of MSRA in a London hospital where I had to have the surgery a further 11 times.)

That was 9 years ago. I hardly ever go to the GP for me, but often go for my children.

Last weekend I felt a lump in my breast and noticed that above it was a huge blister on the skin I hadn't seen before. Probably nothing given that I have had so many surgeries.. But it still worried me.

I rang the GP first thing Monday morning.. 'No appointments'.. Not, 'none this week' or 'none today' just, no appointments. Ring again tomorrow.

I called Tuesday. We have nothing left. For the next three weeks. It's only try your luck 'book on the day' appointments but we only have five and people queue for them.

Great.

Tried Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Nothing.

Was asked my the receptionist that if it was such a serious problem I needed to call every day I should just go to A&E. I (although none of her business!) told her that it wasn't an emergency but that I would like to see a doctor... She said in that case, I don't need to see one.

I'm with an integrated practice and on Saturday afternoons there's a call session where you can speak to a doctor. They wouldn't even put me on the list.

I asked for an appointment, and the 'nothing for three weeks' had increased to 'nothing for four weeks, try book on the day appointments.'

After my discovery last weekend I just wanted to see a doctor and get a weight off of my mind. It's already been a week. It's clearly going to be four more! (At least.)

I'm pissed off. I hardly ever go. I personally haven't been in 5 years aside from to book in for pregnancy and when I had pnuemonia. I deserve a bloody doctors appointment!!

AIBU??

[joanofarchitrave]

God that is a terrible system. I agree, that's pretty ridiculous. Is there any option to change surgeries? I assume not or you'd already have done it.

What about going to a walk-in centre, is there one left near you?

[MamaMumra]

YANBU but I would follow the receptionists advice - did you tell them why you needed an appointment?

Hope it's ok curious

[curiousgeorgie]

I can't change surgeries at the moment as I'm halfway through a pretty lengthy referral for my 9 month old... Been waiting forever and finally getting somewhere.

I feel pretty ridiculous going to a walk in centre for that. (Isn't it just easily treated injuries? Never actually gone to one!) xx

[curiousgeorgie]

Didn't mean to do xx! Sorry, mumsnetting in one window and texting in the other somehow merged

[joanofarchitrave]

I don't think you should have to explain the details to a receptionist (to be fair she didn't ask for them) and it is certainly ridiculous for the receptionist to say if you don't need A&E you don't need a doctor. All doctors would work in A&E if that were the case.

I think I would bite the bullet and go in on Monday and queue for the on the day appointments, whatever the cost to you personally. And then I would try to change surgeries.

[curiousgeorgie]

I literally can't go to queue for an appointment. I have to get one child to school at 8.45 and that's when the surgery opens, and the other is an absolute nightmare (screams pretty consistently and claws at her rashy face while she does it, which is the reason for the referral.)

I asked DH to go in late but he can't due to a huge work situation, my mum has a merger happening, my bf has exams... It's just impossible.

[joanofarchitrave]

So take your children with you. Missing a chunk of school won't kill them. And if there's anything that will get the practice team working together to get you an appointment, it's OMG NOISY CHILDREN interrupting their important procedures.

Email your MP?

[LuisCarol]

I'm sorry you're in this position, and you deserve better.

It's not the GP's fault, though. They literally have no appointments, thanks to the government cutting their funding while increasing their workload.

GPs surgeries are beginning to close across the country, from Skegness to Clacton to the Isle of Wight to Scotland to Frinton. GPs do not close their surgeries lightly. This is a systemic problem, not one local to you. Please please badger your MP about it.

[Chloerose75]

This is shocking OP, sorry to hear how bad it is. My surgery is bad for getting appointments but not that bad! Hope you can get seen. I would try the walk in.

[Sirzy]

Next time I would tell them that you are going to put in a complaint about the system to pals/the pct - I would imagine they will find you an appointment pretty quickly then.

[Sirzy]

I think it is the gps fault (as in the practice not the individual GP). They should have a better set up In place to ensure that those in need get appointments. Only having 5 emergency appointments avaiable is madness and IMO they need to massively reduce the number of pre-book able appointments

Yes some people would still miss out on appointments but I bet with them being book able so far in advance they also have quite a high DNA rate.

[Kittykatmacbill]

Yanbu. But...

You are not articulating your problem well to the gp receptionist it is urgent, you need to say so. I am sorry your gp does have a pants booking in system but you aren't really helping yourself!

Get that appointment!

[steff13]

Rather than a GP, can you get an appointment with a gynecologist? If I have issues with my breasts or other lady bits, I make an appointment with my gynecologist. Mine is difficult to get into for annual exams, it can take up to a month to get an appointment, but for an "issue," you can usually get in the same week.

[Kveta]

It is very difficult to get an appt with our gp too, so I now, if a problem arises near or over the weekend, just call the out of hours service (round here we call 111, but it may be different elsewhere). Normally get a telephone triage from nurse or doctor, and an appt on the same day. Might be worth a try? Hope you get seen soon.

[HungryHorace]

Steff, you have to see your GP first here who would then refer you to a gynaecologist. Even with private healthcare.

Have you told the receptionist the issue (not that you should have to, but I would in your situation). And you can change surgery but leave DD registered where she is until the referral is sorted.

[Wuxiapian]

Yanbu.

I would tell the GP receptionist that it's urgent.

[Tealady1983]

I would ring up and say it's urgent. If still nothing ask for a telephone consultation with doc when you tell him what's up he will book you in or speak to practise manager to complain. You have to be really firm and yes is he answer to is it am emergency it's not up to her I judge what is and isn't urgent

[maddening]

You can change gp for you without removing you dc from that gp - although surely your 9 mth old should be under paed now for specialist referral so don't see why the gp should still be involved?

[Roshbegosh]

Say it is urgent and do not justify that to a receptionist who is there to make bookings and does not have the ability to give advice. Do not listen to her and if she refuses to let you see the dr then complain formally (make sure you have her name) and go to A&E. I have never heard of such a terrible system.

[WeAreEternal]

Go into the GP after dropping your older DC at school and stand at the reception desk with your younger DC (even if they are screaming, in fact let them scream) and refuse to move until you get an appointment.

Trust me it will work.

Our practace has a similar system, it's a bloody joke.
I had a chest infection for several weeks and they refused to give me an appointment because it would "clear up on its own" and "it doen't sound that bad, it's probably just a bad cold".
I explained repeatedly for two weeks that I only needed some antibiotics and didn't need a long appointment but still no luck.
The receptionist even had the cheek to say "how do you know you need antibiotics? Are you a doctor??" In a judgy mocking tone, actually I am and told her so.

In the end I decided to just go and stand at the reception and refuse to leave until they gave me an appointment, I saw a doctor after about 45 minutes.

Don't take this kind of treatment Curious.

And if all else fails go to your nearest minor injuries or walk in clinic, make it clear you are there because X doctors surgery refused to give you an appointment. They will be fine with seeing you.

[truelymadlysleepy]

YANBU.
You have a right to speak to the Duty Dr (by phone or at an appointment) on the same day.
Ring reception 1st thing in the morning and say you need an urgent same day appointment. You do not need to offer her medical details.
If that it refused, speak to the Practice Manager.
I work in a similar setting and would be seething if you were one of our patients.