Can drs have no pre bookable appointments?

You don’t need a GP to take blood. A nurse can.

im in wales and I prebook my nurse appointment. 6 weeks in advance.

@Franklyfranky GP surgeries are funded and services are commissioned by the integrated care board. This changed in 2022.

I think because it is so highly unusual for there to be no access to online communication within your surgery at all that it may be worth going into reception and asking at the front desk. The practice manager should be available to address this.

GP practices have varying pressures and this maybe whilst you feel you've reached an impasse but you've got options and had some reasonable advice on here. I have worked reception for years. I've worked in two surgeries and have never once told anyone that there are no appointments available. It might not be the first choice but we will always offer something. We always provide options and try to help. If you're not getting that then seeing the practice manager is absolutely reasonable.

in our surgery, the nurse would advise to book a GP appointment. The nurse wouldn't organise blood tests by speaking to the GP. I, as the patient, need to speak to the GP. And then I can see the nurse for bloods.

Primary care is shocking these days. Our surgery often has no appointments. You can only ring as urgent at 8 for urgent same day appointments, and if they assess the issue as not urgent, you will be told to make a routine appointment for which there aren't usually any slots. I recently managed to get one by ringing 3 weeks every day and a routine appointment became finally available.

Email the practice manager, mark it urgent, and ask what you are supposed to do.

It sounds as if they just don't have capacity?

You have said you can book nurse appointments and lots of people have suggested you do this but you seem to ignore them ... why don't you book the nurse appointment? They will likely triage you and organise a Dr if needed or the blood tests if required. Many nurses are able to request blood tests without a doctor being directly involved.

My dad's GP is the exact same, it is woeful! Am trying to help him as he's been so ill since his Moderna booster, had bloods done two years ago which I've discovered are totally out of range and worrying yet nothing was done. I'm being pro-active to try to help him but you have to ring at 8am and I've done that and been on hold for 45 mins then hung up on or all slots are gone. No online webpage whatsoever and we are in Scotland so no app for results or anything. Total and utter disgrace.

It does sound difficult. Could you try going in?

Ahh yes, fair point.

I emded up going provate and had a whole load of blood work and a booklet of my reaults. Then went to my Gp and told them how useless they were. Refusing me tests I emded up with Vit D levels below 20 and a whole host of issues.

When they don't pick up the phone I go there in person when they open and queue up there are loads of 0eople doing that.
My Gp offered inline aervice before COVID and due8ng but once restrictions were lifted they removed the services.

I think the issue for OP is that they need a GP appointment first so that the relevant blood tests can be requested initially

It's not possible to just show up to a blood test appointment and get a load of tests unless a clinician has requested them first

Same system here (south East) as the OP. It's absolutely ridiculous. And yet they make me see a GP every bloody year for a review of the antidepressants I be been taking for 20 years. Seems stupid to me

Sorry if I missed this but what's happening when you call in the morning? Do they say it's not urgent or just N/A? Can they put you in the triage list for the next day? Can you go in and ask?

You don't need an appointment you just need a call. Which is usually triaged.

Can you do an econsult or similar? I never phone in as sitting on hold isn't my thing, but they normally come back to me quickly with an appointment of some sort

Yes.
If you have had low iron before than try that first & then have the others if the iron, B12, D etc come back normal.

The surgery will have nurse appointments for more general health checks & will be able seek advice from a GP or book you in if needed. That's probably easier than trying to get a GP one.

I’m baffled at how you get any appointment at our GP to be honest, you can’t phone in the day, you can’t queue up and get one, half the time the e-consult doesn’t get opened…I’m starting to wonder if it’s even a real surgery 😂

If people don’t use the internet and can’t fill in the econsult form, usually they can ring the practice and one of the receptionists will fill in the form for them.

When I hit this sort of problem with our gps (a depressingly regular occurrence these days) I find the only thing that works is to go in in person and ask the receptionist what to do. I've found being polite and persistent in person pays big dividends.

Nope not at all. If you can't get a GP appointment you call 111 they'll get you sorted. Try your GP at 8am tomorrow and if no luck then call 111 straight away. Or do 111 online.