To think this GP appointment booking system is insane?

It didn't use to be so hard to get an appointment all these phone appointments came in after co vid are there doctors who want to work from home Trouble is sometimes you can be very un well and really want an appointment The Doctors I go to is always empty these days are less people ill or what ?

I really need to get my breasts checked at the GPs. I have HS (skin condition) I have multiple abcesses and cysts all over my breasts, I've had to had surgery on a few. I need a few of them checking and we have the triaging system. I can't book it for various reasons such as yours, I also struggle to get up most mornings due to the medication I'm on but on the days I do the triage is shut by 20 past 8!
I've even tried to explain to the doctors receptionist I need my breast checking, I just get the same generic response.
They do not offer advanced appointment bookings either it's all book on the day only through triage.

I can usually get an appointment with my GP, either in person or a telephone call - which often suits me. I have little issue with my GP practice but do understand it can be hit and miss in my area. SW Scotland. Ayrshire area

You definitely put in a lot of effort, but sadly lots of people don’t bother even if it is easy!

But if you had a really simple system for cancelling people wouldn’t no show. My son didn’t need a GP appointment because his specialist consultant saw him beforehand and it was resolved. I rang and waited and waited to try and cancel it. But I just couldn’t get through. I tried before work and in my lunch break three days in a row. In the end it was a “no show” but not for lack for trying!

I'm.in Ireland and as I said earlier in the thread, I can ring and get a same say appt without saying what for, and can even choose which doc I want.

That's interesting. I'm in Ireland too and I was complaining to dh the other day that we have to wait up to 4 days for a appointment now whereas it used to be next day. If it's an emergency or you are in pain they let you come in and wait for someone to not show up for their appointment which happens multiple times a day. Can easily get through to reception to book an appointment on the phone whenever during the day. Seems like we have it pretty good really.

ROI

That's interesting about what your online form says. I filled out the online form saying what days I would be available and was amazed when they called me back within about half an hour. But I now have to fill it in again on the day I want to be seen. I said can they just access the form I've filled in but they said no I have to start the whole thing again. We used to be able to book appointments in advance but that went out the window ages ago and everyone I speak to says it's rubbish.

My GP is either go in in person, where they can make the routine long wait appointments, call at 8 for emrgencies or after 11am for none emergency, or book online via patchs. I'm mostly housebound with lots of social anxiety so in person or call is out, and the appointments by phone go in minutes anyway while you're on hold.

Patchs used to be available 8am every day. Then it became every monday wednesday friday. Now it can say not available til next wednesday, on a Monday, so a week and 2 days. Then, when you log in prior to 8am on that Wednesday ready to hit the button to go to the form, it's changed and is now showing friday, or next monday as next available date to make Patchs requests! I tried from Christmas til 3rd week of January logging in every monday, wednesday and friday, to see the next date had been pushed back every time, til i had to physically go in anyway to finally make an appointment, and March 6th was the earliest as it had to be a specific doctor as only one at the practice that did implants was left.

Edited to add i just looked out of curiosity, and it no longer shows the next date patchs will be available, just a message now that patchs is currently not available for health requests. At all!

Mine is great. Enhanced access so if you suddenly realise at 4pm you’ve got horrendous tonsillitis, you ring at 6pm and they’ll get you an appointment between 6-8 with any local GP surgery (whoever is open that evening) and the same on weekend mornings

We had a great surgery before we moved. Sadly the new one is call at 8am. I don't need an urgent appointment or even today, but they don't do advance bookings. How stupid is that.

I find this annoying because although people say you could call on your commute, this sets up a number of issues

• the connection on my train journey is woeful, despite it being 90% overground with very few tunnels
• privacy - in the unlikely event you get through, usually you have to give a brief description of the problem (not ideal on a busy commuter train)
• if you get through at eg 8.30am , and they say the only appointment is 9.05am, you might not get back in time for it!

Is that in NI or ROI?
I’m in ROI and our local system is nothing like that luckily, although it used to be better admittedly.

It’s totally unacceptable because the only people can book from 8-8.45 are those who do not work and those who don’t have to do anything such as commute / drop off during that narrow window.

I still don’t understand why they changed the system so you could book a few days ahead. Why is there such a stark decision to be made… same day urgent or can wait six weeks?
It’s crazy.

I’m in Ireland and ours is dire. You have to ring at 8.30am on the dot if you want an ‘emergency’ appointment. If the receptionist deems it important enough they’ll squeeze you in somewhere. If not you’re told to wait til 6pm and ring the out of hours. That’s a long time to wait if you’re unwell or your child is. I’m talking usual illnesses not A&E stuff.
If you ring at 9am you will be told you’re too late and there are no appointments. Sometimes on hold for 20 minutes and then hung up on. They close between 12 & 2.30. Who does that??
Let’s say it’s something you want to see the doc about but you’re not sick. Contraception or something. Could be 4 to 6 weeks waiting for an appointment. No online booking system either. No one can move gp’s because there’s no space anywhere and limited gp’s rurally anyway. It’s so stressful even phoning them. Always waiting for a telling off from them for daring to look for an appointment!

My son woke up yesterday with his eye all swollen and completely closed, he’s 7 and said it hurt. So I waited until 7.59 to press call to the doctors I was 19th In the queue HOW??? It doesn’t open til 8 and I couldn't have done it any quicker!

I feel your pain, god knows what you are supposed to do? Take a whole morning off work? It’s bloody ridiculous

Ours has a similar queue or hit the phone lines system - but if you ring later in the day and explain to reception why you're struggling to do that - I've always found they'll do their best to squeeze you in (in my case it's that I'm trying to work around my own patient appointments - and they are a bit more obliging when I explain that).

To get an appointment at my GP surgery on the East Sussex coast I have to phone a call centre in Manchester.

Oh I'm sorry! I was goint to suggest you vote with your feet and move surgeries!

Because there aren't any more people needing attention. Just people being more able to access the online system to indicate their need at a time that suits them rather than the 8am phone palaver. If surgeries did get swamped that just shows the amount of patients who aren't being served well at this point in time and who are having to try to find help from elsewhere, ie A and E.

I don't think you're familiar with the demand GP faces. Routine appointments fill up just as fast as on the day appointments. If problems do go away (and no, an earache in a child would not be listed as routine it would be on the day review) sometimes people may cancel but more often than not people just don't turn up and the appointment is wasted. On the day appointments generally get rid of that issue. It is absolutely nothing to do with giving receptionists an easier time who get given shit whichever way you work it.

I had to wait two weeks to get a phone consultation with a nurse as I need to get my implant contraceptive updated (old one out & new one in) and only the nurse can do this. After 2 weeks get a call to confirm that, yes, I do need a face to face appointment (no shot Sherlock) and then had another 2 week wait for the face to face appointment - which was cancelled as the nurse was off sick, replanned for today - and she’s off sick still. So will be 6 weeks before I get seen (if she’s back next week)

I gave up trying to phone ours for a same day appointment. Phone lines jammed at 8am, 100+ times redialling just to then be in a 20 person queue. Ridiculous.

Ours operate an online form which, if submitted early in the day, is read and reviewed the same day. You get a call back by a 'care practitioner' (nurse) who will ask question and decides if you need seeing urgently or if you can book a routine appointment, be prescribed something over the phone or direct you to 111/A&E. It's not ideal and it does mean you have to have your phone glued to you all day so you don't miss the call. However on the few occasions I've used it it's worked well and they've either been able to sort me out over the phone or miraculously arranged for me to see a doctor the same day.

The whole ringing or queuing at the doors at 8am as if you're going into battle is madness.