To think the government needs to stop selling online GP booking systems as an improvement as they’re not particularly when they’re switched off for most of the day

If I order meds too far in advance they're declined which they don't tell you until you go to their pharmacy a week or so later and are told. It's then a panic to reorder within another seven days.

Our GP surgery used to be a phone at 8am system and like others if you were not quick enough dialling in dead on 8am then after 20 minutes of waiting or so all the appointments for the day were gone. You could supposedly ring at 1.30pm for some afternnon appointments but they only had about 3 or 4 appointments for that session!

GP later moved to the online appointments system called AccuRx. You can start using it from 6am. If completed before 11am, they will contact you, usually by text and give you an appointment for that day if they felt you needed to be seen. If they don't consider the matter urgent they will send a text giving you a link to select a suitable appointment time in following three weeks. You can see what doctor is available for the appointment time if you prefer to see someone in particular. So you get a liitle bit of choice but may mean having to wait if you want to see a particular person. If the on line form is filled in after 11am, you may have to wait until the next day to get a response.

If you can't access the online form you can ring reception who will fill it in for you.

The systems is not too bad. However, I have put off using the online system sometimes as it's a bit of a faff completing all the questions. So may delay going to the GP when I should have gone earlier. I wonder how many other people don't bother either and the more severe consequences that could arise for some.

Like others have said, when I have been at the GP surgery, it is so quiet and no longer bustling with people as it used to be.

Not sure whether the GP surgery is working smarter or people think twice about seeing the GP. Maybe good to counter those with health anxiety/hypochondria using the GP surgeries unnecessarily, but there will be many for whom delays in contacting their GP will be dire.

We have one partner who is full time, the other only works Fridays. The other ten GPs work two or three days.

Better get used to using it as online and e-consults are being pushed through across most areas.

The reason they “switch off” by a certain time is they have reached capacity. We can easily hit 250 e-consult submissions by 1030, of which 100-150 may need to be seen face to face. Once they’re filled there are no more appointments for the morning. It then opens up again for the afternoon and same again…

Demand outstrips supply, constantly. If you can find a better way of running primary care then feel free to join your practice’s Patient Participation Group and make suggestions.

I saw a GP on here who said appointments weren't rationed there was no quota you were allowed

So I’d go to the CQC.

GPs are often but not always partners in a practice. The GMC regulates their work as a physician though, not a businessperson.

Ours opens at 8am and closes usually around 9:30 as at capacity. YANBU if your child gets ill at 11am it’s a longggg old wait

This is just it isn't it. I ended up at the walk in for an infected bite. They had nothing online so I went in, and the receptionist told me it wasn't infected 🙃. I was a nurse at the time so I knew it was ... but she was like "yes dear but you're a patient here not a nurse". One look at my bright red, quadrupled hand and the walk in gave me antibiotics.

I don't think the GP surgery can order a bowel cancer screening kit. You have to contact the bowel cancer screening service on 0800 707 6060.

That's not good. Yes, very wise to give them that amount of notice. You're anxious enough around ensuring you don't miss a dosage.

The CQC. And the GMC is regulating the Doctors employed.

You can contact both organisations.

Our surgery was supposed to go live months ago. They're phones, emails, checking in system, even the automatic doors crash regularly. We're in Wales our health board are renowned for crappy systems. Our eye clinic the heating crashes in the winter and belts out in the summer 😁

Ours releases two weeks of appointments online at a time. I've never managed to find when this magical time is, as it's always full. The GP seems to work a couple of mornings a week only.

I've been trying to get a travel appointment for injections and I can't get past the receptionist. Apparently it's not urgent so bye.

@Dangermoo - I use the NHS app for repeat prescriptions. It takes 3 to 5 working days to be approved and sent to my nominated pharmacy according to both the app and the practice website. Once on the 5th working day (a Friday) I phoned because the app said it was still waiting for approval- the person I spoke to said that there had been nobody available to approve it.... I said that I couldn't believe that the huge practice (which swallowed our fabulous little one) didn't have ANY GPs available for 5 working days and I would complain to the practice, the health board and my MP - miraculously it was approved that afternoon. I now request my medication at least 2 weeks before I need to.....

Ours has an online system (klinik) and it's brilliant. Opens 7-12 and then 2pm-4pm.

We have never not got a same day appointment when an acute concern, and I have requested as late at 3.30 - picking up a child from school who looks very unwell and requested, seen at about 5.30pm. The system itself is a bit faffy, answering same question several times, bit much better than the pot luck of who gets through first at 8.30. Can still call for an appt if struggle with online form. The receptionist fills in a shorter version of the online form for you over the phone. If need an appt when klinik closed can also call and requ4st via reception.

We have online booking, without fail it just says no appointments available, we also have e-consult which also permanently says it is ‘full for today.’ You can call, but the wait time is around 45 minutes and then it’s very hit but mostly miss as to whether you’re offered and appointment, so I basically don’t have a GP, nor do the rest of my household. Fortunately we’re rarely ill but on the odd occasion we end up at the walk in centre where the wait is around 4 hours 🫠

It sounds like it's the way it's being used rather than the system itself. If you don't have enough GPs to serve patients then an online system isn't going to fix that.

We're lucky with ours, we have an online system but you can still choose to ring. The online system will stop at a certain point but that doesn't stop you ringing.

I love our online system, no more being stuck on the phone as soon as the lines open. I always seem to get treated appropriately. I imagine that's because our surgery is well resourced though.

GP practices are independent businesses or part of a group of practices. They’re not owned and run by HM government. They have a contract and are financially rewarded for factors like number patients on roll, performance etc.

My point being that the government isn’t buying this software. The independent business operating the practice is.

As an aside, I think from their perspective, making it more difficult to access a GP isn’t a bug. It’s a benefit/feature of the system.

Ours was the same. I think I they have abandoned it currently. It was something called Klinnix I think and was off so much of the day that I actually thought it was broken until I asked the surgery how on earth to get an appointment.

Ours is open at 08:00 and then again at 14:00. I've found it works okay and had appointments in the afternoon or next day if I've completed the form at 14:00. I've completed the form today at 14:00 and have had a text asking me to drop sample off tomorrow morning before 11:00. If this follows the normal routine I will get a call or a text to go and get my antibiotics which I may get on Saturday - pharmacy can be a bit slow though