My GP has told me that 80% of their appointments don't need a GP appointment.

Hilarious if you seriously believe that the current system works like that for most patients!

100000% this

They can't even diagnose cancer properly either, as my DH found out after dozens of appointments over 2/3 years. I think they've developed an attitude that everyone is a time waster, so can't even be bothered to listen and think about symptoms anymore. Presumably hoping that a different GP next time may make more of an effort!

Yes I do have a chronic condition, but when I have new and alarming symptoms, and my consultant agrees it is nothing to do with my chronic condition, what an I supposed to do? I go to see my GP.

My GP, says "what do you expect me to do, you have a diagnosis"

I say... but consultant says this is nothing to do with my conditon

GP smiles patronizingly and writes "patient has anxiety"

Symptoms get worse so I go back again to GP.

GP says, "I see you have been diagnosed with anxiety" and smiles patronizingly..

Repeat..

FFS

No I'm not and the one at my doctor's surgery is incredibly rude and condescending so I'm not a massive fan of them, but if there weren't so many people going to the doctor every time they feel a little queasy then they might trust me to know that on the rare occasions I do call I probably have a good reason.

I actually have a complex health issue and my doctor immediately asks me to come in if I contact them, even if I think it could be easily dealt with by a telephone call or a nurse, but my DD is mostly healthy and trying to get medical care for her can take longer.

I've found that the best option is to start with a charity helpline, like ERIC or the Asthma and Lung Charity, and they can help you assess if a doctor is needed and provide you with reassurance. They have a lot more time.

No idea. But i tried to get a pharmacist to check my ear the other day, to see if just wax or an infection as I was a bit deaf. They refused as apparently they can only check 2-17 years olds for ear infections. Told me to ring 111 instead. What a waste of time.

I defend medical negligence cases. Your friend’s attitude cross up a lot in the cases I see.

Too ready to dismiss, too ready to underplay symptoms. Too ready to think that rare means never

I’ve noticed even just from reading Mumsnet that people are starting to lose the ability to think critically. It’s only getting worse with the rise of social media and AI etc. These are the people that can’t compute “I’ve got a headache, can I manage it myself or is it bad enough that I need to see someone?” It’s just automatic - “I’ve got a headache, someone needs to tell me what to do” and off they trot to A&E or the GP.

It’s awful because it means genuine cases can’t get in and GPs and A&E Doctors get short tempered and maybe miss genuine cases because they have seen so many knobheads.

We have a triage system that ensures people get seem by the right specialist - they are called GPs

Lots of people are time-wasters. It'sworse at A&E though.

I was in A&E yesterday (seen within 5 minutes of checking in - so an actual emergency). When I finally left the person I came in with, about eight hours later when they had been admitted to the right ward and out of the resuss area, a mother and child who had been there since before I arrived were still there.

Child had an achy toe. 😡

I also think that within the NHS, ‘time waster’ seems to mean ‘not cancer’. It’s beginning to feel like the NHS exists purely to screen for cancer. If your symptoms are checked on a two-week pathway and found to not be cancer, that’s as far as they go. They’re not interested in finding the actual cause and treating it. It’s just “You’re not going to die so bugger off and stop moaning”.

It would be lovely it went back to the days of the local doctor living above the practice and everyone knew them. My neighbour was telling me how when he was young that he fell and cut his lip on a Sunday and his mum just took him to the doctor’s house and the doctor was gardening. He just got up and stitched the lip without quibble and went back to his gardening.

Very similar experience here 🙄

Sadly I agree. My OH must have been to his GP surgery dozens of times in the 2/3 years before they finally arranged a cancer pathway referral which diagnosed bone marrow cancer. He'd literally never been to his GP more than a handful of times in his 50+ years beforehand so was hardly down on their notes as a time waster. I'm sure the various/multiple GPs he saw over those 2/3 years regarded him as a time waster! Thankfully, one GP actually bothered to read his computer notes and listened to him describing his symptoms, (as he'd done numerous times before) and twigged what it may be and put him on the pathway for some special blood tests which showed his cancer. Funnily enough his GP surgery take him seriously now, but even so, he still has to remind them he has cancer as it clearly isn't highlighted on his notes as they act shocked when he tells them. I'd have thought something so serious should be flashing in huge letters on the "home" screen of his medical records, but apparently not!

I wouldn't trust any GP as far as I could throw them to believe them when they say the number of "time wasters" they think they have, as many of them could well be people with serious conditions that are being undiagnosed/misdiagnosed!

As for needing them for referrals, yes 100% a new way is needed. Just today, OH's oncologist has told him to ask his GP for a referral to physiotherapy for a painful leg that's stopping him from walking that's lasted over six months. Heaven knows why the oncologist can't do the referral themselves. OH has been on the phone all morning on and off to the GP surgery who are being awkward twats (both receptionists and triage) arguing that physiotherapy isn't the right thing and trying to fob him off back to the oncologist (who is impossible to contact until the next scheduled consultation in two months' time). The whole thing is sodding fiasco. He has the same when the oncologist wants OH to change or start taking various supplements or minerals etc - GP surgery just argue back saying not necessary leaving OH in limbo. The whole idea/ethos of GPs is outdated and we need a completely different system as it just doesn't work anymore. It worked once when GPs did everything, i.e. minor surgery, accidents, wound dressings, etc., but now they're basically office dwellers and don't get "hands on" we need a whole new way and to stop their role as gatekeepers as they're incapable.

We have similar. It's really really good and just proves that done right, things can be so much more productive.

100%.

What has surprised me is reading about GP practices that have recently switched to an online booking system, but it's only accessible in office hours. That's madness.

Impossible to say unless medically trained and the reasons for attending known.

Yes, I took DD to the pharmacist for something that the NHS website said should be a pharmacist visit rather than a GP. When I asked to speak to the pharmacist the woman at the counter looked completely confused, and when I spoke to the pharmacist she had an attitude of “why on earth are you asking me about this” and said there was nothing she could do.

How do you know what’s a time waster and what’s not until you get there though? I had a potential post op complication and went to the GP. Turned out to be an ear infection. How would I know without going and seeing the GP?

I agree, loads (LOADS!) of people I know go to the GP on an almost weekly basis for just a chat about something that could very easily be sorted by the pharmacy. I usually go to my pharmacist as a first point of call as they can prescribe antibiotics, and even provide other remedies (creams etc). I find it shocking - to me, the GP and A&E are for more serious things, but I didn't grow up in the UK so the whole healthcare system baffles me as it is!

My doctors introduced a new system where you fill in an online form (if you're able to) and then they usually reply within an hour to tell you what to do next, which has obviously reduced the load as now you can get an appointment within three hours typically.

Ah yes they told me and my nan this last year. You don't need to be here you have heartburn just get some gaviscon. She died the next day of a heart attack.

Whilst I believe their are time wasters the current system does nothing to weed them out at the cost of genuine patients and quite frankly not all gpa can tell the difference themselves.

Having done research with GPs I have some sympathy for this '80% are time-wasters' attitude. Traditionally doctors chose primary care because it was differerent to hospital medicine - it was a slower pace with much more emphasis on relationships and long term health. It was also a great way for a doctor with a bit of business savvy to use their skills to set up a great surgery where they could lead and practice the way they wanted to. Then NHS expectations changed and GP turned into a conveyor belt of 10 minute appointments - patient after patient that you weren't familiar with, constant pressure and paperwork and to top it all off the contract is abysmal so it's not even a good business venture any more. GPs are fucked off and it shows in how they treat patients. It's so unnecessary. If the NHS just stopped squeezing the life out of them they would go back (mostly, barring a few lazy ones) to providing a stellar service.

Absolutely. Receptionists should have more expertise so they can direct appointments to whichever doctor has an interest or specialism in that area.

Horrible people get ill too. And if someone drank 20 pints last night and has a sore tummy then cirrhosis is a real possibility.

Yes it is and it’s not up to receptionists to decide. All they have to do is triage people correctly. By your response looks like you might be one of those receptionists…🥱🥱🥱

Well, I’ll feel secure that I’m not wasting their time because I’m only going when I actually need to.

Unlike the majorly of users. Oh, and the NHS might not be there because of all those time wasters using up resources.