What's the point of GP Patient Access?

[Miljah]

Is this another white elephant?

In theory, it sounds like a great idea! Book your GP appointment online! In reality, if I go on like I just have to book a 'routine' appointment; in my group practice consisting of about 12 GPs, I'm offered a choice of 2 spots, today (with two unknown GPs). Which might be great but that is all that's on offer, and I can't leave work for a 'routine' appointment. No more dates are open for me to book.

Isn't the whole idea that I could expect maybe a bit of a choice, say two weeks' hence?

I 'get' it, the whole GP shortage thing, and I'd get it if the next fortnight came up with a couple of free appointments dotted around. But I can't even open anything after today.

I see that I am going to have to sit on the phone for an hour.

It's a white elephant that the govt have insisted on to divert attention from many years worth of underfunding of the NHS and the fact that Drs and nurses are leaving in droves

Had it at my last surgery and, whenever I wanted an appointment in advance, I could book anything up to 4 weeks in advance. I could also go online from 5 am and pick any number of ‘released on the day’ appointments. Could also order repeat prescriptions or put in requests for less frequently required medication and collect from pharmacy 3 days later.

Lastly I could access all previous appointment transcripts and blood results done by the surgery without having to go in and get them printed off.

I've registered for it about 4 times with my surgery and it still keeps telling me I need to register.

My practise have this & i love it. Shows available appts for the next 2 weeks so i can look and see whats available rather than feeling pushed into one that doesn't suit me

Our surgery lines open at 0830 and they release some same day appts and a lot for 48 hours time. I get logged in bang on 0830 and get one rather than trying for 20 mins to get through on the phone.

I think its a great app. Sounds as if it's only as good as your own practice is

I've found it brilliant, can get same day or ones 2 weeks away, but Im at a very small practise though so always lots of apps.

I find it very useful. I've had to spend hours on the phone making appointments for my parents this week and I longed for my super easy online appointment system.

Way better than having to phone at 08:00, though you still need to do that for an on-the-day appt, I think. And the nurse. You can only book nurse appointments by phone, which I don't really understand.

I like being able to book up to a month or so ahead, I can choose any male or female doctor or a specific named doctor. I can usually get appointments first thing in the morning which fits in with work. I can request repeat prescription's and just collect them from the pharmacy.

I think its exact implementation varies between practices, so you might just have a practice where they haven't really got the hang of how best to use it.

Our one is great. There are usually appointments for up to four weeks on there. Blood tests can be booked too. The only thing you can't is nurse appointments.

My GP has all appointments bookable online. It's really good I can usually get same day app if I log on at 8am

We have it and use it to book same-day appointments or ones for up to a month in advance - it's a really good system. I can't ring when the reception opens as I'm driving to work and I can't sit and spend ages on my phone at work trying to get an appointment so this system works great for me.

I've always been able to get a same-day appointment if necessary.

At the moment, our surgery only seems to realise certain appointments onto the online system, they seem to be the early morning ones and only for so far in advance and with a limited number of doctors. I have booked a couple this way as it suited me but it would be good to see a greater range of appointment times and doctors to choose from. I was wondering if it was a kind of pilot at this stage and they were seeing how well it was received and used before extending it. It is certainly preferable to sitting in a queue at 8am when you need to leave for work.

I've had nothing but problems with this system. I lost my password and instead of resetting it, I had to re-register in person with the forms, passport and everything. Tried to book my smear test online but you can't make nurse appointments (or medication reviews). Finally, I ordered my repeat prescription only to find they had missed off two of three items so I had to go back to the GP surgery to ask about it. So far I think I have wasted a good couple of hours of my time on Patient Access. I hate it!

Thanks for the opportunity to rant OP

Forgot to say... If you do manage to book an appointment online, there is now a notice asking patients to phone the surgery to confirm it!

Also, you can't make telephone appointments. Ok, I think I'm done now.

My GP has it and I use to book appointments to avoid the rude receptionist

Ours have very few, if any, GP appointments available to book online but it's useful for booking blood tests etc and ordering repeat prescriptions.

I use it a lot , to order repeat prescriptions , book appointments and check test results . I find it very useful .

I find it really useful. Just looked and there are several appointments available for most days (incl Saturdays) for the next four weeks. Some short notice ones open up too - I needed an appointment the other week on a Monday, logged on on Sunday, there were four or five available. For me, it works really well, maybe other surgeries utilise it differently so it doesn't work as well.

Did take five goes to actually successfully register though.....