Do trainee doctors in the UK...

[madameratatouille]

... in GP surgeries do vaccinations for kids and do prescriptions for ventolin and get wax out of ears and things like that?

I am in France and our GP surgery equivalent has suddenly gotten very, very busy and I am wondering if we should move surgeries. We are in the stix and for years and years we have had the same doctor and were able to make appmts at reasonable notice and it was amazing, and I wondering if we now need to move surgeries as our one is so busy. Which would make me very sad. But can't bear the idea of being passed from pillar to post and no continuity or predictability - like in the UK!!

Practice nurse here - Doctors can do IM injections they are very straightforward, however typically the nurses will do the majority or these with HCAs also do things like flu and B12 injections. Our GPs give flu vaccines every year to patients opportunistically so they can all do it.

Ear irrigation - HCA or a lot of the time now only available privetly.

Ventolin - if on repeat and not due review then receptionists can issue up to a certain amount. If due review or new issue then GP/Trainee GP/prescribing nurse can do this.

sunflower why is ear irrigation only available privately? That sounds crazy. When dc were young their regular dr didn't do it as they were concerned about damaging ear and we (eventually) had a ENT appointment. DC are more grown now and regular doctor has done it once, because the wax was affecting hearing and water was being trapped behind it, next to drum, and it fact it turned out it was hiding an infection, so pretty important, surely? And a pp said it was a hospital job?

Anyway, I miss the years when it was so quiet our regular doctor did everything, and it was easy to get an appointment within a couple of days. It was a bit like being in Doc Martin's village (but in France). I am going to look for a different surgery, I think.

Thank you very much for all the advice.

madameratatouille , availability of ear irrigation varies a lot between different practices. It is associated with high amounts of litigation and GPS were not paid for providing the service so lots stopped. Due to this in some areas it can only be done privately or some areas have set up hospital outpatient clinics that patients can be referred to. Alternatively some CCGs have started paying GPS to provide the service as this is cheaper then outpatient services. All depends where you live.

Thanks sunflower - that is interesting. I thought you meant it was only available privately because it was seen as unnecessary.

In my area you can only be referred after 6-8 weeks of self treatment with olive oil. Then there is a 3-4 month wIting list. (Just been through it with ds)