Are all GPs surgeries like this now? How do you get an appointment??

[Whatevermission]

I phoned up for appointments for myself and my daughter. Our doctor doesn't have any appointments on the system. The next available appointment is with another doctor on 4th June. I can't wait until then as I will have run out of medication. But it's not an emergency so I can't have a same day phone call. I asked for an alternative doctor for my daughter...same situation

I'm flummoxed. I asked receptionist what I was supposed to do. Her only suggestion was the appointment on 4th June. Eh?

I'm at a practice with 3 surgeries where 2 are within walking distance from my home in London.

I book appointments online and go to the smaller practice if necessary for quicker
GP appointments. If I book to see the same GP the majority of the time end up seeing a trainee. This doesn't bother me as my health was been saved by a trainee at an old practice when the GP partner refused to listen to me.

I've also noticed the appointments around school drop off time, school pick up times and last day of term tend to be free.

Our surgery only does same day appointments for everyone whether it's an emergency or not, it sounds rubbish but actually works. You ring up on the day you want to see the GP or the nurse and the receptionist takes your details and a brief description of the problem, you can say it's private if you want to, then the GP or nurse calls you back. If they can resolve it over the phone then they do, if they need to see you then they give you an appointment for that day. They have three local surgeries in their medical group and if for some reason they can't fit you in at your home surgery they will see you at one of the others, they also have a drop-in late surgery at one of the practices from 5pm to 8pm where it's first come first served.

Can you just request a call back from a GP and they can put in the requests?

Can you try ringing each day after the 'morning rush' for same day emergency appointments has died down, if there's still appointments left they might be happy to book you in for one even though it's not techically urgent? If you ring at 8 then priorty will always be given to more urgent cases but ringing at 11, if theres appointments left they might put you in?

If you can't wait for a routine appointment then call as soon as the phone lines open and ask for same day. It doesn't have to be an emergency (that's what A&E is for) it's urgent.
Or request the doctor calls you back.

We have an on line system but it is only for adults.
My DD has regular appointments to have her mental health monitored so the Dr books the next one each time.
If we have a crisis they will fit her in with her Dr ASAP but we haven't needed this since theregilarappointmentd.
Same day urgent you have to phone,lay it on with a trowel and they will see you,emergencies I don't care who I see.
Repeat prescriptions online ,pick up next day from chemist.
I would go with the letter option OP asking fora short prescription until your appointment.

Emergency appointment by phone or in surgery is not for a medical emergency, those cases go to A&E, they are for people who cannot wait until 4th June. It's ok to use that method. The word 'emergency' tends to put people off, but a true medical emergency is not a GP issue.

No, we can book same day appointments online at 8am and I've only ever once not got one in 7 years. But you do have to log on at 8am on the dot.

Online system. Usually appointments on the day but even better you can schedule up to about 6 weeks in advance for reviews etc. If it’s been urgent they always seem to have a slot. South East and an area where there’s apparently a huge shortage of GPs. I have wondered if because it’s just in commuter land the population is also younger so needs fewer GPs (gross generalisation but I believe it holds true).

I tried a new system here today. I have a couple of chronic conditions needing regular blood tests. Previously it was a nightmare even booking a medicine review, and I always had to come in. Now there is a system where I can email a request and the GP will call me at a prearranged time. I had my blood tests last week, spoke to the GP this morning. It took approx 2 minutes to tell me the latest results and renew my medicine. There is a massive timesaving for the GP. I think it's called "askMyGP"

When I signed up for the service I noticed that one can send queries on behalf of others e.g. child.

Hmmmm....I might consider consider changing surgery. Everyone else doesn't seem to have this trouble

I might consider consider changing surgery.

That's the argument from the Tories about consumer choice driving improvements. I'll get back to y'all when I've paid for my next weeks shopping with consumer choice instead of money.

Don't get too excited about the mythical online booking. My surgery only offers phlebotomy appts online.

It used to offer GP as well, but they were the ones several week sout (so perfect for sorting routine stuff), but come to think of it, last time I looked online that wasn't there.

My surgery doesn’t offer online booking either.

And even if it did, once the appts have gone, they are gone, so you’re on the same position anyway.

My surgery has always been pretty good until recently when they've had 3 doctors off long term sick. I've had to wait 5 weeks for an appointment!

SilentSister - Agreed, our on-line system often has a bank of reserved slots to book. Terrible thing to say, but thank god the elderly generally don't use this access point, which means the rest of us get a look in. Sorry, but it is true.

No hope for the next generation then as we will be all clued on this online stuff by the time we're all old and doddery mwahaha! 😈😅

Are you me? Couldn't get through to GP for 2 days on the phone so went in. Can queue up at 8.30am tomorrow or wait 4 weeks. Today the queue was around the car park at 8.30. DS starts his A levels on Monday...

3 - 6 weeks here. All doctors barr 1 are part time, they cover other surgeries.

They'll bring in the 2 tier thing soon z quicker appointment if you pay type of thing.

I went online to book an appointment on Monday and luckily managed to get one for today. I'd been told last year that i HAD to see the doctor for my next pill repeat (i'd was told that the year before but ignored it and was told off). The doctor expressed surprise that I hadn't just seen the nurse

The whole NHS is dreadfully understaffed and underfunded but what can you do if you can't afford to go private? Our surgery is open 7am-6pm and still doesn't seem to have enough appointments for those who need them.

I use the app. It shows what appointments are available. If I need an emergency one I can usually get one on the day or the day after on the app.

The ones on line stretch out weeks as well at ours (probably less than 4 well though for the less popular doctor's)

Mine I can book online and can usually get a appt with a random GP within a week, or my own doctor within 2/3. I can phone up and get a next/same day emergency appt, and I can order my repeat prescriptions online.

You need to be more specific and say you need a post op check and insist they fit you in or a Dr phones you about the medication and other issues.

I can always get an appointment on the day if I need it - no questions asked. Or book ahead online. Small practice in a well off suburb providing a very good service.