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Original poster

How do you get a doctor's appointment these days ?

47 replies

bigchris · 02/07/2019 08:36

In my surgery you can no longer just turn up and queue

You have to ring , explain the problem to the receptionist , who then tells the doctor who then rings you for a chat and to assess if you need an appointment

Yesterday I rang at 8am, he rang back at 5.30,I missed the call and the surgery closed at 5.30 anyway

Have rung again , exactly same explanation , waiting for the call back ,meanwhile at work where I'm not able to just answer the phone immediately

I miss the days when you turned up at the surgery and just waited

OP posts:

imaflutteringkite · 02/07/2019 08:42

I miss those days sat in the waiting room with a number and you went in in turn. Now we have to ring at 8am. By about 8.02 they have ran out so you have to try again the next day then the next until you've recovered without ever seeing the doctor!

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 02/07/2019 08:48

That sounds like an initiative that won’t last.
Tbh I hate the days of turning up and queuing for a walk in- the line used to start at 7am in the street even though the surgery opened at 8, meant the elderly, the disabled and those with a school run were buggered.
My surgery seems to have the right idea, bookable appointments and same day appointments if you ring at 8am (though I have rung in the afternoon and been squeezed in at 5.30 if urgent)

UnderPompeii · 02/07/2019 08:49

This is why I switched doctors to a surgery that does a walk in clinic every morning. Yes you might have to sit and wait for an hour but you will get seen. My old surgery was a complete nightmare, they stopped doing any emergency/same day appointments so if you were really ill your only choice was minor i juries or A&E.

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WhatHaveIFound · 02/07/2019 08:52

At our surgery you either you book online for an appointment in 3 weeks time or phone up to get a slot in the sit and wait session. Or you just battle through in the hope you eventually get better!

MustardScreams · 02/07/2019 08:52

I think I have a magical, mystical drs because you can call at any time to get a non-emergency appointment and you’ll generally be seen within 2 weeks. And if it needs to be seen that day they have 2 sittings at 10am and 2pm where you can go in and wait. Longest I’ve ever waited is half an hour. I can never move because I don’t want to leave the catchment area!

BillytheMountain · 02/07/2019 08:55

We're the same, I feel your pain.

I just want an appointment, it's not urgent but within the next two to three weeks and can organise work around it, but that's not possible any longer.

If you do manage to get through on the day we get 'screened' by the doctor too, to assess if the situation merits a face to face meeting.

I've had the doctor call me in an open plan office with test results, the line is crackly bad and it's like a farce trying not to speak too loudly but having to repeat everything.

Original poster

bigchris · 02/07/2019 08:57

Exactly !!
I don't want to talk to the doctor in the middle of my office
I want to see him and get a prescription
How's he going to do that over the phone ?

OP posts:

stucknoue · 02/07/2019 09:13

We have never had turn up and wait where I have lived but if I call at 8am I can usually get a same day appointment alternatively book for 3-4 days ahead as long as you don't specify a dr - if I want my gp who is head of the practice it's normally a couple of weeks as she does not do many appointments each week

cdlaivfifd · 02/07/2019 09:16

Prebookables open a week in advance. You have to be on the ball and very lucky to get one though. The phones open at 8 but it's not uncommon to be on hold until 8:45. You can get an on the day appointment by being really lucky and getting your call answered or by going along at 7:30 and waiting for them to open at 8. I was in the queue from 7:45 yesterday and didn't get an appointment because they had all been taken by the time I got to the desk! I couldn't go this morning because DH wasn't here for the kids so I will have to try and get along earlier tomorrow morning. If you can't get an appointment but need to be seen today they will triage you with a call back from the doctor who will put you in the pool to be seen if necessary.

InvisibleToEveryone · 02/07/2019 09:23

My Dr's surgery open the phone lines at 8am, for same day appointments and also book for 48 hours time.

They also open for pre booked appointments at 7am.

They also run a drop in clinic at 4pm every day m-f, where you turn up, tell the receptionist the problem, she relays it all to the drop in Dr and they decide which order to see you depending on urgency, baby, elderly etc.

Also there's an extended hours clinic, where you can book to see a Dr at one of the 3 participating surgerys, after hours, so a Saturday morning up to 12 or Thursday evening up to 10pm.
Won't always be at your surgery or your Dr.

Tbf they're trying to find a way that works for everyone.

Sandybval · 02/07/2019 09:26

The call back system works very well here, but they call back within the hour which it sounds like yours didn't. Always been seen the same day.

Pomgirl · 02/07/2019 09:27

I moved to Australia, you really can get an appointment at any time, on the day, day before no probs usually with your doctor but can also go to any surgery for minor things if not discussing ongoing issue. Its fab!

YorkieTheRabbit · 02/07/2019 09:28

Our surgery has various options.
Call at 8.30 for an appointment that day
Pre bookable appointments up to three weeks in advance
Online appointment, some released for the same day, the rest pre booked up to three weeks
Telephone appointment for medication reviews
When it first swapped to call on the day only, it was a nightmare, I made the mistake of going to collect a prescription on my way to work, folk were queuing out of the door.
They seem to have it spot on now. I book online and I’ve never had to wait more than a few days.

KnifeAngel · 02/07/2019 09:30

We can book online. I booked yesterday at 7.30am to see the doctor at 9.20. They release so many appointments to book online on the day.

orangeshoebox · 02/07/2019 09:31

our gp (in europe) has walk in appointments only except for routine monitoring or vaccines.
they also deal with minor injuries ad hoc (have an x-ray machine & plaster room).

Malibucyprus · 02/07/2019 09:33

You wait a minimum of 2 weeks for an appointment at our Dr's. I had what I think is gallstones pain for 6 days last week, called on Tuesday after 3 days of agony. My appointment is middle of next week, luckily I am better now, but I'm keeping the appointment to hopefully be referred for an ultrasound.

My dad who has a heart condition, had to wait 3 weeks for an appointment (possible chest infection) thankfully he's also well now.

They do say you can call at 8am for emergency appointments, but by the time they answer your call, the appointments are gone.

NoBaggyPants · 02/07/2019 09:34

Last time I needed an appointment the earliest I could get was three weeks ... with a healthcare assistant! I can only assume they're doing that to improve their stats, show that they're offering appointments even if they're completely unsuitable.

We have had two of the four GPs leave in the last year and they can't find anyone to replace them. There is a surgery in the area that offers open appointments but they've closed their list to new patients.

Youngandfree · 02/07/2019 09:35

Well I just ring and say I would like an appointment the receptionist here wouldn’t be interested in why!! Then she gives me an appointment for that day or following day...but I pay €50 for the privilege. I suspect that it’s all gone to s* in the uk because ppl abuse the “free” system! They wouldn’t have half the problems if they charged for it!!
And before anyone says “we pay through our taxes” I used to live in the uk and I pay more tax here in Ireland

modgepodge · 02/07/2019 09:36

It varies so much...I have to say I have u have never had an issue. Online booking system, recently there has been a 3 week wait for appointments booked on there. However without fail when I’ve phoned up at 8 for an emergency appointment I’ve got one that day. They also offer phone consultations for minor things you just want advice on. HUGE surgery though - there’s over 20 doctors listed. Wonder if this helps.

SystolicSyster · 02/07/2019 09:40

Online appointments, usually. I assume our surgery must be decently staffed, as I don't find it hard to get an appointment with my preferred GP within a week, usually, occasionally two. There are usually several times to choose from.

If we'd need a same day appt, it's the old call at 8 am on the day thing. I haven't had to do that in ages, luckily, but I assume it's still the same long time in a queue and you get an appointment if you get an appointment.

Actually my most common way of getting an appointment these days is coming out of one with a GP's note telling reception to book me in with her or a nurse in X amount of time, handing that to the reception and leaving with an appointment card.

Ascreed · 02/07/2019 09:40

Previously I had a one where you had to ring up to get a call back to get an appointment and it was a total pain as would have to take the whole day off work vs a morning as I wasn't sure when they would call back and what time the appt (if I'd even get one!) would be.
I'm really lucky now as I'm at a much smaller doctors and you can book online or on the phone, they normally have general appts everyday and a wide variety through the week and they have emergency appts booked out to give out in the morning.

Teachermaths · 02/07/2019 09:40

I want to see him and get a prescription
How's he going to do that over the phone ?

Doctors can prescribe over the phone. They'll do the script and you can collect it later. Usually more convenient than having to get back there for an appointment. I've had a few prescriptions over the phone. You can describe physical symptoms and if they want to see you, they'll call you in.

Thatnovembernight · 02/07/2019 09:41

That is appalling. I rang at 8am today to get an appointment for my daughter. Was seen at 8.50am. Now it’s 9.38am and I’m having a coffee and she’s in school. Some of the posts above showing how difficult it is in some places to get an appointment made me angry just reading them. It’s not on.

NoBaggyPants · 02/07/2019 09:41

As well as the funding and staffing shortages, a good practice manager can make all the difference. The previous one at my surgery introduced a special list for those with chronic illness, and if the GP decided you needed to be on that list you would always get an appointment with your named GP as a priority. She also set aside a quiet waiting area for those who couldn't cope with the main area. This all went out the window with the new manager, who can't think beyond "computer says no".

LesLavandes · 02/07/2019 09:41

Recently I broke my shoulder in Italy. I was initially dealt with in hospital there, repatriated home but I needed to see my GP urgently to get referred to Orthopaedic dept of hospital.

I was calmly told by GP receptionist that this was not an emergency and there was an available appointment in 3 weeks!

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