This is what trying to get a Doctors appointment looks like...

[MrsFattyBumBum]

Sat here crying.
Been psyching myself up for days to go. I need help, am not in a good way.

Got through 3 time sonky for no one to answer and be cut off.

Finally get through at 8.50 to be told no appointments left.

THIS is why I never get any help. Is the same everytime I try to go.

It's rubbish. It's common but not at every GP practise. Ask local friends and see if you can change.

Go to the surgery and ask for the next bookable appointment. It may be weeks off but at least have it.

For the gynae issues you may want to go to A&E. It'll be a wait but explain that you can not get a GP appointment. They will log this and may have a GP unit who can see you. I do not support wasting A&E resources but the system needs to sort itself out and you need help.

There has been some advise on here re mental health support. It's not my area so not wading in but please don't think I'm ignoring it.

Re weight. Google info on whether you have a local healthy living team. They come under various names but we can get an appointment for true NHS team at our local leisure centre. They provide advise etc and means that the gym is cheaper for a while.

Do your doctors advertise the amount of no shows they get?

Now my theory is that doctors often run late,so what would happen if you went and stood at the counter and said I'll have the next no show please

Also, if you call 111 and explain that you've attempted to get an appointment with your GP and been told nothing is available, but you're feeling extremely low and need to see someone, they will arrange an appointment for you at your local hub. This is often an out of hours appointment at the GP which is reserved for 111 calls, or an appointment at your local emergency GP Centre, but you will be signposted to a health practitioner

I don’t know how surgeries can resolve this problem, but one idea could be, that all routine appointments (including nurse ones) can be booked online, and any more urgent cases have their own dedicated phone line (and receptionist who answers) who takes details for the triage nurse /GP. That might release another receptionist to answer all other calls. One phone line for everything is a very inefficient way of doing things.

I had to see my gp for mental health issues and getting the appointment was a nightmare and took me far to long to finally get seen

I would maybe make an emergency on for that and then when you're there make the other ones?

Do they have a triage system? I called, asked the receptionist to be on it, when she asked what for I said my mental health and she didn't push further, said the same to the gp, (tried to say more but just cried instead) and they gave me a same day apt

Hope you get seen soon x

Maybe we are the exception but I’ve always managed to get a same day appointment (outside London). I start ringing at the appointed time and yes takes a number of tries but I get through. Same at last GPs too (London). For non emergency I can make one in advance.
I think you should ring back, explain briefly your anxiety about going in the first place and get one in advance or even a home visit if they do that. Or a phone consultation? If you’re after a referral maybe you don’t need to go in person.

I have had this issue, trying to get an appointment for my husband. Ring back & request for a doctor to call you back, explain that it's regarding Mental Health & it's urgent.
My husband suffers from extreme anxiety & the doctor insists that he requests a doctor call back after a very unpleasant episode where the receptionist insisted he had to come into the surgery to see the dictor. This resulted in an epic panic attack in the middle of the surgery.
Please don't give up trying.
Good luck

Our doctors don't do emergency appointments at all any more. You have to have a telephone triage and then they decide whether to see you or not. The book ahead appointments online disappear very quickly too. I was lucky last time I needed one that there had been a cancellation and I got one for the next day!

And my mum's doctors won't book double appointments. And even a telephone appointment has a wait.

I would email your MP and illustrate the mess your local surgery is in with respect to the demand they are facing. I think you will find they will make time for you.

I'm amazed at how the population surge from immigration has not been planned for in any way. People are getting kicked out of their doctors lists as they are now enforcing strict boundaries in a lot. She was 200 metres out of the boundary and they told her to find a new surgery...even though they had lived there for 10 years!!

The whole thing is a mess

This just popped up on my Facebook feed. I thought it might give you a wry smile op.

www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/health/gps-receptionist-admits-every-single-appointment-is-a-personal-defeat-20181028178768

Eurochick 😂😂😂

There is now an NHS app - I've just signed up for it Although don't need to use it as my drs have online booking but, as i understand it you can use it to book online appointments for your GP.

You need to insist on an appointment - they can't keep all appointments for the same day and allocate them all in an hour. They must have some pre-bookable appointments. Ring back and insist you need to see a Dr.

Or go at 8am and if your children are late to school explain to them. Unless your children are repeatedly late it shouldn't be an issue.

Forgot to say - and apologies if someone else has but I've never not got an out of hours GP appointment and indeed actively used them for the kids. Ring after 5 tonight

Can you sign up at a different gp?

My old one didn't open the phone lines before 9am (aka when you are in work), closed them at lunchtime and it took a good half hour just to speak to the receptionist, which is great when you have to work.

You then could never get a appointment and if you were lucky you'd get a doctor calling you back who would ask for you to come in anyway.