Are Doctors still seeing people for normal stuff?

[Scootingthebreeze]

I have a few things I've been waiting to see GP about, but I was waiting for lockdown to end as assumed all non urgent appointments cancelled. I now realise from things I've read that perhaps this is not the case.

So are GPs still seeing people for things like a dodgy spot that hasn't healed properly for years? Or for come and go symptoms in a child that may indicate lupus or may be absolutely nothing and seem manageable at present? And for ENT referral for a non urgent matter but one that does need dealing with sooner rather than later?

Please don't attack me for asking. As I say, I've not booked appointments as don't consider any of what I've written to be immediately urgent, but having seen on a programme today that a GP was openly querying why people aren't booking with them, I am doubting myself.

Thanks

Not sure. Is there any way to find out or not?

Ours are doing telephone appointments initially and deciding from there whether you need to be seen/referred etc. I’ve had antibiotics prescribed over the phone and an urgent hospital referral done during lockdown.

Telephone calls in the first instance. If necessary they will arrange for a face to face consultation taking necessary precautions. They may ask you to email a photo of the problem if not too intimate. Some are doing skype.

Yes mine are still doing appointments. All via phone at first. I rang up this morning expecting them to be annoyed with me but they were great and I got a call back from the dr within 2 hours. I have now got a follow up tomorrow morning. I would call your GP and ask them. Good luck

Ours is doing phone appointments for things to start off with but only doing further tests if potentially life threatening.

I’ve had a deterioration in on going symptoms but will have to wait until after lockdown for blood test and treatment.

Yes, ring your doctors.

A non urgent ENT probably wont get dealt with

Me and partner both had non urgent hospital appointments and partner had urgent surgery booked in.
All got cancelled

You know, MN really has come to something when an OP has to plead not to be attacked when asking about a genuine medical worry.

OP no one knows how long lockdown will last and you should not feel worry in asking for medical help. If they cannot help they will tell you.

I had a bad eye infection and put off asking my GP but eventually did. The woman on the phone was quite curt but did direct me to a service that was actually really helpful. I am glad I didn't leave it.

I rang them today, spoke to doctor, he suspects something potentially serious.

Im talking to him again tomorrow and really hoping i dont have to go to the hospital

Yes, I went to my GP last week for my depo injection.

My DS’s ENT stuff all cancelled though

Mine is doing telephone appointments to start with - I got oral steroids and antihistamines prescribed over the phone. I have had asthma a long time so able to know when my symptoms are kicking off

I work in a doctors surgery.
We are still seeing patients.

First of all you will be booked for. Telephone consult to discuss your issues. If the doctor then feels they need to see you, they will arrange for you to come in that day or the next.

We've been told it's business as usual where possible...so most things are over the phone atm, but we still have daily patients coming in.

My DH saw a GP for something today so they are still seeing people.

If you're in any doubt just give them a call. If they think it's non-urgent and can wait that's fine, at least you know and hopefully they can give you some reassurance in the meantime.

Thanks, I will leave the ENT issue as that can definitely wait. Will ask about the other two though as a pic could definitely be emailed over and I can list the child symptoms to go with some tests they previously did (lupus was not being considered then but I've since realised the puzzle pieces slot well together)

I didn't want to waste their time but now realise their time appears to be pretty available just in different ways of working! Thanks

I had a problem and rang the surgery yesterday. A doctor rang me back today. I described my symptoms and emailed photos of the afflicted area. That was enough and she was able to diagnose and prescribe accordingly. If it doesn’t clear up by next week she has asked that I ring again.

You are never wasting there time when your worried about a child, especially with something serious like Lupus

I work in primary care.

We are doing telephone consultations and the nurse or GP will decide if necessary or appropriate to see you face to face. We are utilising video calls, Skype etc and bringing people into the surgery if essential.

Our two regional hospitals are not taking any non urgent referrals though.

ENT has pretty much been shelved as it's a really high risk environment (nasendoscopy is an AGP and likely why many ENT doctors are getting so sick). In my hospital they are only doing very high risk 2 week wait cancer referrals in full PPE and then the clinic room has to be deep cleaned before they can do another patient. Very little is getting through the door. That's unlikely to change until covid isn't around. Same with dentistry I believe.

The message from the NHS above us is do life threatening essential stuff only. Everything else has to be done over the phone or put on a waiting list.

I rang in a repeat prescription yesterday (hayfever stuff) and had a call this morning - it had actually already been sent to Boots but the pharmacy hadn’t text to say it was in. I apologised to the lady for being a pest and taking up their time, and she was absolutely lovely. She said (I paraphrase) essentially that life and medical need is still trundling on, and the only patients they really don’t want to see are those with CV.

Thanks you've reassured me that even if they can't assist right now, I hopefully shouldn't be getting a reaction of 'why on earth are you asking about this now'. Hopefully this post has reassured others reading it too as I surely can't be the only one wondering whether to call or not!

Also thanks for explaining about ENT cancellations due to risk (and dentist) as thinking about it that does make it a very high risk job in these times.

I had an issue that I needed to speak with a GP about ( although in a lot of pain so more of an emergency)
When I looked on the GP website I was instructed to fill in an online form which I did, describing my symptoms and what I'd like.
Within a couple of hours I received a text to inform me that I would contacted by phone by a GP. This happened really quickly and I then had a video call with the GP ( had to download some app)
This happened for a second and third time in the following two weeks.
It was amazing service and completely sensible and painless
I did have to then travel to the same GP surgery to collect medications from the pharmacy there but that was all painless too, a wait of around half an hour in a queue only

Please don't attack me for asking

I often feel like putting this in posts too. I would ring at a non busy time op, ie not first thing. DP planning to do the same today as he needs a repeat prescription for something they normally won't issue without an appointment.