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Original poster

Gp surgery very quiet

56 replies

Ipadipod · 21/04/2020 00:14

Does anyone work at a gp surgery? My friend does and says it is very quiet , they have loads of ( telephone) appointments available. Obviously these are strange times but where have all the people with ‘normal’ ailments gone ? We used hear all the time that you couldn’t get to see a gp for 2 weeks, maybe more in some areas. Have so many people been wasting gp’s time then ? My friend says that the phone is hardly ringing at all !

OP posts:
perniciousdot · 21/04/2020 00:18

Some are ill at home with Covid. Some are scared to go in. Some are in hospital. Some are time wasters but tbh those are the ones most likely to still be calling for appointments.

I have 2 issues I want to discuss with my GP. One requires examination so I am waiting it out, the other is blood tests for a condition that isn't even being treated right now so no point continuing towards diagnosis.

perniciousdot · 21/04/2020 00:19

Oh and an absolute shit load of people seem to call 111 rather than their GP for some reason. I read it on here all the time

PerfidiousAlbion · 21/04/2020 00:19

I think people are waiting until lockdown is over.

I need an x-ray but I’m not going near a hospital or GP at the moment - too high risk.

Friends and family are either self-medicating, buying prescription stuff online or putting it off completely.

Are private hospitals and GPs quiet too?

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General health
Howyoualldoworkme · 21/04/2020 00:23

Well my husband tried to get a telephone consultation today and was told he couldn't have one as he wasn't an emergency. He was told to try an e-consultation but he just actually wanted to talk to a doctor for reassurance about his extremely painful hip and legs.
They've got steadily worse because his physiotherapy assessment appointment (which he was having to wait three months for anyway Hmm) had been cancelled! God knows when that will be rebooked.
In the meantime his quality of life is deteriorating (he's under 60) and he's starting to get depressed.
All he wants is to talk to his doctor but he's being dismissed as unimportant.

So that's where your patients are OP, not being allowed through! Angry

Rubyjune91 · 21/04/2020 00:26

I am waiting for the virus stuff to blow over or at least improve considerably. I live with someone at high risk so for me the risk is too great

Oldsu · 21/04/2020 00:28

Maybe people are unaware that you can still see a GP for 'ordinary' things during this pandemic, my husband rang up for a telephone appt today after me nagging him for a few days, he is 71 and self isolating due to age, he is on the waiting list for a knee replacement and does suffer some pain but it got worse and on Friday his knee gave way when he tried to stand up, he didn't think he would be seen as he thought GP services were suspended. He got a call back almost immediately and was prescribed painkillers

Original poster
Ipadipod · 21/04/2020 00:32

Howyoualldoworkme sorry to hear about your husband, it must be awful for him . My friend’s surgery haven’t said it’s emergencies only and they aren’t turning patients away, she said the phone just isn’t ringing !

OP posts:
Original poster
Ipadipod · 21/04/2020 00:34

Rubyjune9 you can have a telephone consultation and have medication prescribed, I’d hate to think that people are suffering when they can actually still be treated.

OP posts:
Shopaholic100 · 21/04/2020 00:35

I have random bumps on my head, I would like to see the Doctor but am wary about visiting Drs/hospitals at the moment.

Mangosocks · 21/04/2020 00:39

I need an appointment but self treating one problem at home with antibiotics I got after a consultation from an online pharmacy and fingers crossed that another one is fine to leave until life is a bit more normal!

Ezira · 21/04/2020 00:47

I have a couple of minor things for which I need to see a GP. But I’m not convinced the GP could diagnose without an examination and I’m not willing to put myself at risk by going in. Even if I was prescribed medication how would I get it when I’m vulnerable and isolating? And if I need a hospital referral that definitely isn’t going to happen. It’s not urgent so it’s safer to wait until the current situation is resolved.

Zoflorabore · 21/04/2020 00:48

I developed a huge cyst under my breast last week. I rang my Doctors’s which I knew was telephone consultation only and spoke to the receptionist, explained my problem and was told I would be put on the list for a call from the doctor who specialises in skin issues who also happens to be a woman.

She rang me within half an hour, asked lots of questions and then sent me a text which i had agreed to upload a picture of cyst to her and she said she would ring me straight back.

True to her word she did and said it didn’t look sinister and prescribed antibiotics which she sent electronically to our local chemist. I was really very impressed with the service.

notangelinajolie · 21/04/2020 00:48

I suspect there are a lot of people like me. I need 3 GP appointments but can't have them because my health centre is in lockdown and shut.
My B12 jab is nearly 4 weeks overdue.
A blood test I had just before lockdown is worryingly over the range it should be and needs further investigation.
And after a year of shoulder pain I've had enough. It keeps me awake at night and I'm fed up of being fobbed off with paracetamol. I need a referral to somewhere.
3 appointments - it's going to be impossible to get 1. How will they ever catch up?

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 21/04/2020 00:48

My GP surgery is not offering phone consults except if it is an emergency. You have to use the e-consult function instead, which is pretty hit and miss.

No idea what people without internet or just older people who are not tech savvy are meant to do!

Howyoualldoworkme · 21/04/2020 00:51

Thank you Ipadipod It is very distressing for him. He was born with a congenital hip condition and was operated on as a toddler. Unfortunately it left him with one shorter leg but he's had no real problems and it's never stopped him doing anything until late last year so not bad going for 55 years! Now it's just getting worse and worse and will inevitably be leading to surgery.

If only surgeries were giving out the same information. At ours it's definitely emergencies only.
We'd pay for private physio but obviously every where is in lockdown Sad

notangelinajolie · 21/04/2020 00:52

@perniciousdot
Oh and an absolute shit load of people seem to call 111 rather than their GP for some reason. I read it on here all the time

I called my GP for Corona advice and was told to ring 111.

FatherWindyShepherdHenderson · 21/04/2020 00:53

I’ve got a 30 year history of ear problems and have been experiencing pain in one of my ears for the last few days so I rang my surgery this morning for advice and they just automatically prescribed antibiotics as they said they ‘couldn’t see me’. I was called back within about 10 minutes so I’m guessing my surgery is quiet too...

Musicaltheatremum · 21/04/2020 01:42

It shouldn't be just emergencies. We are seeing/ talking to quite a few patients.
COVID calls all go through 111 so we divert those.
We are really busy though as we have loads of shielding patients to phone..about 140 and each call can take 20 minutes...today I also downloaded another 160 patients who's notes I need to review to see if they should be shielded. So we are not twiddling our thumbs. We are a GP down for a couple of days now as he has developed a cough and will have to be swabbed before coming back to work so hope noone else goes down although the rest of us could work from home although it's a very slow connection.

So please don't think we are quiet but happy to discuss any problem.

Original poster
Ipadipod · 21/04/2020 02:13

notangelinajolie hope you are ok , I know a couple of people that have to have b12 jabs and without them they feel awful.

FatherWindyShepherdHenderson massive sympathies, ear pain is awful .

OP posts:
Redglitter · 21/04/2020 02:24

My doctor surgery is doing phone appts. Theres absolutely no problem getting an appt just now. Most are done via the phone and if you do need to see a GP theyll give you a time to attend you phone on arrival and wait in your car. They phone you when it's your turn and tell you which room to.go to. I've had to contact them a few times over the past month & it's been far easier than usual to get an appt.

nakedavengerreturns · 21/04/2020 02:32

I think it shows the vast majority of people are self centred time wasters. Most minor ailments clear up by themselves within 10 days but many people pitch up at the merest sign of a sniffle or believe they need a prescription for everything.

I have a friend who makes appointments every two weeks despite having nothing wrong with him. He does it 'just in case' and when he goes he'll bring up e.g a weird headache he had the previous week or. Minor knee niggle.

I've expressed my dismay at this but he thinks he's being super proactive.

He hasn't been to the doctors on 6 weeks now....

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 21/04/2020 07:37

I work in one too and its nowhere near as busy now.

Deelish75 · 21/04/2020 08:21

With everyone on lockdown and not mixing with each other I suspect infections aren’t circulating as much.

Eeyoresstickhouse · 21/04/2020 08:29

I am suffering with perimenopause. I was about to book an appt to see the gp when all this kicked off. I am now waiting till this is over as I didnt want to waste the gp's time with it incase people were needing the appts.

I just want some hrt!

mangocoveredlamb · 21/04/2020 08:32

@notangelinajolie I now have to do my own b12 shots. Ring your surgery and they sort out a sharps box and needles etc. Bit scary, but one thing off your plate at least?

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