Gp surgery very quiet

[Ipadipod]

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 !

@notanjelinajolie

Sorry, I maybe wasn't clear there. I was meaning people calling 111 for non corona related things.

Last week I was concerned I may have angina so I phoned my GP surgery. GP called me back, prescription sent to local Boots for collection. He arranged an ECG and blood tests which I had yesterday. Very strict protocol followed to enter the surgery. I was the only patient there (we have 10 GPs so normally it's very busy). Very odd sitting in a huge waiting room by yourself.

If you need to speak to a Dr don't wait.

I phoned to get a telephone appointment yesterday. A GP rang me back 10 mins later, and was able to send a prescription to a pharmacy immediately. I picked that up 20 mins later.

It was a brilliant service and I hope they keep elements of it after the lockdown!

They're quiet because they've stopped doing most things.

Both my OH and myself were due to have our regular blood tests - which apparently were essential just a couple of months ago. Now they've been cancelled and we're told they're not doing regular bloods for the duration.

I've had the letter saying I need to renew my prescription exemption card - the application needs countersigning by the GP surgery. I phoned them to ask about it and they said they're not doing anything like that at the moment.

I was due an annual diabetic review appt - of course, they cancelled it.

It's no surprise they're quiet if they're cancelling everything is it?

@Musicaltheatremum are the checks still taking place? I was verbally told to shield by my Drs weeks ago and register with the gov online plus I was given vaccinations. The only thing I've heard since is a text from the gov saying a Dr will confirm.

Reading the guidelines issued by the NHS on April 11th I think I fall into the second group which is high risk not vulnerable and I saw that those who have registered on the gov site but not come up in their searches had details issued to the GPs end of last week for checking?

I can stay home and we are being very stringent but I would say 70% of my support group (no spleen with no other underlying illness) have now received letters and support and there are others having to work and its very confusing and uncertain, on top of the difficult times.

It's reassuring that the checks are happening so we can be advised one way or another. I'm missing a spleen and have crohns but I'm not on any medication to suppress my immunity so I'm fairly certain I'm not vulnerable (My house and garden will remain my current travel map though! Just in case the initial call was correct).

A big thank you to all those involved in the vulnerable group checking system, it must have been a huge undertaking and a small margin of confusion is definitely to be expected!

DH works in a gp surgery. His time is split between doing telephone triage/consultation and end of life planning for all the local care homes. Death planning and covid updates are a big part of his day. But some patients still need to be seen, and nursing duties and blood tests are still happening. There's also video consultations and they've just started to use the e-consult software too.

I guess they're like the proverbial ducks. Quiet on the surface but paddling furiously underneath.

I'm a Receptionist and yes it is quiet. My colleagues would say otherwise! I work 2 1/2 days a week and all my admin is up to date so I can enjoy my week off with no worries. In fact last Friday I was making up things to do that are not in the grand scheme of things important.

It does make you wonder if going to the GP is on some people's usual routine like going food shopping and putting the bins out.

We are doing telephone consultations for anything, if an examination is needed the GP will ask them to attend. If they have Covid19 symptoms then they are directed to a specialised remote GP hub. Patients needing dressings, B12, depo injections, zoladex injecu, urgent blood tests and INR testing are attending the surgery.

we have had 3 doctors appointments since lockdown started.

1 for my asthma that had got worse since I had flu.
2 for my daughters asthma review which had been booked before lockdown and changed to a phone appoontment. I did wonder how they were going to do that over the phone, and it turns out that the way they do it is to ask if shes taking all her meds, how often was she using her releiver and was she breathing ok. That was done by a doctor and not her usual nurse.

3 my daughter rang about a painful knee, was told she needed physio and to ring back to book in again when everythings back to normal.

The 2 unplanned appointments we were rang back quiet quickly, and the knee wouldn't have normally got an emergency sameday ring back so I don't think they are that busy. My surgert normally works on a phone consultation before going in if needed system so that doesn't feel particually different, but they would have normally had me in to see me about my asthma.

I rang my surgery last week and asked for a telephone appointment as my problem didn’t need the GP to see me. He rang back within 30 minutes, spent 10 minutes chatting about my profession, then diagnosed and prescribed over the phone! Brilliant!

While there probably are a small proportion of ‘time wasters’ I’d imagine most people aren’t calling because they know they need to see a doctor and a telephone call won’t cut it so they’re waiting.

Smear and blood tests are overdue for me. Neither of those can happen over the phone.

A GP neighbour said she was dreading the lifting of lockdown as she thinks they are going to be swamped (very quiet at the moment), and lots of people will be harder to treat because they have left things for longer.

perfidious you won't get an x ray at the moment. I desperately need to have a steroid injection in my shoulder and was told by my specialist that she can't refer for x ray or administer the injection at the moment

and lots of people will be harder to treat because they have left things for longer.

My GP has cancelled my routine regular blood tests and my bi-annual review appointment. So, my condition could be getting out of control - that's not my fault - it's the GP surgery cancelling the usual appointments.

My OH has his cancer treatment cancelled. He'd usually get blood tests done at the GP - same story, they phoned him to cancel his bloods.

It's not all patients leaving things too late - it's also GP surgeries cancelling appointments too!

I think a lot of people are feeling guilty for taking up GP time right now. I have bipolar, desperately need a meds review but my psychiatrist retired and I am waiting for a new one which is obviously not happening anytime soon.

I had one GP consult and she didn't feel able to change my meds without specialist advice, I should phone again but it feels pointless and self absorbed when people are dying of Covid 19. I also feel guilty because I am not dealing with the problems that a lot of people are like loss of income, just the struggles of lockdown.

My diabetes review of a blood test and 30 min nurse appointment is also now overdue so 2 appointments which will need to be made after lockdown is over.

Routine appointments have been cancelled and others are taking place over the phone so it will be quiet.

It’s going to be a nightmare when things open up again- so many people are waiting for this to blow over
Our gp isn’t seeing anyone They’ll phone triage you and sort antibiotics etc if needed

But the general message has been

Phone 111
Nhs closed for business

Don’t really understand the surprise at doctors surgeries being quiet We’ve been told to stay away. And we are

Online consultations can really work. I would encourage people to try. As PPs have said, you can usually upload photos for the GP to see etc. They can send your scripts to pharmacy electronically.

DH is a GP and working just as hard. Probably more hours. It is tricky as often complex issues take longer to solve over the phone. He also looks after a care home which has unfortunately had an outbreak which is taking a lot of support and management. They're not sitting around

But the general message has been

Phone 111
Nhs closed for business

General message on Mumsnet maybe, in the real world nobody is being told this.

Probably loads of apps go to kids.

Kids aren't at school so they are not picking up bugs.

No bringing home bugs for younger siblings to catch.

People probably waiting to schedule routine appointments.

People not going to gym so less sprains

People scared of going to GP in case they catch Covid 18.

There could be loads of reasons. Some may be worrying, in that people are not contacting GP when they really should.

But lots are probably just a reduction due to the fact we are at home most of the time.

I have phoned ours twice, both for DS.

Practice nurse here still doing B12 injections, urgent bloods, 12 monthly smears and some injections. I saw 14 patients this morning, although routine stuff has all been postponed and pill checks being done over the phone. GP and nurse practitioners also consulting over the phone, using photos etc.
I suspect it will be horrendous in a few months with patients clamouring to be seen asap, a long wait for appointments and staff with lots of outstanding leave to take.

Our GPs are obviously minimising physical appointments, so DH is waiting for normality to return, because his issue is going to need a physical exam, and he feels it's not that urgent anyway.

I've been in for an urgent blood test during the lockdown, and had a couple of phone appointments, so I'm still wasting their time as much as always.

I'm getting messages from my GP each week telling me not to hesitate to contact them if my children become ill with other illnesses besides Covid. It's comforting to know they're still available for that.

I’m not saying that GP’s are sitting around doing nothing , I was just saying, after a conversation with my friend, that there are lots of appointments available.

If you are unwell with something other than COVID, it’s worth giving your GP a call , you may get the treatment you need and maybe help to reduce the rush when this is all over .

Lockdown has also had a big effect on other infectious diseases. So there are less colds and flu, etc. And people are avoiding doctors as well. My GP is doing mainly phone consultations unless the person actually needs to be seen in person.