Insane GP appointment system

[Stopsnowing]

My GP has introduced an online system to book a appointment that takes you through lots of questions and then a GP calls you back. All fine. Except it keeps telling me to call 999 or go to a and e because I am putting my pain above a five. This is chronic pain and although it is making me miserable it is not an emergency and nothing they could do that a GP couldn’t. It doesn’t allow me to submit the form. So now I will have to call the surgery when they no doubt are busy with other things.

What happens if you put your pain as a 4?

Can you put it at 4 just to get around the system?

Put your pain as lower, and then tell them it’s higher when you speak to them.

I have tried putting the pain as lower and that works but other questions shut me out of the system eg. How long has it been going on and I don’t want to put in too many incorrect answers.

Just put what you need to to get a phone call.
Play the system.

Put what you need to get round the system then free text the correct information in the 'more details' box. The forms aren't designed by the surgery so this will be the best way to get you seen now. Long term, use the 'admin option' on the form to notify the Practice Manage of the issue with the form and they can feedback to the providers. It'll be teething problems and the more people that report these things, the faster they get resolved in updates!

It’s so frustrating if you are having to put in incorrect details just to get a phone call back, because if and when GP does call back, you then have to tell the truth.

Is it Doctorlink? It’s shit. We tried using it at our surgery, had this training that promised it would solve all our problems, but it’s terrible - a member of staff that’s a patient tried to use it for poss tonsillitis and it suggested she might have an STD 😂

@MadisonMontgomery oh that's funny 🙈 we use a different one and so far it doesn't seem that bad. I don't think it ever rejects a form though, so maybe the OP uses the same one as you did?! These things always sound brilliant, and are brilliant, in theory.... never quite work how they promise do they?! I'm sure they never actually consult anyone who works in a reception, or spend any time working on a reception themselves, when they design these things!!

I am not sure which one it was but it was silly Because I described my symptoms very well in the free text box so then asking for pages and pages of how bad/where/what type pain was pointless. Luckily the surgery is very nice so I will explain when they are open.

Those online forms are bonkers. I have to lie about pain levels, then in the text try and fit a description into 500 characters, and explain I lied.
Also, don't have an issue with your left arm if you don't want to get kicked out.

I gave up this week, there wasn't a box in the initial list to tick for my issue.

@MadisonMontgomery I second that I gave up with it as it was telling me to dial 999 for my husband so I rang 111. DoctorLink gives me the rage more than the snotty receptionists.

Our GP online system is ok. This sounds horrendous.