At what point do you think we will beable to see a GP again?

[TheNightWatch]

Honestly Ive worked all the way through this as have all the doctors at work and people in many other industries so why cant I see a bloody GP? I just dont get it? Im on hold for minutes every day to be told appointments for the day are full.

I know three people who have recently died of cancer that was literally only just diagnosed. There was no chance of treatment. All in their late 50’s. Im not saying they wouldve survived but at least they wouldve had a shot at some treatment. My elderly parents without computers or free phone data what chance have they had to see a real live person?

When this is over will there be some kind of enquiry? Why are some people just not back to a full service like vets for example for difference does it make to them if we want to go in and comfort our pet?

I’ve seen my GP a few times in the last 18 months. It’s not GPs, it’s the way your surgery is run.

I've been able to see mine when I've needed to see someone eg when I found a lump

DH is a GP and has seen patients every day throughout. Don’t lump all GP’s together. If you don’t like your practice, transfer to another.

You can see a GP.
Your issue is you can't get through to one to get an app.

Well I haven’t see a GP all telephone consultations

Look at switching GP. Mine do in person for things that need it. I recently had my heart listened to and then an appt with a nurse for an ECG. All precautionary due to a death in the family so not urgent.

Good question I'm wondering the same and asked the same thing when I had my asthma review over the phone. Waste of time and had to be rebooked to allow me time to buy scales, blood pressure machine, and the breathaliser thing (forgot what it's called).
But I can go elsewhere and have my bloods taken and attend hospital appointments, dentist, opticians etc.
Instead of giving a reason the subject was changed. Asked what would happen if I couldn't afford to buy any of this and erm silence.

Oh ive had no problem seeing a nurse thats the strange thing about it.

Ive seen the nurse and gp with no problem

As PP above.

You can complain about your GP to the GP itself, to NHS England (google it), your local commissioners (www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/other-services/Clinical%20Commissioning%20Group/LocationSearch/1), the CQC and your local Healthwatch.

It would help if you kept a diary of attempts to contact your GP.

@Canigooutyet

Good question I'm wondering the same and asked the same thing when I had my asthma review over the phone. Waste of time and had to be rebooked to allow me time to buy scales, blood pressure machine, and the breathaliser thing (forgot what it's called). But I can go elsewhere and have my bloods taken and attend hospital appointments, dentist, opticians etc. Instead of giving a reason the subject was changed. Asked what would happen if I couldn't afford to buy any of this and erm silence.

Yes exactly the same the nurse told me to monitor my bp at home instead of coming in. Well i had the money thank goodness. However when your bp is consistently high doesnt it warrant further action? Such as tablets 24 hr tape?

I saw my GP yesterday started off with a telephone appointment and then face to face as he felt it was important to see me. Booked in to the hospital tomorrow too from the outcome yesterday. So not all Gps are the same

Its not just my practice its happening everywhere. If we all transferredcto “good” practices the same thing would happen.

Our gp is technically open for face to face consultations but they won't actually let you have one. I've had months and months of problems with Ds' skin and it needs to be SEEN as the photos on the online consultation just don't do it justice. I'll have to go private to see the same doctor probably

It's not all GPs who are operating like this though. Ours have been seeing people face to face for months.

My dd has had various health issues over the last eight months and we have seen a GP several times, no issue.

There has been an initial phone conversation to triage but then there has been no problem seeing someone. I don't think it's COVID op, sounds like it's your GP tbh.

We saw one this morning. Very well run and no issue getting appointment.

You haven't been able to get an appointment because they are all booked, not because they don't exist. Demand is outstripping supply and it's not the fault of the doctors, who are working incredibly hard.

It's a mystery to me why individual surgeries are allowed to run in ways that do not serve their patients at all.

In my local area there are two main practices; I am lucky enough to be registered with the excellent surgery.
I rang on Friday at 11.30 am and saw a GP at 4pm face to face. I have Long Covid and have been looked after so well over the last 15 months.

Patients at the other practice get good care but actually accessing the GPS is such a stressful process, especially if people are working. People wait for days, even weeks. The receptionists are not pleasant either, whereas at my medical centre they are wonderful, caring and efficient.

I really think that my doctor's model should be rolled out nationwide.

I'm a GP and have been seeing several patients a day throughout the pandemic (except for when I was on maternity leave at the very start of the pandemic). I get a list of patients to phone each day and I bring down to the surgery those who need to be seen (usually about 25-40% of my list). If you're not happy, change surgery - most of us are seeing patients and always have done.

@TheDrsDocMartens

I’ve seen my GP a few times in the last 18 months. It’s not GPs, it’s the way your surgery is run.

This.

My dad also got diagnosed and treated for kidney cancer throughout lockdown last year.

My GPS are still prescribing to telephone consultations firstly but I’m in the surgery a lot to see midwives and they’re seeing a lot of people. People are ignorant to the fact GPs are actually consulting more people than ever.
28.4 million recorded appointments across general practice – the highest since October 2019
GPS are working flat out but it’s still not enough for the general public.

I was on the phone to my GP and was immense pain with my knee, to the point it was making me ill. She gave me ibuprofen gel and said I needed physio, but no one was being given an appointment for physio at the hospital. As the call was over the phone she didn’t even examine my knee.
It didn’t get better. Luckily dh has BUPA for the family through his work, I got seen two days later by a consultant, MRI scan a week later, shows up that I have no fluid between my knees and my bones are grinding against each other. I’ve also have a worn tendon.

I’d also like to add to PPs who’ve said that GPs are working flat out- my DH is also one of them. They do triage by phone first and then see patients if necessary; this approach does take longer though as you effectively have 2 contacts with the patient to sort their problem rather than one- he can’t wait to get back to normal but they can’t until the central guidance from NHS England changes.

In recent weeks he and a colleague have spoken to 80-90 patients between them for every half day on call session (they cover this in shifts) - they are certainly not slacking, it’s just that demand is very very high (it’s been growing for years independently of Covid) so appointments get taken up.

It’s definitely true that some practices are managing things better than others, so worth contacting your practice manager if you want to complain, or trying a different practice.

DH is also finding that he’s spending more time trying to refer patients to hospital as many secondary care services are still not able to run at full capacity, so that doesn’t help either. This also means he’s managing more complex cases than normal himself as hospital specialists aren’t allowing referrals or are outsourcing things that would normally be done in outpatient clinics- again this takes up more of his time.

Those will be mainly phone appointments

I went to see a podiatrist last week for my arthritis from which my gp had all the results of my tests since last October and never told me. I mean I rang them and was told they were ok when they were anything but and luckily i work in the hospital so could go and speak to rheumatology myself but could joe bloggs do that? No. My podiatrist is based at a massive state of the art health centre and she said hardly anyone is ever in the GPs waiting room as they are hardly seeing anyone. Her husband has late onset asthma and he rang them three times and all they asked was what kind of wheeze is it? The poor bloke ended up in a and e.

Im glad you are mainly having good experiences as in my circle thats not whats happening.

And why are vets still carrying on not letting one person come in?

DP has had an in person appointment, I’ve had loads of phone appointments. I even got diagnosed with eczema over the phone (by sending photos). I actually quite like the system ours have at the moment because it means you get a phone appointment on the same day instead of having to wait weeks.