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 always been triaged over the phone and given an appointment to see them when needed, well until last year and have not seen anyone in the practice since, even when they say oh we need to see you but then they aren't seeing people. It's only because the hospital and local mp have also sent complaints that I am now getting appointments at all.
I have several phone appointments now booked until September. Cannot change surgery as I'm out of catchment.

All could I get was an e consult which was totally useless. I think I have an arthritic knee and one of the questions was about what I do for the pain. I said I had taken one dose of paracetamol and was told to get a blood test because of the paracetamol. It was one tablet.

Last year my asthma review was on the phone. I don’t have scales, I go by how clothes fit, I don’t have a blood pressure monitor and don’t plan to buy one. The phone call was the day after it had been arranged anyway.

This year, not even a phone call. A form to fill in online, followed by a an email to say they’re renewing the prescription. Based on what exactly. I don’t know whether the GPS are working. I assume they are.

It’s easy to say you should transfer to another surgery. There’s probably no space at the effective ones. During this time, I’ve paid to have my cataracts treated privately because there’s a two year NHS waiting list and I’ve had to change to a totally private dentist, because the NHS one that I went to as a private patient, wouldn’t treat a broken tooth, broken crown and a denture.

I saw mine last week. They triage on reception and advise from there. My hospital appointment is in September following a face to face. I know this is annoying but it's absolutely down to having a decent well run surgery, the disparity is ridiculous depending on where you live.

Our gp surgery is like fort knocks..and patrolled by menacing receptionists who peer at you through cracks in doors and grill you on why you have deigned to turn up.

There are 2 GP surgeries in my local area and both of them have full metal shutters down over the front doors all the time. If you have a face to face appointment you have to shout through the open window to the receptionists to let you in. This is for each individual patient so I find it hard to believe that they are seeing many people face to face. Most consultations must be over the phone.

As the waiting room is still closed, I have seen elderly people waiting outside in the rain for their appointment because they didn’t come in a car.

I think it is totally unacceptable that patients are expected to shout confidential information through the window from the street outside to the same receptionists who are sat behind a full glass screen inside the building. It wouldn’t cause any increased contact by opening up the entrance to the surgery. It’s also unacceptable given the fact that the dentists waiting rooms in my area have been open now for many months with masks, hand gel and reduced seating.

I am lucky in that I haven’t needed to make a Gp appointment since the pandemic began so I can’t comment on how easy or hard this is at my local surgery but A&E admissions here are through the roof. This may be because people can’t see a GP so their condition has got worse or that they have put off seeing a GP.

Thank you to all the GPs and NHS staff who have continued to care for patients and kept services up and running. It is not fair when everyone is tarred with the same brush.

People who are having satisfactory experiences does not negate the fact that in some places people are literally unable to access healthcare.

It's not the fault of the GPS, its the government who need to be held to account.

I saw my GP during 1st lockdown and have seen them twice since.
We have a telephone consultation and then go in and see them if necessary.
I love it, no having to leave work early or trying to get the first appointment so not too late in.

Are any of those that are satisfied in London because thats were Im based and it has been dire in my area.

Soon I hope!

My issue with phone consultations is that my GP can't/won't tell me what time they will call. They won't even narrow it down to AM or PM. I work in a school and can't just answer my phone at whatever time they decide to call. Then if I can't answer when they call, they don't call back. It just doesn't work.

@tiredanddangerous

Soon I hope!

My issue with phone consultations is that my GP can't/won't tell me what time they will call. They won't even narrow it down to AM or PM. I work in a school and can't just answer my phone at whatever time they decide to call. Then if I can't answer when they call, they don't call back. It just doesn't work.

I have this issue too, as I work in a shop. I ended up having to take time off for my most recent appointment, when before I could book one of the earliest appointments in the day and go before work. I don't understand why surgeries can't organise it like normal appointments so you have a time slot.

@TheNightWatch - DH is a London GP - open every day as usual as are all the other practices in our area.
If you aren’t happy write to the practice manager,NHS England and move to another practice

I've got a face to face appointment this week. However, it's about a mole I'm concerned about and I first had to have a telephone appointment for the doctor to decide she needed to see me.

I waited 4 weeks for the first appointment and another 10 days for the face to face one.

I don't object to telephone appointments, in many cases they're more efficient for both patient and practice, but there has to be some sense around it. The first appointment on this occasion was a complete waste of everyone's time.

That sounds terrible I'm sorry your Gp is so badly managed, I've had no real bother being seen or an over phone appointment and our surgery is now fully opened I saw a nurse and gp last week. I think you need to complain to your health trust.

I’ve had problems too. Baby born in may, six week check for me was on the phone, really helpful there checking my c section and baby six week check delayed till 8 week jabs which were pushed back to 9 weeks due to lack of appointments. Dr then noticed a potentially colicky hip which hadn’t been picked up and has refrrred to the hospital for scans which I’m still waiting on…dc is now 11 weeks and I’m bricking it that they have hip displasia and due to the delays will need surgery rather than a pavlik harness as nhs guidance says these need to be on by 8 weeks.
Fucking crap if this is the case. Could have been avoided by seeing me at 6 weeks. Health visitor 6 week check was also on the phone.
I’m feeling particularly let down by the nhs as a new mum.

I have a similar experience, @TheNightWatch.

I'm glad for the posters who have a good service, but many of us do not. Please don't denigrate our experiences, which quite frankly are stressful, frustrating and at times downright scary if you think you've got the symptoms of cancer.

I've got a CT scan finally coming up that I should have been able to get quickly through my primary care GP. No chance. I went via the medical secretary of a consultant whose clinic I am currently in, i.e. via secondary care.

There's a gaping disparity.

I think some parts of the NHS are running more efficiently than others at the moment. My GP practice is pretty good - telephone appointments and then will see you in person if they think it's necessary.

My experience with NHS orthodontics and dentists, however, is a different matter. Both my kids have had to start their orthodontic treatment without the required teeth being extracted first. The consultants themselves are fantastic, but it's the inefficiency of the rest of it that's appalling. Secretaries are so far behind with getting letters to dentists to request the extractions that people are getting their next orthodontist appointment through before the extraction has taken place. Letters requesting extraction were not even sent out in the first instance at all, and i've had to chase it all up. Then when finally our dentist has got extraction request letter from the orthodontist there are no bloody appointments for them to take the tooth out for weeks!

One of my children had to cancel his orthdontist appointment a few weeks ago as he was isolating while waiting for his PCR result (we knew it would be negative but he had a temp). His replacement appointment is in October!!!!

Once we no longer have these healthcare decimating Tories in power?

I’ve seen my GP right through the pandemic and have had a couple of hospital appointments, as has my DD. Great service here, given the circumstances.

Its not the hospital appontments its how do you get them in the first place? A gp referral. How can a gp see fear in your eyes over the phone or jaundiced skin or massive weight loss if you cant find words to describe it over the phone. Its no exaggeration that people have had their lives cut short or damaged irreparably because they havent seen anyone face to face. My friend was on the verge of a breakdown because of eczema which covered her from head to toe for the first time in her life. She was a shadow of her former self had had to pay private as all the GP did was advise her over the phone.

That sounds really awful - but it’s by no means the case with every GP. I had a breast lump - I was seen almost immediately, given a check over by a female GP at my request and referred for a hospital appointment a couple of weeks later.

Me and my family have had a few GP face to face appointments over the last 16 months.

My mum and son have had all their regular appointments too.

This is not a national problem, it’s your surgery.

Yes but it IS the case for many of us, MrsM.

And how many? Hundreds of thousands? Millions?

Hospital consultants have been warning about this for a year. CCGs are slow in responding in far too many areas.

This is not isolated surgeries.

This is another form of the NHS postcode lottery. It is unreasonable that you're not getting the service that others are. Is there another surgery that you can switch to?

Last summer my teen son had a telephone consultation followed by a face to face then straight to hospital which is what I'd expect tbh.

Many surgeries can’t offer the service they would like - too many patients and not enough GP’s. DH is leaving the surgery he works at and the other GP’s are locums with plans to return to their own countries. The practice will then close as there isn’t a GP to take it on - c10,000 patients will need to find a new GP.