Has anyone actually managed to get an appointment with a GP?

[EachandEveryone]

Honestly, I despair. London. You wait ten minutes to listen to a long winded message finally telling you to book an online appointment. After signing in the website tells you that your practice doesnt offer this facility. The receptionist said you have to ring at 8am on the day. I literally know so many people that have had treatment this year that has started far too late in the day☹️ None of it covid related.

Ive got oedema from my neck to beyond my clavicle its just come up over Christmas and google is freaking me out. I guess afew more days wont matter although fitting phone calls around work is never easy. Remember the days when you could make a GP appointment afew days in advance? Will we ever get those days back I wonder?

See they're denying again that they triage...well we know they do!

My DH is a HCP working in a GP practice and he sees about 5 patients F2F a day + numerous other telephone consultations + sorting referrals for those that need them. He sees any patient F2F who wants to be seen F2F even if he doesn't himself think they need to be. The vast majority of these F2F appts are done same day or the following day (unless not convenient for the patient and they would rather an alternative later date if it's not urgent). Telephone consultations are from e-consults on a roughly 24hr turnaround. My own GP practice where I'm a patient is the same, I've never had any access issues.

Yes, I’ve had several. Mainly all f2f same day or within a couple of days. London.

Since having Covid I've seen the doctor 3 times.
I phoned and was given an appointment 2 hrs later. A week later I phone again and was told to come straight down and was sent into the hospital.
Had a phone appointment this week.

@SecondhandTable

My DH is a HCP working in a GP practice and he sees about 5 patients F2F a day + numerous other telephone consultations + sorting referrals for those that need them. He sees any patient F2F who wants to be seen F2F even if he doesn't himself think they need to be. The vast majority of these F2F appts are done same day or the following day (unless not convenient for the patient and they would rather an alternative later date if it's not urgent). Telephone consultations are from e-consults on a roughly 24hr turnaround. My own GP practice where I'm a patient is the same, I've never had any access issues.

5 F2F a day?!!!!!!!!!! That's disgusting. Stop HIDING

Yes. In the north-west of England.

Yesterday we had a home visit from a GP.
I've had face-to-face appointments throughout when needed.

The government told all GPs to stop routine appointments and bloods and seeing everyone and all do boosters, but they didn’t let them public know they had asked GPs to do that so they could keenbashing them saying they weren’t working. When GPs saw more patients than pre pandemic with phone calls and seeing more patients as hospitals clinics aren’t running. Why is it acceptable for hospital consultations to be phone but not GP?

DD (14) had classic cold/covid symptoms a couple of weeks before Christmas. Did a PCR and it wasn't covid. She gradually got better except for her throat which was getting worse and very painful.

Called our GP in the morning. Receptionist spoke to the GP and arranged an appointment for that afternoon.

Turned out DD had tonsillitis. She had antibiotics by the end of the afternoon.

Our practice has been very good throughout. It's a rural practice covering a massive geographical area.

Even had a home visit from the doctor when DP was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2020. And the receptionists are all helpful and pleasant!!

We moved house in January and we have got into an outstanding GP surgery. They have honestly been amazing. I had a face to face appt yesterday as I came down ill over the Christmas period and it had turned to pleurisy (not covid). My daughter was seen face to face over the summer when she had covid (they knew she was covid positive) as they were worried she had got Guillain Barre syndrome as a consequence of the covid. I can not praise them highly enough.

Move GPs OP. Find a better one.

@BrotherHelp

The government told all GPs to stop routine appointments and bloods and seeing everyone and all do boosters, but they didn’t let them public know they had asked GPs to do that so they could keenbashing them saying they weren’t working. When GPs saw more patients than pre pandemic with phone calls and seeing more patients as hospitals clinics aren’t running. Why is it acceptable for hospital consultations to be phone but not GP?

It isn't they need to start SEEING patients and not hiding!!!!

Phoned surgery at 8.50am (lines open at 8.30am) this morning; got a phone appointment with a GP for a recurrence of an issue I’m waiting for surgery to resolve. Got a call back just over an hour later and seen at surgery within 45 minutes of callback. Antibiotics prescribed and advice given for over bank holiday weekend!!

@Rememberallball

Phoned surgery at 8.50am (lines open at 8.30am) this morning; got a phone appointment with a GP for a recurrence of an issue I’m waiting for surgery to resolve. Got a call back just over an hour later and seen at surgery within 45 minutes of callback. Antibiotics prescribed and advice given for over bank holiday weekend!!

So it took 2 x calls for them to agree to see you? What's good about that? Why not just book you in for F2F appt?

Never managed it until I got pregnant. Now it seems they acknowledge my existence.

@LemonSwan

Never managed it until I got pregnant. Now it seems they acknowledge my existence.

I was ignored 2020 then 2021 got a flurry of messages about booking in for this, that, med reviews and other things. I was confused until I realised they had a CQC inspection in 2021 must have needed the records up to date! Guess 2022 will be as 2020 until the next inspection is due.

Our surgery has always done telephone triage where you get called by one of the practice GPs. They then decide whether you need a F2F appointment. They have carried on doing this during COVID and it's worked well. No complaints at all.

Mine has amazing. No changes regarding appointments.

Yep, always thanks to their online messaging system. They’re a brilliant surgery though and Jeremy Hunt is our MP so that probably explains it. Which is pretty shit for everyone else. But I am sure our area is not alone in having online forms. Can fill one out any time of day or night, GP decides if necessary to be seen or if can be prescribed something without being seen, or if phone call will do etc. They always err on side of caution especially with kids. Been seen lots throughout the pandemic but mostly without being seen in person. Much more efficient in my opinion as would rather not be in a germy surgery personally.

To answer your question, yes, I have, a few times since this all began unfortunately. That said, it has been so difficult for GP practices - already inundated before COVID, who have then been expected to just drop everything to deal with this crisis. I am also aware that all practices are different. Ours has long had a reputation for being one of the best.
I really like the phone appointments for some things - much better to be able to carry on with what you are doing rather than taking all the time to travel and sit and wait when they can respond based on the answers to their questions.

Our practice in London is excellent. Thankfully it's an online booking system.

I just requested an appointment for my 2 year old and got a call 10 minutes later. Booked in for next week. Cannot fault them, they've always been fab, especially with young children.

@ExPatHereForAChat

Our practice in London is excellent. Thankfully it's an online booking system.

I just requested an appointment for my 2 year old and got a call 10 minutes later. Booked in for next week. Cannot fault them, they've always been fab, especially with young children.

Ours cancelled online booking in March 2020. So you can't book any appointments online even phone ones. you have to ring and beg the doctor on the desk to give you an appt (sorry, I mean, the receptionist who doesn't triage, of course not...)

@milly74 the clinic I used to attend was like this and it was hideous. None of us could ever get appointments and we'd be on hold for at least half an hour every time we tried.

I've now been signed off for 2 months (another 4 week certificate given today) without ever seeing or speaking to a doctor.

I'm in a small town in South East and managed to get a GP appointment for end of January. Had to fill in an online form first and upload some pictures, they tried to call me the next day but missed me and have now set an appointment instead.

This thread is so sad, I've seen my gp more times this year than I have in my whole life. They've been truly brilliant.

I'm sorry to hear people are struggling. I really appreciate my practice, I called today at 2.45 and the duty GP called me at 3.20, prescribed antibiotics and asked me to send a photo. He could not have been more helpful.