Accessing the local GP

[Wishihadanalgorithm]

Morning all. I’m after some advice for how to get a doctor’ appointment. The practice has limited online booking tools and I can’t book online to see a GP.

I have to call up at 8.00am and today I have just done this to be told I have 30+people in front of me and by the time I spoke to the receptionist there were no appointments available.
You have to call on the day and if lucky enough, the doctor will call back. If doctor thinks it’s worthwhile they will then book you in for that day.

I have tried to book in advance but been told different things by the receptionists. Either I call exactly one week before for a pre-bookable appointment (Wednesday for the following Wednesday) or I call on the Monday for the entire following week. Either way - I still haven’t managed to get an appointment. Prebookable appointments are very limited (9 a day?).

So guys what do I do? I work every day except Wednesday so don’t have flexibility but I do need to see a doctor - menopause stuff so not an emergency but I do need to see someone.

This system doesn’t work and all I can think of is people who will struggle to get appointments - the elderly or those with SEN.

Will using the practice complaints system actually get things improved?

I also are my rights for accessing a GP? (Touchwood I’ve never really been ill in the last 3 years so not needed to see one).

I’m feeling pretty low about this now so any useful advice would be appreciated.

Sorry about typos- forgot to check in preview before hitting post!

Change practice? Yours sounds rubbish.

in my experience it is a total impossibility to get any kind of ocntact with a GP anymore.
I have paid to access a private online GP on the last 2 occassions I have needed to see a GP as it was so impossible. I really feel for those not in a position to do this though. The long term effects on the health of the population is going to be catastrophic.sad

Write a letter, specify your reasons for needing an appointment and ask that they contact you to make an appointment. Detail your attempts to get an appointment.

I only communicate with my GP this way now.

(Before anyone suggests an e consult, not all surgeries have it, none in my area do.)

Mine’s so busy it can take days to get anything other than an engaged tone on the phone.

The last phone appointment I had, the GP didn’t ring. Same for DP.

I assume they are very short staffed again.

It’s a GP primary care crisis. I’m thinking about using 111 for advice, as I have sutures need looking at. I think you may have to consider that, OP. Some menopause symptoms can be extremely debilitating. It’s your NHS too. Good luck.

Change practice.

Ask on your local area Facebook page for recommendations of practices that have bookable appointments.

My practice uses e-consults alongside face to face appointments and they are brilliant for non-urgent things, you are guaranteed a response within 48hrs and they will book a face to face if necessary. You can book face to face online too but I haven't tried that yet. They will also book over the phone and this is now easier because some of the routine appointments are done online.

Mine are great. You can message and often get an immediate response, and the phone does get answered. It can be done.

If your GP is crap then complain, first to the practice manager but also to your local commissioners, Healthwatch, the CQC and/or NHS England.

Thanks for the advice folks. I was starting to think I’m in some sort of crazy, dystopian drama. I actually feel like I could cry now and I never cry!

Going to walk the dog in a bit and then think about composing an email.