Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Does your doctor surgery still do face to face appointments?

48 replies

Ticktocktimebomb · 21/03/2023 09:51

I haven’t managed to have a face to face doctor appointment in over 3 years now. I have seen nurses for things like smear tests and jabs but it feels like GP’s have dropped off the earth. I recently found a lump and in a call with the doctor I was told it was probably a cyst and would go away on its own, it has gone away but I’m sure pre-Covid it would have at least been prodded! I’ve now tried to make another doctors appointment and was told I would be called Wednesday afternoon, no window of time given and if I couldn’t take the call I’d be wasting their time (receptionist’s words!). I work and have meetings too, surely an hours window isn’t too much to ask?

Are other parts of the country finding the same thing or are doctors appointments available, just not in my town?!

OP posts:
Sugarplumfairy65 · 21/03/2023 09:53

Face to face appointments with my gp have never stopped.
If it's urgent you can get seen same day, if not urgent within a week

HollyFern1110 · 21/03/2023 09:56

Still available, always have been. During Covid you did have to have a triage call with a GP first & they would only offer a face to face if actually needed. Now there is the option to book either a face to face appointment or a telephone appointment.

FrogsWormsandButterflies · 21/03/2023 09:57

Yep, if I phoned them now I would be seen today at some point (For an emergency)

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General health
Crispsdippedinmilk · 21/03/2023 09:57

I'd look to see if you can move, that is terrible healthcare. I've had f2f appointments several times over the last few years, normally on same day I ring up, you have the option for the telephone call appt if you want at mine, but it's not instead of f2fs its just if you feel a f2f isn't needed.

Shopper727 · 21/03/2023 09:58

I had f2f in pandemic for both myself and my son and surgery is back to only f2f appointments they are a great surgery though shocking that some haven’t got back to even some f2f appointments

MajorCarolDanvers · 21/03/2023 10:00

Sugarplumfairy65 · 21/03/2023 09:53

Face to face appointments with my gp have never stopped.
If it's urgent you can get seen same day, if not urgent within a week

Same here although non-urgent can take a bit longer than a week.

Haven't had any problems getting face to face appointments when urgent. Especially if happy to see the nurse.

DonkeyOatie · 21/03/2023 10:02

Mine doesn't even answer the phone after 8am.All you get is a recorded message saying they are at 'red capacity' and to go to A and E if its an emergency.

HyacinthineMacaw · 21/03/2023 10:04

Ours never stopped, but did initiate a phone triage system which they have kept - and it works really well. You phone up in the morning to get out on the triage list, and the duty doctor calls you the same morning. They then decide if they can solve things there and then on the phone, or make a face to face appointment for a suitable date - which will be the same day if necessary.

I’ve been seen face to face twice in the past 8 weeks and had two further phone calls.

Our local GPs are fantastic and are working themselves into the ground while carrying a vacancy which increases each of their workloads by a third. Nobody wants to become a GP now, and I can’t blame them.

HollyFern1110 · 21/03/2023 10:05

DonkeyOatie · 21/03/2023 10:02

Mine doesn't even answer the phone after 8am.All you get is a recorded message saying they are at 'red capacity' and to go to A and E if its an emergency.

Out of interest, what do you do if you want a prescription or test results etc? Is there a separate number for that? I've heard of surgeries putting a recorded message on but not everyone will be calling for an appointment.

Jules912 · 21/03/2023 10:09

Yes, though they do normally make you do a telephone appointment first for most stuff.

newtb · 21/03/2023 10:10

Yes, never stopped, right through covid. But, I'm in France

Grumpybutfunny · 21/03/2023 10:12

Ours do including same day appointments if you can get passed the receptionist! Wish they still did book online.

alloalloallo · 21/03/2023 10:33

Ours is a bit hit and miss.

The practice nurses are fabulous and we have no problems seeing them.

The GPs - seem to be impossible to get a f2f with.

My daughter has some complex health issues so we regularly see the ANP but she can’t deal with everything. Even the ANP wants DD to see a GP, but she’s not getting anywhere with a f2f appointment either so a few times we’ve had to take DD to the urgent treatment centre at the hospital in order to actually see a GP.

I use e-consult a lot for queries, requests for medication, etc and they’re fab at getting back to me that way.

It’s a bit of a reoccurring theme from talking to local friends and then there’s always someone ranting in FB groups with zillions of replies agreeing with them - that at our surgery is particularly difficult to get a f2f appointment with a GP

Original poster
Ticktocktimebomb · 21/03/2023 10:38

It sounds like my surgery is in the minority. I’m sure they do the odd face to face but I don’t know how to get one. I find the whole call back system appalling as well. I’m sure it works fine for people who don’t work and who can drop everything to answer a call but for most people it is massively inconvenient. The GP won’t even call back if you miss them, I had to answer the phone while I was on the toilet the other day. Grrrr

OP posts:
MissyB1 · 21/03/2023 10:46

Seems to be a postcode lottery. Ours do f2f in theory actually those appointments don’t seem to exist 🤔 I tried to book one for a dodgy looking mole, I was happy to wait 3 or 4 weeks but even then there was nothing available 🤷‍♀️ I had to go private which is what I presume the Government want

GooseberryCinnamonYogurt · 21/03/2023 10:54

Im gobsmacked - I rang my go this morning at 9 to request an appointment. I got one for midday today!

GooseberryCinnamonYogurt · 21/03/2023 10:55

GooseberryCinnamonYogurt · 21/03/2023 10:54

Im gobsmacked - I rang my go this morning at 9 to request an appointment. I got one for midday today!

*gp

And it's not an emergency need!

drpet49 · 21/03/2023 10:56

Sugarplumfairy65 · 21/03/2023 09:53

Face to face appointments with my gp have never stopped.
If it's urgent you can get seen same day, if not urgent within a week

Same here

Youaremysonshine · 21/03/2023 10:57

Never stopped x

Rebel2 · 21/03/2023 10:57

Yes, saw a GP this Sunday

Sugarplumfairy65 · 21/03/2023 10:57

HollyFern1110 · 21/03/2023 10:05

Out of interest, what do you do if you want a prescription or test results etc? Is there a separate number for that? I've heard of surgeries putting a recorded message on but not everyone will be calling for an appointment.

Show quote history

That can all be done online surely?

Jules912 · 21/03/2023 11:00

Ticktocktimebomb · 21/03/2023 10:38

It sounds like my surgery is in the minority. I’m sure they do the odd face to face but I don’t know how to get one. I find the whole call back system appalling as well. I’m sure it works fine for people who don’t work and who can drop everything to answer a call but for most people it is massively inconvenient. The GP won’t even call back if you miss them, I had to answer the phone while I was on the toilet the other day. Grrrr

That does seem particularly poor - ours gives a two hour slot for telephone appointments (not great but I wfh so can live with it, and if you ask the receptionist nicely they'll tell you where you are on the list), and if you miss it they'll do the next patient and then try again.

premicrois · 21/03/2023 11:03

We can't. It's triage with the GP who will decide and bring you in if they think it's needed. I can't be managing these appointments so I don't bother. I am autistic and I need a face to face consultation for anything new or unpredictable. I just don't bother.

premicrois · 21/03/2023 11:03

Oh and we have no online service at all.

cocksstrideintheevening · 21/03/2023 11:04

No idea, I haven't been able to get through on the phone since pre covid when I've needed to. I thankfully now have a private GP online service through work and have been able to get an appointment within a couple of hours when I've needed it, including on holiday when both kids had ear infections on holiday and the prescription was sent to the local pharmacy and I just had to pick it up. The surgery itself still looks like fort knox, all the front lights are off / blinds shut and you have to ring to get admitted.

It was a brilliant surgery pre covid, they always squeezed my daughters in when needed (they had a lot of chest issues when small) and I had no issues getting an appointment for me.

Swipe left for the next trending thread