My NHS experience this week

[JustDanceAddict]

You know things are bad when the Dr’s receptionist despairs of the entity she’s working for.
So DS has a couple of medical issues going on. One he was referred for ages ago, has had the preliminary tests (which he had to do for the referral to be accepted). We got the letter giving a choice of 5 hospitals but no appts in any of them, I try for a couple of weeks on and off and get nowhere. I even tried a couple directly, but they didn’t have a clue about this referral system so I gave up doing that.
in the meantime DS has symptoms of something else that I suspected was (silent) acid reflux (I have GORD so know the symptoms well). Try to get a GP appt as it can’t be left (def been getting worse). No appts at all to be had - they told me a pharmacist would call him (he’s a teenager), obv they didn’t so I called the surgery back and they said ‘idk what happened’ - great. I also asked about the referral and they said that they couldn’t do anything and to ‘keep on trying’ - I asked how long to try for - until forever? She gave some timelines (months to even gets date)? but when I expressed how frustrating it is she agreed and said ‘this is how the nhs is now’ and ‘we may work in a surgery but we are patients too’.
I asked if we wanted to get a private referral could the GP do a letter - oh yes, no problem.

In the end I got an online private GP appt for the reflux as my dh has a work benefit which supports this, he diagnosed and prescribed in 10 mins… we will have to follow up w the GP but I’ll just have to be persistent in getting an appt. I think I got the last May appt for myself just prior to trying for DS’s - with some random GPso no continuity of care there either and they all have different ideas re reflux management.

We are vvvvv lucky we can afford private healthcare (although we did take DCs off it a couple of years ago cos it was getting too £££ already) or even a private consultation/treatment (up to a point) if needs be. I feel bad for all those who have to stick w the nhs as it’s going under faster than ever now - blame the Tories, covid, bad management etc. but blame isn’t gonna help when you need the help!!

Welcome to Tory Britain!
My doctors have been rated inadequate by the CQC recently. The whole place is a complete shitshow. The trouble is, there's nowhere local we can register with that's any better. We can't afford private healthcare so now unless one of us is dying we just have to suck it up.

I'm sorry to hear your DS is unwell. I hope it's sorted soon.

The NHS is broken.

My DM has had to turn up at the hospital at 7am 8 times for her operation only to be sent home every time. It's major surgery she is waiting for. Supposedly at our super hospital.

Thanks @bunnyrabbitsandbutterflies - Tory Britain is awful - wish there was a GE coming up… My GP is generally decent as far as practices go, ie you could get an urgent appt if necessary, which would’ve been my next step but DS not always available to speak - or I’d be hanging on forever until appts have gone.
@Zingy123 - that’s awful for your DM. Hope she gets her surgery soon.

I'm a GP receptionist and had several calls yesterday from patients who had had texts from Drs saying please call to discuss your blood tests , there were no telephone call appointments on the system for 2 weeks ! Frustrating all round .

You could have gone to a pharmacy about the reflux?