Have you given up on NHS GP and switched to private?

[LaSourciereEfrontee]

We used to have an amazing GP surgery. We knew the two GP’s running our village practice, could easily get in touch for information or an appointment, just before she retired one amazing GP spotted early sepsis in my baby son, and maybe saved his life.

Fast forward five years. All the staff have changed. It’s mostly staffed by locums and it is impossible to make contact. All appointments now are via limited daily online triage slots, which means waiting about all day for a call back (tricky when you are meeting your own clients all day.) And more often than not, after a brief phone call, but sometimes not even that it’s either a prescription left at the front desk, or an initial nurse appointment (the nurses are great, but not if you want to see your doctor.) All the other services, like routine screenings are still good, it’s just GP access that is impossible.

A private GP practice has just opened up about twenty minutes away and the difference in service is like night and day. We can make an online appointment for a face to face visit on the same day, and it’s so calm and friendly. The GP’s are great (one worked at our old practice) and have time to really listen.

Luckily, we are in pretty good health so only need a few visits a year. Despite the cost (and I do know how lucky we are to afford it), we’ve decided to move across to the private practice and it feels like a such a relief knowing that there is one time and and admin can rule out of my life. And we probably won’t be any worse off as I can choose appointment times and not have to cancel my own (freelance) work.

Anyone else made the switch? What have been your experiences?

We have used a private online GP for things like earache and tonsillitis and kidney infections as you can’t seem to get an appointment with ours.

Our surgery seems to have bought out 5 other surgeries in the area and they are so awful. They can’t even provide a semi decent service for one practice!

Our dentist practices are being swallowed up by big companies ditto veterinary services. I shouldn't be surprised that GPs are going the same way sigh ..

My friend bought her way into a GP practice took her a good few years to raise the necessary monies. Once she had made partner, dropped to three days a week, now does two days a week.

I’m lucky as we have at the a good NHS GP - yes there is a system in place to filter apt but we’ve had no issues when needed to be seen.

But the system does seem broken - I was referred for an apt to hospital in January. I suffered from something many many years ago it was thought as just one of those things. In January one of my parents also suffered the same medical episode. It is now thought to be genetic and needs checking. Both my siblings (one south one north) have been seen and pending results. Even though I could be at a higher risk I still haven’t been seen (London area) :( frustratingly I could use my husband private insurance but they need to view my original NHS notes so currently stuck in a system.