How long is the current waiting time at your doctor surgery?

[HesarealJacquelineHigh]

Like most, if not all, we now have to submit an online request that gets triaged by the reception team. I submitted one this morning and have just been told that someone will ring me back within 8-12 weeks. Madness

I called mine the other day around 2pm. They only had emergency appointments left for that day but I explained what was going on and they got me in for less than 3 hours later. If it wasn’t deemed an emergency I’m guessing I’d have been in the next day or the week after (it was a Thursday I went).

I submitted the request at 8am on a Tuesday morning, got a call back by 9am and saw a doctor by 11.30am, was referred for an x ray. Went to the drop in clinic at 8am on the Thursday and was seen and out by 8.15am.
This is in North London. I’m so so utterly grateful for the NHS, it was such a swift and painless experience!

Same day

I haven't had to do an urgent appointment recently. I asked for my named doctor for a non urgent appointment when I called last week and I was given an appointment in 4 weeks' time. If I'd been happy to see a registrar or locum I would probably have been seen sooner.

I was told by a nurse in the doctors ( a friend) the reason the receptionist asks what’s wrong is so they can direct you to the right person who deals with these reasons

On Tuesday, I rang the surgery at about 8 am, was immediately given an appointment to see a doctor at 9:10 am. I wasn’t working that day and had hoped for a bit more of a lie-in but thought it best not to quibble.

🤔 wonder what would happen if we had to pay for medical advice, then again I would be dead anyway as ive no money

I filled in the online form at 8am as I had symptoms of a UTI. I got a phone call at 8.30am asking me to come in at 11am with a urine sample. I saw the ANP and got antibiotics. Great service I thought.

I called and just got told no appointments, try again tomorrow! I went private because I am working and can’t put everything aside to hang on a phone!

GP service is broken. I’m a liaison mental health nurse and see so many people who couldn’t get a GP appointment so come to A&E! Even had someone yesterday with low mood who was advised to come here by the receptionist! Whilst we can give people time, signpost to support services and make referrals, we aren’t prescribers so end up assessing and writing to the GP advising them to review and prescribe! It’s not fair for patients!

Either on the day or three weeks, there doesn’t seem to be a middle option. They are brilliant for on the day though.

Don't know if there's an online booking system, but the longest I've had to wait was about 2 weeks, and that was for a very non-urgent thing.

I’m wondering if you’re in the south west too OP, as we have a 8 week wait for an appointment at our local GP.
If you call them, they just have a message to say call at 8am to get triaged, but by the time you get through, all the appointments have gone.
It’s absolutely ridiculous. I wish I had the money to go private.

@Bookaholic73 yes in the south west, in Somerset. Looks like we’ve drawn the short straw for having a good area!

When we do an on line form we immediately get a message back saying will contact you by 18:00 the next day. Both my husband and I have had to do this last week. I sent mine on Monday morning and they phoned me on Tuesday morning offering a face to face appointment for that evening. I was quite unwell and needed antibiotics. My husband’s request was less urgent and as he didn’t actually need to be examined they arranged a phone appointment for him 2 days later. I’m not the world’s greatest I.T. Person by any means but I find this much better than hanging on the phones for days and if you don’t constantly get the engaged signal, you get through only to be told you are 25 in the queue.

Admittedly I'm in Ireland and pay €65 for a GP visit (but have pivate health insurance which re-imburses 50%). I phoned yesterday afternoon, got an appointment for 2pm today. Need a further appointment to get bloods taken and got that for Monday morning.

Yes it's expensive but I never wait more than a few days for an appointment.

Very lucky in that I havent requested an appointment for 16 years.

Last year DD phoned and was told to phone back in two weeks. Told her she had to spell out why she needed an appointment - she was told the same thing. However, she had a call that afternoon from GP saying they'd see her two days later, so our practice obviously checks why someone needs to be seen. Once she got in, they were brilliant, the GP kept her in his room until another GP was available for assessment.

I think the GPs would counter that Mental Health services are broken!

Same day. All patients get a phone triage call which either results in an appointment later on that day or it gets passed to a support service such as physio etc.

Everyone has to fill in an online form first prior to getting a call back.

It works really well.

Usually have to wait about 6 weeks for an appointment (although you would probably get an emergency appointment pretty quickly).

Years ago, you could get a blood test, results and follow up appointment all within the same week. Now that takes about 3 months and I was just wondering how it’s all gone so wrong…

I phoned on Monday and got an appointment on Wednesday morning. However, I paid €65 for the appointment (ROI).

How does it work if you need a medical cert. for your workplace? If I'm on sick leave, I have to submit a cert. if I'm out longer than two days. My company wouldn't be too happy if I told them they would have to wait eight week for a cert. Or do you just request a cert. from the receptionist?

About a week to book one in advance or you can call at 8:30am and get one on the day.

It depends. For anything fairly important we have to message before 10am and can get an appointment at the end of the day. Phone calls can be two weeks. Otherwise we get told we're on a waiting list and will be sent a text message to make an appointment 3-4 weeks later.
What annoys me is that I can no longer make a routine appointment over the phone for 2/3 weeks time so it fits in with me / my teens schedules. Like I did for 40yrs of my life.

I’m very interested to see the range of responses and it would be good to know the geography of these too.
My surgery is very good, incredible really. South East England.

Same day for urgent appointment. Have to phone before opening in morning to be triaged.
Routine appointment within week.