To think that making a doctor appointment should be easy...

[frenchisbest]

Spend half the night last night looking after my 2 yo dd who had a bad cough, some temp and a bit of throwing up... So first thing this morning decided to make a doctor appointment as she had atsma last winter and had a cough since xmas and really just wanted to make sure that she was ok.
Anyway called my doctor surgery at 7am this morning and use the automated service to make appointment, none till friday... Ok I thought, will call surgery and try to make a earlier one.. From 8.30, called every 30 min and didn't get through till 11.. To be told that she couldn't be seen today or tomorrow but to try the automated service after 6 where they will open some times for tomorrow?? When I asked her why it is so difficult to be seen she said that it was a busy surgery and the way they operate... No apology or anything, surely that explain why so many parents take their children to A&E to get a prescription when their children cant be seen...

Do they have an online booking system as well?? It's stupid, I'd complain. Who the hell is up at 6am?

if she's got a temp and is throwing up, you don't want to do normal GP - ring NHS direct and try to get a referral.

Nope no online system, she was much better this morning and just still coughing... But if it start again tonight will do the NHS referal thing, nearly did last night, but thought it would be stupid for a cold...
Thank you for your answer though..

I don't think they owed you an apology, but even if they did you would be expecting a bit much from a surgery receptionist. Ime, they all think they have honorary medical degrees.

I think your mistake was phoning every half hour. The only way to get an appointment at our surgery is to phone at 8.30 on the dot and keep pressing redial until you get through. If that doesn't work, I ask for a phonecall from the doctor who will decide if it needs an appointment and then make one for that day themselves, usually at the end of the day.

You just need to suss out the system at your surgery and then play it!

Thats awful. When I lived in London it was like that. Couldnt get an appointment for a fortnight. Pointless.
Where I live now is brilliant (in Cambridgeshire) I ring up at 8.30 and can always get an appointment same day. I sometimes have to ring constantly for twenty minutes but still, I love that if theres something wrong with me or the kids I dont have to worry about waiting too long.
I hope she gets better soon

Mondays are always a nightmare to get appointments. I call back every 30 seconds not minutes if it's engaged

Yes, it is unhelpful but as Kitchenroll said, start ringing when lines open and press redial until you get through is the only way! Hope DD better soon.

Yes, it is unhelpful but as Kitchenroll said, start ringing when lines open and press redial until you get through is the only way! Hope DD better soon.

yeah keep ringing constantly... most of the receptionists are lovely at our drs but there is 2 who i'm sure take great delight in refusing appointments... today all i wanted was some paracetemol for ds, he can't have calpol so i cant just buy some for him, hes on his last bottle... looks like a trip to A and E for some if this temp if his temp keeps high like this nurofen isnt working x