Why is it so bloody hard to get a Dr appointment??

[ginmakesitallok]

So - called this am from 8. Got through at 8.04 - all morning appointments gone. Told to call back at 11 for pm appointment. Get through at 11.06 - all pm appointments gone. I can book an appointment- but will be 2 weeks til I get one, or try again tomorrow. FFS - no wonder people don't go unless it's an emergency.

No NHS Direct here - NHS24 advice would be to go see GP (!)

Don't get me wrong - when I've needed appointments in the past for the kids my GP as been really good. It's just a shame that the one time I'm worried about something I can't get to see them.

When I ring, for whatever reason, if I am told there are no appointments left for that day, I say 'oh right, it's just that there is blood in my wee and I'm a bit worried'. Suddenly the doc is free. They are just screening for timewasters.

OP, I could have written your post. I ring my doctors, it is engaged, i ring again as fast as possible, engaged, and on and on. I usually manage to dial at least 20 times before the phone rings, at which point there are no appointments left for the whole day. I have had to ask the receptionist before 'Are you saying every single appointment for every single doctor is gone in 4 minutes?' 'Yes.' she replies.

To make matters more frustrating if that is possible our doctors surgery has expanded to double the size, by opening another doctors surgery 5 miles from the first there are twice as many doctors, and twice as many nurses, and regardless of which doctors you actually ring, they can make appointments for either surgery, so I can ring surgery A and be given an appointment at surgery B if I can get to that surgery and vice versa, I am prepared to go to either surgery so no problem there, at any time of the day, yet it is like finding the holy grail getting an appointment.

GPs are patients too. We know what it's like from both sides. I have had trouble getting appointments, battling through various systems and understand how difficult it is. However we're all working flat out. I had

GPs are patients too. We know what it's like from both sides. I have had trouble getting appointments, battling through various systems and understand how difficult it is. However we're all working flat out. I had contact with over 70 patients today, 32 face to face and the rest on the phone. Many of us are find it difficult to cope with increasing demand from patients (higher expectations, fewer nuclear families for support, every magazine article saying to see your gp etc) and hospitals (to take over parts of their jobs). There aren't enough gps to just 'employ more', in my area there are lots of vacant posts and many gps are going part time for the sake of their health because they're reaching burnout.

I've just come on to back up Nightfalls - I'm not a GP but I'm married to one. He also deals with the same kind of number of patients Nightfalls sees a day. He works bloody hard and I am very proud of him.

He has to deal with crap and abuse regularly although he has he fair share of lovely patients too. Every day his clinics are full - every single appointment every day. The only time he gets a free appointment is when a patient doesn't turn up. But he loves his job, he loves helping people, he loves making a difference and when he needs to see a Dr he has to ring up his surgery and make an appointment too just like everyone else.

Our surgery is brilliant tbh - unless you want to see a specific Dr, they always get you an appropriate appointment and they have duty GP and Nurse practioner for emergencies. Can also book appointments online which is fab

OP I you need to absolutely insist you get an apt asap. Here if you call the OOH doc once the surgery has closed, they can make apts for you at the local walk-in centre, I've done that a few times for DS.

At my GP's you can usually get an apt that day BUT you need to sit on the phone constantly redialing before you finally get through at 8.30 or 2pm. I often call with my mobile and my landline phone at the same time! I know before I've been on hold so long on one phone that I've called with the other (whilst still on hold) and the second phone has been answered straight away!!!!! So clearly there is no sensible phone queuing system...

I don't understand why they don't seen to have any apts put to one side for things like medication reviews. Unless I'm happy to wait for a month, I need to use the am/pm queue for a routine apt. And that's really not good if you have to take time off work but you might not get an apt till 11.30.

I totally understand how busy the practices are, but I'm sure there is a more efficient way of doing it!

I had a simalar problem with my old GP practice (the best one in the town). I had surgery in July and 1week later I coudn't walk with the pain so I phoned the GP up and was told the next availible appointment was 3 weeks. I told them I couldn't walk still it was 3 weeks time.

I then found another GP practice that is not very well known and phoned up and a GP came out within 2 hours and got me admitted to hospital.

I have stayed with that GP practice, they might not be the best GPs (well one of them is brilliant) but they are open 8-8 7days a week (including bank holidays and christmas). I can phone up on the morning for an appointment and get one by that afternoon.

Have you tried phoning other GP Practices up and asking how you book appointments with them?

Demand is too great I'm afraid. We have a generation of people who expect to see a Dr within minutes of developing a symptom, and sadly they seem to be the ones who get through on the phone first. Trust me, GPs are working harder than ever before, most people can't even begin to imagine how hard. And we are not rolling in money. We are running faster and faster just to stand still, it's a bloody nightmare.

My gp practice is excellent and I have no idea how given the rapidly expanding population. There's a slight issue that most of the gps work part time so that if you have an ongoing condition it can be a few days to see your own gp, but in an emergency there always seems to be a gp to see.

I can always get an appointment to see my GP the same day - because he is so utterly crap that everyone else books to see one of the other GPs.

Must get around to finding a decent one - even if it means waiting for appointments.

Ours is pretty grim too.... you can usually get an appt on the day to see a nurse if you ring on the dot at 8am. I will always see a nurse as they will then pass you through to a dr if they are unsure/if its not something they can deal with.

Routine appointments are a nightmare however. I have just had a prescription refused as they say I need a review but couldnt get an appointment with the GP for 3 weeks. I will then be told I need bloods done which will mean another 2-3 week wait as they wont do them until I have seen the GP.

The hospital is even worse. I have had 7 letters this week cancelling and re-arranging 2 consultant appts. I have waited 14 months so far for my 6 month review and have still not seen the consultant for a follow up/results following a colonoscopy last May. DS was due to see the paediatrician in January and I have today had a letter cancelling his (re-arranged) appointment at the end of May - despite the HV being concerned about his poor weight gain.

It's almost impossible to get an appt at our practice. Ring at 8am, engaged, finally get through, no appointments left, ring tomorrow at 8am......it can go on for weeks.

They changed the system at one point which was great as you could book up to a week in advance (handy when you need to take time off work, and was much easier to actually get seen) but apparently too many people complained so they changed it back...wtf?

Who complained I wonder, the I-have-a-sniffle-must-be-seen-today-I-need-antibiotics-crew? I knew someone years ago who actually told me she was thinking of going to A & E because she'd had a sore throat for over a week! She was forever at the surgery, wasting doctors time. (Thinking about it, my ex mil was too...she should have lived there).

I need to go at the moment for three seperate problems so I need three appointments, should be fun

But what about the 48 hour access to primary care which GPs get paid for in Scotland? If there are too many timewasters ten GPs sould have systems in place to deal with them?

Got an appointment for 9 this morning, it's with a GP who doesn't usually "deal with these things" but how bad can he be??

Don't get this at our surgery - I always get a same-day appointment whatever time I ring (for the DCs).

YANBU. Agree with thefroggy

Well that was a lot of help He said it's probably just a "blip", did a preg test (-ve) Despite me telling him there was no way I was pregnant. Says to see how it goes and if not sorted out in a couple of months to get an appointment with the lady Dr who deals with women's health. This bleeding is much heavier than my normal period now, but guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens.

No, that's rubbish.

I asked earlier, is there a GUM clinic near you? I really think you need an opinion from someone who actually knows something about women's health.

I'd def go to a GUM clinic - they are excellent at gynae stuff, and often you can walk in. Google sexual health clinic and your area

You need to be referred to our GUM clinic by GP - no direct access.

Then I think you should make an appointment now with your GP who deals with women's health -- even if you have to wait a month for the appointment. Definitely don't wait a couple months.

Is there not any sexual health clinic in your area? Something at a hospital you can self-refer to?

Ours are brilliant - phoned this morning at 8.30, saw my Dr at 10.50.

They do bookable appointments between 8.30 - 10.45 and 2.00 - 4.00. These can be booked up to a month in advance (and if the computer says no then they make a note and book for you as soon as possible). Then there are appointments on the day the rest of the time that you can phone up for and book either in the morning or the afternoon.

If you can't see your own Dr, then there's always a duty Dr, and they operate over 2 sites too, so you can always go to the other site to see somebody.

They are brilliant - cover a huge area with lots of people and still never any trouble getting to see somebody