Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

I'm not being unreasonable I just want to gloat re Dr's surgery

25 replies

sashh · 23/10/2013 11:25

So from time to time there are various freds about getting appointments at the GP, how awful receptionists can be etc etc.

Yesterday my carer was sick (the irony was not lost) so I drove him home, on the way I called in at the GPs to collect his prescription.

As i was collecting it I asked about a date for the next flu clinic, One of the practice nurses was having her coffee break (well her and the reception staff were all having a brew) and said, "just go through to my room, I'll do it now."

So IABU to think that this was brilliant service, and to gloat just a bit?

OP posts:

Ooddoyouthinkyouare · 23/10/2013 11:32

YANBU and your GP surgery certainly wasn't!

I could join in the Drs gloating by saying I phoned for an appt for ds & I at 8:45 this morning and we have a double one this afternoon. It's very rare to wait more than a day at our surgery so we are NEVER moving away

Lariflete · 23/10/2013 11:34

Nope, not unreasonable . I don't tend to add to the threads about awful GP surgeries / receptionists as I could write a book about ours but I have had two wonderful experiences with them in the last couple of weeks and am also feeling great about it!!!

noblegiraffe · 23/10/2013 11:36

I phoned this morning at 8 and got an appointment for 12. Have never had a problem getting the appointments I want.

We also had a choice of good primary schools. Clearly I live in some sort of golden spot.

GoldiChops · 23/10/2013 11:37

I once sent well over an hour with 4 bored kids, including a just-walker, in a very crowded waiting room waiting for a simple appointment.

A month later I popped in to find out if I could get a health letter for my volunteer position at the hospital- to prove I had had my jabs etc. I was told to expect to pay up to £50 and that it'd take a few visits to to. Practice nurse did it free of charge, right then.

Odd, the different experiences I've had! It does tend to be the nurses that are quicker- went for smear, didn't even get to open my book before I was called in. In April was referred by GP to hospital, chased it up in September, had to re-do the entire referral procedure as it'd gotten lost. Appointment is tomorrow!

Theas18 · 23/10/2013 11:38

sashh.

Yaay! Gps do get it right sometimes :)

Fakebook · 23/10/2013 11:41

Yanbu. I booked two appointments for my dad yesterday morning at 9.30 and he was given two slots at 10.30 and 10.40am on the same day to see the nurse. On Monday they opened up a slot for me to have my whooping cough vaccine on the same day as I had left it so late. This is a busy surgery in the centre of our town.

grumpalumpgrumped · 23/10/2013 11:56

My gp is also fab, 95% of the time can get same day appointment, if not gp calls you and fits you in if needed (and always if a child). Stark contrast to my old surgery who refused to see DS1 (5 mths) who was wheezing badly (was in reception at the time). Mad dash to a & e later, DS1 had bronchiolitis and a chest infection.

Callani · 23/10/2013 12:19

Our local health nurse is the fab one at our GP - I'd had recurring issues with balance which the GP didn't want to know about (kept writing it off as stress and trying to give me things to lower my blood pressure) Went to the nurse for repeat prescription and she realised the doctor had massively wrongly subscribed and figured out what was wrong with me in less than 15 minutes.

namehopping · 23/10/2013 12:24

Yup my doctors are pretty fab. You can alsways get an on the day appt.

Or the doc will call you if you don need to see them.

The nurses are all amazing and the receptionist staff are apart from one lovely

I also have fab good local schools. I too am never moving!

DoJo · 23/10/2013 14:19

Mine is great too - called at 3.50 yesterday afternoon and was in with a nurse practitioner by 4.20. I'm just sorry that I'm moving next week and will have to change as I will really miss the friendly receptionists, ample appointments and online booking and prescription ordering system...

phantomnamechanger · 23/10/2013 14:24

there was a queue nearly a hundred yards long outside a local GPs the other day, before they had even opened, because they had open flu jab clinic for surnames T-Z

I wasn't involved but I did pity all those stood waiting (some of whom presumably weak/frail/elderly/compromised in other ways!)

so gloat away!

Thurlow · 23/10/2013 14:24

Mine are lovely. Maybe it helps that it's a small surgery. They never complain that DD only ever gets ill late in the day and so we only ever take her to emergency drop in appointments. When I phoned the other day about a "woman's problem" they insisted that they find me a "nice lady doctor" to see me. And when I left DD's ab prescription in the surgery just as it was closing because I was in such a fluster, they rang my mobile and even started wandering down the street towards me to hand it over and make sure I got the ab's before the pharmacy closed!

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 23/10/2013 15:01

mine only does phone calls now, so you ring in the morning and a GP rings you back that day, decides if he / she needs to see you and arranges appointment with you, or prescribes based on the conversation. great as I can speak to a GP when I am at home / work saving hours of time getting there / back and hanging around waiting.

ifyourehoppyandyouknowit · 23/10/2013 15:12

Ours is fab, nice friendly receptionists who do their best to get you seen, specific clinics for babies/toddlers, telephone appointments and a proper, sensible, practice nurse who is a ninja at getting blood. They are a teaching surgery though, so you do see student GPs (who are all about 12 by the looks of them). I've found this to be a good thing though, as they are very keen to order tests and really get to the route of your problem (probably just hoping it's something interesting they can write about after their placement!)

We also have a fantastic walk in clinic who saw me last Christmas when I thought I Was about to die of tonsilitis and fixed me up with about a dozen bottles of calpol and some hideous antibiotics (after a telephone consultation with a Dr to check they could give me the stuff that wouldn't make me puke, since it was Christmas) and then slapped me on the wrist for not coming to see them sooner and told me to not be so silly and don't ever think I'm wasting their time. Lovely nurses.

Youarejustwordsonascreenpeople · 23/10/2013 15:56

In the country I live in we have to have medical insurance (ours is part of my DH's employment package) If I want to see a GP then we go to one of the hospitals covered by our insurance.

I had to go recently as I was having some health problems including a very swollen lymph gland. I rocked up to the GP section of our local hospital, handed over my card and took a seat. I was called to triage where they took BP, oxygen level, temp etc. and a brief history of my problem. I was given a number to go a wait. Five minutes later I was called into the GPs office where we discussed the problem. He decided I needed to have bloods taken so I took my referal off down the corridor to the phlebotomist (sp?) and waited 5 minutes to have them done. Trotted back down the corridor for another chat and was refered to the surgeon to check my lymph nodes and breasts.

So trotted across to the surgeon. Waited 10 minutes and saw the surgeon, who examined me and decided I needed an ultrasound. Trotted with my referal to the ultrasound department. Had to wait 15 minutes there to be seen by a Dr. and the ultrasound done. Back to the surgeon, I had to wait 15 minutes again, he had the ultrasound on his computer and the Dr's report on the ultrasound. Ultrasound was clear. We had a chat about what was happening and he accessed the results of my blood tests and phoned the GP and they had a discussion about the results and then prescribed me medication and advice on what I needed to be doing to get well. I collected my card and paid my fee, £4 at current interest rates and then went to the hospital pharmacy to get my prescription filled, for free.

A lot of to-ing and fro-ing but I got everything done in on hit and no months waiting round.

higgle · 23/10/2013 16:09

Our previous GP was wonderful. I remember stopping at the surgery one evening to check opening hours on the door as I drove past, as DS2 had a pain in his leg that wouldn't go away. GP was just exiting the car park as he was the last one at work that evening. When he saw me he had a chat then re-opened the surgery and examined DS - was able to reassure him nothing significant wrong and give some advice. He is retired now, he was lovely.

TheNumberfaker · 23/10/2013 16:10

I have always managed to get my girls seen the same day when they've been ill. Only times I haven't managed to get a same/next day appointment for me or DH have been when I wanted a specific doctor or a double appointment for my dd too.
Ooh no, there was one time when the whole surgery was shut but I had suspected appendicitis and it worked out better to go to the OOH at the hospital anyway.

Pixel · 23/10/2013 17:30

YAB-a bit-U, but only because my mum has just had to call an ambulance for her friend after finding her collapsed on her floor earlier today. Her GP had refused to come out even though she can barely walk even when well, and had only spoken to her on the phone 'as a favour to the nurse'. .

Original poster

sashh · 23/10/2013 17:53

Pixel

That's horrible, I ope she is OK.

OP posts:

LisasCat · 23/10/2013 17:59

I call dibs on having the best ever GP experience. He'd been my doc since I was born. I was 20, going through a bit of a rough patch, depression and self harm. He told me what I needed more than anything was some time off from worrying about uni, work, parents, friends, etc. So he invited me round to his house one afternoon, where I sat by his pool with him and his wife, while they brought me Pimms, then his son and I took their dog for a long relaxing walk. Most relaxed I'd felt in ages.

Methe · 23/10/2013 18:15

My doctors are brilliant too. Last time I called about ds we were asked to go in, examined and given a prescription within 40 minutes. Last time I called for myself it was for a breast lump and I was seen the same day after a phone triage.

We are very lucky.

LaFataMalvagia · 23/10/2013 18:21

My GP's is fab too. It's a brand new shiny health centre with 5 or 6 doctors, 2 nurses, a midwife and a health visitor. They also stay open till 8pm a few days a week and are open on a saturday morning.

Plus they are not stingy about refering you on for stuff which is really good.
When I had a pain in my breast I got an urgent referal to the breast clinic even though I'm only 25 (family history). Got to see a breast surgeon to be extra safe - it was just hormonal but I was worried.

DP and I are hoping to buy a flat in a few years. I'm actually thinking more about staying in the wonderful health centres catchment area than I will about school catchment areas.

timidviper · 23/10/2013 18:33

Our GP is ace. I have a theory that the bigger the practice, the harder it is for patients to get appointments and good treatment no matter how good the individual practitioners and staff are. He is a one-man practice with a practice nurse in the mornings and 3 receptionists who split the week between them.

They know all the patients personally, greet you by name, get appointments the same day or day after and if I ring for a prescription in the morning it will be ready at 2pm!

Oodisgonnagetya · 23/10/2013 18:50

Yes my old practice was huge and hard to get appts. Current one is a 2 man band.

neunundneunzigluftballons · 23/10/2013 19:30

My GP is fab always get a same day appointment. His secretary is totally fab. Only downside it costs 60 euro a time.

Flip