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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Doctors Surgeries

52 replies

pumpkinsweetie · 05/11/2013 06:56

We all wonder why A & E is filled with people.
Aibu to think not being able to get a doctors appointments is unbelievable & stupid?

I changed doctors recently due to this and it seems i have signed up to another idiotic gps.

Dd has been complaining of a stomach ache for more than a week. I have tried calpol, i have tried lactulose thinking it was constipation. She has no temperature but has become down, stopped eating & even got sent home from school yesterday.

So i did what any parent does and phoned for an appointment at my new gp surgery and these were the words spouted by the roadblock of a receptionist.
"We only have prebookable appointments available, the earliest being 2 weeks friday"- wtaf i thought to myself still being polite i said "sorry but that is too far away i need a closer appointment"

Receptionist "can't do that sorry, ring back tomorrow at 8am but i doubt you will be able to get through on the phone"
I was left puzzled by this and her next sentence astounded me all the more "if you would like to come in before 8, say 7 and wait in the waiting room in the possibility you may get an appointment, which you may not could you do that"

Wtaf, i have kids to get to school and no car, how the hell is that possible. Again being polite i said i'm rather worried about her and i know something isn't right so i will phone in the morning anyway. Receptionist says nothing and we end the conversation on the phone.

My dd 7 is really not well and i will not stand for this. If i don't get through this morning i shall be turning up after school run and sitting at the surgery until i see someone.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 05/11/2013 06:59

Problem is what do you want them to do? If there aren't enough appointments to go around they can hardly make them magically appear!

Having to phone on the morning for an emergency appointment is a pretty standard system.

Crowler · 05/11/2013 07:01

Two weeks for a 7 year old is too long.

You need to call just as it opens this morning, though. As Sirzy says, this is standard. You may need to let the receptionist know that you mean business.

Lilacroses · 05/11/2013 07:03

I have no idea how they do it but my newish surgery nearly always has appts on the day. It is fantastic. I left my last gps after 20 years because of the issues you describe. That and never being able to see my own Dr which is difficult if you have a long term health issue.

CrohnicallyTired · 05/11/2013 07:04

Sirzy- how about a system like my doctors? Almost ALL dr appointments are bookable on the day. There are a few prebookable evening appointments available once or twice a week, but that's it. You phone on the day, and get an appointment that day, emergency or not. Yes, it's a PITA sometimes phoning at 8am, but I think there have only been one or 2 occasions when I haven't been able to get an appointment, and then I have phoned up the next day/in the afternoon and got one.

OP- do you have a walk in centre nearby? The whole point of those is that you can get a same day appointment without having to visit A and E.

Laurel1979 · 05/11/2013 07:08

Unfortunately no matter how many appointments are made available, they will inevitably get booked up. Demand for appointments rises every year which unfortunately has led to a system whereby you have to ring on the day for an urgent appointment.

Sirzy · 05/11/2013 07:09

But that's a daft system too really - if you know you need a check up in 3 weeks why do you need to wait to book? That makes it hard for people who need to arrange time off for a regular appointment.

There is no such thing as a perfect system especially if a practice has more patients/demand than they have appointments for

Crowler · 05/11/2013 07:23

I've had fairly good luck in booking non-emergency adult appointments with about a two week lead time.

I was told at Chelsea Westminster a few years ago that I couldn't come to them for UTI's anymore because I had come too many times. I said to the nurse: would you be happy to wait a week for an anti-biotic when you have a UTI? I was pretty taken aback by that, not impressed.

But I rarely have a problem getting my kids in to see the GP on short notice.

Original poster
pumpkinsweetie · 05/11/2013 07:28

I know phoning at 8 is standard but to be told i won't get through is a silly thing for her to say as must be able to get through at some point between 8-8:30. Will do ring back if i can.

I have no walk in near me anymore, so failing this i will give it 2 days of trying to book in with gps then a & e it will be.

OP posts:
TheWickedWitchOfTheWest · 05/11/2013 07:31

I don't understand how if some GP surgeries can make it work well for their patients, why can't they all? Confused There are obviously systems that work so why aren't adopted by all surgeries? It's a no brainer! My GP surgery is really good, (have been with them for over 10 years). They have an automated system that lets book with any doctor of your choice weeks in advance and also lets you cancel appointments. You can also speak to the receptionist and get an appointment weeks in advance or get a same day appointment (which can also be booked via the automated system). AND the receptionists are lovely! Shock If they can make it work (and they're very popular in an inner city area) why can't other surgeries?

Excited85 · 05/11/2013 07:40

I'm not sure there is an easy way for surgeries to organise them. Mine is a 'ring at 8am' system which is logistically difficult though tbh it isn't usually an issue as by the time I get through all apts are usually gone.

Does your surgery allow you to call back early aft for any cancellations? Might be worth a try and the more you call the more they might get the message.

Wrt being unable to get an appointment, a few years back I found a lump in my breast, doc said as I was young it was probably nothing and to return in a month if still there but he doubted it would be. One long month later it was still there and worried sick rang the docs daily for nearly 2 weeks for an appointment to no avail. I only got one in the end as I broke down to the receptionist and I think my tears convinced her to squeeze me in. Sometimes you can get lucky with a helpful receptionist but there really should be a better system than the luck of which 8am phone calls get through to the switchboard first. Unfortunately I've no idea of a solution to this.

Tee2072 · 05/11/2013 07:40

It is possible and I have never waited more than 2 days for an appointment and only once have not gotten a same day appointment by calling first thing.

You've found another crap GP. Change again but this time write a letter of complaint to the Practice Manager and the Trust the office falls under.

Until people complain, nothing will change. It is possible to do this correctly.

Sirzy · 05/11/2013 07:47

Different surgeries have different amounts of patients, and patients with different levels of need so you can't necessarily apply the same system to all.

And if someone has been ill for over a week without it suddenly getting much worse then no matter what that isn't a job for a and e - that is why they are so over stretched!

Weegiemum · 05/11/2013 07:50

My dh is a GP, and he sees any emergency type stuff, and all children, on the day. Anyone else next day or if very busy, within 48 hrs. In a rural area (so long distances for house calls etc) and he's currently single-handed in a 1.5 doctor practice.

Our own GP, on the other hand, is shite. I have regular appointments for a neurological problem and in 18 months I've never seen the same doc twice (had to move surgeries when we moved house). I hate them.

Mumofalittlegirl · 05/11/2013 07:52

I don't understand why GPs have appointments and why they don't just run open clinics. Appointments are 10mins long, some people only need 2mins to get a repeat or get a rash checked. It would make far more sense to only run open clinics IMO

Sirzy · 05/11/2013 07:55

Ye coz having to sit for 3 or 4 hours with a sick child is a perfect system!

At our GP appointments are only 5 minutes and the vast majority of the time running late anyway!

Tee2072 · 05/11/2013 07:57

Or a sick child and a well child, sirzy!

Mumofalittlegirl · 05/11/2013 07:57

At least you're guaranteed to be seen that day though. And yes you have to sit for a couple of hours (the surgeries here open at 730 and as long as you've booked in by 1030 you're see ) but better that than sat at home for days worrying or clogging up A&E with a child who has a cold

Sirzy · 05/11/2013 08:00

If a child (not a tiny baby or someone with other health conditions) has a cold they shouldn't be seeing anyone GP or a and e - that is a massive part of the problem that people misuse the services!

CogitoErgoSometimes · 05/11/2013 08:02

Obviously you've got a badly managed surgery. Mine offers a triage system. Call with the problem, a GP calls you back and decides if you need to come in. Same day appointment follows.

BTW Last time I went I was horrified to learn from my GP that some people book themselves a weekly visit whether they're even sick or not. Clogs up the system and there's nothing the GP can do about it. Charging has to be on the cards.

Mumofalittlegirl · 05/11/2013 08:03

I totally agree. However. Others see fit to see the GP for silly things like that, they always will and the best solution to ensure everyone gets seen is to run open clinics

Featherbag · 05/11/2013 08:04

Why not try the out of hours service once your GP has closed for the day if you can't get an appointment? Please don't be yet another one of those people who use A&E when they know it's not appropriate, as I bet you'd also complain about the wait to be seen in a genuine emergency!

WooWooCaChoo · 05/11/2013 08:05

Our GP surgery used to operate like that. They received loads of formal complaints and in the end they totally changed the system.
Now you have to ring before 9 with your problem, then the doctor will call you back and see if it can be dealt with over the phone. If not then you get an appointment for that day or maybe the day after if they're chocca.

Works really well now, everyone's happy.

Maybe you could suggest it to yours?

Sirzy · 05/11/2013 08:05

It is far from the best solution, actually I think it's the worst solution!

lagoonhaze · 05/11/2013 08:05

No advice on gp but have you considered threadworms?

Mumofalittlegirl · 05/11/2013 08:09

Why is it the worst though? Leaving booking in open until 1030 means people can do the school/nursery run, opening at 730 means the workers can be seen.

They still have prebookables for repeat appointments still run clinics with the nurse and still open in the evenings for appointments only. It's just morning surgeries are run as an open clinic and it works really very well.