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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be surprised by how difficult it is to get (non-urgent) medical attention?

298 replies

VelvetSpoon · 28/05/2014 18:43

I phoned my GP surgery today to make an appointment.

I am not ill, it is not life threatening. However, it is something that ideally I would prefer to arrange sooner rather than later.

The next available appointment is on 10 June.

The surgery used to operate open appointments on certain mornings (between 8.30-9.30 I think) where you could turn up and wait to be seen. This has now been replaced by an arrangement where you call in on the morning, and there are 10 appointments available (so if you're caller 11, hard luck). However, the next one of those is not til next Tues Hmm and of course absolutely no guarantee I'll even get seen then.

I asked if there were any other options - yes, apparently I can attend a local clinic. Great, I thought. Except it then transpires the local clinics only see the under 25s Hmm Angry

I was left feeling distinctly unimpressed, and still no closer to actually seeing a Dr! Oh, and to add insult to injury, the only appt they had on the 10th is at 1pm, too early to get to if I take an afternoon off, and too late to get to work in time if I have the morning off. Surely I should not have to take an entire day off for a (pretty routine) Dr's appointment, and have to wait 2 bloody weeks for it?!!

OP posts:
TheUnburnt · 28/05/2014 20:22

Wow, I never realised it was so hard to get appointments and some surgeries! I love my surgery, have been with them for about 12 years. They have an automated phone system where you can ring up and get an appointment with your preferred GP up to a month in advance. Or they release new appointments for that day at midnight and you can usually get a same day appointment through that, or you can ring the surgery at 8am and usually get a same day appointment.

TheUnburnt · 28/05/2014 20:22

with some not and some

SpottyTeacakes · 28/05/2014 20:22

Maid you're right. I had someone who wanted to bring their dc in for a mosquito bite (immediately at 6pm duty doc was out on emergency visit) she wasn't too pleased when I advised the pharmacist took a look instead.

Argh sorry I could go on about this all day Grin

MaidOfStars · 28/05/2014 20:25

charlieboo Not slating the approach. People genuinely in need know when they need to see a doctor. My husband going after me never knowing him to see a doctor (travel vaccs aside) was enough to make me think he genuinely thought it worthy. Your husband knew, he was right!

MaidOfStars · 28/05/2014 20:27

Mosquito bite?!?

SpottyTeacakes · 28/05/2014 20:29

Yep, apparently it was a little bit red and itchy... Obviously I can't tell over the phone if it's serious but a pharmacist is perfect for that situation!

Thatssofunny · 28/05/2014 20:30

I'm not sure whether it depends on where you live. I don't see a GP very often (perhaps 4 times in the past 10 years). I've always managed to get an appointment for the same or next day. My most recent one was booked three days in advance, simply because it wasn't anything urgent and I didn't need to see anyone immediately. I just went in, spoke to the lady at the desk and she arranged for me to see a GP when it was convenient for me.
I have to go back for blood tests at some point,..and was told to just call up. Because I'm usually at work all day, I was also given a referral slip so that I can go to any hospital in the area, if that proves more convenient.

My mum's a physiotherapist. She tends to give people appointments more quickly if they turn up personally...and are polite. Grin However, she's mostly got private patients and is able to choose who she wants to treat.

Aspiringhuman · 28/05/2014 20:32

I called our Gp because my mum's breathing was awful. They had no appointments but the receptionist heard her wheeze so offered a call back. We didn't get a phone call, the doctor knocked the door 20 min later and we live 15 min from the surgery.

MaidOfStars · 28/05/2014 20:32

spotty What was she expecting? I can't fathom it.

Nunyabiz · 28/05/2014 20:33

YANBU. And it is nothing new.

I was told by MW to arrange an appointment at my GP for whooping cough vaccine- best done before 38 weeks. I was told to do this when I was 36 weeks.
The next appointment they could give me was in a month- my due date. No alternative offered because apparently this kind of thing can only be done by a certain nurse who is not available other times.

As a result I have not had the vaccine and hope my baby can have it when she is born.

Hobnobissupersweet · 28/05/2014 20:34

Agree with OP, haven't been to see my GP for literally years and years. I have been having appalling headaches for ages, thought it was stress and when the stress disappeared they would too. They haven't, in fact they are worse than ever. Phoned to ask for appointment and told next available one was in about 3 weeks time. It is not exactly an emergency but I really couldn't plan ahead about this either, surely there needs to be. Middle ground.
To the GP poster I am assuming you are salaried, my GP friends ( partners) are working less hours for more money than 10 years ago Hmm

PennySillin · 28/05/2014 20:35

Too many pts not enough GPs. Unfortunately the prediction is it's going to get worse Sad

Serenitysutton · 28/05/2014 20:36

I thought exactly the same recently. Like you it was a 3 week wait for an appointment. I had a UTI-
Not an emergency but I do need antibiotics and can't wait 3 weeks for them. I ended up in urgent care on a Saturday (bit like a walk in but NHS direct make you an appointment)
Seems like such a waste of money, surely some GP surgery could've seen me within a day? Even if I had to drive a few miles or something

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 28/05/2014 20:37

The only hospital still open in my area (which actually isn't even in the borough I live in!) is 10 miles (and 3-4 buses) away.

I live in a London borough, it really shouldn't be this crap.

OP posts:
SpottyTeacakes · 28/05/2014 20:38

A couple of our gp partners are still in the surgery working at gone 9pm having started at 7am. I feel so sorry for them. One has a young baby but he's just so over worked. The other is head partner and has a waiting list for his pt's to see him as there's literally no appts for him for the next six weeks.

Yama · 28/05/2014 20:38

I always get same day appointments. As long as I phone at 8.30am on the dot.

Charlieboo30 · 28/05/2014 20:38

Maid - it was my dad and he did know! He wouldn't go to the doctor unless it was super serious! I'm with you though - I only go to my GP if it's something serious and I can't sort it myself.

PennySillin · 28/05/2014 20:39

Serenity I would class that as an urgent appt. Not life or death but a primary care urgent same day appt as you need antibiotics straight away. You should have been seen by either the duty doctor or the triage nurse. 3 week appt for a uti is pointless, it's either gone by then or like you you end up becoming much worse. Sad Are you better now?

SpottyTeacakes · 28/05/2014 20:40

Serenity I'd have told you to drop in a sample and once dipped the dr would prescribe antibiotics. If it happens again just take a sample in and leave your details. A uti is an urgent on the day medical need IMO.

Hulababy · 28/05/2014 20:40

Very lucky here I think.

I can phone at 8:30am and usually get a same day appointment - though cannot choose which GP or a time; just what is available. They have same day appointments - they don;t ask for the reason and don't say they are for emergencies.

We also have a drop in centre who have nurses and GPs - open til 10pm. Anyone can use it so long as you are prepared to sit and wait - waiting times vary, can be up to 1-2 hours if busy.

The hospital also has a drop in centre for minor injuries too, though only for adults iirr.

Nunyabiz · 28/05/2014 20:41

Yama you are supposed to be able to call early for a same day appointment. I called 5 times last week (DD had fever) and the recorded message said "sorry our lines are too busy please call back" click.
Then finally I got a ringing tone... And then another recorded message. "You are in queue position....14"
I held for half an hour and then have up. Called 111 and they were brilliant.

Serenitysutton · 28/05/2014 20:43

Thank you spotty and penny, that's very reassuring. I was advised to take a sample but only to the urgent care centre. I will absolutely do that next time- at one point I was fretting they'd make me go to A&E- just for antibiotics!

I'm so much better now. Love the lovely antibiotics :)

Hulababy · 28/05/2014 20:44

As for going with "a cold" etc. It can be hard. I put off going as I was ill with a really heavy cold. I felt i shouldn't go, even though I felt dreadful I assumed it was just a nasty cold or flu. Except it wasn't. It was pneumonia for which I ended up on 4-5 weeks worth of several antibiotics, a 4 day hospital stay and tons of tests and x rays.

It is sometimes difficult to know what is and isn't GP worthy.

In praise of GPs I have to say that that week my GP was excellent. He saw me at the surgery, out of hours, spent a long time with me - 3 times in one week, called me at home to check on me, got me admitted to hospital and did all my follow ups. Yes, I was one of those patients who caused a lot of other people a lot of waiting time - sorry! But he was fantastic and I am now far more patient when kept waiting these days.

PennySillin · 28/05/2014 20:44

We have a similar system, duty doctor (2 on a Mon and Fri) nurse practitioner triage clinic and a minor illness triage clinic (that's me Wink) - all empty appts until the afternoon before. It works really well and it means people like Serenity get seen on the same day.

Nocomet · 28/05/2014 20:46

We use same day appointments here too.

Absolutely no point in trying to book ahead, you can ring for weeks.

Fortunately they never worry that I don't want to see "Dr. there's nothing wrong with you" and DD1 doesn't want to see "Dr. I know you as a primary Dad" for personal things.

I like the latter Dr. and lived in a very small town so I'm used to seeing my GP about the place.

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