To think getting a GP appointment shouldn't be this bloody difficult!!

[Writerwannabe83]

I am registered with a fairly large GP surgery where there are about 8 doctors working each day and they run the system of book on the day appointments.

Phones lines open at 08.30am and yesterday I called them and redialled and redialled until I finally got through at 08.37am to be told there were no appointments left for any of the doctors!!

"Try again tomorrow" she said far too chirping for my liking.

So I try again this morning and despite getting through at 08.34am I was told that yet again, all the appointments had gone. It was only four minutes since the phone line had opened!!

She said, "Try again tomorrow"

I'm back at work tomorrow though so there's no point anyway.

I understand the book on the day system and I do agree with it but I still feel annoyed

Pre-bookable appointments are available but it is a wait of two weeks.

Grr!!

And breathe.

I've been lucky enough to be really healthy for years so unaware how much the system has changed. In the last year either my DH or I have needed to make several appointments at our local surgery - one big surgery with a partner smaller surgery a quarter of a mile away.

Because of the constant engaged tone on the telephone then too late to get an appointment situation I go in to book one. The wait for an appointment is a minimum three weeks.

I go in usually to the smaller surgery, which even so, has seven doctors.

No matter what time of day I go in - morning, lunchtime, afternoon it is like the Mary Celeste - empty or with just one or two people.

Can any poster who works in a surgery explain this phenomenon?

mine does this so i say oooh i cant really keep ringing in the morning i tell you what if it gets worse i will wait till six and call out of hours and LO! an appointment appears

or i ask for the nurse or doctor to call me back they can usually get an appointment if needed

And to top it off I am still waiting for a CT scan appointment for my kidneys after being discharged from A and E, which the doctor said he wanted done ASAP, and this was a year ago.

grimbletart - Patients can register with the GP they prefer. It sounds like the smaller practice is unpopular.