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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think not having any pre bookable dr's appointments is very inconvenient?

216 replies

SweetElizaRose · 01/06/2016 13:50

Apparently my GP is changing so you have to phone on the day you want the appointment and can no longer pre book even for routine type stuff like medication reviews.
Why? If you are working this will be very difficult to manage because you won't be able to book or arrange any time off. I don't understand why they are doing this?

OP posts:
YoungGirlGrowingOld · 04/06/2016 20:12

Agent wrong again. It's free for me. Insurance is mandatory but there is no co-pay.

AgentPineapple · 04/06/2016 20:14

If you pay for insurance, it's not free.

YoungGirlGrowingOld · 04/06/2016 20:15

I don't pay! Sorry to shatter your illusions of socialist medical utopia, but I think you might need to do some homework on how social insurance systems work. Preferably before you start suggesting people should be grateful for some half-arsed shambolic GP "service".

AgentPineapple · 04/06/2016 20:20

Young I was under the impression we were talking and giving opinions. I'm not interested in your rude and aggressive posts so I'll leave the discussion with you there thanks.

YoungGirlGrowingOld · 04/06/2016 20:26

Well you seem to be criticizing other posters who haven't had great experiences and suggesting that they "complain". I am sure they already thought of that but ime it makes no difference. If you have had decent care that makes you lucky - it doesn't make other people wrong.

And I am pooh-poohed because I am commenting about a "private" system (although you don't seem terribly sure what that actually means). Simply because I think if other countries can do it so much better than the UK, why can we not learn from them? Hardly a controversial suggestion.

AgentPineapple · 04/06/2016 20:33

Young I haven't criticised anyone, just made some suggestions and given my opinion. I also didn't 'pooh pooh' you I just pointed out that the system you refer to is nothing like the NHS. Then you got all defensive and shitty which I've no inclination to be involved in. I don't come on here to fight and won't be sucked in to it.

BeauGlacons · 04/06/2016 20:33

I pay insurance it's called tax and NI. I'm not going to be crass and note how much but I and my family do not, by any stretch of the imagination, get a "free" service.

We don't pay for health insurance but we do self fund regularly. I've done a cba and we are better off self funding.

AgentPineapple · 04/06/2016 20:38

Beau if I could afford private health care I definitely would, just from hospital waiting times point of view as I've had to have a lot of surgery in recent years and had to wait a long time, but I can't Blushbut I really do value my GP, in fact last September my GP saved my 7 week old sons life (literally) and they saw me at the end of the day with no notice, the receptionist agreed for me to come in without even running it by a doctor. I appreciate some surgeries are not like this at all but the appointment system hasn't impacted on us at all and between me, my DH and my 3 DCs we are at the doctor a lot lol

YoungGirlGrowingOld · 04/06/2016 20:40

But agent the main difference in it being "nothing like the NHS" is that it's accessible and responsive? You seem to be arguing in favour of a crap system. Like Beau I feel that we pay more than enough in the UK for what we receive - which is actually very little, particularly when I don't have time to constantly bag, complain, chase and harangue which (again ime) is only necessary in the UK.

YoungGirlGrowingOld · 04/06/2016 20:40

Nag not bag!

It sounds like you have a good GP. Not all of us on here do!

BeauGlacons · 04/06/2016 20:48

But Agent I shouldn't have to pay twice and I don't want to. I want a better NHS but if I pay more I expect it to provide a better service.

I haven't been well in the last year but have had really good medical care. The admin and attitude from support staff has been horrific. I also know something of the French system and healthcare there is so much better and has been better for generations.

My DD has been ill too in the past year. Initially presenting as MH problems. There was no care. Diddly squat. I asked the GP for a private referral and was told to google.

AgentPineapple · 04/06/2016 20:48

Young the system is what the fovernment made it, not the doctors. As I said my surgery is good and I do appreciate they are not all like that hence why I suggested move or complain. The NHS take complaints very seriously, perhaps should have made it clearer that I was suggesting complain to the NHS about your GP, not to the GP themselves. As I said to Beau I've had to make a lot of use of the NHS in recent years so I am completely aware of its downfalls. But aside from hospital waiting times, my care and my families care has always been great, in fact I'd go so far as to say above and beyond so I can only talk about my experience

AgentPineapple · 04/06/2016 20:48

Government!

AgentPineapple · 04/06/2016 20:51

Beau that sounds horrific! I'm interested in what you say about the French system as my parents live there and find it to be expensive and not very good

Thisismyalias · 04/06/2016 20:52

I've been trying to see my gp for two months. My appointment was cancelled twice in a month then when I finally got an appointment, it was meant to be with him but it was with a trainee Dr who couldn't do anything with regards to the meds my GP had prescribed as I needed to see him.

I'm currently on my last rope, my self harming behaviour is coming back and I can't get a regular supply of my medication because my gp needs to prescribe it. My surgery won't take medication requests over the phone and email is unreliable.

I've got an appointment in three weeks time, hopefully it'll be with my dr.

AgentPineapple · 04/06/2016 20:55

Alias that is awful perhaps after you see your GP this time you should consider a move? They are putting your health at risk at that is completely unacceptable... Can you wait another 3 weeks?

BeauGlacons · 04/06/2016 21:22

We have a home in France. On the odd occasion we have needed to see a doctor there, there has been a small up front reclaimable fee. The system seems less impersonal and more empowering. Years and years ago when ds had a burst eardrum routine care was immediate referral to a consultant to clean the ear and anti-biotics. It happens in the UK six weeks previously and the GP (out of hours) didn't give a hoot and recommended nothing. On return to UK sought private ENT referral. DS needs a grommet and minor surgery. There was nothing available on the NHS. GP refused NHS referral because a perforated eardrum would heal and the perforation had removed the pressure. DS had early signs of something called choleostasis. (sp).

AgentPineapple · 04/06/2016 21:45

Beau that sounds terrible, I can't believe that goes on!

BeauGlacons · 04/06/2016 21:52

Well, perhaps that little England funded Scottish bubble has rather a lot to answer for.

Makeupbabes · 04/06/2016 21:54

Mine has always done this, half to ring up at 8am on the day usually it's engaged sometimes I've called over 100 times on my phone before I get through. I think it's good in a way as you get seen the same day. You have to ring at 8am on the dot as when they get to 8.30 they're most likely fully booked.

AgentPineapple · 04/06/2016 22:03

Beau England does not find the Scottish NHS

AgentPineapple · 04/06/2016 22:04

Fund! Bloody auto correct!

GlitterNails · 04/06/2016 22:11

Someone above mentioned that people should see the nurse for pill/asthma checks. I agree. I have needed both in the last few months. However the nurse has specific slots for both - i.e. asthma checks for a couple of hours on Monday morning, pill checks for a couple of hours Tuesday afternoon. On both of those times given, I didn't have a carer available to take me. (You generally have to pick set hours when you have a Personal Assistant - unless you're lucky to find someone very flexible. I haven't.)

The nurse is full time, and I asked if there was any chance I could book one of her other slots for both due to my situation. Nope. Has to be in those exact times. So after a lot of back and forth, they decided I needed to see a GP. I had to book a double appointment, rather than see the nurse.

Lots of other people will have the same issue due to childcare/work commitments, etc and I assume have to do the same thing.

At my previous practise you could book with a nurse at any time, for anything. This one does very specific slots for everything. There are NO general appointments with the nurse, just blood/pill/asthma and one thing I can't remember.

BeauGlacons · 04/06/2016 22:29

I think you will find that Scotland is very heavily subsidised.

Noodledoodledoo · 04/06/2016 23:09

i have no problem with getting a call back - but as others have said I have a job I can't just step out of - I am a teacher, I can't/don't have my phone on during the day - I can't take calls during my lessons I am pretty certain parents would be most unimpressed.

I was offered a call back previously and I said that was fine but could it be after 2:30 as I was running a revision class till then, during my holiday time and for students who had made an effort to come in specially.

They called at 1:50! Yes only 40 minutes earlier but I then lost 10 minutes of my time with 6 students so by calling early it wasted 70 minutes of other peoples time.

As I have said previously I do think the GPs/NHS are fantastic, offer a great service in a poor structure currently but sometimes a little give from them could also help.

I turned up for my whopping cough vaccination on Thursday - booked in my half term so no impact on my students and on a day my daughter is at nursery so to make my life a little easier. Booked 4 weeks ago. Vaccination hasn't been bought to the surgery from one of the others.

All I was offered was another appointment next week (when I am back at school), could come back around 6 (same time as nursery collection) and hopefully someone will have bought a jab over, no one at the other surgeries could do it. I had paid for parking at the hospital for the minimum of 2 hours so I was less than impressed. The nurse ended up 'borrowing' a vaccine from the other doctors surgery on the same site!

I didn't moan at the nurse it's not her fault but it is very frustrating.