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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it shouldn't be this hard to get a GP appointment

91 replies

LadyBaelish · 15/12/2016 12:33

Onto the fourth day and 7th 'session' (morning, afternoon) of trying to get appointment to see my GP. I start calling as soon as the surgery opens for bookings, inevitably end up having to make 30+ calls before actually getting through to someone (rather than 'the surgery is busy, please hang up and try again' message) by which time the appointments have gone. ARGHHH Angry

I know it isn't the surgery's fault, they've had cuts etc but it's just SO frustrating when you're ill and just want to see someone who might be able to help.

Hoping that posting a venty thread will change my luck when the next session opens at 2:30, I'll get an appointment then look a bit silly for ranting here Grin

OP posts:
Crumbs1 · 22/12/2016 20:53

My surgery is amazing. Filled in e-consultation on line on a Sunday . My own GP rang next day at lunchtime and said pop down at 2.30pm. Gave me personal email to update her in 3/4 days (which I did). She asked receptionist to call me and sort appointment for next day again.
Always fit you in on day if urgent - a triage system in place where nurse practitioner or one of the GPS sorts who really needs an appointment and who with. If same day appointment you may not get to see your own GP but you see someone.
You can book online or by telephone for 3 weeks ahead. Usually see own GP unless on holiday. All family with same GP and they all know their patients and families really well. Count myself very lucky.

Flowerpower321 · 22/12/2016 20:59

Go on the health boards on here and see how many people suggest GP appointments for nits, threadworms, slight temperatures, tiny rashes etc etc that could all be dealt with by the pharmacists or nurse. Or at my surgery the number of elderlies with weekly or fortnightly 'check ups' ie just want a chat with the GP for no particular reason. That's the problem.

DeeNR · 22/12/2016 20:59

Oh my goodness! Can't write any naughty words on here. The auto correct is very insistent!!! I did not mean that the,signs up in the doc premises were shifty. They were rude.

Redkite10a · 22/12/2016 21:00

My surgery installed a call waiting system about a year and a half ago - now you call once at 0800 and sit in a queue. I really don't understand why all surgeries don't have them, it's so much better than dialling again and again and hoping you are lucky enough to get through.

DeeNR · 22/12/2016 21:03

Not sure it is. We were trying for appointments for what turned out to be aggressive cancer. It could have easily been just us fussing from the symptoms

ChickenVindaloo2 · 22/12/2016 21:04

It reminds me of pre-dialling the number for Live & Kicking Going Live SwapShop and hoping to get through to the competition on a saturday morning!

DeeNR · 22/12/2016 21:05

Sorry. That was crossed post, not about 0800, was about fussing about minor stuff.

ChristmasTreats · 22/12/2016 21:06

Can any of you use the extended hours service I.e. Gps doing overtime?

We have the same problems getting appointments here and no access to a nurse practitioner.

DeeNR · 22/12/2016 21:13

Wonder if my vet is allowed to treat us? We're animals after all. I think our dog gets WAY better healthcare than the humans in this family, as did the hamsters. (though sadly they only lived a few years a years)

ElizabethFrancis · 22/12/2016 21:20

Last week my council approved the building of over 1,000 new houses into my village. Schools are already oversubscribed and doctors are a total no go to new patients. All doctors in my area have shut their lists to new patients - and their list have been shut for months.

Admittedly the planning permission for the new houses includes a surgery and primary school - but rumour has it that the developers don't have to start building these until after the first 300 houses are sold. The developers also have to build a flood alleviation system as our village is regularly under many feet of water - but that's another story

In the meantime, I have to do a 3 to 4 hour round trip to my old doctors' surgery where I used to live - I darent tell them we've moved. Or, alternatively, I go digital and use "push doctor". I have what I think is early onset of arthritis but have yet to go to a doctors for a diagnosis because of the problems of not being able to register at a local surgery. Guess I'll be going to "push doctor" for help.

I dread to think what new residents who live to far from their old surgeries are doing when they need an urgent doctors appointment. Our only local walk-in clinic in our nearest city (10 miles away) was shut last year - despite it being very popular and always busy.

Would be interested in any reviews of "push doctor" - as that is all that is available to me at the moment.

ooerrmissus · 22/12/2016 21:21

Mmmm not sure deeNR, having seen how she deals with the cat, I'm not sure I'd want the vet to take my temperature.....

olderthanyouthink · 22/12/2016 21:28

Where I live there are only 2 surgeries, only one is still open to new patients. Theres normally a 3-ish week wait minimum.

The whole call at 8am thing doesn't work very well when you're one of the commuters who is long gone by then. Not sick enough to skip work all day but need to see a doctor soon (maybe not today but next week is too long)? You either end up missing half a day at work for days running while you do the mad 8am dial, you wait for an advance appointment - suffering/ making it worse while you wait - or you go to A&E/Urgent Care/ Walk in clinics and hope they can see you (I've not had much success with this)

DeeNR · 22/12/2016 21:37

Yes ok. Thermometer up the bum off putting but I'm sure vet would appreciate this and stick it in your gob or armpit. The ear ones are a joke. Lost faith after hospital nurse got nonsense result so tried the other ear!!!!! AND GOT THE REQUIRED RESULT! WTF

BestIsWest · 22/12/2016 21:40

Our surgery has introduced a system where you tell the receptionist what's wrong with you then a GP will ring you and discuss whether you need to be seen and make you an appointment if so.

I'm really not sure, you have to hang around waiting for the call from the GP and then, if I was in the office there would be nowhere private for me to take the call so I have to take the whole morning off

Let alone tell the receptionist what's the matter with me.

intheknickersoftime · 23/12/2016 06:33

Bestiswest, trouble is many people try to make appointments for things like UTIs, which can't be treated without a sample, follow on script s, which can be requested over the phone or things that a nurse can deal with. Any trips to A and E or ooh come out the GP budget so it is in GP interest to get you in and you do have people complaining when you offer them an appointment but it just doesn't fit in with their working day. People use emergency appointments for things that they have had for weeks. The GPs at our practice see between 40 and 60 patients a day, plus dealing with all the paperwork. Honestly don't know how they do it.

lunchboxtroubles · 23/12/2016 07:01

Never have hassle getting veterinary care for even the most minor thing for the dog

I wonder why that could be. Possibly because the vet is charging you an amount that is larger than GPs get funded to look after a patient for a whole year...

MrsPnut · 23/12/2016 07:08

Our surgery has a triage system where if you call before 10am, a GP calls you back and discusses what you need. Then they either make you an appointment, writes you a prescription or a fit note, or refers you to the most appropriate member of staff.
I have never not received great from them and they do always go the extra mile to ensure that you are seen if you need to be.

Jurassicbaby · 23/12/2016 07:11

That is bad, glad you got an appointment in the end.

I'm really lucky I can usually always get an appointment on the same day. We also have a walk in centre fairly local.

Our receptionists vet appointments. It can be annoying telling them your ailments but it's to stop people coming in with minor colds.

I wonder how much time is wasted by people not turning up to appointments, people going to doctors with minor coughs and colds?

People need to start treating the NHS with respect as we'd all be sorry if it wasn't there.

ScruffyTheJanitor · 23/12/2016 07:11

Have "Nurse Practicioners" always been a thing?

Sounds dumb but I haven't needed to see a Dr for 15 years, I needed to see the Doctor last week and could only get a Nurse Practitioner? I'd never been or heard of one before.

MrsSchadenfreude · 23/12/2016 07:29

It is often easier to see an out of hours doctor at the weekend, if you can get there, rather than your regular GP. We have a fantastic local pharmacist, and he is always my first point of contact. When asthmatic DD1 ran out of ventolin, he called the ooo doctors himself and got them to fax through a prescription while we waited.

BestIsWest · 23/12/2016 07:31

Knickers, yes I can see the benefit of it but lots of downsides too.

HammersWidow · 23/12/2016 07:36

Pharmacists can offer advice and treat lots of illnesses people see gps for.

I see lots of prescriptions that could just be bought over or behind the counter.

The serving staff are minor illness medicines trained so ask us for help Smile

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 23/12/2016 07:39

I've taken to asking for a gp to call me back now as if they think I/dc needs to be seen they book us in on the phone. It's a lot easier.

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 23/12/2016 07:45

Hammers The pharmacist in our village is brilliant.

MrsPnut · 23/12/2016 07:47

I wonder how much time is wasted by people not turning up to appointments, people going to doctors with minor coughs and colds?

Our surgery has a board up in the entrance showing how many missed appointments there were in the last month and how many staff hours that wasted. It's always about a weeks FTE of staff time.