AIBU to ask for a GP appointment today for this?

[lalalalyra]

My surgery does on the day appointments only. Today is going to be manic as they were shut yesterday. They are also not opening phone lines until 9am when it's usually 8.30am.

My right foot is swollen - the top of my foot from the end of my toes to just before my ankle. It looks like I've burnt my foot in hot water or something. There's a perfect red mark on the top of my foot - ankle, sides and toes are normal colour and size - and it's all tight, like when you get sunburn, but it's not sunny, I've not burned it on water and I've not fallen or twisted or anything.

It's not painful, but I've had to take my slipper off because of the swelling so I'm wondering what I do if it keeps going? Or what could possibly have caused it.

I have absolutely no idea what has caused it. I know they'll be struggling for appointments today, but I'm a bit alarmed. It wasn't swollen/red at 5am when I got up (thanks to the baby the day starts early) and I've done nothing to it.

The other thing putting me off going is that I have a cold. I don't want the Dr to think that's why I'm there (it's not that bad, asthma is controlled - absolutely no need ot see them about it) and nor do I want to pass it on.

WTF could it be??

Awaywiththepixies

Receptionists cannot triage - they are not medically trained to triage.

Oh OK, that's good to know.

I tried to make an appointment before Christmas for this week as I am off - was told they did not have the dates on the system so to ring today. 830 all fully booked

No need to go to A&E unless you think it's life threatening.

All you need to do is get a book and bottle of water and head to the GP.

Tell the receptionist what you have said here and ask for 'an immediately necessary appointment'. Tell her that you are happy to wait for a slot and settle down for a wait that could be 20 minutes or 2 hours (depending on where there's a gap in the clinic).

Becles Not every GP clinic has that system - the OP has said hers doesn't already.

All you need to do is get a book and bottle of water and head to the GP.

OP said she would not be seen if she did that.

People don't go to A&E for fun, they go because they cannot get an appointment to be seen by a GP. It's really time the NHS and the government addressed that.

Do your have " doctor call back " at your surgery. We can ring and request a telephone apt , then depending on the conversation the doc will either tell you to come to the surgery or will do a prescription for you, which is what they are doing for me today.

Ah okay Mountain I've just always assumed that's why.

LilacLily I'm afraid that's getting to be quite the norm. I needed an emergency appointment when I came out of hospital last. Was still told I'd have a week wait as an an emergency.

OP have you managed to get through yet?

Poor you, OP. You have an urgent need to see your GP and this is where the system fails. This is why some people go to A&E when they don't really need to, they just need a doctor.

Depending on how easy it is to get there, can you pop down and speak to the receptionist in person? I've given up hanging on for 45 minutes only to be told that the appointments have gone.

Receptionists should not be triaging.

I'd recommend finding alternate GP but it sounds like that would be a struggle. However its no excuse for running a total patient lottery and delegating a medical responsibility to an unqualified person.

I would ask the practice manager why they are using unqualified staff to triage and are the doctors happy taking accountability for their decisions? I can understand they have a problem but if they want to triage on the phone they should put an appropriate person onto it. Several of our local practices do this - offer a doctor's triage call to anyone who isn't sure if they are urgent enough to be 'squeezed' in at end of day.

Also - I'd go to A&E if you can't get a GP appt, it may not be serious but as others have pointed out it can also be a clot.

Just a thought - how far is your surgery? Can your OH not pop down there and ask for an appointment? We have a ridiculous system like yours and going in person is often the only way to get an appointment. So frustrating.

If you do talk to them and they say they can't see you, say fine and that you're going to A&E instead. Immediately (which you are I hope). That may jolt them into squeezing you quickly, because surgeries get billed for their patient's A&E trips.

I would probably go to A&E if going in to your surgery in person has no joy. It really does seem like something that should be checked urgently.

I don't want to scare you OP but whilst this could be simple cellulitis, it could be something significantly more dangerous like a blood clot or necrotising fasciitis. Would go to A&E.

Any luck getting through?

Surgeries get billed for their patients' A&E appointments? I thought I'd read that somewhere. Is it true?

PCT gets billed for A and E attendance - not surgeries (though comes back to surgeries I guess in a roundabout way).

Whatever the so-called policy on just turning up for an appointment, if someone doesn't turn up and you're sitting there, you've a good chance of being given that slot. It's worth doing. There is always someone who forgets their appointment or is stuck in traffic.

Also, if you go in person, you can generally get in front of the people on the telephone to make an appointment - my husband has always done this when he's needed an appointment although we're registered for online appointments now (which makes it even less likely that you'll get an appointment if you phone up).

Hope you get seen

Yikes, I hope you get seen ASAP OP.

This is the result of cuts to funding. We don't have a minor injuries either. It's GP or A&E. Getting an appointment is impossible but they do offer telephone appointments which I usually go for.

which makes it even less likely that you'll get an appointment if you phone up

Whilst there are presumably a finite number of appointments available, in my experience, the ones listed online are different from those available when you call. For instance, I specifically wanted to see my own GP for something once, but there was nothing showing online for weeks. I phoned up, and they gave me something later that week.

I'm waiting on a call back. By the time I got through all the appointments were gone. Explained what was happening to the receptionist, she knows me from DD3's recent appointments (she had an operation just before Christmas) and knows I'm not one to come in unneeded. She couldn't get me an appointment, but she has asked the on-call GP to call me back. I've said if it's not in the next hour or less I'll be going to A&E because it's starting to hurt - I think it's just where the skin is sore and stretching, but still.

Thanks for all the suggestions. It's really not the case of just taking a book and waiting though - they don't do that. They don't squeeze you in. You can't make an appointment at the desk, you have to phone (normally the lines open at 8.30 and the doors don't open until 9). If that was an option I'd have gone down with the kids, might even have dragged the two 13yo's out of bed to make a real nuisance of ourselves.

I would move surgery, but there is one GP who is absolutely fantastic with DD2's health issues and she is also the one who picked up on DD3's problems too. The appointment thing is an absolute PITA, but they are good doctors. The only other surgery has a dire reputation and still has the same appointment issues. They used to have the practise nurse doing triage calls in the mornings, but she's on maternity leave.

Does t slung good if still swelling. Hope all is ok when you get seen.