To be really frustrated with my GP

[moutonfou]

Booked a GP phone appointment for yesterday a week ago - it was the soonest I could get. Phone appointment was supposed to be 'after 1'.

At 5.15 (after waiting over 4 hours) I had heard nothing so called the surgery and was told I was next on the list. So literally sat by the phone waiting. Nothing.

Called today just to be told very curtly that 'he did call and there was no answer' and that I'll have to wait a week for another appointment. Cross checked the number with the receptionist and he did supposedly call the right number but there is no matching call in my phone history and no voicemail.

Even if he happened to call whilst I was calling the surgery reception, AIBU to think it's common courtesy to leave a voicemail or try and call back, either straight away or after the next patient?! I waited over four hours for him and he can't spare 2 seconds to use a redial button?

So angry and frustrated :(

I think depending on how urgent the problem is, I'd phone back and ask if someone can call back that day as you didn't get a call and need to speak with someone. It does sound frustrating.

They are very overworked and maybe they did redail a few times? If you can afford it I would recommend just getting a private appointment.

Ring back and complain - speak to the Practice Manager if you get nowhere with the receptionist. You waited over 4 hours for a call which never came (having already waited a week). Telling you that you now have to wait another week is taking the pi** no matter how stretched the GP practice is.

Write a hand written letter to the practice manager and describe what happened. That is unacceptable.

I don't work in a GP practice, but in another part of the NHS. It's very difficult to leave a message that doesn't leave you open to potential allegations of breach of confidentiality.

Don't get me started on the concept of telephone consultations, I'm not at all sold on them...but I guess it attempts to find some way to provide care in the face of a nationwide staffing crisis.

I don't get this, do you not get the option of on the day emergency appts at your GP? I see these types of threads all the time and i don't get it. I phone at 8am for my GP and redial multiple times until i get through, explain the problem and get an appt that day always as they keep so many appts back for each day. If i couldn't get an appt for a week or so I'd go to a walk in centre which are open after work hours too. If i couldn't do that and couldn't miss work I'd just wait 2 weeks or whatever it is because its obviously not that important/bothering me enough to pursue further. This scenario would annoy me but then in the first place i wouldn't accept waiting a week for a phone call, as has been previously said on other threads a phone call is essentially pointless "I have a rash its red and itchy" could be ANYTHING so a phone call makes no sense. A lot of people do overlook the pharmacists too, they are incredibly helpful for minor ailments.

I've given up on my own GP surgery who sound equally as shit as yours, we now pay for a private GP, £15 for a 10 minute Skype/FaceTime call.

As NoCool said, they can't leave messages due to confidentiality.

If your appointment was for a telephone consultation then can I assume it's not urgent? - is it something either a Nurse Practitioner or Pharmacist could deal with? Failing that, can you leave a message for your GP outlining what your call is about?

ChicRock can private gps refer to nhs hospitals/consultants?

Make sure the surgery calls you on your mobile (so you can see who's calling), then call the surgery on your landline if you need to, so you won't miss the call to your mobile.

You can also get on with other stuff instead of sitting by the phone.

Chic how does that work? What if you need a prescription?

Bloomed they will signpost the issue to your NHS GP, advising a referral to consultant is required. I've never then been called into my NHS GP to be seen by them, they just do the referral.

Naice they will send a private electronic prescription to your chosen pharmacy.

Thanks all, basically it's about migraines so it's not urgent, but it is something I'd like to talk to someone about sooner rather than later as it's affecting my work.

I'm told every time that I can get an appointment sooner if I call on the day, but then I'm conscious I'm taking an appointment from someone who might really need it that day.

What nocoolnamesleft said.

I'm told every time that I can get an appointment sooner if I call on the day, but then I'm conscious I'm taking an appointment from someone who might really need it that day.

You're more considerate than a lot of people which is a lovely thing. However, some surgeries have most of their appointments as book on the day rather than pre-bookable and the same day appointments aren't normally only for urgent problems. While it can be more convenient to book in advance rather than calling repeatedly at 8/8.30AM, unless your surgery tells you the book on the day appointments are only for urgent problems, it might be better to take one of these.

I think that that business about booking on the day is key to it all. Our GPs surgery does this and it's not just for emergencies. You can call and make an appointment for anything on the day an that way you get seen immediately when the problem is still fresh in your mind and they get a better chance of seeing you while you are actually experiencing symptoms, rather than a week later when you're recovered. I think you should probably just start ringing at 8.30am and booking same day appointments and all will be well.

Good luck!