To think GP system is broken?

[moutonfou]

My morning, or, Getting a doctor's appointment in the UK:

• Wake up at 8.30
• Call doctor's 28 times and get engaged tone
• Finally get a ring tone and wait 9 minutes for someone to answer
• All appointments for the day are gone, try again on Monday

And it's not even cold and flu season yet.

As much as I love the NHS, this element just doesn't seem to be working? Or is my surgery just specifically not great and others have better experiences?

Oh and the receptionists are always lovely.

You only need to read mumsnet to realise common sense and the ability to recognise and manage everyday minor illness has been lost. My GP is brilliant as are the other partners. I can email anytime and get a call, an appointment or a prescription same or next day depending on time. I have emailed in the morning to ask how long I should leave a specific problem before doing something about it and been bypassed GP appointment and been sat in front of a consultant the same day.
We always get a callback within a few hours unless I say it's urgent and then it's within an hour. Excellent service every time.

Haven't read all the thread. My main gripe, apart from the lengthy wait on the phone and the long wait for an appointment, is the bloody receptionist asking what the reason for the appointment is. They can surely see I go to the doctor's very infrequently. I just want to book up and get in and out as quickly as possible.

I do however accept that not all people need a doctor and could ask the pharmacist first.

Our GP practice has a online system, you can request log in details and can view all the dr's prebookable slots.

Often it is hard calling at 8am, but I have never not got an app when I've eventually got through.

It's often handy to request early or evening apps, these are saved for requests only in my practice

I hate having to discuss with the receptionist my medical issues first obviously Cheryl the receptionist knows exactly the treatment I need eyeroll

Thank you peach! A trap to find out how many hours you spend in surgery.smile

Er ok, whatever floats your boat

Not sure tbh. Not one Dr at my surgery works more than half time yet the average salary is £79k. I saw the Dr in mid June for a form for a thyroid blood test. The first available apt was for 12th September. I apologised to the nurse that I had put on a top that needed a bottom undone as the website said 3 blood tests were booked for every five minutes. She said not to worry because her next apt was at 8.30am so she could do her admin. My apt.was 07.55. Not helpful for working people is it.

Dd needed a dr's apt this week. Called three times on Wednesday. Held for a total of 37 minutes. Called on Thursday and got a msg saying surgery was closed for training.

Called this Am at 8.31. Held for 9 mins. Dd got an apt at 4.40. She got three prescription items.

My tax statement said I'd paid just under £3k to the nhs last year. Is it good enough? No it isn't. Is it about resources, no I don't believe it is. Are Dr's overworked. No, I don't think so. Mine all work part time. All the partners work at the local private hospitals for three sessions a week at least.

Does my heart bleed. No, sorry it doesn't.

My Drs surgery lines open at "8". I start ringing at 7:55. Always get an appointment

It's the same system at my GPthe phone lines open at 8am. It's pot luck as to whether you will get through before all the appointments are gone. I don't bother ringing any moreinstead, I go down to the practice and join the queue outside. I get there for 7.45 and I'm usually the 2nd or 3rd in line. It's a pain, but it guarantees me an appointment with my preferred doctor.

You do realise that the part time gps couldn't work more it they wanted to as the surgeries can't afford to fund more sessions. Or is working. 36 hours over 3 days classed as part time. I thought 37.5 was full time so even part time GPs are working full time hours over 6 sessions. I work 5 sessions but do extra admin sessions for the business side.
We were a happy 6 partner practice in January. In March one doctor went to Australia for a better life, one died and one went off long term sick with stress. We replaced the one to Australia but with a salaried GP rather than a partner so they don't do admin or insurance reports or practice development. So ther are 3 of us doing the work of 6 and it is only because the 3 of us work so well together that we are surviving. I don't think 79K for a highly skilled professional is out of the ordinary. Look at consultants and lawyers. Many earn more than this.

As a previous poster said, if the booking system isn't working try talking to the Practice Manager - they are often open to ideas.

I work in a GP surgery and although our system isn't perfect, I think it is pretty good. Urgent appointments will always be seen, but sometimes that isn't at the most convenient time for patients. Having regular conversations where the patient states they need to be seen urgently then say they can't come to the next urgent clinic because they are at work is somewhat frustrating.

OhTheRoses don't you wonder why hardly anybody wants to be a GP anymore? If it's so well paid and they are not overworked as you say, it is very odd that there is a massive recruitment crisis, isn't it?

Do you know what MusicalTheatreMum, when one becomes a qualified professional/senior manager, 37.5 hours flies out of the window. I am a mere public sector senior mgr. I regularly work a 55 hour week for £65k. 37.5 hrs condensed for £79k plus £80ph excl on costs for about another 9 really doesn't sound that bad to be honest. Do I have a masters, yes. Do I have prof quals, yes. Do I try to ensure my customers are provided with first rate services, yes.

Perhaps it's because other branches of medicine have a better deal. That doesn't alter the fact that GPs have a good deal, have job security and don't cover the service standards they used to. My gp's are fabulous. Sadly their practice is badly and inefficiently run. They could make their lives easier.

OhTheRoses
Medical defence fees (professional indemnity) paid by a GP working full time are around £9000-£11000 a year at the moment. Proportionally reduced if only working 2-3 days per week. It is more cost effective to only work part time as a GP and make up the rest of the week with other work such as teaching medical students. OhTheRoses, Does my heart bleed because you can't get a GP appointment because of part time working? No, it does not!

All the gps I work with work hard and as much as they can do. They are fire fighting and are normal people.
Why not complain about your mp? A 10% pay rise for consistently keeping public services down.
It's free (don't say you pay your taxes and therefore you pay-it doesn't work like that). Just try and think about what others are going thru. Then think whether gps are worth their money or whether you would pay to access them! I bet you wouldn't

My surgery is the same but has a waiting system for calls sadly several times when you get through the call gets cut off or you get a beeping tone
I tried every day last week to get an appointment! It's shocking

I complained to the practice manager 6 weeks ago and have heard bugger all!

Yes. It's terrible. When I liv d in Australia I could call at any time before three and get an appointment that same day. When I turned up the surgery would be clean, the reception staff polite and the doctors competent. There are many things I like about Britain but the healthcare is so horrifying that it makes me want to move back.

I think you'd better move back then

Our surgery is a busy SW London one. They open at 7 to offer commuter appointments. You can make your own appointments online.

Thankfully I'm pretty healthy so don't need to see the doctor that often. However, a month or so ago, I did. Based on what I'd read here, I assumed I wouldn't be able to get an appointment for days (if not weeks). I rang and asked if I could attend the evening surgery and wait to be seen. The receptionist said they had several appointments available, and asked which GP I'd like to see.

Fantastic.

Oh, and it was spotless too, and the receptionist couldn't' have been nicer.

Every professional I know works hard. It isn't just restricted to Drs and other professionals have to pay professional indemnity.

I had to suggest a phone appointment instead of creating a timed visit. I am sure that there are much more efficient ways rather than expecting everyone to visit their GP. It's to discuss blood tests - hopefully a quick chat but the GP will ring me at her convenience.

And hopefully it's freed up more time for people who do need to visit.

I would be happy to pay like on the Continent. We have a home in France. The service is better. We do not pay the same rates of tax in the UK but the attitude is v different because continental Drs don't think they are providing a "free" service . Therefore the patient has reserved an iota of dignity.

The NHS most certainly isn't free. Of course it's paid for through taxatation. However, in order to get the level of service that you seem to want, you'd better be prepared to pay a lot more in tax. Oh and have a knitting pattern for some new GPS.

I try not to wade in on these threads as they depress me a bit.

What I would say to those who don't like being asked what's wrong with them is that the reason for this is to try and make things work more efficiently. We have tens of people seeing a GP every day who could have got effective advice and or treatment from someone else in the practice or from the pharmacist. If we can better direct these patients, it frees up appointments for patients who do need to see a Doctor.

I know there are bad Receptionists but most of them really aren't that interested in trying to find out what's wrong with you other than to help them do their job as best they can.

And I know it's not an excuse but for every shitty receptionist there are about 100 patients who have verbally abused, threatened or been violent.