... to ask what the system at your GP practice is for appointments?

[nomorespaghetti]

I've seen a few thread on here along the lines for "should I make an emergency or routine GP appointment for this", and it made me wonder what the system is for getting GP appointments where others live.

My GP surgery has a fantastic system. Between 8 & 9:30 they have a telephone triage system, where you call up and leave a message with a receptionist or voicemail asking for a call back. A GP or nurse practitioner (presumably one is assigned each day to deal with the phone calls) phones you back and you can discuss the problem. Outcomes are that you're invited in for an appointment that day, or you're dealt with on the phone (a prescription issued/referral made), or you're politely told to call back if problem persists, but they don't need to see you.

Me and my family have had same day appointments for things like suspected infections (ear, chest, uti, etc), acute stress, suspected sprains (turned out to be broken ).

We've had prescriptions issued for things like eczema. When I found out I was pregnant I was referred to the maternity hospital after a phone consultation. It's great not having to actually go in when it's something straightforward.

I think this system must keep a fair amount of people out of the surgery, freeing up doctors time for more urgent appointments, but allowing everyone to speak with a healthcare professional. If you miss the triage hours they will generally arrange a call back if possible.

Routine appointments take several weeks, for general things like smear tests, vaccinations, etc.

I think this is a brilliant system. So, being nosey, what's it like where you are?

[Beansonapost]

Call the surgery...

I've managed to get appointments same day some a few days later. Not issues.

When I lived elsewhere it was the same. I've never encountered the long waits and if I did I would change practice. I don't want to wait three weeks ... one week at best.


But most things I do go to the pharmacy first before I will consider the GP.. but that's because where we lived before that was the recommended advice.

[Didntcomeheretofuckspiders]

Our system is pretty much the same as yours OP. Between 8.30 and 10.30 you can phone and the receptionists will put you on the telephone triage list. To be fair though I have called later in the day and still been given a slot so I don’t think they are particularly strict about this. For routine appointments you can ring any time and tend to be able to get something within 1-2 weeks as long as you can be flexible.

[womaninatightspot]

If you call early you can normally get a same day appointment. Call after 10am and normally you'll be offered the next day. Our receptionists do not want to know whats wrong with you! I rather like the assumption that I'm able to decide whether or not I or the dc need a doctors appointment.

[PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks]

We have an automated telephone booking system.

[Countingsheeeep]

Ours is absolutely diabolical. No routine appointments available for at least 1 month, not even my 1year old can get one.

On the day you are ill you have to be at the surgery for 8am to be seen that day, but not by a Dr, by a nurse practitioner who at our surgery are grossly under qualified. Once you have seen nurse practitioner, if they can't help, which usually they can't, they either misdiagnose and send you home, or you move onto stage 2. This is a meeting later in the afternoon where nurse practitioners discuss all cases seen that morning with a Dr, they then decide if you should come back, to which you may or may not get a call to return later that day.

It's a joke. We pay to see a private gp now which costs a fortune but the system at our surgery is a tragedy waiting to happen!

[sashh]

Mine has just changed from walk in to appointments.

You phone or go in and ask for a same day appointment before 11.30 and you will be seen by one of four Drs.

You can also book ahead.

Prescriptions are delivered electronically to your chosen pharmacy.

There is also an electronic sign in, you put your date of birth in and you say yes it is you then sit down, this has made a huge difference to the reception staff who are fabulous, to the point of me occasionally taking in cake or wine.

[BikeRunSki]

You ring up before 1pm to make an appt. the next available one is usually in about 104 weeks time. If you need to see a doctor sooner, they send you to the walk in clinic 10 miles away. If you are pg and can not move without throwing up, they usually can fit you in within 48 hrs. O

[Letseat]

I used to be at a GPs with the whole ring up then get a ring back and an appointment on the day system and I moved to another practise as I found it so rubbish, current one has an open hours one morning a week where you can turn up and wait for an appointment (can’t choose which doc and it’s done in the order you turn up) or you can ring or go online and book a doctor for any time in the next couple of weeks, much better system for me.

[lalalalyra]

Ours is a farce. You have to call at 8.15am to get an appointment that day. There is no pre-bookable appointments at all. There's no choice of time or GP unless you need a female/male GP for something specific (and you can't request a doctor you've already seen for an issue as they are all qualified...). Basically if you work, or your child is school age, then you need to be at home in case your appointment is at 9am, but it might be 6pm. They'll even tell you what bus to get if you say you can't make it for X time (from your home to surgery). If you don't get through by 8.30ish then all the appointments will be gone pretty much and you have to try again the next day. It took me 4 days last week to get an appointment for my toddler who had/has a raging ear infection.

Previously you had on the day appointments that you rang at 8.30am for. Callbacks that you rang at 10am or 2pm where you spoke to the nurse practitioner who would either do you a prescription or book you in with the on-call doctor that day or the next or general appointments that were a week or so away. They also used to have a walk in session one Wednesday afternoon a month.

The new practise manager and GP (husband and wife team) seem to think all patients are morons and don't see the bullshit in the "ALL PATIENTS SEEN SAME DAY" sign they've put up.

[NoodlesLivesHere]

Our GP system.is perfect for us.

There are two sit and wait sessions a day 4 days a week (only one on a Wednesday). It does mean you could be waiting an hour or so but youll be seen by a doctor the day you want to be.

There are also a small selection of bookable appointments for routine visits so that you aren't waiting for hours to get a once over for medication renewal. These tend to be booked a few weeks in advance but as that's precisely the sort of reason they exist for it works well.

Our nurse is also fantastic and will ask the people lower on the list to see her if she's free to see if it's something she can help with instead...if it's not you don't lose your place in the queue. If it is then you're seen quicker.

I really feel for people who can't access a GP without hassle or stress and I'm fully aware of how lucky we are. It's a city practice too if that makes any difference to the average.

[Tinysarah1985]

Where i work they do the doctor first system- phonelines open at 8:30, 13 phonelines coming into the practice, call in and the dr/nurse practictioner calls you nack within 2 hours (tbh it’s more like 20 mins!) and they discuss over phone and if needed book appt directly with the patient. For nurses and blood tests ee can book them directly. Absolutly brilliant system.
However where i am a patient, you can never get through to get an appt and if you do its for 3 weeks time.

[lalaloopyhead]

We have one Drs surgery in our town, though large is obviously not enough.

We ring (anytime to be fair) and the receptionists umms and ahhs until offering an appointment three weeks on Thursday or something ridiculous. There was one occasion where I explained I felt I needed to see someone sooner and was advised to go to the minor injuries unit.

I have not seen my own doctor since my 6 week check following birth of DC3, who is 10 years old!

[topcat2014]

8:29 - our offices are closed (lines open 8:30 blah blah)
8:30 - all our lines are busy (redial etc)
8:45 - all appointments have gone,

repeat next day - or hope to get better!

[LizzieSiddal]

We can phone at any time of the day.

I always say what the issue is and if I feel I need an urgent appt. if I do then a Dr will phone back, have a chat then either issue a prescription or tell you to come in that day/afternoon.

I’ve never been refused a same day appt for me or the dc. I know we are very lucky, it a small rural practice.

[LizzieSiddal]

I have not seen my own doctor since my 6 week check following birth of DC3, who is 10 years old!

That doesn’t bother me at all. I don’t care who I or my family see, as long as I can see a dr.

[LizzieSiddal]

But most things I do go to the pharmacy first before I will consider the GP.. but that's because where we lived before that was the recommended advice

Me too. All minor things, skin issues, small aches and pains, etc. I visit pharmacists first and my DDs who are now in their early twenties, do the same.
It needs to be encouraged much more.

[RadioGaGoo]

Our GP has a system where they keep you on hold for so long that you just give up. It's pretty effective.

[ClaryFray]

Prey it seems.

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

Mine is quite good. I normally call & ask for a call back from a gp/nurse for myself & if they think I need to be seen they'll then book me in for later that day. I usually call at 8:30 for the dc as it tends to be urgent & they've always been seen that day. I was very impressed over Christmas when dc3 needed a non urgent appt, I called at about 10am on the 27th, explained what it was & that it wasn't urgent & was given an appt 3 hours later with her named (& lovely) gp. Non urgent smears, coils, injections are usually a 3-6 week wait. It's usually no longer than a 48 hour wait for a blood test.

[Rumpledfaceskin]

We have same system as you op and it’s brilliant. But we can phone any time of day and I’ve always been seen that same day, even when I’ve called at 4 pm. I rarely go but take my dd on occasion. We are so, so lucky. I’ve never experienced having to wait for a gp appt.

[Ssw1]

My doctors if brilliant. You just ring anytime of day (our receptionists don't triage over here). You get the next available appointment which could be the next day or when you want it.

If it's an emergency then a doctor will come on the phone or you get an immediate appointment

[Heismyopendoor]

We just have how you would make any appointment for anything else. You phone up and say you would like an appointment and they say Friday at 10 or Monday at 5.50? Etc or you can ask for an emergency appointment as sometimes it’s a week before they have anything routone. And then the GP will phone you and have a quick convo and if you need to be seen you go at the time they give you for that day. Some things can’t wait so I generally use the emergency more than routine. My dd gets tonsillitis a lot which is always treated with antibiotics and she gets really ill with it so can’t wait a week to get a prescription or checked out.

[GoldenWorld]

Mine has the same system although you don't have to ring between 8 and 9.30. It's always a telephone consultation first. Which I can see is good but annoying for me as I'm a midwife and can hardly start talking about my piles or whatever during a consultation and I have no idea when they will call me back. So I have to wait till I have a week day off.

[nomorespaghetti]

Loads of variation, and sorry to hear it's stressful for some to get seen. That's very frustrating. Seems like, for some, the system we have wouldn't be preferred, but a lot down to personal preference and circumstances i suppose. For us, the system at our gp is great, because we will always get to talk to a doctor (or nurse) that day, and see one if it's needed. That huge benefit, for me, outweighs the lack of routine appointments. And I'm not bothered about seeing the same doctor each time, but i understand that other people may care more about that.

[silkpyjamasallday]

You have to ring at 8am on the dot, and wait up to an hour on hold to ask for an appointment that day. You cannot make appointments for any other day, if you do miraculously get through to the receptionist, and they are full for the day, usually by 8.15, you just have to call back the next day. Shockingly on the rare occasion when I have been in there are always loads of people who don't turn up for their appointments.

Because of this I still haven't had any contraception sorted since Dd was born 17 months ago, because you have to be able to book a first consultation with a Dr, then book an appointment with the nurse for STD checks prior to booking the final appointment to get the thing put in.