That GP waiting times are unacceptable?

[frustrationfrustration]

I very rarely visit the doctor, I have only needed to visit once in the past year. I have rang up for an appointment today and apparently every single pre bookable appointment to see the one female GP at the practice has already gone, she apparently only sits on a Thursday morning and a Friday afternoon. The earliest I can ring up in the morning for an on the day appointment to see her is the 16th of March. I was interrogated by the receptionist who demanded that I tell her what my concern is as apparently this dictates who she should book me in to see, she was sharp with me and asked why I couldn't just see a male gp with a chaperone provided. Has anybody else had similar experiences with GP practices recently? I can't help but feel that this is the reason that a+e's are being overused. This is a busy practice that serves a large council estate so I can't help but feel that the female GP provision is inadequate.

Not new sadly. It is a pity that there cannot be priority for those who make some effort to look after themselves (non-smokers, good diet, exercise), but that would be impractical. At least in the short-term until we get a government that cares about the NHS.

YABU

if it’s urgent then you should just be seen by the first available doctor.

If it’s not urgent enough for you to accept the first available doctor then it can surely wait a couple of weeks to see a doctor of your choice.

Your referral will very likely be to a male doctor anyway so might as well get over it at stage 1.

What are you going to do if the consultant you're referred to is male? I really cannot see where wanting to see a GP of a particular sex is the reason why people go to A&E seeing that if you go to A&E you'll be seen by whoever is there, regardless of sex.

The NHS is absolutely being crippled by the current government. Doctors are being treated appallingly and are either leaving the country, the profession, or retiring early. It is hardly surprising that the result of this is increased waiting times for GPs and in A&E.

If you are looking for a constructive way to respond to this, you could write to your local MAP.

I got mastitis and I'm 47, perimenopausal and definitely not pregnant or breastfeeding. I was fucking terrified it's cancer/Paget's disease as had blood and pus leaking from very painful nipple. I can sort of see preference for female had it been my arse or vage, but well, even then, I was willing to see a trained chimp, just give me an appointment! I've been referred again to breast consultant because this is unusual. Don't really care what sex the doctor is, fucking hell, I'm terrified I have cancer and will leave behind my kids after they've already been bereaved of their sister from cancer.

Sorry but YANU. YANBU if your issue is not being able to see any GP at all within a reasonable time frame. But YABU to complain that your specific choice of GP is not available for you when other perfectly qualified doctors can care for you just as well.

PS If you do need a referral for your breast to check something out or treat an issue, you do realise there's no facility to demand an all-female team? There will come a point where you either see a male doctor or nurse or anaesthetist during a surgery or you decline care.

We are enormously fortunate in this country to (currently) have an nhs and be able to see a doctor to diagnose issues and cure them or prevent them getting worse/becoming fatal. There are millions of people in this world who'd kill to see a doctor, when their life depends on it. YABU to not see the bigger picture and how fortunate you are.

What are you going to do if the consultant you're referred to is male?

Where I am, I request, and get, female doctors. No matter what type of specialist I need to see.

We have 10 GPs at our surgery 8 of them part time. If you are lucky you will get an appointment with the locum or the GP trainee within a week. To see any of the permanent Doctors (male or female) you are looking at 3 weeks on average. But we do have a minor illness nurse who sees patients on the day - obviously limited appointments though.

I can sort of see preference for female had it been my arse or vage

Surely arse is one where it matters even less, given that literally everyone male or female has one 😂

"Today 19:41 Idontdowindows

What are you going to do if the consultant you're referred to is male?

Where I am, I request, and get, female doctors. No matter what type of specialist I need to see."

And if that creates delays or means you can't be seen quite as quickly as you like, I'm sure you'd be okay with that.

There's too many people and not enough GPs. The population has been booming since Labour days in the 90s and 2000s, and the net migration was over 336,000 in 2016 and 230,000 in 2017. That's over half a million in two years alone. It takes brains and effort to become a doctor, not everyone can do it and there's a huge responsibility so not everyone would want to do it, especially in today's increasingly litigious society.

Plus people have far more awareness of illnesses (or potential illnesses) because of education drives (especially in areas like breast cancer, prostrate cancer, stroke to name just a few - when I was growing up in 80s and 90s these illnesses and symptoms were barely mentioned publicly) and also Dr Google so whereas before there was more ignorance and symptoms might have been overlooked, now people are more ready to go to the doctors.

If the matter is urgent i would encourage you to see any GP. If you feel it can safely wait until your female gp can see you then thats fine. Surgeries have finite resources. Urgent things will always be dealt with just often not by the patients prefered clinician. Reception staff may seem prying but this is the first level of contact to try and get you seen appropriately. I hope your ok and get an appointment soon.

Hope all goes well expat

Idontdowindows

I will not see a male GP. I don't think that a receptionist gets to determine what a patient needs. It's not about need. It's about who I (and obviously OP too) wants to have to share intimate information with and whose hands are going on our bodies.

We don't ask so we can go away and snigger! We ask to try to help you get to see an appropriate Health Care Professional in the quickest and most efficient way!

You, of course are under no obligation to tell us, but equally we can't offer you an appropriate way forward quickly if we don't know.

Sometimes its something that the practice nurse, or a telephone appointment would be able to solve. We don't know this though, as we're not mind readers, so we just have to then give you the next available appointment with the person requested.

How does requesting a female work if that team doesn’t have a female staff member (or conversely requesting a male if they don’t have one?)

Or even if there is sometimes one consultant has very specific skills so in most cases surely you want that irrespective on whether they are male or female?

'Where I am, I request, and get, female doctors. No matter what type of specialist I need to see.'

Then I you never get anything where there isn't one, for your own sake, it'd be a dumb way to die.

hope you never get anything

My Dr has a same day booking system and it's fantastic. I have never failed to get a Gp appointment on the same day that I want one.

They adopted the system as it massively reduces the likelihood of no shows due to people forgetting or getting better and not cancelling.

expatinscotland

Hope all is fine xx

If you are sick enough to need the doctor you should be sick enough not to care what sex they are.

Paying your taxes entitled you to access to the health service, not demand it accommodates your personal preferences- if you want that, go private.

Thanks, all! Me, too. I'm on ABs now for the mastitis. Apparently it can be the result of hormonal changes, but it can also be a result of fucking cancer. Seriously, you get over your sex preferences when you think, 'Fuck, I could die! Just get someone to find out what's going on!'

We don't ask so we can go away and snigger!

I didn't say you did. I want a female doctor. I will tell the female doctor why I wish to see her. I have had very bad experiences with gatekeeping receptionists, which has led me to choose not to give this information anymore. It has stood me in good stead so far.

How does requesting a female work if that team doesn’t have a female staff member

I go to a hospital that does have one.

Fortunately where I am, there are now more female doctors in all branches than males, so I get to pick and choose.

I can't fault mine. I've had several appointments - some routine & some emergency - this year & have always been seen in good time & they've sorted all my issues out.

Just curious Idontdowindows, what do you have against being seen by a male doctor? And does that go for ANY doctor/medical issue or just certain ones?

Where I am I would be lucky to get an appointment within 4 weeks (i’ve tried to get appointments before when waiting list for any GP was 6 weeks) and to see a female GP it would be likely to be longer. I am officially registered with a female GP but haven’t seen her (or any of the females in the practice) in years.

I’m not someone who is bothered too much about seeing a female or male doctor, will happily see a male GP for any issue as my view they are all professionals and all have the same training. I do understand that some people are more particular and that is their right, but with GP shortages and the male to female GP ratio it isn’t surprising that a wait for a female GP is going to be longer and unfortunately there really isn’t anything that can be done