To think as GP surgery HAS an appointment - they should have given it to me?

[youarenotkiddingme]

So I need to see a Dr.

I know the issue to anaemia as it was flagged a few weeks ago when I went to give blood.

Can't ring bang on 8am when they open as I'm commuting.

It's not an 'urgent' appointment for on the day - which are mornings anyway - and I'm at work and obviously not ill enough to keep taking days off until I'm lucky enough to get an urgent.

So I ring again this morning. No appointments - ring 8am Monday (I'm told) when they release more. except that means usually 20-40 minutes on phone to be told "ring at 8!"

Asked me if I'm online. I'm not registered for this. Ask why.

Because we have online appointments available Tuesday. "I'll have one of them then" say I.

"no, you can only book them online. Come down with photo id, get a form, register for online and then if they are still available you can book it that way"

WTF?

This must make to sooooo difficult for people who don't have the internet or the vulnerable and elderly who can't use the internet.

If they have an appointment I cannot see why they can't allocate it to me?

AIBU?

That is a really awkward system. But, as you can't change it, you'd be best off getting your online booking sorted.
They probably have some flexibility with vulnerable people - my surgery doesn't offer ordering prescriptions over the phone for example, but when I was looking after my seriously unwell Mum the usual rules were much more relaxed.

It's a ball ache but get registered for online booking - it makes such a difference. I too have found that if you are elderly or confused they are far more accommodating,which to be fair is how it should be.

I see their point and think yabu.

They have online appointments to take the pressure off the phone lines. It becomes a pretty pointless endeavour if they start giving the online appointments out over the phone.

I have to disagree with the elderly comments, surely they are the only people who can ACTUALLY phone up dead on 8am to book all the appointments as most people are getting ready for work/going to work/ or getting kids to school!

It's not the surgery's fault. It's a government thing (dept of health, NHS England, other similar thing) . We have to offer a certain number of online only appts and are not allowed to release them any other way unless they are unbooked on the day.

My surgery operates a system like this, and now they are pushing telephone appointments too. The problem is that the "appointment" simply means that the GP will phone you after a certain time. No use if you are at work and can't have your phone with you eg teachers, checkout operators.

I think they are making the system so difficult as a way to reduce the demand.

I understand the pressures on the NHS but I don't think they appreciate the pressure on patients who are maybe desperately trying to cling on to jobs whilst living with a chronic illness. This month alone I will have. 4 hospital appointments, 1 GP appointment and 1 telephone consultation with a clinic at hospital. I am constantly having to ask work to change my shifts or book me holiday. It's so difficult.

But there's the assumption people can get online. That they have the internet or literacy skills to access online stuff.

Sold as - you can book 24 hours a day.

What they've said is I can have an online appointment - but - I have to find photo ID (assumption I have drivers license and/or passport), I have to physically go to the surgery to get a form with this to them register. Then come back home again and hope once I've registered there are still appointments available.

System totally doesn't work for such a large number of society as an 'easier' system.

Some people will have to catch the 1 bus an hour to the surgery just to get a form, to catch the 1 bus an hour back home, to then rely on the same service again when they have an appointment.

Believe me the receptionist was not budging. Even when I said my ds is disabled and dragging him to surgery to register would create all sorts of angst.

Ps- I realise it's not receptionists fault so wasn't rude to her.

Sweetie totally get that. In the space of 7 weeks ds has had 5 appointments. 2 at local hospital, 1 at specialist, 1 at therapy services and 1 at orthodontist. I'm trying to juggle working with this and cannot just take time off for aneamia.

The ironic thing is I was all up for buying iron tablets and the blood service told me no! That I cannot start taking iron as GP may need to perform detailed bloods and may not want me on iron before this.
So I'm going untreated on the advice of the same NHS who can't offer me an appointment to get treatment 🤦🏼‍♀️

Even more so is I know exactly why I'm aneamic (well presuming anyway!) my periods have been extremely heavy recently to the point I've wondered if I should see a GP - but that I've put up with because I know getting an appointment about it is near in impossible 🙈

cannot just take time off for anaemia

You're kidding right? Surely your health should be a priority.

Call at 8 and arrive to work late. Register for online next time you go in for an appointment.

Some people have no access to primary healthcare.

But you are able to register for online appointments aren't you? So just do it.

I think the idea is people register for online before they become unwell.

Regarding the iron tablets, your GP can prescribe a much higher dose than you can buy in store.

Not sure I can 'just be late for work'.
I'm pretty sure I'd have more parents complaining about their child's education than complaining about the Gp surgery system if I did that!

Especially when I get 13 weeks a year 'holiday' to make an appointment

I think you're being dramatic, you can easily sort out registering online, and if you are worried about being anaemic you will make an appointment and make it work for you, if you have been able to take a multitude of days off to get your son sorted your workplace sound quite flexible.

you are presumably a teacher of some sort...you found out a few weeks ago you had anaemia...you had easter holidays? Why not phone at 8 every day you were off...and since you are mumsnetting at 9:22 in the morning I'd be just as happy for you not to be in the classroom with my kids for an hour and come in late?

Yes, obviously I can register online.
But my question was AIBU to think as they had an appointment I should have been given it rather than being told I have to jump through hoops to register and then I may still be able to book that appointment.

Plus I've not waited until I'm unwell to decide to register. I didn't know I had to register until I was unwell! And so that's delaying treatment!

But I take everyone's point that I can solve this by registering. Annoyingly I've checked to see if I can do ds repeat prescription online as they offer that service - which I can't because he's a minor 🙄

I count my blessings I'm only 500m away from the surgery so it's pretty accessible to me!

They have to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people so for your son there could be an expectation they will open up blocked appointments in some circumstances. Unfortunately since it is for you they will likely not budge. I would still do the registering online so it is sorted for the future.
Ds needs 2 people with him at appointments for safety reasons and it took a while for our surgery to be persuaded that ds couldn't always go to the next available appointment because I had to get a 2nd person from somewhere first. It was only when we wrote to them saying it should be considered a reasonable adjustment rather than just our problem, that they budged on this.

youarenotkiddingme I'm in a similar position. I was diagnosed with anaemia last year whilst having tests for something else. The dr gave me iron tablets that I don't get on with, and keeps asking me to go for repeat tests - which show I'm still anaemic. I know it's down to my heavy periods, and I need to go and get it sorted out properly. But I have 2 disabled children, both transitioning to new schools in 5 months, i also work, and my fairly minor health problem seems to be bottom of the pile. I think people don't realise it can be difficult for carers to have time for even basic self-care like exercise and relaxation, nevermind seeking treatment for their own health problems.

Agreed with Life, it's meant to be a one time registration. I registered when I first signed up at this GP and I thought it was a little complicated, but it didn't actually inconvenience me as I did it while already at the surgery.

The internet may not be available to everyone, but it is probably a minority. And those people can generally use the phone to make appointments. Similarly, if someone cannot call at 8, there's a good chance they can access the system online at other times. There's not a good one-size-fits-all solution here, but I think it's good that they make an effort to offer alternatives.

Honey it's holidays. I'm MNing because I'm off! I set my alarm to get up early to ring at 8 - as I have done each day this week.

Today was the first time they told me about registering for online. T,W and Th they told me to ring following day at 8.

Work aren't happy about time off for ds appointments. (But it's tough shit!) I'm lucky 2 have been during holidays, 1 my parents are taking him to, 1 was an inset so I took unpaid parental leave and the other I could take a few hours off in the morning (unpaid).

So

1. your anaemia was ‘flagged a few weeks ago’
2. you haven’t bothered to utilise those ‘few weeks’ to sign up for online appointments and book one
3. you’ve clearly got enough time to post a whinging thread on MN instead complaining about the surgery instead of using the same time to sign up and book the damn appointment
4. how exactly is this your surgery’s fault?

I can see why GP receptionists get so pissed off at what they have to deal with on a daily basis.

so walk the 500m to the surgery and get the form...I can't believe people actually want to make their lives this difficult.

You could have walked to the surgery, registered, and be back home in the time its taken you to post this :p

I swear common sense is becoming a rarity these days. Why would you want to make it this difficult? You've wasted time and energy on this that could have been spent resolving the situation. P.S. the blood service are probably only saying what they said to cover their own backs and following procedure. Get some iron tablets for now and look at iron rich foods until you can secure an appointment. I've been anaemic and still borderline so I don't underestimate the effects it has but jeez...

"You could have walked to the surgery, registered, and be back home in the time its taken you to post this :p"

Sometimes it isn't that easy with a disabled child in tow.