To expect a doctor's appointment when I ask for one?

[AstridPeth]

Ok so I know how overstretched our nhs is and how long it can take to get appointments but...

I took my dd (12) to the doctors last Mon, whilst there it was discovered that her oxygen levels were at 72% , she was ambulanced into the hospital and we spent until Friday evening in there with her on constant oxygen, regular nebs. Diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. She was very poorly bless her and at one stage they almost put her in HDU.
She got discharged on Friday evening with the instructions that we are to book an appointment to get her seen at the doctors again this Friday.
My dh tried to make the appointment today and they said the earliest they could give him is the 10th Dec. Dh said this wouldn't be acceptable as the hospital specifically asked for an appointment on Friday and the receptionist informed him that he would have to ring up on the day to try and get an appointment.

AIBU to think that in these circumstances; where it has been specifically requested from the hospital that she should see a doctor that she should have been given an appointment? I know that they keep a certain number of appointments available for release on the day, so in theory she could have just been given one of those.

Please be careful with the oximetry. They’re not known for being that accurate in all situations. Go with how she is and if you’re concerned, get her seen by a doctor.

The hospitals and GP surgeries need to actually have a dialogue, establish where responsibilities lie and work out a proper system rather than just fobbing off on to the other and leaving patients with no care

did you manage to get an appointment? hope your daughter is well on her way to recovery

If the hospital felt your daughter was ill enough to need a review this week they should have brought her back for a ward review. They have no influence over GP appointments and they had no way to know one was available. Follow up is their responsibility and they should have arranged it, or spoken in person to the the GP to ensure they could fit her in and hand over what improvement would be expected and what would suggest she should go back to hospital.
I hope she's doing better OP.

Does your gp surgery allow you to book appointments online? Mine does and as the same-day embargo appointments go online at midnight it is much easier to do it this way than being on hold for hours when the surgery opens.

if possible it;s worth physically going to the surgery and waiting for it to open so you can collar the receptionist before/whilst all the phones start ringing

I was also going to suggest this. Online is also an option.

The problem works the other way as well - apparently GPs don't have special access to consultants anymore and have to call up with everyone else, so they just get the same answerphone which everyone else gets. I do think NHS admin could be improved massively, and for not very much money.

This same day thing is difficult. I've rung up 4 days in a row with no joy. On the fifth day I cried. I do feel if you've rung several days they should be able to put you in a list for the following day if they really can't see you that day.

I'm not sure of the system in England but where we are in Scotland if a consultant wishes to review something they do so in clinic. Primary care is not funded or staffed for review of acute conditions. Ie post op wound. Repeat bloods or obs. We now have community treatment rooms where these tho be happen. They are booked into by consultants secretaries. It works really well. I'm sorry you are having a tough time and I hope she is on the mend.