Would you move GP practice?

[QuickSharpSloe]

Or is this the norm?

DD has a course of antibiotics just over a week ago, it didn’t seem to get better and over the week since she finished her temperature and illness has escalated. Last night she was shivering all over, she’s upset, running a temp of 39. Her throat is white and swollen and she’s is generally uncomfortable and not herself, not eating, pale, not moving and upset. She’s a toddler so not saying much apart from ow. Breathing quite fast. I’m worried she needs another course, the fact she’s worse and the length.

GP have a system where you ring at 8, I tried every 30 seconds from 8. Finally go through to be told all the days appt are gone. Receptionist really, I tried to say I was very worried about DD, she spoke over me and said ‘well that’s how the system works’ I tried again (totally calm) and she just went ‘bye!’ And hung up! I wasn’t in anyway curt or funny as I expected to explain the issue reasonably and just ask if there was a way anywhere to be seen. I didn’t expect a no and hang up! My lot are usually super healthy so I rarely go, I had no idea it was this bad.

1. Ring 111. Tell them your toddler's symptoms and age and that your GP surgery has no appointments and that the receptionist hung up on you.
2. 111 will tell you to take them to A&E or advise on the nearest centre you can take them to.
3. Write to the practice manager about what happened and wait to see what response you get. Then if necessary yes, move.

Four years ago I was taken ill at home and thought it was flu. Some friends dropped by some stuff for me. Next day I was so awful I couldn't even get up to go to the toilet, my throat was hideous and I couldn't speak and my breathing was difficult. I had to text my mum (I'm now 44) to come over to help me. She tried to ring my GP (seeing as I couldn't speak) but they wouldn't see me. So she rang 111 who immediately told her to take me to a clinic rather than A&E. She had to get neighbours to help carry me to the car and at the clinic they got me a wheelchair. I was admitted to hospital that day.

I'm not a toddler. Ring 111.

I moved go practises because I felt the drs weren't listening and were talking over me etc...and it's simple to do, and I'm glad I did because the health issue the old gp ignored and didn't take seriously turned out to be something that I need to have surgery for...I wish I had changed sooner honestly...

*GP practices

It's a busy time on a morning for doctors and if they don't have any appointments there's not much they can't really do. Call 111 and they may book you in at a walk-in centre this afternoon.

Unfortunately there are only two practices in our town and they are both like this so changing wouldn't help.

At the very least the receptionist should have apologised and suggested you should ring 111 or go to A&E. Not just hung up on you without offering any further support. Disgusting behaviour. The practice should also have some emergency appointments available. I’d definitely complain.

@shatnerswig is spot on. Do what they say.

I'm really lucky and have a fantastic surgery. I've never not gotten and appointment when I need one even if that meant going in at the end of the day and waiting for a dr to be one free. We have online appointments so I log in at 8 and can grab one right away. They also have an online consultation which it says answer in 48 hours but actually DH used it last week and they got back to him the next morning and asked him to make an urgent appointment (got one that day).

We also have a brilliant urgent care centre which is now next to our A&E so patients can be transferred if required. You can go their for general illness if gps can't fit you in.

Your dd sounds really poorly and sounds like she may need a difference course of medication.

It's a busy time on a morning for doctors and if they don't have any appointments there's not much they can't really do.

That's really no excuse is it. This could become an emergency. If there are no appointment slots she should have signposted you elsewhere for urgent help. I hope that you've now rung 111, and also that a complaint goes in to the Practice Manager.

In outs you just ask for the on call GP to phone. They then decide after talking to you whether they need to see you, can leave a prescription or need to send you on somewhere else.

I would not move based on the OP. Everywhere is chocka and appointments are like gold dust.

I’m sitting waiting for an appt in another GP that’s closer to our new house. I explained we’d like to move, illness and they were happy to go down in five min!

Everywhere is chocka and appointments are like gold dust

So they might be, but the receptionist behaviour is NOT acceptable under any circumstances and needs reporting.

So they might be, but the receptionist behaviour is NOT acceptable under any circumstances and needs reporting.

Well I didn't mention that because the AIBU was about moving practice, so that's what I responded to.

Not sure why you felt the need to pick out my legitimate post answering the AIBU?

I’m sitting waiting for an appt in another GP that’s closer to our new house. I explained we’d like to move, illness and they were happy to go down in five min!

I hope your DD starts to feel better soon. This is an incredible response by the new GP, sounds like you have been very lucky to find them.

I live in a small town where we only have one practice and fall out of area for the next towns either side of us so sadly I am stuck with useless surgery!

I hope she’s feeling better soon - do feed back to the original practice, they ought to be recording all phone calls so will be able to listen to the conversation and have a word with the receptionist who wasn’t at all appropriate. Even if you couldn’t be seen they should have a policy to redirect to 111 or something for a sick child.

I’ve moved GP practices and I’m contemplating doing it again. It’s pretty much impossible to get a GP appointment and I’ve waited three weeks to see the practice nurse.

Thank you @Bryjam

She’s happier in herself, doc say it’s pneumonia it sounds like in her left lung. Agreed antibiotics to monitor at home and a morning follow up, with advice to monitor breathes per minute and fever and go go A&Z if she seems worse. Cough suddenly kicked in quite forcefully from zero

It worries me if I hadn’t been able to get this how it would have progressed

If you do move surgery, be sure to find out their appointment system beforehand. I have to say an experience like yours would make me think about it.

At our surgery they have a duty doctor who only does emergencies, if all the regular appointments were gone they would have given you a phone appt with the duty doc and they would have seen you. I've called in the middle of the day and been seen by duty doc before, and they never turn away a child.

Obviously not all surgeries do the same, so check before you change.

That's not great, the receptionist should have directed you to 111 if they couldn't help. My GP has a system like this, but the receptionists are polite and will even squeeze you in by double booking if they think it's urgent.