What counts as "urgent" for a same day doctor's appointment?

[NovemberRose90]

Fully up for being told that I'm absolutely being unreasonable! I keep getting bad headaches / feeling sick and throwing up, can't look at light and so on, over the last month or so... just rode it out the first few times, but it's really getting to me now. I was trying to get a doctor's appointment, but they are all booked up till next month so I've called a couple of times in case of cancellations. This morning one of the receptionists told me that I could call tomorrow first thing for an urgent appointment if I feel that it's urgent, but I am not sure it is! I don't want to waste appointment time when it really probably is something that could wait, but I'd rather not wait another 3 weeks at the same time! I know I sound a bit overdramatic about a few headaches, but they are getting to me and it's so debilitating!

What do you think- be cheeky and beg an emergency same-day appointment or just wait it out?

Haven't read the whole thread but I find a chiropractor helps as part of my management with migraines along with beta blockers and triptans.

An urgent appointment is anything that you can’t wait the 4-6 weeks for a routine appointment as far as I’m concerned.

My OH has suffered with migraines all his life and has never been to the doctor about it (despite nagging from me). He finds dispersible aspirin is the only medication that helps.

If they're not going to give you a same day appointment, then the next thing you can do is go and see the pharmacist, and ask for over the counter triptans, I believe its sumatriptam you can now get otc, and as soon as you start to get the symptoms, take them as instructed. The pharmacist might also have other recommendations, if you tell them it's a migraine and not just a headache.

It's been going on for a month, this light sensitivity is making you throw up. Those two things would count for an urgent appointment where I am. Do it! This is no way to live your life.

I’m surprised the receptionist wouldn’t allow you an appointment. I would say this qualifies as an urgent appointment( I am a nurse). Yes it might be migraine, but could be a number of other things and this can only be assessed by a medical professional.

Just saw your update on page 2 sorry. That's actually shocking that the receptionist decided it doesn't quality. I'm sorry. It would qualify here!

This is the trouble with migraine which I suffered for many years until the menopause. You might be in pain for about five days on the trot with no respite. If the painkillers don't work your're pretty well stuck with it. Unless you can see a GP within that time frame you'll be better by the time you get an appointment.

Try to stay hydrated - if you can keep anything down, that is. Keep a headache diary and show the doc. It may well have a connection with your menstrual cycle. I hope he takes it more seriously than my GP did. Migraine is more than just a headache. Best of luck.

@Passmeabrew

I do understand (and had heard similar from our GP friends) although weekend apt’s have never been available in my area.
I’m not accusing Gp’s of laziness (trust me I do get how hard they work) I’m more frustrated with a NHS system that allows GP surgeries to fail demand knowing that it then floods the hospitals. It’s counter productive.

Realistically the jobs of Dr’s (GP and Hospital) are becoming so stretched/underpaid (in comparison to private sector) and hard, that it’s no surprise Dr’s are in shortage, students are choosing it and trainees are flooding abroad for 3x the wage and a better work/life balance.

I wouldn’t want to work for the NHS, they aren’t treated very well 😒 From the outside it looks like they’re in a sinking ship bailing out with buckets. But it doesn’t change the fact that people need to have access to health care and can’t be told ‘we don’t have anything for a month’.

I don’t see a way out of it- other than privatisation, if I’m honest.

*students aren’t choosing it

They said to me once that a rash on your hand counts as urgent if you're concerned about it. Go for it.

I really don't understand how people cope with such poor GP services! So Tuesday, hubby was unwell and thought it warranted a GP appointment (he's never had dizziness with a virus before but I told him it can be and they won't give you anything), he called too late for an emergency appointment so was given a normal appointment on the same day. It is only when you want to see a specific doctor that you might wait a week or ten days if they are PT.

What would be the point of a GP service if you can't see them for up to a month? I nearly got really angry with a woman in A+E who said something about the fact she put off coming in yesterday and turned up today until she told me that the only appointment she could get from her GP was for 3 weeks time! She did seem like she needed a course of antibiotics so definitely needed seeing but I initially thought no way should something that can be put off warrant a visit to A+E. But honestly who would you see if you can't see your GP when you think your cold has turned into a chest infection and you need to get medication in case it gets really bad?

@passmeabrew

The one thing my GP are very strict about is their OOH appointments (lates up to 8pm 2 days a week). They won't give them to kids for example because they think it is okay to miss a bit of school to attend a non-urgent appointment with them. They really try and reserve them for people who work/cannot otherwise make day time appointments. You can't book them online, you have to phone.

A few weeks back my husband put a prescription for reflux meds in at Drs and was told needed a review .
His work is agency so only knows at about 6pm the night before and is out by 7 am and not home till late is booking in advance is hard,
I rang again and was asked if it’s an emergency and said yes and initially refused to say but in end said it is urgent as he needs to be seen wen he has a day off and the condition can be bad and this was also impacting on mental health

I'd be on the phone to the practice manager pronto.

My gp practice is much better since they started a programme of bombarding you with appointment reminders, apparently it has really cut back the amount of no shows.
However, before that I occasionally waited until the weekend and phoned nhs 111 and got an appointment with the out-of-hours medic. Not ideal but really no other choice at the time.

To be fair, my GP practice actually has walk in at weekends, so I guess I could try that? I just feel that would be cheeky, though, since the senior receptionist said that it's not an urgent appointment thing! Meh, I don't know. The sort of positive problem about being in London is that it is so easy to get to a UTC or whatever (our closest one is actually on the same site as my GP practice) but I feel like I'd prefer to go to the GP about this, so they can see my inconsequential medical history and follow up if necessary, etc etc.

What strikes me is that, as is often pointed out, receptionists aren’t medically trained. They will have certain symptoms that trigger a red flag but in fairness the OP isn’t sure whether her symptoms are urgent or not either.

OP fwiw I would book an urgent appointment if you’re really struggling to get a routine one on the basis that another episode would be debilitating and could be prevented from happening. Especially if you’ve noticed a pattern with a hormonal link. If a GP is dickish enough to pass comment then stand your ground that you tried to book a routine appointment but that fact is you’re very likely to suffer another before they’re able to offer anything.

Do they do telephone consultations? That can be helpful because the doctor may just tell you when to come in.

I’ve needed to be seen routinely for ages but every time I try and get booked in there’s nothing available. Admittedly I’m not pushing but the fact is I have a medical issue that can only be treated with prescription medication that I won’t be prescribed without a physical appointment. Luckily it’s not too difficult to live around it (uncomfortable and unpleasant but manageable) but it’s hard to be sympathetic to systems like this when you’re left without care that you need.

the senior receptionist said that it's not an urgent appointment thing

The, medically-unqualified, senior receptionist? It's people like her that leave people with "needs seen" conditions for weeks.

I was wondering about this the other day. With my GP you can't get a non same day appointment for less than 3 to 4 weeks away. Which if you have an infection or something else you can't wait that long. But it's not necessarily 'urgent'. However most days you can easily phone in the am and get to see someone same day and they seem to expect that for most things other than follow up appointments ifswim?

DisneyMadeMeDoIt do you have ANY evidence for saying that GPs send 30-40% of non-urgent cases to A&E? Sounds like a load of rubbish to me (GP). What speciality does your husband work in, to say that’s the case?

And I would say that migraines would be just the kind of thing we see in “same day” appointments. We don’t have “emergency” ones, for the very reasons people are pointing out.

@aliensprig

Yes me too! Literally soluble aspirin is the only medication that helps my migraines. I always recommend people with migraine try it and they look at me as if I'm making it up

At my doctors surgery we are allowed to phone that morning if We want an appointment that day. I really hurt my back and was in agony and phoned for an urgent appointment, as I couldn’t wait days - I couldn’t sit or stand without excruciating pain and therefore it was urgent I got a prescription and signed off work.

Sorry should be more clear - I mean it doesn’t have to be urgent to get an appointment that day. They can be booked if you are in pain or sick and don’t feel you can wait, or even if you can only make it a certain day but all the appts are booked that day already - then the receptionists recommend you just phone in the morning. There’s never been any list of conditions that are acceptable or not!

I suffered with my first migraine in my 30s, they can start at any time. Does your surgery offer telephone appointments? A lot of surgeries in our area only tend to offer telephone "triage" appointments then the Doctor decides if they need to see you that day or not. I've found that it's actually rare not to get a same day appointment if the Doctor wants to see you, no matter what the condition is. It can take a while to find the right medication for you but if you feel you can't continue with 3 more weeks of this, phone tomorrow. Good luck