To go to a and e because I can't get an appointment with GP?

[Mamadoll]

I have been trying to get an appointment for almost 2 weeks now and I'm at the end of my tether with my symptoms. I was treated for helicobacter (stomach bacteria) a few weeks ago and within a week of stopping treatment my symptoms have come back with a vengeance. It's making my life a misery; I struggle to eat much and can't sleep properly for the constant pain in my stomach/ chest.

I really hate wasting people's time but am I supposed to just put up with this until after new year?

A couple of years ago I was thrown on the bus but couldn't get a GP appointment. The surgery told me to go to the sit and wait clinic. Apparently as this was an accident I should have gone to Minor injuries. I'm in my 70's and that is the last time I have seen a dr. My ligaments across my back and leg were damaged and would take 2 years to heal.

My surgery do telephone consultations so you should have been offered one of these and the dr can then either prescribe medication or a visit. But the fact you are in pain and discomfort should be dealt with.

Ask for a call back from the gp. They might be able to do a repeat prescription over the phone.

Of course you're being unreasonable to go to A&E! Try calling 111 out of hours. Explain your symptoms and let them know your GP hasn't got the capacity to see you. They should arrange an out of hours GP appt for you

Absolutely not an A&E-worthy issue. Don’t be part of the problem.

Flu season has kicked off very early this year, so GP surgeries are struggling for appointments.
Were you on medication for your symptoms before you were treated for helicobacter? Would it be worth having a chat with your local pharmacist, or putting in a request for a prescription of your previous medication, to see if you can get something to give you some relief until you can get a GP appointment?

Do you have a walk in centre nearby? Or try calling 111.

Our local surgery hands over to OOH at 6.30pm. We find if you phone 111 at that time, you can get an appointment at OOH by 8pm and it's in fact easier for an immediate problem than trying to be seen at our actual surgery.

It doesn't work however for ongoing issues. I really think you need to see your own GP here - I'd phone them and express you really need to be seen. Or go there in person and explain to reception.

It's neither an accident or an emergency.

It sounds like an ulcer or heartburn and my first port of call would be to pharmacist to try something like omeprazole - a&e is not the right option , non emergency walk in centres maybe but you’d likely to just get sent home with a script and some gaviscon and told to see your GP

Our A&E have a walk in emergency doctors, phone 111 they can get you an emergency appointment

If you can afford it I would recommend Push doctor. (honestly don’t work for them, but been in position where couldn’t get to GP). Download app. Phone consultation. I think it’s £20 for 10 mins. They can write private prescriptions.

111 out of hours and you will likely get an appointment at a local walk in / out of hours centre

Are you calling your GP every morning/afternoon at exactly the time the 'emergency' appointments become open? Are you saying that they're all gone at 8.01, for example?
Have you arranged a GP phone back for a repeat prescription?
Have you been to your walk in centres?

Absolutely no reason to visit A&E.

Chest pain is considered an emergency

Walk in centre

YABU. And people wonder why the A&E departments are stretched. Call 111

Another one saying to call 111.
My GP receptionist advised me to do this last week when a DC was ill and there were no appointments available. After assessing symptoms over the phone, I was told to ring my GP back and say that 111 had said dc need to be seen within the next 6 hours. I got an appointment for DC within half an hour.

I know that 111 sometimes get slated, but on this occasion they really helped and depending on your surgery might give your need for an appointment a bit more clout

Hi OP, I’m an A&E consultant, and I’m going to go against the masses in this post. Honestly, less than 10% of my work is a true emergency. About 50% is urgent and the remaining 40% is primary care or common sense. I wouldn’t have a problem seeing you in my department. I’d also be worried by your description that this is not the same issue as previously. You mention you have chest pain-111 will send you an ambulance to take you to A&E with that description. Many A&E depts now have in house GPs anyway, so if the triage nurse thinks it’s a true primary care problem that is who you’ll see in any case. I’d far rather you came and saw me than sat at home in pain for days waiting for a GP appointment. If you have no joy with your GP today pop along to your local A&E. All A&Es are super busy atm- a 6 hour wait is common, but if you arrive at around 8am you’ll get the new fresh day doc’s and should have a crazy long wait. Good luck x

*shouldnt have a crazy long wait.

Speak to 111. I've had helicobacter pylori and was always sent from the GP to the hospital.

Does your gp not offer emergency appointments or emergency telephone consultations?

An A&E doctor above is saying your should go to A&E so I think you should go.

Sunshinelollipops1 you seen Push Doctor's news update yesterday? They won't be providing the private element after January, so only available to people registered with GP surgeries that subscribe to them. Seems a shame, as it fills a gap.

There should be a few steps before A&E;
Pretty much all surgeries have on the day emergency apt's that you can call to arrange first thing, or at a specified time in the afternoon
Your area should also have an Urgent Care centre, so one step up from the GP but below A&E
111, and get their advice
Try those before going to A&E, for your own benefit mainly as you really don't want tinge waiting around for 6hrs!

I had an ear infection last week and the pain was horrendous, it was actually making me vomit with how sore it was and OTC pain relief was doing nothing to help at all. I called the GP and luckily they had a cancellation for later that day and I saw a GP that gave me antibiotics and pain relief. The GP told me that if I ever have something like this again and can't get an appointment the same day, call 111 or go to A&E. Pain with vomiting and especially chest pain (in your case) is classed as an emergency. You could have gallstones that have blocked the bile duct or anything. Call 111 but if they say you'll get a call back within 6 hours (that happens a lot) just go to A&E. There's NHS guidlines on what is classed as an emergency and chest pain without relief is one of them. I had a bacterial infection in my inner ear and was risking it spreading into my brain if I didn't get it treated (hence the extreme pain). I have no hearing in my left ear now and off and on ringing. I wish I just went to A&E and never left it a whole night and day

Going to a&e because you can't get a gp appt is the reason I had to wait an age to be seen at a&e when I'd had a real accident and was 6 months pregnant (not my fault before somebody says I should have been more careful, somebody's dog was out of control and knocked me over. Baby was ok but my leg was not). Even though when we told 111 they sent for an ambulance for me to be safe.

Ask for an emergency appt at your gp, they do keep them behind. GP emergency is different to a hospital one.