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?

I hope the OP has managed to speak to 111 by now and possibly has seen a doctor (presumably in an A&E since having chest pains is considered an emergency). Pointless asking on MN as the usual answer will be to wait and don't visit A&E until you turn blue and start hearing celestial choirs.

@PeggySuehadababy
Pointless asking on MN as the usual answer will be to wait and don't visit A&E until you turn blue and start hearing celestial choirs.

I tell many of my patients ‘if you go home and your symptoms come back, please come back. Doesn’t matter if that’s when you walk through your front door, in 4 hours time or at 4am. I’d rather see you 100 times and tell you you are well, than hear that you’d stayed at home, worried to bother us again and died. You are not a bother’.

Rosebud21 I might be missing it, but I can't see anything in that link which gives evidenced insight into the impact of staff in A&E telling timewasters they shouldn't be there. Which was my question. Does that link you posted to me answer that?

Dev there have been lots of studies looking at the effects of redirecting patients (you’ll have to find them on the RCEM site) in person....and it makes no difference to the choice they make for their next attendance. Usually redirection is at the front door, so they don’t get as far as a doctor. Telling them they are time wasters (however nicely you want to put it) just makes them feel crap in the process, and I’ve not yet met an ED doctor who chooses to make their patients fell stupid.

shoebedobedobedobedoo
Dev there have been lots of studies looking at the effects of redirecting patients (you’ll have to find them on the RCEM site) in person....

I followed both links, read the paper about the survey of A&E patients and their awareness of alternatives, but can't find anything about being told by staff, perhaps in a similar way to what my friends say, "Hello, what is the accident, what is the emergency?".

They tell me when they began this (leading central London hospital), they saw results. Most notably apparently were that the same old faces who use the department as a personal GP practice for every little thing, started to feel shame - no bad thing, they should feel it - admitted there wasn't any accident nor any emergency, most importantly began to develop the understanding of how to differentiate between something that is and that isn't to protect their own health, and stopped coming. There was no sudden increase in illness or death in the surrounding area from these people btw!

I'm genuinely interested to see impact evidence on staff verbally telling patients this, not someone "at the front door". Thanks for discussing this with me.

It’s not accident and emergency. They will likely give you some redirect u to your Gp. You need to ask to book on the day appointment and ask if you can have a phone appointment. Why don’t you see if the nurse is available as they are very qualified can also triage.
Are you still on medication for this? And did you have the camera down the osophagus to diagnose this?

OP, knowing the very serious consequences of untreated helicobacter infections, I would suggest that you are absolutely not unreasonable to go to A&E if you've had no luck getting an appointment with your GP for two weeks.

I hope you are treated and begin to feel better soon!

I don’t think you’ll find your study. Many ED consultants would feel uncomfortable with this. I’ve also worked in a central London ED. The ED population is quite different from outside London. Where I worked 60% of the work was primary care. It was close to a major transport hub. I totally understood why the public used it as a GP service.....why would anyone take 1/2 day off work for an appointment in 4 weeks time when they can pop into A&E on the way home, plug their laptop in in the waiting room and be sorted within a couple of hours. From a patient perspective it’s a no brainer.