To be fucked off with the doctors situation

[StopFancyingPeople]

I’m so sick of the fight to get a doctors appointment. It never used to be so difficult and now it’s near on impossible.

I rang at 8am on Monday like you’re meant to. Automated message .... press 1 for appointments ... I press 1. I then get a long automated lecture about Coronovirus and then get told to press 1 again if I still want an appointment and have no symptoms of CV. I press 1. Automated message telling me the lines are very busy and press 1 for a call back. I press 1 and head off to work. They ring back at 9:30 when I’m upto my eyes in it at work and can’t answer the phone.

I try again Tuesday. Same kerfuffle with the automated messages. I request a call back and head off to work. Get a call back at 11am by which point there are no appointments left.

I try again yesterday. Same old shit. No appointments left by the time they ring me back. I lost my shit a little as I feel so Ill. I need to see a fucking doctor. It shouldn’t be this difficult!!! They sympathise and offer me an appointment ... for the end of March!!!!

I’m barely functioning. I’m incredibly fatigued, constant headache, nausea, anxious mess and not sleeping. Yesterday I could barely stay awake whilst driving home. Last night I went to bed do fucking tired that I woke up in a pool of my own piss. I didn’t even wake up for a wee. 2nd night in a row that I’ve wet the bed.

AIBU to call dr again today, make up some shit just to get an emergency same day appointment?! I don’t even feel that I should need to make shit up, I think I genuinely need to see a Dr today.

The annoying thing is, when you do by some miracle of god get to see a GP they then decide you need a blood test. Now god forbid the GP do this test there and then ... noooo .... you’ll have to make another appointment for a nurse to do it and good luck getting that within the next month or so.

It’s ridiculous. The system is fucking failing.

Also, as a nurse I see this from other people’s points of view too. A woman made up an excuse to come to my clinic last week. When she got there she asked me to diagnose something she had as she’d been trying to get a dr appointment for 3 weeks and has all the ducking symptoms of cancer. I could not help her, she needed to see a GP 3 weeks ago.

All three GPS were retiring and they couldn't recruit anyone
Surely this is a clear sign that the system is broken?

I've been at the same surgery for all of my adult life. In the last six months, it's been nearly impossible to get an appointment. They've always been great, but now you have to be practically about to collapse before they'll squeeze you in with a locum who doesn't know anything about you.

You are not being unreasonable. I've also had some health issues lately. Felt unwell like you. Couldn't function. Also missed a call after waiting 8 hours for a Dr to ring back and was changing my son's nappy! Rang again the next day. Was squashed in with a paramedic who took my bloods and then said ok bye. I had to say can you check my blood pressure? She did that and then sent me on my way. I had to wait four days for my results. Then I was told something had flagged up and to come in 3 weeks time.

I said to the receptionist what's flagged up. Is it iron? Should I be taking iron? She said I'll take a message for you. 48 hours no reply. Rang back and said did the Dr tell you what had flagged up. She said he will see you on the 6th march and to start taking iron if I liked. Honestly could of cried. I barely could function.

At my surgery it's 6 weeks now on average for a routine appointment. They are at least 2 GPS down. The 4 they have left are all taking it in turns to have a holiday at the moment (can't blame them)

Also last month I went with some problems with my cycle. Spotting etc. The nurse did this appointment. Said I needed a smear and some samples taking. Said I needed refering for a scan and if they can't find a reason I'll be referred to gynocology. The nurse told me to make another appointment for my smear and swabs. I was sat right there!!! I thought can't you just bluddy do it now. Went to book a smear. She said we haven't got any appointments for three weeks time until the books open. I was trying to sort it around periods and school runs. Had my scan and nothing through the post or anything.

The triage system is crap if you can't have your phone on you all day. There's no appointments for weeks. Telling the receptionists about your body issues when you went to school with one is no fun. Your results come back and the receptionist can't even tell you anything. You can't even get near the doctors at mine anymore. It's always nurses etc filling in to help them out. It's a mess. There's clearly a huge shortage of Gps and this is putting people at risk. I'm not sure what the answer is anymore.

Perhaps ring 111 tonight and say you are desperate to be seen and no drs are available for weeks. Tell them your symptoms and explain you are scared. Hopefully you can be seen out of hours. You are not taking the piss doing that you sound unwell xx

My surgery is ok, but struggling under the pressure.

You can ring at 8am for an emergency appointment, if the receptionist thinks it's really urgent you get booked in for an appointment.
If the receptionist thinks it's not urgent, but you need to be seen today, you go to the sit and wait clinic for the morning where you can wait 2+ hours.
Same for the afternoon.
Telephone consultations get out on a list and they'll ring you twice, if you don't pick up either time, try again tomorrow.

General appointments you can wait anything from 3 weeks to a month, which is ridiculous.
I was extraordinarily lucky yesterday and managed to book my blood tests and ECG for 2 weeks time.

They've had to put up signs in the surgery asking patients not to book 'just in case' future appointments as when they're inevitably not needed, it's cancelled too late to be used by another patient.
Doesn't stop people (looking at you, neighbour) booking an appointment every other week or so 'just in case I need it' and cancelling about an hour or so before her time slot.
Wouldn't mind but she's retired and can use any of the sit and wait clinics if needed!

I had a sinus infection earlier in the year - I rang at 8am every day for a week, and just got a message saying the phone lines were busy, call again later. Later there were no appointments. Eventually I called at lunchtime, explained my situation to the receptionist very politely and calmly, said I knew they were under huge pressure, but I just didn't know what to do. They called me back with an appointment for that afternoon within about 15 minutes.

I'm in Scotland, so the app doesn't apply. It has to be either on the day at 8am, or a month in advance. No middle ground.

@Greenandpleasanter - but they started with "try peppermint tablets for a month", not with ultrasound. Then blood tests, more blood tests. Then they said because the ultrasound was clear there's nothing wrong with me. So all those appointments would be marked up as minor ailment / effectively time wasting because nothing's wrong, nobody is going to go back and correct the record to say they were misdiagnosis. How many other people are having lots of appointments all listed as effectively wasting doctors' time when they aren't?

Barbedbloom
You should ring your consultant's secretary. There is no point in wasting your appointment if you haven't had your bloods done. They might be able to get you in to the hospital phlebotomy clinic urgently.

My surgery is not like this. You ring at 8am, I usually get through with 5-10 mins and always get seen same day. You can ring at 1pm for the afternoon appointments.

So, how many of us voted Tory?

Despite the irrefutable evidence that the NHS is falling apart, and certainly, measurably over the past ten Tory years, we are, apparently all OK with this because we voted them in again.

And I hope everyone complaining on here is emailing their Tory MP asking where that £350m is, please?

I'm NHS coalface.

I always dryly amused when I go into the waiting room to tell Mr Jones that unfortunately we're running an hour/2 hours late. Or that the machine is broken, so he'll need to be rebooked.

Why? Because it takes one member of staff to be sick (possibly exhausted after a run of crazy nights); and one on holiday and that's us screwed for the day. Broken machine? Same day fix contract was let go due to cost. Now it's 'in a week', plus maybe having to scavenge parts from second hand machines in India. Or the decimation of our EU staffing due to Brexit - being replaced by third world trained nationals, some of whom are borderline dangerous and need close supervision.(I see the Reports...).

Mr Jones is hugely sympathetic to the plight of the NHS. He hears about it every day in his press; he knows it's a pity. But you tell him that it's him who won't be getting his scan today....! It was other people he assumed would suffer, not him.

My GP surgery was small with 3 drs, always got through and no issues getting appointment, last year they moved premises and merged with other surgaries in the area. Since then it's a nightmare, not able to book appointments in advance have to phone daily, occasionally will say walk-in next day but may not see anyone. When you are there it's absolutely packed.
I have just attended an appointment after calling in daily for last 3 weeks.
Today I have managed to sign up for online access to the surgery, once in it says no access to records or facility to messa gp
No medication listed says surgaries does not offer this
. As I just wanted it to see available non urgent appointments available in the future I didn't mind this, however there is no appointments listed except one, calender does not show weeks ahead etc. My GP is not in my vincity, 1.30 bus trip, driving no where to park.
I've stayed with them as I've known my GP for many many years, once he leaves I will register near my home which would be 2mins away.
Can anyone tell me is Ishe NHS app that has been mentioned the same as access to my GP one ?

I’ve always dreaded booking appointments for my boys or myself.
Until very recently there was no chance of getting a routine appointment without a months wait, so everyone and their dog would phone up to get a same day emergency one and they’d be all gone within 10 mins.
The (new) pita to access online booking system is shite and the receptionist suggested I use My GP app. I managed to get 3 appointments for these week (bronchitis diagnosis yesterday for ds3 , an asthma review for ds2 and a CD review and new script for myself for tomorrow). It’s madness really.

How does this work if people need a doctor's note, then? I've only needed one twice in the last 16 years, but the last one was last year in March. I came in on Friday (quite obviously the worse for wear) and asked to get a sick note. No problem appt on Monday. GP took her time (as in, not going on my say-so but listening to my chest and looking at my ears) and signed me off for the week.

(For avoidance of doubt, I'm in Scotland. Phoning GP sets you back several quid due to non-geo number they use.)

UK has fewest doctors per 1,000 patients in EU

We also pay the lowest percentage of GDP healthcare, compared with equivalent countries. I think something like 8% compared with 13%, but memory maybe flaky and can't get any websites to load, presumably flaky device memory....

@Oxo01 - there are a few apps. I use EMIS patient access because I couldn't get another one working. If your GP didn't enable some services such as medication or appointments then they won't be available. Ours gradually increased services online over a few months, so it much change once they're connected up. The GP receptionist helped troubleshoot some login issues with whoever runs the app.

Just get the GP at hand app - get a video call in a few hours and then I usually manage to get a real life appointment the next day or 2 no problem! I've been able to book actual time slots for blood tests instead of the pick a ticket and wait for your number systems in my old GP surgery

I've been given hospital appointments with specialists when needed too just over the video call which is way more convienient!

Id never go back to the old days at an actual surgery - it drives me mad

In my daughter's grammar school so many girls want to become doctors. But even with excellent A level grades many cannot get a place to study medicine. The government are saying they plan to increase the number of places. It should be done urgently. There are plenty of people who want to train to become doctors.

Managed to get on triage this morning, left my phone awaiting the callback and just told patients I might have to pop out to answer my phone if it rings!! Spoke to the doctor who said I needed same day assessment so I was seen at 1:30. Turns out I have a raging infection, the stick lit up so much that the dr has sent it off for analysis and prescribed me antibiotics while we wait for the results. I also have to have a blood test when I start my next period.

Same here. Bloody awful and what I don’t understand @waterbottle12 is if it is purely down to cuts/funding issues, how come it varies so much from surgery to surgery?

Glad you got seen today OP. Hope the antibiotics work quickly.

The problem is dependent on the number of patients per surgery. Some like the one my DH is a GP have a very high number of patients per GP (they have a reputation of being a good practice). Average time for a routine non urgent appointment is three weeks.

Thanksc 45MRex for reply
My surgery gave me a list to register with (last year it was only 3 which I could not get onto even with codes from the surgery
) Like I said i have managed today to register with one on the list but not much use at moment, I think your right it should get better in future but it has been a over a year now.
Also I noticed a few times when I have phoned and got an appt when they send reminder by text the time has changed to what they said on the phone.
This week she said 9.50am available I snapped it up text came day or so later and said 10.40am this was ok this time but it does not make sense.

Mines the same, only with a receptionist who thinks she's a doctor and told me to take 15mg of codeine while breastfeeding because "she would"

No surgery should have a telephone number that costs more to call than a regular landline 01xxx xxxxxx number. If they do I would advise the helath board. They could be tied into a contract but it is unlikely to have such restrictive practices.

Practices have been advised to disable online booking due to Coronaviris at the moment to avoid someone who has not read the papers/ and half dozen notices about not coming into the surgery if you think you have Coronaviris (yes it has happened. Here)

Glad you managed to get an appointment OP, but it is ridiculous that it is so hard. It used to be the same here, they have introduced a new system which seems to be working- you call at 8am, a doctor calls you back within 2 hours (straight away if urgent) and either prescribes over the phone if it's really obvious what it is, gets you to go in for an appointment that day (they hold duty doc apps open), or gives advice/directs elsewhere if necessary. Hope you are feeling better soon.

I managed to bag an extra long appointment as there were two student doctors on placement. So first I got “interviewed” by a lovely student Dr and the actual doctor then asked me what I thought was wrong with me. Then he asked the student what she thought was wrong. Then I got his opinion so it was pretty thorough!