3 week wait for a doctor appointment/phone appointment.

[Lovemusic33]

AIBU to expect to be seen or at least heard by a GP within a week?

On going women’s issues, been back and forth to gp (over the phone due to covid) for a year now. Tried every thing they have suggested, taken what they have prescribed me and even had a full std test as advised by them, still my symptoms are getting worse, I suspect my iron levels are low, it’s effecting my life hugely to the point I can’t go out, I can’t have sex and I feel exhausted.

So yet again I fill out the inline ‘e consultation form’ last Monday, I asked for a referral to gynaecologist, told them how it’s effecting me, how unwell I feel and how much pain I’m in. I hear nothing back so chased it up to be told that they had sent me a email with a phone appointment date for 7th October 😡. Before covid I was able to see a gp within a couple of days of calling so why is it taking so long just to speak to a gp on the phone??

AIBU to expect them to be a bit quicker? What am I supposed to do? I don’t think my symptoms are classed as non urgent when I bleeding heavily for 3 weeks a month?

Is anyone else experiencing the same from their gp?

You were very lucky if you could previously get an appointment within a few days. Nobody I know has been able to get an appointment within two or three weeks for many years. I have no doubt it would be an impossibility at my surgery if I needed one now.

You are not being unreasonable though, maybe unrealistic.

Just feels like the NHS are just concentrating on covid and not much else. All I want is a referral, I have spoken to the gp 3 times now in the phone, my symptoms are still the same so I just have to go through it all over again. Last time I spoke to them was 3 months ago it took me 3 weeks t get a phone appointment then too (middle of covid so understandable). At no point have I been offered a blood test to check my iron levels. Just feels like I’m getting nowhere.

Makes me wonder how many people are not being diagnosed quick enough with serious health issues due to covid?

Both my hearing aids have stopped working and I have a collapsed ear drum. Currently, audiology appointments in my area are non existent. Only one out of 5 centres in my area is taking any appointments and that was with a lead time of 35 weeks!
Tried to buy some aids from Specsavers and they won't sell me any with out a consultants note.

Pre covid I was getting same or next day appointments. Now it's about 3 to 4 days or same/next day call back, with responses to email questions or prescription requests in a couple of days.

Surprisingly not. I have managed to get a phone call back within two hours and they then did the referral same day. Before Covid it was took about a week to get an appointment, unless you needed same day. For same day you’d just have to phone up before 1030 and then before about 1430 for the afternoon slots. I hear all these nightmare stories and think thank fuck my gp surgery is reasonable.

There has always been a 3 week wait for routine appts where I am, unless its an emergency requiring same day.

Last time I rang I was told that there were no appointments available, at all! I asked what I was supposed to do and she said try phoning again in a few days but she couldn't guarantee that there would be any then either

It’s actually been faster for me. Used to be a few days to get an appointment. I called and the gp called back within 15 minutes and I had a prescription filled out by 3pm by the chemist.

Been faster here too. Usually a 2-3 week wait for an appointment. Lately I've had same day phone appointments and even a face to face the same day as needed.

@Mutunus

Both my hearing aids have stopped working and I have a collapsed ear drum. Currently, audiology appointments in my area are non existent. Only one out of 5 centres in my area is taking any appointments and that was with a lead time of 35 weeks! Tried to buy some aids from Specsavers and they won't sell me any with out a consultants note.

That’s awful ,how can they think it’s ok for you to be without hearing aids for such a long time?

I know dentists are similar, I have a tooth that I’m likely to lose, because in not in constant pain I can not get an appointment.

People’s health concerns need to be taken seriously or people are going to miss out on early diagnosis for potentially fatal illnesses.

You may think it's reasonable to be heard by a doctor within a week, but it hasn't happened like that for at least three years.

Lovemusic33
Audiology funding had been reduced in this area pre-covid anyway, but the service seems non-existent at present.
My (NHS) dentist is the same regarding appointments but strangely enough is still treating private patients.
I smell a conspiracy

At least you can book appointments!

My GP isn't accepting ANY pre-booked appointments. You have to ring up at 8AM (wait on hold for aprox 30 mins) to be told there's no appointments, and to ring back tomorrow.

IT IS INFURIATING.

Practice nurse.
Our clinics are fully booked for weeks, as are the GP's although they have a few urgents for see on the day stuff. As they have been through most of Covid, telephone consulting and seeing those that need to come in plus covering a 'hot hub' in full ppe.
I'm finding people have been sitting on issues for a few months and decided to wait no longer. Booked in for one issue, presenting with several.
Staff have been leaking for years in primary care, it's difficult to recruit, people are now not unusually living to 90-100. Will only get worse.

It's much faster here to. It used to be at least 3 weeks for an appointment, now you get one in the same week, usually same or next day.

It was infuriating to hear people gushing on how wonderful our NHS was, when it was anything but wonderful. Underfunded, under-staffed, crumbling maybe.

I don't mean NHS is better now! I hope that having to put the entire country on lockdown because our medical simply cannot cope at the best of times, has opened the eyes of everybody

Ours are starting to get busy again after a weird lull over summer. 2-3 week wait has been standard for most practices for years now unfortunately. Covid helped at ours because fewer people wanted to see their doctors but getting back to ‘normal’ demand now.
Most places will manage to see within a day or two for urgent issues but though yours is significant, and important, I don’t really see how it’s urgent the same as an acute infection or someone suicidal or ? appendicitis would be seen same day.

The e-consult at my GP surgery is great, much quicker than the previous system. I had to use it for myself and was phoned within two hours. Granted I really needed antibiotics very quickly so it was an urgent appointment but I was impressed.

I’ve had to use it twice for DS. Once for a routine medication review, again had same day phone consultation. Once for a more urgent problem and we had an online consultation within the hour. DS has also had his nasal flu spray, all very efficient and well run.

Thinking about it I will probably drop them a thank you email.