GP practice "not offering appointments"

[Darkestseasonofall]

This is a new low. Just called to make an appointment to be told they aren't doing any for the foreseeable future.
If it's an emergency you can call on the day and try to get a telephone consultation, but that's it.
I can see a huge rise in people attending ED in appropriately or just becoming very ill with avoidable things.
This isn't NHS bashing, I'm a nurse, but I can't understand how primary care can just opt out of 90% of their contract.
AIBU to think this is just silly?

What they mean is you have to speak to a GP first, you will get an appointment if needed.

@Didiplanthis

FFS !!! It is NOT all GPs , this is horrific. SOME GPS are doing this. I am not saying this isn't happening and it is utterly wrong that it is. If everyone carries on with the sweeping levels of abuse seen on this thread - the crap doctors will be ALL any of you will be left with with because the ones if us who work bloody hard and care more than you can ever know cannot take this level of hatred and abuse and will have just walked away. I am soooo bloody close to doing so after 20 years of giving my everything anyway. On this thread so far the accusations levelled at the entire profession based on the bad experiences of the most vocal, if widespread and continued will destroy primary care quicker than covid. If you really think any service will be improved by the destruction and loss of the most dedicated and passionate you are very sadly wrong.

Absolutely agree with this. The morale of staff is rock bottom, we have staff in tears most days and virtually all of us are looking for alternative jobs. I am on the point of saying "fuck it" and walking out. It has been relentless for months and I dont/can't do another 6 months of it. We are a low incidence area currently 154 ish per 100,000 and teir 1. Obviously we need to move up a tier but we are rural and forgotten about. When this is all over, I doubt there will be any dedicated general practice staff left anywhere.

They are not offering you to book your own appointment with reception as then they will get people with a cough and temperature who “just want their chest checked” and who “know it is not covid” without being tested. Or people who want a form filled in. Or people who want a blood test with the nurse.
It’s triage not closed!

Nobody wants to see their GP face to face for a chat about how the day is going. People want to be able to book a routine (PHONE IS OK) appointment to monitor existing conditions or developing issues.
Some surgeries are managing this very well, others have delays (understandably), and others are just not providing the service at all. Why? Well we do not know. It needs to be brought to attention so it can be sorted because, sorry, but I think it is fully unacceptable. People unseen today for a routine will turn up in a big crisis case months later.
Also, this attitude of people wasting surgery time is beyond blood boiling! If you read the cases we are talking about there is people with existing conditions getting worst, blood tests results not passed to the patient, blood in urine, EPI pens not provided, and so on. It is not a silly pain in my leg for 5 min after walking 10 miles case!

It is not bashing GPs. It is saying that some practices are not offering a suitable service. It could be because their GPs are all in hospital. The user does not know this. But the system needs to be mended right?

Yep, mines like this. On the plus side, you can send a message online about symptoms and the GP rings you that day/next day for an appointment over the phone, before it could take up to a month to get an appointment. However, this is not going to work for older people, like my DM who don’t have a computer. Also, some things really need to be looked at physically. I’ve got an over the phone dermatology appointment coming up, I can’t see how that’s going to work! Also the repeat prescription service they use now on their website has resulted in mistakes EVERY SINGLE TIME I have used it.

When this is all over, I doubt there will be any dedicated general practice staff left anywhere.

I’m not able to see my GP now anyway, so what difference does it make?

@peasoup8
Perhaps no difference to you but - newsflash - you arent the only patient in the UK

@Coffeeandaride

They are not offering you to book your own appointment with reception as then they will get people with a cough and temperature who “just want their chest checked” and who “know it is not covid” without being tested. Or people who want a form filled in. Or people who want a blood test with the nurse. It’s triage not closed!

Actually it is all but closed in our surgery. They are not doing routine appointments and state so on their website. Your interpretation that this means triage is incorrect. Triage is for anything that needs to be dealt with on the day and the doctor will decide whether to see you or prescribe over the phone or NFA. Routine appointments, those that are not something that needs to be seen on the day are not happening here.

So if you rang and spoke to the GP and said (for example) I’ve been checking my blood pressure at home and it is above target. (Routine) then they would presumably ring and speak to you and likely be able to do this by phone (dietary advice, medications review). If it is a smear, speak to GP and they will get a routine appointment.
What routine issues are not being dealt with?

I rang this week to get a coil fitted (totally routine issue). They rang me back, arranged postal swabs, did all “paperwork” and got appt for 2 weeks time.
My son gets prescriptions. My in-laws had their flu vaccines. Not sure what routine issues are not being done with you.

My GPs surgery was doing phone consultations for a couple of years - have always found they work well, and a follow up face to face available if needed.
They're a bit in overdrive at the moment - making two appointments with different people to discuss the same thing, then the GP calls and had no idea what she is calling for. Also the receptionist can be a bit "I have made you an appointment for X" err, no, that isn't convenient - but certainly no issues getting appointments.
Flu jabs worked like a dream - appointments scheduled at 2 minute slots, in and out within moments.
Blood tests transformed - I used to get a handwritten form (which thinking fraud anyone could add to by ticking more boxes), turn up to hospital, grab a ticket like a supermarket deli and sit waiting for up to an hour. Results would take a week to get back to the surgery. Now, surgery submits test request to hospital, sends me a text, I make the appointment on line, usually next day appointments available in ten minute slots. Turn up, takes five minutes, no waiting, results are back with GP by the end of the day or following morning.

What routine issues are not being dealt with?

The website literally states

'We are unable to offer routine appointments'

I mean I could sit here all day with examples but I'm not sure why you are challenging me?

I have no issue with most things being done virtually infact I am a big advocate for it carrying on long term in most cases.

However when you phone a GP about a child with asthma serious enough for them to have been put on the shielding list to be met with “we can’t see anyone with respiratory problems you will have to go to A and E” simply isn’t acceptable.

Sometimes people need seeing face to face. I get keeping it to a minimum but to have blanket rules risks lives.

So far it's much better system here. No crowded waiting rooms. You get triaged over the phone first and get seen if required. I've had 4 telephone appointments and 2 face to face since March. Much better system here.

To add I'm quite happy to have a telephone appointment but I need to be able to book it! If I ring on the day, they've all gone and then I can't get one unless I book holiday off work
I've used all my holiday up for telephone appointments and hospital consultations

@peasoup8

When this is all over, I doubt there will be any dedicated general practice staff left anywhere.

I’m not able to see my GP now anyway, so what difference does it make?

It will make a difference to my patient who chooses to see me because I know their son died 20 years ago and no one ever mentions him any more, to my patient who has been emotionally abused by her husband for years and has never told anyone else, to the patients who are engaging with heath care for the first time in years because they were so traumatised by the care of the type of doctors who don't care what people think and will still be there not caring at the end of this. The types of patients that I have picked up the phone to unsolicited after a 14 hr day with 30 + patient contacts half of which WERE face to face, to make sure they are ok during lockdown. But sure as it makes no difference to you, who cares ....

@QueenOllie I will be doing the same next week! Exactly same here. All routine phone appointments are gone once you get through, never mind that you have been calling for 2 hours.
My surgery is on busy all the time also, so you have to call countless times. They do not even have a system where you are placed on a waiting list once you call. Or you can leave your details for them to call you back. And it is the same with trying to book said appointments online.

The website is saying you cannot book a routine appointment. If you ring and say you need to speak to a GP, you will get to speak to a GP. If you need to be seen, you will be seen.

They have to work differently now!

Perhaps no difference to you hmm but - newsflash - you arent the only patient in the UK

You clearly missed my point Myself and many other people can’t see our GP ALREADY because they’re sitting at home, refusing face to face appointments and leaving mums like me to effectively self diagnose my baby - then prescribing something completely wrong which could potentially have been dangerous. If you think that’s an acceptable level of care then you’re in the wrong job.

Which GP is sitting at home? Do you mean they are shielding or self isolating and working from home?

Peasoup if you have one example of a clinical issue, when you were in contact with your GP (who was working) you should ring and talk it through with GP.

I think locally GP services here have declined considerably. Mine also aren’t booking GP appts. You need to ring up on the day at 8am and get triaged and they’ll decide if you are sick enough to book at appt. All appts are via phone. There are no face to face, no smear tests, no blood tests etc.

Mine used to release 20 slots a week online so that registered patients could book an appt to manage their ongoing conditions. You just logged on and choose a convenient appt with the GP of your choice. These have been cancelled because - Covid. This could still take place via telephone and I’m struggling to see how Covid plays a part in this - surely for resource planning from a practice managers perspective it would be good to reinstate this.

I have a rather lengthy repeat prescription (4 pages long) so when I called 2 weeks ago to schedule a prescription review I was told I needed to call every day at 8 get triaged to see if I was an emergency before getting an appt. The thing with prescription reviews is there are never an emergency until you run out. I called every day at 8 am to either sit in a queue to there being no appts left by the time I got to the front or told I wasn’t sick enough. So I ended up running out of medication.

I also don’t think that telephone consults suit every condition. I don’t need to see a dr to deal with medication reviews so am happy for a telephone consult. I’ve developed bony lumps and lost weight - after going through the faff of triage, I finally got an appt for the locum gp to tell me that he didn’t believe me.

I can see us moving to telephone consults permanently but I think the supporting systems need an overhaul and there needs to be some way of video conferencing to show people infections etc (at my surgery it’s just a phone call)

You also can’t enter the surgery - all the lights are turned off, doors locked etc

I’m gobsmacked by all this tbh
Gp won’t look down a child’s throat because it’s ‘too dangerous’. Can’t see people face to face
Really??
Why aren’t they using ppe ?
And just getting on with it Like us in dentistry. - we work all day every day literally 6 inches from patients mouths

If it’s safe for us it’s safe for them

Peasoup if you have one example of a clinical issue, when you were in contact with your GP (who was working) you should ring and talk it through with GP.

Ha ha as if. My GP is so dismissive and rude that it would be utterly pointless. That’s why I’m going to make a complaint to the practice manager.

@Coffeeandaride

The website is saying you cannot book a routine appointment. If you ring and say you need to speak to a GP, you will get to speak to a GP. If you need to be seen, you will be seen.

They have to work differently now!

I haven't said otherwise