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?

How many of the complainers on the thread would choose to work an additional two or three hours most days for none extra money?

Most on the level of pay gp's are on DO Work regularly several hours longer than than a "standard" 8 hour day in both public and private sector.

Many on a damn sight less do too! Hell just ask nurses!

Plus as pp says home caters are saving the govt a FORTUNE providing 24 hour care for a pittance IF they get any money at all within the current regulations.

My family including myself had rotas for caring for elderly relatives as end of life care and didn't so much as get a thanks AND had to deal with arsy gps! Each had a "primary carer" who received the insultingly low amount afforded to carers and the family regularly helped them out financially, indeed in one case it ended up being decided it was just easier if each sibling that was not the primary carer set up a standing order to them so that finances were in place when needed for the person being cared for or themselves. We were LUCKY our family could do that and many families aren't so lucky!

So actually yes it IS a bit bloody rich gps complaining!

And they're salaried!

Some are clearly operating as they should so quite why others think they are exceptional is the question.

Totally agree

It's really come to something quite ridiculous when a profession DOING THEIR JOB is seen as exceptionally good!

Ivory towers indeed!!

And I really want to be treated with dignity, and like I am a human been indeed.

Ugh yes! Don't even get me started!

Personally I would like it drummed into gps that just because someone is mentally ill that DOESN'T mean they don't/can't suffer from other conditions! Just for starters!

The lack of response to clear emergencies is disgusting! I'm not trained in emergency medicine particularly, I'm probably no more capable than many with basic first aid training but I've had several incidents where I've helped out as best I can until an ambulance or other better qualified help arrived. As an ex hcp I think it's an utter disgrace for DOCTORS to ignore seriously ill or injured people, and yes I've come across it on occasion myself! So it does happen. They should hang their heads in shame!

Ladies, I’ll leave you to it. Have a nice evening 👏

I have found problems with my walking and balance over the last weeks so rang the pacemaker clinic. They took details and offered an appointment on Friday.

They told me though to speak to my GP.

“Though they will probably just refer you back to us. We seem to be doing more Primary care than the GPs. ”

I rang GP, receptionist firmly told me “we are not doing appointments, phone calls only.”

GP rang back, appointment tomorrow at 11.

This lack of communication does not inspire confidence.

In my Gp practice only the nurses will see you. If you need a doctor then you can get a telephone appointment.

Dm Gp is excellent he does telephone appointments first and then would invite you in if needed.

I am paid for 37 hours and I work an extra 2 .5 horus a day as routine- in office at 7.30- work through half lunch keave at 5.30. This past weekend I worked an additional 6 hours so i could start the week not as far behind as I usually am.

I work in a profession where people's wellbeing and lives are in my hands.

I earn 22,500 a year.

I don’t see why they don’t outsource GP services abroad.

Yes, some more GPs or at least receptionist, who at the moment are taking note of the issue and passing it to them. Or at least get a way to communicate with them, online is fine. Just a way to get through!

I have no been able to have my annual diabetic review, or my smear as the my go practise isn't doing these. They were both due in March. In may I had to lumps appear on my forearm they aren't painful unless pressed really firmly, but I have no idea why they are there or what they are. Gp wouldn't see me. Just said they are likely to be fatty lumps and to call back if they get bigger or painful. I also have intermittent hip pain apparently that's just my weight 🙄

I have hyperemesis gravidarum, my GP won’t call me back, just issues sick notes and medication. I ended up in A&E as I needed IV fluids. They asked me why I didn’t see my GP before it got so bad.

🤦🏻‍♀️

@Funkypolar

I have hyperemesis gravidarum, my GP won’t call me back, just issues sick notes and medication. I ended up in A&E as I needed IV fluids. They asked me why I didn’t see my GP before it got so bad.

🤦🏻‍♀️

Did you tell them why?

@Funkypolar

I don’t see why they don’t outsource GP services abroad.

Because few countries offer GP training?

Perhaps general practice needs a complete overhaul?
Transfer services to community hospitals and have a walk in service with GPs who are salaried and accountable and services equitable for everyone, and use diagnostic facilities at the hospital when needed. Instead we have piecemeal independent contractors who all operate differently.

I don’t see why they don’t outsource GP services abroad

GP services are already outsourced to private practices, they always have been. Some of them subcontract further to services abroad.

There are great practices and appalling practices, the existence of docouments sayinig what "should" be there doesn't mean it exists on the ground.

However when patients are made to feel they are bashing the NHS for questioning the bad service and bad treatment from what is actually a private outsourcer then they are detered from taking it further (even if they had the means). I've seen "be grateful its free" several times this week already. Its not free and we we should be appreciative when we get good treatment not "grateful" for any old treatment.

It would be worth some PP joining their practice patient participation groups to share their groundbreaking ideas.

@C8H10N4O2
Well said.
Many people think GP surgeries are part of NHS when in fact they are private contractors.

@BlueSpottyBlouse thanks for doing so! People forget quite easily that there are many other sectors in the Priority Sector. And that so many people are working like crazy to keep other basic services going.

@DrFoxtrot

It would be worth some PP joining their practice patient participation groups to share their groundbreaking ideas.

Your contempt for the opinion of patients is very telling.

This is why I really worry that we might have people not being able to get a GP appt who unwillingly don't know symptoms they have could be a sign of cancer and that a Gp would pick up on

A couple of weeks back I needed antibiotics . I had had this infection before and knew how quickly it spreads and it was spreading more quickly than before. I phoned at 8am - took 45 mins on redial to actually get into a queue of 15 people. Then another 30 minutes to get through to a person. When I explained what I needed I was told there were no appointments left that day in any of the three surgeries. I explained why I needed the antibiotics today and she just said no appointments phone back tomorrow at 8am. The infection got much worse throughout the day and overnight so rather than risk not getting through again, I paid £50 for an online GP consultation at 9.30am and by 10am was taking my first (horse sized) antibiotic. I am lucky that I had enough money to pay - if I hadn't then I would have ended up in hospital on IV antibiotics as the infection would have quickly travelled to my brain and could have caused sepsis.

I rarely go to the GP - I appreciate that they need to triage patients at some point but how many people are missing vital treatment because the person doing the triage doesn't appreciate or know how serious the condition is? Surely they must realise that someone who rarely visits the GP is only going to see them when its serious? Or am I missing something?

have hyperemesis gravidarum, my GP won’t call me back, just issues sick notes and medication. I ended up in A&E as I needed IV fluids. They asked me why I didn’t see my GP before it got so bad
So what do you think your GP would have done if he'd seen you?

Issue sick notes and prescribe medication... Pregnant women do end up needing fluid from hospital even when they see their GPs regularly.

I've actually found it more efficient in a way. The problem is getting someone to answer the phone, the phone lines for my surgery are permanently queued. But you just think you are getting to the front and suddenly you are pit back to number 5 in the queue again. Took me 25 minutes to get through.

When I eventually did get through though I explained my problem and was offered a telephone appointment the following day (a Friday) or a face to face appointment for the Monday. I took the appt for the Monday and I was the only person in the surgery. Seen by my usual doctor who looked in my ear, down my throat and up my nose (I had a problem with hearing so not majorly urgent but I couldn't hear properly).

My dh has a similar experience when he had to ring his go (different surgery) the other week. He had a telephone appt first, meds prescribed without seeing him and then a face to face appt but with a nurse practitioner.

None of the three surgeries in our area will offer appointments. They say ring on the day. I rang at 8am to be told I was number 17 in the queue. One hour and 10 mins later they answered me and offered a call at a specific time. I pointed out that my daughter (who the appointment was for) was in school. Answer was schools are good at letting students leave class to take a doctors call. They were a bit stumped when I pointed out my daughters school doesn't have mobile phone coverage, putting aside the rule that phones are switched off

Basically local medical services are totally collapsing. Can't get appointments, if you do they won't see you in person. Friend finally got diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and treatment was delayed starting due to bloody Covid....now terminal

Could she not have come out of school for the telephone appointment just like she would have had to do for a face to face one?

I have had to pick DS up for a number of video appointments so far this term. The bonus is he is back in school much quicker than if we had to drive to and from the hospital too!

dontdisturbmenow - perhaps changed my medication before it got so bad I had to go to A&E? Perhaps referred me to the EPU? I don’t believe that many pregnant women need IV fluids and meds.

gamerchick - the staff in A&E rolled their eyes. Not at me, at my GP.

I saw my dentist recently who said he didn’t know why he could work but GPs can’t see patients.

dontdisturbmenow - perhaps changed my medication before it got so bad I had to go to A&E?
So you could have called, explainedd you were getting worse and needed stronger meds if not already in it.

You don't need a referral to go to epu.