Is this my GP surgery being ridiculous or are all of them operating this way?

[bookstearocknroll]

I got a text to say I should go for my flu appointment at 10.15am last Saturday.

I drove to the doctors and found a queue snaking around the carpark with at least 40-50 people in it who, judging from the conversations around me, had all been given the same appointment time.

It was freezing, raining and there's no shelter or seating in the car park.

I'm disabled so can't stand for long and I imagine the entire queue was full of similarly vulnerable people, given it was for the flu jab. In the end, I had to give up and go home before I got anywhere near the front of the queue because I was so exhausted.

I'm incredibly frustrated as a result and wondering if this is standard protocol now or whether this is just my doctors' surgery making odd decisions. Due to a few issues recently, I'm already considering changing surgeries but wanted to see if I was being unreasonable to feel even more like I should, or whether this is another example of the new normal I should suck up and try to understand.

For further background on how they've been operating since covid broke out, they've had the waiting rooms closed since March and for ordinary appointments, you have to report to reception, which is now an office window facing the car park manned by just one person. Every time I've been since March (I'm disabled and have prem babies so have been a few times), I've turned up on time and been made to wait in the car park to be called in, no matter what the weather is. There are no seats or shelter and frequently a little crowd of patients, many probably quite vulnerable. Doctors frequently run late - I've been left to shiver outside the back door waiting to be let in for up to half an hour after my appointment time, even with baby in tow.

My GP had a very efficient system, with exact appointment times - mine was 8.54. People were arriving at a rate of about one a minute, there was no queue either indoors or outside. I went in and waited about 20 seconds before being called forward for the jab, I was in the building no more than two minutes in all.

But my friend reported her GP had the same system as yours - ridiculous! People were told to go 'between 9 and 10 am' and there was a queue snaking down the road, as you say they are all vulnerable/elderly people. After a few minutes she gave up. Luckily she was able to get the jab at her local chemist (not Boots, an independent).

I have an appointment for 09:48 on Saturday in the local shopping mall. They said they have catch-up slots if I don't get the confirmation letter in time. I suspect it will either be very efficient or frustratingly slow.

In normal times the “flu queue” was massive. I remember some years ago having to go on a Saturday morning with mastitis, and being given the evil eye as I walked past the long line of people, and having to tell a few that I was not there for the flu jab. The GP laughed when I told him that I had been tempted to tell some rude so-and-sos that it was also free enema day and to join the queue after me.

I went in without queuing at 10.22, had my flu jab and left at 10.24. My appointment was for 10.26. None of the surgeries here have queues.

Everything has got ridiculous. DH currently can’t even get an appointment for love nor money. The last time I went was about 3 months ago and I had to wait outside until called into a waiting room that was huge yet it was just me and one other person sat about 10m away from me. Then the other patient had a go at me about a co-op carrier bag but that’s another story

Mine was very organised. When I arrived there was a receptionist outside the entrance with a clipboard and about 4 people in queue . It was two in - one going straight into treatment room and the other stood outside the door waiting . We then exited out the back of the building. Whole thing done in 5 mins.

I have banged on about this relentlessly online and IRL.... the problem with the NHS is that individual management plays a MASSIVE part in how effective it is. My sister's GP is like yours OP - complete disaster. Mine, on the other hand, are bloody brilliant. DD needed a doctor this week. I did have to go online (although you COULD phone, it was just highly discouraged) but I had an email back from them 7 minutes later telling me I would receive a call within a 2 hour time slot. I also received a text message asking me to upload photographs. Doctor called. We had discussion. She sent prescription my local Boots, provided me with clear guidelines for under what conditions I must contact the surgery again and it was all super organised and painless.

This is not a once off. Versions of this has been my experience with this particular surgery since the day I registered with them when I discovered I was pregnant, 6 months after I'd moved into the area (hadn't bothered before that).

Mine have been good at phone appointments, but they don't want you anywhere near the surgery.

I'm in Scotland, so our flu jabs have been arranged centrally this year. I had three days I could go to a drop in session (at a bigger surgery) and there were hour slots based your surname. There was a socially-distanced queue of chairs, and it felt very safe. It took me slightly longer than some of you (15 mins?) because you couldn't go out of the one way system without a staff member taking you through the office. Because it was quiet, they were suggesting people sat for 5 minutes before they left — a volunteer told me they'd had a couple of people faint in the car park after leaving the session before!

Also, they sent me a letter to tell me it's time for a smear test. I haven't actually followed up but assume therefore that this routine type of appointment is still going on, even in the midst of the pandemic.

I queued for 50 mins outside in April to get meds, as our surgery has a pharmacy. I had Pneumonia and it was absolutely awful, and probably the coldest windy day!

OP - you should send this thread to your GP - lots of good example of surgeries managing it all much better than they are!

If masks are such important protection then why can't everyone just sit in the waiting rooms as usual. Ho hum.

We did ours with 4 patients every 3 minutes, in one door & out the other, with a marshal in the car park stopping each car & anyone who couldn’t walk far being vaccinated in the car. I honestly think we did a really good job, the only issues were that a LOT of people attended at 8 am, who didn’t have appointments until later, thinking that they would get in first. Which was fine, we didn’t turn anyone away, it just meant there was a long queue outside and on the days it rained people did moan a lot.

Seems bizarre and a bit stupid - surely they could stagger appointments. Mind you, pre-Covid I was registered with a doctor's where the only way you could be seen was by turning up an hour before it opened so as to get a good place in the queue for the drop in session (I never did find out what magic powers you'd have to have to get an appointment). So the ill of the town would have to stand outside the surgery in all weathers from about 8am to 9am. Absolutely insane.

Thankfully, I've since moved.

OH was one of a thousand booked in at the local nightingale centre, appointment at a set time. He did not have to wait but was herded through along many corridors one way system and seen quickly. @bookstearocknroll you were very unlucky

I think it depends your doctors.

My DGM can't really walk any more, so DM called the surgery to ask if it could be done with DGM sitting in the car, and they said that was fine, or if it was easier, the district nurse could come and do it on a day that suited DGM.

There processes are not great- our surgery can’t have many people in the waiting room due to Covid. They do have a couple of benches outside to use in good weather, but in bad weather the waiting room is only to be used by those who haven’t come by car, as there is limited capacity in the waiting room. Those who come by car are asked to either ring the intercom to “check in” or can call from the car to let reception know they are there and what car they are in. The dr will then either call to ask them to come to the door or go and get them (if no mobile phone). They have a dedicated line for this.

Flu clinics were by appointment but at 5 minute intervals (so if 6 vaccinators, 6 patients for each time slot). We were asked not to turn up early or late and expect to be let in because they are limited as to how many they can fit in the waiting room due to the social distancing guidelines.

So, I think your practice have not got the best way of doing things.

Our GP did a drive through using the supermarket carpark next to the surgery, unsure what the plan was if you don't have access to a car!
Also using "ask my GP" online for appointments which I have found so much better than phoning for appointments

We had drive-thru clinics with hourly slots depending on your surname letter. I waited about 40minutes but at least it was warm and I had a seat! They did some walk-in ones for people who didn't drive. My parents said theirs was in the car park but they didn't have to queue.

Our doctors had obviously planned for a large turn out. The carpark set up was great. 5 nurses ready to vaccinate, and a long spiralling queue barrier.

But there was only me and another woman there. It was in and out. Very quick and efficient.

What @SpaceOP says.
There's long been a massive difference between individual surgeries. The pandemic has simply shone a bright light on this. The problem is GP surgeries aren't NHS. They're all private (they're contracted by the NHS). Consequently there's a huge variation in standard of care - including practice management and admin. Some are fantastic, very well organised, good systems, caring GPs. Others are quite the opposite.

Our gp misdiagnosed my son from a photo, it was an ingrown toenail that had gone sceptic, he dished our antibiotics but he needed urgent nail surgery, podiatry services were shut, this went on for weeks and I took him to a and e, the doctor there was shocked that he could not be seen. He was close to getting sepsis because the GP would not see him face to face. You can’t really get the full story from a photo

In the end I paid privately because the poor lad was in agony.
Perhaps it is the Tory way of privatisation by the back door, people getting private treatment when the nhs is shut. Shocking

I had mine last week and was the only one in the surgery! Your experience seems ridiculous, especially given that GPs have the flu jab to vulnerable people

Luckily not like this at all at my GP. It's all been fine for my flu jab, child's flu jab, regular blood tests I need... Haven't had a problem at all.

Go to your local Tesco, Asda, etc who do flu jabs.
It is still free if you are entitled to free ones, otherwise, it costs about 9.00.
At least you can wait inside the store.
I prefer to have mice at Tesco, and it can be booked on line.