To ask are all GPs surgeries like this?

[Mincepiesallyearround]

My local GPs are still not open for face to face appointments. Fine. Telephone only etc. I need a repeat six month prescription for my pill so emailed through the request. They replied saying I need a blood pressure reading first but they’re not doing them at the moment (due to Covid) - their recommendation is to buy a machine to use at home or try a pharmacy. I rang five local pharmacies this week but none are doing BP checks. I’m not happy that their casual response was just to buy a machine (£20-30ish and I’d only ever use it once). Money is tight and I can’t really justify it on a one time use. Are other surgeries like this at the moment?

Business as usual at our GP and has been for the entire duration. Temperature checks on arrival, masks required, no “additional” people allowed (only parents and carers plus the patients). Every other chair in the waiting room is blocked off.

My experience with clinic BP monitors is why I'm wary of buying one over the counter. They error out more than anything on me, unlike with a thermometer and buying a reliable manual (reviews are all over the place and few rating sites and charities include them) and learning to use it well enough to be trusted has been more complicated and nerve-wracking.

I'm supposed to have a blood test every twelve weeks - haven't had one since January because the surgery won't do it. Cancelled my smear, won't give me a contraception, DS couldn't get his vaccinations... I genuinely wonder what the hell they're doing all day?!

Ours has moved the bp machine into the surgery reception. If you call in advance you can arrange a time to go in and use it yourself without any face to face contact with a member of staff.
You could ask if they do similar or maybe even call a couple of surgeries to see if any would let you use theirs?
I agree it’s not good enough.

No they aren't. That's totally shit. If you were more vulnerable you could find it hard to get contraception anyway. Putting barriers in place to get it is not on.

I’m supposed to be checked annually - especially after having big blood pressure issues after giving birth last year. I was checked weekly for 10 weeks after baby was born. Instead when I phoned to enquire about getting a repeat prescription was told I didn’t need one and a years worth was issued.

I think it's really shoddy that GP surgeries are doing this when schools and nurseries are open fully now and have been for 7 weeks or so. For a BP check at a pill review appointment you can be seated 2m away with face mask on and the GP would only need to be within 1m of you for approx 20 seconds to put the BP machine on your cuff.
As a teacher working with no distancing or PPE I find it pretty poor when other services aren't running as normal when they can enforce distancing and PPE measures.

No, the one here has been open throughout if the app cannot be done on the phone, and there is a 'hot clinic' for those with Covid symptoms who need to see someone a mile away.

GPs are just using the virus as an excuse to do less. (And not just GPs it must be said)

They would just love a DIY NHS where they sit in isolation all day ticking boxes.

So yes they are being unreasonable and you are not.

I would make up & submit "acceptable" numbers if I were OP.

our surgery is seeing people but only after a telephone consultation.
dd had 2 appointments last week to check her blood pressure and 1 for a ecg. Tomorrow she has a blood test appointment and she will also be getting her blood pressure checked again. We have been advised to buy our own monitor which we have but the gp is still checking it once a week until we have blood results back.
ds also had a face to face appointment for his flu vaccine and I've been able to get my smear done too.

The cost thing is a real thing - money is tight but yes I’d buy one if I had health issues and needed to check frequently. But just a week ago the whole country was in outrage about the free school meals business. There must be hundreds of thousands of women who can’t scrape together a spare 15 or 20 quid at sudden notice without their children going without Or it impacting the grocery bill that week. I think it’s very presumptuous of the surgery to say: just buy one.

And I agree with those mentioning teachers and so on. Why is it ok for teachers to be exposed to dozens of children each day but not doctors?

Mine is still doing blood pressure tests.

@Mincepiesallyearround do you use a gym to exercise ? I'm sure they can take your Blood pressure for you, but would need to be pre workout. I use to take peoples bp when I was a fitness instructor.

@lljkk

I would make up & submit "acceptable" numbers if I were OP.

that’s a great way to have a stroke

Our practice is certainly seeing patients face to face and we are busier than ever with phone/video/email consultations. It was NHS England that advised practices to use remote consulting and to see those face to face who need to be seen. Clinicians are seeing confirmed Covid cases in our hub (same site as our practice just a different entrance). We are using the PPE provided and recommend by government guidance but which is quite skimpy to be honest - there is a definite risk of potential transmission both ways. The same clinicians are those seeing the ‘cold’ cases as well. Some of the clinicians are at higher risk themselves, some have been shielding/ill/self isolating which all has an impact on how many patients can be seen safely by those remaining. Asymptomatic spread is another risk so increasing footfall at a time when cases are rising significantly again is problematic too. Primary care seems to have been a dumping ground for secondary care and for every agency for so long and a lot of
Practices haven’t been coping with the workload and demands for a long time. This is on a background of years of underinvestment by the government and doctors no longer choosing primary care as it’s such a thankless job some days. If you want to be angry at someone, I suggest you lobby your MP - it’s the politicians that have allowed the nhs to get into this state.

The one I work in is doing bp checks for contraceptive and hrt patients, people with high bp but not for people who just want their bp checked. The nurses books them a 20 minute appointment as opposed to 10 minutes in order to clean the room and the equipment used.

Knock 'urself out in anticipation, @heartshapedfaces

Yep paid £7.50 to a pharmacist to check daughters bp for pill as gps in the middle of a pandemic

@harridan50

Yep paid £7.50 to a pharmacist to check daughters bp for pill as gps in the middle of a pandemic

£7.50?! I should buy a machine and start renting it out

Our surgery is seeing people face to face. Telephone triage and if you need to be seen then you get an appt. I've been seen for a gynae issue and DH for an issue with his foot.
I've had blood tests and an ultrasound done in the surgery.

Have you told them you need your BP in the practice as you don't want to get home monitor?

Our surgery has not been great. They will see patients face to face, but only after a telephone triage with a go. If you have a serious problem they will see you, but otherwise telephone only. I was there for my flu jab the other week and they are only allowing one person in at a time, so it's slow. DH needs an urgent blood test for one of his conditions. Our surgery doesn't do them (never has) and the local hospital is only doing tests for pregnant women and those having chemo. We have to book appointments via a website which allocates an appointment at a clinic in the borough. Dh went online beginning of September. First available appointment? End of January 2021. Almost four months for an 'urgent' blood test.
As someone upthread said, patientcare seems rather hit and miss whereas those of us who work in schools, even if we are CV, are expected to work pretty much as normal.