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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

‘Call at 8am for a GP appointment’

516 replies

purplepufferfish · 17/03/2021 08:38

I work for the NHS and personally understand the stress that the service is under. I get it. But does this frustrate anyone else?

Call for a GP appointment. Get told that the nearest one is two weeks away and to call back the next day at 8am for a same day appointment.

Call back at 8am the next day, as is everyone else of course.

Finally get through at 10am to be told that the next appointment is two weeks away and to call back at 8am for a same day appointment!

Again I know that this is no one’s fault and I genuinely blame no one for this.

Am I being unreasonable for being frustrated?

OP posts:
junecat · 17/03/2021 09:10

Mine uses Ask My GP and it seems to work well. The receptionist calls back to either book you in to go in person or to book a time for the doctor to call you back. It has always sorted me out quickly

minchinfin · 17/03/2021 09:11

I voted YANBU as I hate this system, it doesn't work. Are you sure there's no online booking system though? I though all GPs had to have one now, centrally mandated.

covidpreggers · 17/03/2021 09:12

@minchinfin

I voted YANBU as I hate this system, it doesn't work. Are you sure there's no online booking system though? I though all GPs had to have one now, centrally mandated.
Our online booking got pulled because of Covid. Now the only option is to call.
KitchenFairy · 17/03/2021 09:14

I’ve given up with our GP. It’s impossible to get an appointment. I don’t even try any more.

We have private healthcare (which doesn’t include the GP) so on the rare occasion we need a GP we tend to use Push Doctor and pay for the service that way, and if we need an onwards referral to a consultant they are also happy to handle that and liaise with our private healthcare provider.

ProcrastinationIsMySuperPower · 17/03/2021 09:15

My GP surgery offers on the day appointments at 8am and 2pm, or pre bookable appointments 2 weeks ahead. It can be really frustrating, especially on the third day of calling!

Hallyup5 · 17/03/2021 09:16

I'm so glad our GP changed their system. You can now ring anytime (emergencies only after 4pm) and speak to a GP over the phone within an hour or two. If they determine you need an appointment then they'll arrange one, same day if necessary or maybe in a few days for more routine stuff. It's a large surgery with a lot of patients and it works brilliantly. I don't know why other surgeries can't follow suit.

starfishmummy · 17/03/2021 09:18

Ours wont book more than 7 days ahead which is added stress!

comfyoldcardi · 17/03/2021 09:19

I posted this on another thread. A friend has had awful problems due to this system with her very sick child. According to the advice she was given, if you email the gp, the receptionist has to ensure they read it. Now my friend does that, she gets a call back from the gp.
I am lucky that my surgery is well organised and very helpful but some are clearly not.

HDDD · 17/03/2021 09:21

It is a monumentally shit system causing unnecessary stress. You can be fully supportive and appreciative of the NHS whilst also pointing out its massive flaws

formalwellies · 17/03/2021 09:22

My surgery have the same system- call at 8am for a same day appointment. If you're having regular appointments for an ongoing issue they will book these in advance but for anything else non-urgent there are a very limited number of pre-bookable appointments which seem to be released in 3 month blocks. I have never managed to get one of these- they always seem to be fully booked and no-one can tell me when the next block will be released. So the only way I have ever been able to get an appointment is calling at 8am.

They have recently opened up online bookings. But parents can't register under 16s for online appointments so children's appointments can only be made by phone. Except this means even less chance of getting an appointment for a child.

Frazzled2207 · 17/03/2021 09:22

ours is the same but is a small surgery and you do eventually get through and they are pretty good at giving you a same day appointment as long as you've got through by 10. It is still a very annoying policy though, basically those who are able to be pushiest and just keep calling incessantly (and not trying to get their kids to school etc) are more likely to get in which is not necessarily the people that need it most.

user1497787065 · 17/03/2021 09:26

My surgery operates a ring at 8.30am system for an appointment although also has 'Ask my GP' in place. I found that worked well when I had a weird bite on my foot last year as I was able to send a picture during the evening. The following day I had a call and was given an appointment. I'm not sure that it would work quite so well with something less visible and a description of pain/symptoms was required.

Littlelamby878 · 17/03/2021 09:28

The livi app is really good if you need back up help

Diddlf · 17/03/2021 09:28

YANBU at all OP.

I had to deal with this the other day. I didn't even need a GP appointment I just needed a referral to the early pregnancy assessment unit, but I was still told to ring at 8am. I was calling continually from 8am until after 10 and getting quite stressed.

It's a case of pot luck, whoever dials in the quickest.

bettyshotspot · 17/03/2021 09:28

My old GP used to be 8am and always engaged, they did change to online booking but that stopped due to covid, my new GP is amazing, you can call any time, they have a call queue so never engaged and you get put on the triage list for a call back from nurse or GP within 2 hours, can't fault them at all.

abstractzebra · 17/03/2021 09:28

My poor daughter has been trying to use the online system to get a prescription for her contraceptive pill.
It's been like a farce.
Messages not getting through, sending her to get blood pressure readings when no one does them and when she's tried to call when there's no response online, they tell her not to phone!!!!
She's getting to the end of her tether with it all as it's only a prescription and it's been about a month now!

Dacquoise · 17/03/2021 09:28

You are not being unreasonable. It's so frustrating to get an appointment when you need one . Have just been through this last two weeks:

Developed back pain two weeks ago today, it got significantly worse after the covid jab so made a doctors triage appointment.

Had to wait five days for the phone call. In pain, can't sleep. Bad enough for a face to face appointment the following day. Diagnosed a urine infection. Antibiotics and painkillers.

Four days later no better, tried to book doctors appointment. No go. Pain so bad phoned 111. Two phone calls later told needed a face to face within two hours. Told they had booked a slot at my doctors. Turned up turned away , triage phone calls only. Never happened.

111 again to book a slot at A&E. Went to A&E, sat painfully in a chair for two hours after alloted appointment. Doctor diagnosed sciatica in groin. Different pain killers and anti inflammatories.

Next day in even more pain from sitting in the chair. Now having to take more time off work on statutory sick pay. I rarely if ever go to the doctors. The appointments system is a joke.

Boph · 17/03/2021 09:29

Those of you who book online, have you done it recently?
My surgery removed the online booking at the start of the pandemic and it's still off.
Online e-consultation is ok, although even that has been down broken recently.

RubyWooRed · 17/03/2021 09:30

@purplepufferfish

Even something like a queue system on the phone to get through to the surgery would make more sense, surely? Than constantly calling and having the call rejected over and over.

It is very annoying!

My surgery is the same Call at 830 Right at the time I’m standing in the queue with my toddler and other DC to do a multi drop off to nursery then walk to infant school. So I’m supposed to be on the phone at 830 in a windy rainy queue with a phone at my ear constantly pressing redial. Then when you eventually get through ( it usually goes to engaged tone and cuts you off constantly ) , they tel you all appointments gone and to call back tomorrow.

It’s horrendous and extremely stressful
Our surgery does not offer online appointments, can only book through this ridiculous system.

I just hope and pray constantly that none of us are ill or require a doctor it’s that’s bad.

ancientgran · 17/03/2021 09:31

My surgery used to do this, now you have to send a message to their internet site. You might get ignored, you might get a call from a receptionist, you might get a call from a doctor, you might get invited to an appointment. The being ignored is the worst as you don't know when they will call, it can be 48 hrs later so I'm afraid to go out tot he bin or cut the grass or just about anything for 48 hrs in case they call. Then the 48 hrs ends and you start again.

PlanetPuddle · 17/03/2021 09:33

Can you move to another GP? There seems to be so much variation in how they all work.

Mine you phone up to be put on a list for a call back and the GP can either deal with you there or book you to come in. It works really well for some people but I know some people know they will need to come in so the first telephone appointment seems pointless to them.

en0la · 17/03/2021 09:34

I work from 8-6 so can never phone, also the pharmacy is open 9-6 at the surgery so that's a headache too.

emmathedilemma · 17/03/2021 09:34

It's a crazy system. My old practice did this so if you weren't desperately ill but wanted to see a Dr you had to take a gamble on going into work early and then ringing, but if you got a morning appointment you then had to go all the way back home (I worked 15 miles away), or you stayed at home, rang, couldn't get an appointment and then you were late for work! My parents think it's fine as they're retired so they just walk down the road and stand at reception at 8am!

hashbrownsandwich · 17/03/2021 09:35

That does sound silly.
Our surgery operates a system where we take the details from the patient, send it through to the GP team to triage and if they feel they need to see them/call them then they do it based on urgency.
So for example, Mrs Plum with her bad back that's been going on for 6 months will likely have to wait a while for an appointment but Mrs Green with her suspected prolapse will be called in same day.

RubyWooRed · 17/03/2021 09:36

@abstractzebra

My poor daughter has been trying to use the online system to get a prescription for her contraceptive pill. It's been like a farce. Messages not getting through, sending her to get blood pressure readings when no one does them and when she's tried to call when there's no response online, they tell her not to phone!!!! She's getting to the end of her tether with it all as it's only a prescription and it's been about a month now!
I had this exact issue too. They wouldn’t see my at the surgery to take blood pressure and without blood pressure weren’t going to issue a prescription for my pill! It’s ridiculous I ended up just doing repeat call after call to explain that I can’t be left without contraception , I nearly bought my own blood pressure monitor then thought , no this is getting out of order. They eventually called me back after I left a message with reception and done a phone consultation without any blood pressure checks !

So I have been issued 12 months worth of pill contraception without a blood pressure check.

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