Utterly frustrated at not being able to see a GP?

[ismiseeire]

My health is detiorating! Sorry, in pain, so not a long explanatory post.

I have resorted to paying hundreds to be seen privately as my gp couldn't care less. I have a diagnosed long term health problem that causes problems with my health in many ways, and I still can't get the help I need. I have been incredibly unwell for nearly a year now and frankly they wouldn't have given a shiny shit if I had died due to their negligence.

Mine don't care either and I have had other services that I'm engaged with, including London Ambulance Service try to get me an appointment. Problem is that they can't get through either!

@Stormwhale

I have resorted to paying hundreds to be seen privately as my gp couldn't care less. I have a diagnosed long term health problem that causes problems with my health in many ways, and I still can't get the help I need. I have been incredibly unwell for nearly a year now and frankly they wouldn't have given a shiny shit if I had died due to their negligence.

You're better off paying. I'm just so damned tired and sick and in pain. I couldn't afford to pay privately. The out of hours GP will give you immediate treatment but they can't make referrals. Your own GP has to do that. Nobody is coordinating my care, so I keep on being sent into A&E which has cost me an absolute bomb on taxis.

111 keep insisting on sending an ambulance and you have to insist about twice, clearly, on the phone, that you don't want an ambulance. That negates them of any responsibility if you die. However, they now have me under some High Intensity Usage of Emergency Services. I don't ever call an ambulance. 111 blooming does! So now I have to repeat twice that I don't want an ambulance and then make my own way to A&E. It's exhausting.

And this high intensity usage woman rings me the morning after I've been admitted or visited A&E and tells me off! I didn't fucking do only what I was told to do!

So what are the GP’s doing?

Telephone appointments for those who get through I suppose.

Ours have been criticised on Fb for doing phone consultations for children e.g. Sending in a photo of of a rash! They've since relaxed slightly. DD is a toddler and was wheezing badly last week. The GP did see her the same day, but only after an initial phone consultation. Things like pill checks are still being done on the phone at our practice.

Is there absolutely not one single GP in the surgery or are they fobbing you off? I have a chronic illness that has been mainly managed over telephone consults much to my annoyance over the last year and there have been times where I really thought that I should be seen in person. My DP is registered at the same GP and had a telephone consultation one morning due to stomach pain and they rushed him in for an examination as they suspected appendicitis (which it was!), so turns out they were fobbing me off the whole time!

I even developed an awful rash which I was told to send in a photo of when they clearly could have just seen me!

@ChronicallyCurious

Is there absolutely not one single GP in the surgery or are they fobbing you off? I have a chronic illness that has been mainly managed over telephone consults much to my annoyance over the last year and there have been times where I really thought that I should be seen in person. My DP is registered at the same GP and had a telephone consultation one morning due to stomach pain and they rushed him in for an examination as they suspected appendicitis (which it was!), so turns out they were fobbing me off the whole time!

I've no idea. Over the past year I've had to go there in person with a stool sample and a urine sample (two different occasions). A receptionist with a stick thing that you pick litter up with, takes the sample off you. Through a window! Lol. I've also had to pick up blood test forms and the same thing. A gloved hand of a receptionist comes through the window and hands it to you!

Solidarity from me.

I have pain in my leg that is starting to prevent me doing my job. My DH suggested I get a G P appointment

Oh how I laughed

The receptionist clearly told me, as if I was some sort of an idiot not to realise, THEY'RE WORKING FROM HOME. They can't see you! Ok, no need to shout woman!

OP I'm so sorry

Can you get a friend to write to the practice manager and your local MP? By letter or email but send from your email, or signed by you if letter?

This is appalling. I know the NHS effectively isn't working but even then, I'm shocked.

This is NOT a window in a cubicle inside the surgery. This is a window, leading to the outdoors! They ask you why you're there, your name, your DOB, your address. You do this in full earshot of everyone behind you. Plus the neighbours at No. 10 too I suspect. Then they hand you out your poo sample bottle and loudly give instructions on what to do. For all and sundry to hear.

@Moonstone1234

So what are the GP’s doing?

According to mum's local paramedics, not much.

Thanks to lovely paramedics we did get her a hospital appointment but had to call re follow up because the GP just doesn't seem to be involved.

The postbox is taped up at my local surgery, it caused havoc for patients who don't use the internet.

I got a telephone appointment on the 4th time of trying, for a month's time. Why advertise that things are just the same, don't put off seeing your GP, when it's a complete lie.

Acorn, the paramedics (and police in some cases!) really are picking up the slack. They are so frustrated. I'm so frustrated. All I want is to see my actual GP who can actually do something. I can bounce in and out of A&E or OOH but they can't actually refer me for anything. 111 keep sending me there. I'm totally at a loss as to what to do.

This thread makes me really grateful for my gp. I get same day telephone appointments and have been seen without asking to be seen. I also get follow-up phone calls every two weeks to check on my progress. I haven’t asked for this - I’ve just always had excellent care from this practice. My dd has been seen too and she was seen the same day as the initial telephone call. None of our situations were what I would class as urgent.

There is no excuse for poor treatment. It’s not like this time last year when everything was new and people were just figuring this out. They’ve had a year to get things sorted and put an effective system in place...and if one surgery can do it, why can’t all?

I'm so sorry you're going through that. I work in a GP surgery and it just seems utter madness they can get away with not seeing patients? Ours do telephone triage first and then the gp arranges f2f review if required. So people are frustrated the receptionist won't make a f2f appt but they literally can't, the option is removed from them now. Our nurses and HCA appointments are continuing as normal (and have done the entire lockdown).

I have to say at my own GP I have been put off contacting because you can't even get a telephone appointment. It's just a call back at some point on a certain day (2 week wait when I last called!) Which is useless for me as I can't hang about work waiting for my GP to call me.

@ismiseeire

Acorn, the paramedics (and police in some cases!) really are picking up the slack. They are so frustrated. I'm so frustrated. All I want is to see my actual GP who can actually do something. I can bounce in and out of A&E or OOH but they can't actually refer me for anything. 111 keep sending me there. I'm totally at a loss as to what to do.

I think we xposted but I said upthread some ideas...might not work of course.

Honestly these GPs should be done for criminal negligence.

I don't suppose you can have an endoscopy as an emergency procedure?

Why aren't GPs seeing people? They can't all be involved in covid care. I'm not in the UK and our GPs and hospitals are still seeing people for other things, they've just had to rearrange how things work a little. For example one of the hospitals is focused on covid, the other hospital is doing everything else. The private hospital is being paid to hoover up all the excess that the non covid one can't get to. The big health centre across the road from me is still doing all the regular GP stuff, whereas all covid related stuff, testing, vaccinations etc are done in the temporary surgery in the currently not open concert house across the road.

Acorn, I have repeatedly had to wait until I'm unwell enough to require actual admissision to hospital to get any help. It's absolutely awful.

@FatCatThinCat

Why aren't GPs seeing people? They can't all be involved in covid care. I'm not in the UK and our GPs and hospitals are still seeing people for other things, they've just had to rearrange how things work a little. For example one of the hospitals is focused on covid, the other hospital is doing everything else. The private hospital is being paid to hoover up all the excess that the non covid one can't get to. The big health centre across the road from me is still doing all the regular GP stuff, whereas all covid related stuff, testing, vaccinations etc are done in the temporary surgery in the currently not open concert house across the road.

They're on full pay to do not much.

I have a GP acquaintance who is doing F2F but she said the regulatory body bombard them with messages about seeing as few F2F as possible due to their own risk.

She is also pissed off because she said other GPs are taking the piss and having several periods of isolation which can't be queried? I don't know what happens about giving proof to your employer. She's the youngest one there.

@FatCatThinCat

Why aren't GPs seeing people? They can't all be involved in covid care. I'm not in the UK and our GPs and hospitals are still seeing people for other things, they've just had to rearrange how things work a little. For example one of the hospitals is focused on covid, the other hospital is doing everything else. The private hospital is being paid to hoover up all the excess that the non covid one can't get to. The big health centre across the road from me is still doing all the regular GP stuff, whereas all covid related stuff, testing, vaccinations etc are done in the temporary surgery in the currently not open concert house across the road.

My practice appear to all be working from home. Others have commented that they can see a doctor in person.