AIBU to be annoyed that my GP seems to have no plans in place to see patients as we come out of lockdown?

[everydayiwritethebook]

After reading another poster's thread where she couldn't be seen by a GP and ended up at A&E, it struck me just how angry I am about not being able to see a GP face to face (socially distanced of course).
I have had a couple of instances where I've needed to see a GP, and my DC urgently needs to see one face to face, but we can't. I understand during lockdown it was necessary, but I haven't been able to see a GP in 14 months and now that most places are back at work (I work with the public and have been back for several weeks), it feels like they're taking the piss.
It's actually got worse at my surgery - today I took a letter in for my GP about being referred for a condition, and whereas previously they had a locked foyer which you could enter one at a time, now the front door is locked and you speak to the receptionist via intercom! I was also told my letter would be quarantined for 72 hours, even though I said it is urgent.
I feel like they are really failing their patients now, and I wondered what other people's experiences or thoughts were about this?

@everydayiwritethebook

After reading another poster's thread where she couldn't be seen by a GP and ended up at A&E, it struck me just how angry I am about not being able to see a GP face to face (socially distanced of course). I have had a couple of instances where I've needed to see a GP, and my DC urgently needs to see one face to face, but we can't. I understand during lockdown it was necessary, but I haven't been able to see a GP in 14 months and now that most places are back at work (I work with the public and have been back for several weeks), it feels like they're taking the piss. It's actually got worse at my surgery - today I took a letter in for my GP about being referred for a condition, and whereas previously they had a locked foyer which you could enter one at a time, now the front door is locked and you speak to the receptionist via intercom! I was also told my letter would be quarantined for 72 hours, even though I said it is urgent. I feel like they are really failing their patients now, and I wondered what other people's experiences or thoughts were about this?

Yes yes and yes.

I bet there are some fantastic GP's who are getting a bed rep.

I phoned the doctors this week but couldn't get past the receptionist. The receptionist who isn't medically trained and who decided I didn't need an appointment... . One side of our practice is nurses and beginning of covid you could see them but they really don't have anyone in much now at all.

Doctors palm off people to the nurses as they're too precious. Yet a dentist who looks in your mouth is working... .

This is terrible for you.

Our GPs will see people after a phone consultation here. The whole process is actually quicker than pre Covid as appointments are same day.

They've been prioritised for vaccine - surely they should be willing to see people.

Oh yes to the receptionists gate-keeping! My daughter has severe anxiety and has been fobbed off so much. And also the nurse who decided that cracked and bleeding eczema didn't need any special treatment!

My dad has a mole by his eye. It has grown to the point it is impacting vision and is now leaking.

The gp said go to the walk in centre. The walk in centre said they could treat any immediate issue but not refer on as is obviously needed. The battle to get the GP to at least refer on if he won’t look at it continues.

Sorry pressed too soon - decided no eczema treatment needed after not even seeing it!

Yeah, that seems terrible to me. I'm in Ireland and we're still in lockdown but I called earlier this month and had a face to face appointment with my GP a week later (it wasn't for something urgent). Beyond checking for covid symptoms, nobody asked what I was there for until I was in with the doctor.

I've also seen my dentist as normal throughout the past year.

My friend was expected to have her copd checked over the phone.

@Sirzy how awful for your dad. That is really worrying.

I think going forward 'choice' is paramount. I don't think primary care services should be able to stipulate how you access those services i.e only telephone or only virtually. I think we are getting to a point where lots of people will be happy to continue to have telephone consults or email correspondence for most things but as a patient you should still have a choice. Yes triage in terms of covid symptoms, this is important to keep everyone safe, but I think to continue to dictate how patients access services in the long run is wrong.
(I work in healthcare and can't tell you howany patients I know have ended up in emregency services or admitted due to repeated telephone consults instead of just clapping eyes on them). I would like to stress though some practices have been sensible and accessable in their approach.

They see people at my GP’s after a telephone consultation if they deem it necessary. I saw three GP’s between January and March for persistent nipple thrush and my DD saw one in February for an ear infection. Must be your area or GP practice.

Yanbu

While I'm sure some GPs are being reasonable many have restricted face to face access to the point of lunacy.

Yes same here - to be honest having been in an environment face to face with 60 children and six adults the whole way through lockdown I think it’s only fair GP’s open up - and adapt their setting.

Most GPs are seeing patients but triaging over the phone first.
Some referrals are not being done because hospital departments e.g. ENT not accepting anything except cancer referrals.

Lots of patients presenting with advanced cancer having deferred appointments.

So many patients with mental health problems, cannot be given time they would like

I imagine your GP might be slack but might also be making appropriate prioritisation decision

P S can you send letter electronically then no need for 72h quarantine?

I should point out that I've had both vaccines too.

@Feetupteashot my practice won't do anything other than phone appointments!

They see people at my GP’s after a telephone consultation if they deem it necessary

The problem is at many surgeries they deem nothing necessary. It's either not important enough to see you, or warrants you being sent straight to hospital. They are also handing out antibiotics like sweets to avoid seeing people. My GP got their comeuppance when they rang the paediatric day assessment unit at the local hospital in a bid to dodge seeing my toddler by sending her there, the hospital got shirty and told them no and they were forced to actually see her. The whole rigmarole was a waste of everyone's time.

Yanbu.
I know of a few instances that no gp appointment had led to a+e visits, hospital stays and missed diagnosis.
It's time they started seeing people, other front line workers are.

If dentists and opticians are open and even the Aldi staff have worked all through the pandemic, I think it’s shameful the Doctors surgery is not fully open.

I’ve had misdiagnosis, wrong medication and duplicate hospital letters for my son - there is shocking communication between departments.

The GP surgeries should be 100% open.

OP the nhs is changing. I have some insight through work. All contact with a GP will be online or via phone on the first instance. And I’ve been told this will be permanent change.

Our gp have always run this system for under twos. You phone in and a dr calls you back that day. Now it’s for everyone and the phone line asks you to use the online form if you can, you get a gp calling you back within 24hrs.

I prefer it. Simple things get delt with much more easily without ages waiting around for an appointment (both waiting weeks foe the appt and waiting over an hour to be seen). if (pre-pandemic) one of the dc needed to be seen, the gp on the phone was always quick to pick that up, ask me to bring them in, and going in to be seen in person was then much faster

GPs are in many cases using phone triage where it isn't appropriate.

Its not appropriate for young children who can't describe their symptoms as you are relying wholly on subjective parent trying to interpret. Madness.

I wonder if GPs are aware that people are rightly angry about this?

Odd, perhaps all the GPs are clinically extremely vulnerable

@CatsRock My surgery will only let you make an appointment on the day. Absolutely no advance booking of appointments. You ring at 8am, often spend 45 minutes on hold only to be told ring back tomorrow. Rinse and repeat. It took me four days to get a phone appointment. And then only because I broke down in tears on the phone. It really isn't fit for purpose, and is totally inappropriate in many cases.

GPs cannot win, they get slagged off constantly.

Despite being behind a huge amount of the vaccination delivery

@Feetupteashot this is not intended to be about slagging off GPs. It's genuine frustration that all other sectors are opening up apart from this.