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?

Love the phone appt option.
But a video appt would be better.

My major issue is that I can’t often can’t take a phone call at work. If I can negotiate a slot - no problem - but like many people I can’t be available to talk personal issues at a moment’s notice because I might be with a client myself.

The system doesn’t bloody work. So like many people I wait until I get an admin day. By this point the issue has become pretty urgent and then if I don’t get allocated one of the golden phone calls at 8am THAT day... then we go back to waiting for another admin day. FGS it’s just not sustainable.

It feels like we are being forced into private GP service. I can’t get private medical as I have too many health issues. I accept that I might be able to get a private GP appt sometime, though. (Can anyone recommend one?) Shouldn’t have to do it though.

Mines a nightmare, 3 weeks wait for an apt with the nurse and 4 weeks for a 10min telephone call with the go unless the receptionist decides it’s urgent then a further wait for face to face if decides it’s needed. I’ve given up and paid to see a private GP.

Can't you take a photo of the letter or scan it & then email to the practice?

Especially if it's something urgent

Dentists were not working for the first few months of lockdown last year...GP surgeries definitely were

My routine check up & hygienist appointments at the dentist got cancelled last April, no chance of re booking until the dentist reopened at some point last June

And even then they made a point of saying don't get in touch unless it's urgent, I pay monthly on a plan and payments continued all the way through lockdown

@mumsiedarlingrevolta

My GP sent me a text saying I needed my annual blood pressure check (I am on a very low dose BP medication) and did I have a blood pressure machine at home?? I don't so I rang for an appointment with the Nurse who normally does it. Receptionist was scathing-no they are not currently doing it. I said couldn't I see Nurse in carpark or something? No- she suggested I go to chemist to get it done. So they want it, want me to get it done but won't do it. How is it safer or more Covid compliant for me to go to a busy chemist vs GP? They are really starting to forget what they are there for. Some-obviously not all-receptionists may need reminding as gatekeepers it is not their job to keep everyone away!!!! I know mine not critical like the poster the other day with diabetes but there seems to be a disconnect somewhere...

I've had similar - I have 3-monthly bloody tests due to medication I am on - normally done by the nurse at my GP. Only the nurses at the practice aren't doing any appointments apparently (which makes one wonder what they are doing) and I have to go into my local blood centre at the hospital to get it done. On public transport and the waiting time is ludicrous as everyone is having to go there.

It's ludicrous that some GPs are doing this. And it obviously isn't NHS England because others seem to have put together systems just fine.
My surgery has been amazing. You can either book a phone appointment in advance. Although they can't give you an actual time, I explained I'm a teacher and they were really helpful and put a note to call me after 3.30 when I'm on admin time and can answer.
Emergency you can call on the day and get a callback.
At the phone appointment they can switch to video, they have a system for sending photos and they do actually get you in if they need to, that day. They have done throughout.
Nurses are doing bloods and smears etc.
The only problem is so much is by phone that it takes 40 minutes to get through but they can't help that, and it's the medical care that matters.
If some can do it so well within the 'phone triage first' system, why are others still not even seeing people at all?

Our experience is nothing like that. Our GP practice is obviously under pressure from the demands of social distancing and biosecurity, but we're still getting cheery good service as often as needed. We're both in good health;

Since covid, I've had two phone consults with GP, one with the practice pharmacist, one with a specialist nurse. I've had a standard annual check up FTF with nurse, and a different F2F nurse appt .
Plus 2 covid vaccinations by GP and I other vaccination by nurse, all at the surgery. DH has had four treatment injections, 2 vaccinations and 3 phone consults. with DR.

Yes, let’s slag off GPs again. What fun. 🙄

Our GP has been doing a mix of phone or in person, appointments within a day or two of calling generally. We’ve seen the GP quite a few times in the last year.

They are doing the best they can within the parameters set for them and the resource available. If you don’t like what your practice is doing, pick another.

@Sirzy

sorry I haven't RTFT - I believe opticians can refer to ophthalmologists. My opthalmologists has been back for while so your DF could get an appointment & referral there.

mumsiedarling revolta
My GP sent me a text saying I needed my annual blood pressure check (I am on a very low dose BP medication) and did I have a blood pressure machine at home??

My GPpractice sent a text saying time for your annual BP check. Done by nurse in the practice; higher than she liked so she wanted it monitored and asked if I had a BP machine at home. No. So, she gave me one (new) and taught me to use it; and connected me up to FLORENCE, an app BP monitoring system. One day a week, FLO texts me at am and pm, to measure my BP; I text back the readings to her, and they are monitored by the surgery. After three months I'm down to once a month contact with FLO.

 FLO is quite chatty; it's easy to forget she's only  a computer.

I truly think everyone who has had an unsatisfactory experience ‘due to Covid restrictions’ should contact their MP, Practice manager and the press. This way, those surgeries which aren’t stepping up and doing their job will be called out and those GPS doing above and beyond are left alone.

Agree with this. The 'following national guidelines' thing simply doesn't explain the considerable variations between different practices. Let's see the ones who are failing their patients justify it, and recognise the ones doing their best.

My GPs practice has been brilliant but with our elderly parents ( different surgery) it’s been very difficult . They are very deaf so phone calls are often strained, in the case of DHs parents they don’t have email, smart phones or the internet . They simply have a landline . How does this new system work for them , also they have complex issues and tend to focus on the symptom which is most annoying them rather than on the one which is most serious. It’s no good being told to phone to get your hearing aid repaired if you can’t hear down the phone because your hearing aid is broken !

justlyra

This doesn’t remotely explain why some surgeries are doing considerably more than others.

Or, is it just that some patients don't listen to clear instructions on how to access service?

Refusing to be triaged by a receptionist, accept a phone consult, etc.

In our surgery if you need an appointment you need to ring at 8.00am. if you ring before then it tells you your in a queue but at 8 on the dot it switches to line busy and hangs up on you.

If you call down to the hatch in person to make an appointment you're told you must ring for an appointment but when you explain about the line busy and hanging up they just say "we know about that keep trying"

My HV had to arrange for my DDs routine vaccinations (and a number of other newborns in the area) to be given at a separate health centre because the receptionist refused to make an appointment in person and neither of us could get through on the phone.

@2bazookas

justlyra

This doesn’t remotely explain why some surgeries are doing considerably more than others.

Or, is it just that some patients don't listen to clear instructions on how to access service?

Refusing to be triaged by a receptionist, accept a phone consult, etc.

No.

I'm perfectly able to follow instructions. There are no appointments online or when I ring up. I cannot misunderstand that

If you can’t get through on the phone or get an appointment, it because someone else is on the phone to them or all the appointments have been taken by other patients.

I am shocked at so many GP's being closed. Ours moved to online consultations shortly before lockdown and has continued to see patients throughout, using necessary precautions. The e-consult means that they prioritise people and you are always called back by 6pm the following day at the latest.

Since March 2020, I have seen the GP 5 times, been fast track referred for an MRI and had that and seen the consultant (all clear thankfully). On top of that, my routine diabetic appointments have continued, for blood tests, eye checks etc.

I can't believe that patients in some areas cannot see their GP. We are rural in a low risk area, so whether that is connected I don't know, but it is still shocking.

(For those who can't do online, they will speak to you if you ring up, and they do the online bit for you over the phone).

I’m sure most GP’s have been doing their level best but I do feel they have (out of all the medical services) over protected themselves in some respects. I work for a large care group and they used to come once a week to do the residents visits as it’s Nursing care and complex care, since Covid its all been video rounds and no hint they are changing back anytime soon. We pay extra for the visit too and the invoices have continued no change.
Obviously we can get emergency services to our residents but I feel the GP’s have hidden away it’s really tainted my opinion.
I had a smear recently and was chatting about Covid I said I’d had it twice and asked how the practice had faired she said “ oh none of us have had it” I thought no well you’ve looked after yourselves there. I’m glad they weren’t ill but it has annoyed me too.

Phone appointments could be great if you could choose the time. My GPs will contact you by phone within the next 2 days at any point in the day. Not great if you are teaching and then miss the calls. Back to square one again and have to do another econsult to get another phone call at any point in the next 48 hours.

@2bazookas

justlyra

This doesn’t remotely explain why some surgeries are doing considerably more than others.

Or, is it just that some patients don't listen to clear instructions on how to access service?

Refusing to be triaged by a receptionist, accept a phone consult, etc.

So when I did an econsult correctly, received a text saying I would get a call and not to contact them, and I followed those instructions this led to me being in agony without speaking to a doctor for 8 days. What exactly would you say I did wrong?

I use GP at hand (nhs online). I have loads of different medical conditions and have had 3 face to face during Covid

You pick the surgery appointment online - they're in all different places, had hundreds of appointment times - one time I went to an office in Canary Wharf, one time a private (!) clinic in Bloomsbury (I chose this as I was meeting a friend for lunch)

All nhs staff and no cost

I actually moved to GP at hand as I couldn't get appointments at my local surgery well BEFORE Covid - I'm not calling up for half an hour in the morning not to get an appointment

The last GP at hand appointment I had was at 10pm - the GP's choose their own shifts so there's no such thing as a 'working day' - Id only just finished work and I want appointments after I finish

This is a long term issue of loss of GPS with many having retired and generally an older population needing more care. Some GPS may have realised they can fit in more patients more efficiently (from go point of view) with calls. The trouble is it is missing some things and is very hard to be told you will get a call at an unknown time from the doctor. Fromx this BMA article

despite the number of doctors entering GP training being higher than ever (with 3,538 training places accepted in 2019), the overall number of FTE qualified GPs has been decreasing since September 2015 (1,084 decrease).

Some of the variations may be just good v bad gps or practices. The other thing is that with many vacancies GPs can pick and choose area to work.

It will be poor people in deprived areas that will suffer with this - less GPS ( see here, patients with less tech for a video consultation, patients in less stable jobs worried about taking a call at work but not able to take time off work. Also they have to use the system, no private insurance.

@MintyMabel this is not about slagging off GPs. I merely pointed out my experiences, and the fact that since lockdown eased on 12th April, access to the surgery has actually got WORSE not better. And I do think that quarantining my letter for 72 hours is utterly ludicrous.

I currently take two covid tests a week, and have had both vaccines. For restrictions to increase at my surgery is just not on. After over a year of being very understanding, I believe GPs will begin to lose public goodwill if it carries on like this.

Out GP will no longer accept us getting blood tests there. Small town, 40 min round trip to the nearest 'hub' and apparently it is to ease pressure off GPs and having to do them. Never had my Gp take my bloods before, only nurses.