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?

My health visitor had a massive rant about the GP not seeing people after DS and I were treated twice for thrush that we turned out not to have because I just had to describe it over the phone. Though this was a bit ironic because the health visitors are also still not seeing people in many cases where they really should!

That’s a poor service OP. I’m a GP and we’ve seen patients throughout. Initially it was only if absolutely essential, but as case numbers go down we’re opening up a lot more.

Although there are better and worse examples, the GP system has been failing the UK for years. It's a bloody lottery as to whether you get a reasonable service, also whether you'll manage a referral for something serious or be given the brush off because you can still walk and talk.

Our surgery is and always has been great.
Lovely, professional receptionists and our GPs are offering phone triage before face to face appointments.
Sounds like we’re very lucky.

@Feetupteashot and I say that as someone who has been transferred to volunteering in my local vaccine centre from January to April while my usual place of work was shut.

My gp has always been a bit useless but they are refusing to see anyone and only doing on the day telephone consultation. I phoned 75 times the other morning before finally being told by the receptionist there was no appointments. I don't mind a change to the system but face to face appointments are still sometimes needed. They don't even have the facility for us to send a photo of the problem. It does give me the rage, especially as A and E seems to be the default for GPs to send their patients to.

Our surgery is easier to access now than it was before Covid as, back then, they were often booked p for 2-3 weeks.

Now you ring up, answer a few set questions from the receptionist which puts you onto the right person's list then a GP, nurse, pharmacist or paramedic rings you back. Loads of things are sorted over the phone but those people who need or particularly want to be seen are given times that day or the next.
I think others surgeries round here are all doing the same

[quote everydayiwritethebook]@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. [/quote]
That’s not necessarily a covid thing - my GP has always had that system, for the 20 years I’ve been registered.

You phone up at 8 and get put on the telephone list. They ring you back at some point, and decide if you need to be seen or not. Usually not (which is usually fine with me - they can fax over a prescription, or refer me without being seen). You can obviously book smears etc directly via reception.

It’s not my favourite system, but speaking to the GPS who work there, it is the only way they could manage demand while seeing urgent patients within 48 hours. If they do decide they need to see you, you get an appointment either same day or following day, so it’s not too bad.

Quarantining urgent letters for 72 hours is utterly ludicrous. Why can't they open the letter then wash their hands? Or wear gloves?

YANBU to be annoyed.

My surgery have always been poor only now they are using covid as a excuse. Only surgery I can register with. I’ll probably collapse before they refer me to anyone. Constant pins and needles and numbness on my legs is no fun. Even the asthma nurse lies on my medical file saying perfectly fine no asthma symptoms when Iv literally been gasping for breath for over a year

Thankfully we have private insurance for the big stuff, which got DP his back operation last year. Without it, he’d still be rolling around the floor in agony. However we still have an NHS GP. I had to pay for DP to see a private GP last week for an issue I couldn’t resolve within the NHS. The phone gatekeepers said a doctor wasn’t necessary. Well yes it is as we needed medical forms signing for his driving licence. No matter what I said, the computer said no.

Amazingly the very nice private doctor had no issue seeing DP, where the very polite receptionists couldn’t have been more welcoming.

@QueenOfTheDoubleWide our surgery won't give you an appointment for the next day. You have to ring again. And again. And again...

I’ve seen my GP face to face a couple of times this year. Completely useless though as all my symptoms just get dismissed! My surgery’s ANP’s are much better IMO. I’m now seeking treatment privately because I’m just not getting anywhere.

Yesterday I received a letter from my surgery, enclosed were two “Steroid Emergency Cards” to support early recognition and treatment of adrenal crisis in adults, which the letter advised me I need to carry one me in case of medical emergency. Erm, I have psoriasis so I use a steroid gel but I’m not at risk of going into adrenal crisis if I don’t use it.. what a shambles! 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️

The NHS is a great institution but sometimes I just don’t understand how they can get things so wrong sometimes.

Amazingly my GP BIL still goes to work everyday which begs the question, WTF is he doing all day.

At the other end of the scale my ward manager sister has staff off STILL isolating. After doing her actual job all day she’s delivering babies until 10pm at night because they can’t afford to replace the staff isolating.

The NHS us screwed and I thank fox every day I’ll never have to really use it if I gave a serious illness

Interesting auto correct there. Fox, obviously was god

My surgery has been excellent throughout; I appreciate I am very lucky. However, pre covid, trying to get an appointment was near impossible and I can only attribute their wonderful service throughout lockdown to the lack of the usual 25-50 year old people (men) who clog up the waiting room.

I agree.

I can go to my local shopping centre for a wander, I can get my hair and nails done, I can go to the gym.....

But I can't see my GP

Wtf is that about??

@MorriseysGladioli

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

I have a growth on my leg and was given a telephone appointment.

When I asked the receptionist how a GP was going to examine my leg over the phone I was met with stony silence......

@FrangipaniBlue at least you'll look fantastic when you do eventually get to see your GP!

My Gp never stopped seeing patients f2f throughout the whole of covid.

Why is there such a difference between how GPs are operating.

[quote everydayiwritethebook]@FrangipaniBlue at least you'll look fantastic when you do eventually get to see your GP![/quote]
Very true 😂

Quarantining letters. Jesus I'm taking in pieces of paper to mark from kids every day at school. I'm sick of it too op. I'm mixing with hundreds of pupils a week, my dentist has seen me 3 times, optician twice, hairdresser a few times. Can my 84 year old mum see a gp? Cab she hell. Constant over the phone diagnosis for water infections etc. How can they be sure? It's not good enough at all.

@Feetupteashot

GPs cannot win, they get slagged off constantly.

Despite being behind a huge amount of the vaccination delivery

You do realise that they are getting paid extra for every vaccine that they deliver??

Happy to have 100s people in to vaccinate equalling £1000s but reluctant to see a patient face to face..?

OP, you are right, it is appalling how they have got away with this.

I am a paramedic and whilst I'm not going to say too much on here, it's suffice to say that I, and many of my colleagues, and A&E staff are incredibly disenchanted with them.

I wouldn't mind sending a pic of my problem to a gp so we could have a phone appointment.
My gp doesn't do the photo thing, though.

That would surely be a massive help in the triage arrangement.