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?

@Sirzy take him to A&E please. My Dad nearly died as GP refused to see him - discovered serious and rushed in. Please go.

@Sirzy or if he can’t you can see a private gp for about £80 but personally I’d do the former then the NHS knows that GPs aren’t working.

Can I just add the care I had in hospital was good & relatives was excellent. She also receiving good physio & rehab since leaving hospital.

Sorry posting quickly meant working effectively - have sat morning clubs!

Yes I completely agree, utterly ridiculous. Our surgery is similar to yours OP. Though you can get an appt face to face if you persist, but everything is locked up and they are so reluctant to let you in.

I have emailed the practic manager to ask when things will be changing back as I have had enough. It is bloody hard work holding my baby for up to an hour outside whilst I wait for his jabs etc.

I hate the way you get a phone appointment with a few hours window and they assume you have phone access all day. And often dont phone back in the allocated time due to emergencies. But when they do call you back its an 0800 nhs number they use and for some reason my phone blocks them!!!

At ours, GP has to triage first before face to face appointment. But they're only doing same day telephone appointments, you can't book in advance.
I've had severe painful acne from masks for over a year now, tried every over the counter product I can. Pharmacy tell me I need to see GP.
Receptionist tells me it doesn't need a same day appointment, but I can't make one in advance either

I've seen nurses face to face during covid in my gp surgery but I seen a dr once after I argued with the receptionist and a nurse and the dr on the phone that I suspected I'd an ear infection and that I wasnt accepting antibiotics until someone actually looked in my ear. Thankfully I did insist as it turned out to be nerve pain instead and otherwise I would have done a course of antibiotics for no reason. The gp was absolutely rotten when I went into her as well, she barely looked in my ear and was abrupt and stern. Told me next time to just go to a n e instead of wasting their time. Gps in my surgery have lost the run of themselves.

I think it's also the fact that I've seen my dentist, my optician, and now my hairdresser during this time that just seems to underline the ridiculousness of the situation!

Ours were pretty poor during first lockdown March-June but I can’t complain since.
We get triaged over the phone and if necessary they will see us.

My friend works in a&e and is fed up of seeing people who should be seen by a GP- not the patients fault

We have that ssd. Ours phone anytime they like across the day. I missed my phonecall because I was in the bathroom. I lost my slot and had to start the whole rigmarole again, phone back the next morning - wait 20 mins for the receptionist to pick up, make an appointment for days later and then hope to catch the phonecall in time.

I like the telephone consultation service, it works well here. Saves a visit if not needed and more can be dealt with. If needed after the call, they make a face to face appointment. Nurses are doing smears, vaccines etc again and have been since before Christmas.

That sounds terrible. I'm in Northern Ireland and I've had my moles checked in lockdown. I had a phone consultation first (sent photos) which progressed to an in person appointment that afternoon. So seems they've been avoiding avoidable face to face appointments but not all.

YANBU. And you're right, if dentists can do it...

The gp was absolutely rotten when I went into her as well, she barely looked in my ear and was abrupt and stern. Told me next time to just go to a n e instead of wasting their time.

Why is her time more precious than those in A&E?

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 agree OP, it has really made me angry. I have had to have physio for a frozen shoulder over the phone - not even a bloody zoom call! It is ridiculous! I did ask when they were planning to revert to live appointments now lockdown is easing and they said the risk is still there so they had no plans to. Ridiculous!!

I don't mind the system of having an initial phone call appointment but it's the "we'll call you at some point today,so you just have to sit in waiting for them, that annoys me most."

@Feetupteashot

GPs cannot win, they get slagged off constantly.

Despite being behind a huge amount of the vaccination delivery

@Feetupteashot I don’t understand this. Where I live in the Midlands all the vaccinations are done are centres staffed by nurses/volunteers. Don’t believe any GP’s are involved.

Just wanted to say that whilst I appreciate some gp practices have / are being woeful, some are getting it right. My local gps have been brilliant, even one time when I’d ‘missed’ an opportunity for that day’s telephone apps but a nurse rang instead to make sure that it could wait. Both myself and my daughter were seen in person when it was necessary. Guideline should be brought in to insist that all practices follow this sort of lead!

@Angrypregnantlady I agree - I missed a call back and had to start the whole damned procedure all over again because I was, shock, horror, working - face to face with the public in lockdown!

@Fairyliz yes to this. All vaccinations in my area are done at two large local vaccine centres, one of which I was working in from January until the beginning of this month!

Your gp has been seeing patients all through lockdown. You just have to access them via a triage system first. That is here to stay.

@tilder

Pressed post too soon. Many of our GPs are working virtually full time on vaccine delivery. With a skeleton staff for normal GP work. There is no capacity for business as usual.

Why is considered acceptable to focus on vaccinations at the expense of everything else? Especially now that almost all high risk people have been vaccinated. Surely the risk of other illness becoming life threatening or altering if untreated must be higher than the risk of covid vaccines being given at a slower pace by now?

@RuthW have you actually read my post? My GP has not routinely been seeing patients. The best you can get is a call back.

I agree op, my own gp practice have been OK, they did see ds when he was experiencing dizziness and like other pp's I have found it a bit easier to get an appointment albeit they never give me a time for the phone call which is difficult in my line of work.

The gp's I deal with at work however have most not been good, I am a community mental health nurse and we have been overloaded with referrals often inappropriate or urgent when they are clearly not urgent due to the gp doing a phone consultation rather than face to face. This then impacts the work we are able to do.

We have pretty much gone back to face to face for those that need it, not sure why some guys are not doing the same.