To be absolutely fed up with GP surgery

[Feckfeckfeck123]

Dh rang GP surgery this morning for DS at 8am (we have to ring between 8 and 9am). He managed to get through at 8.15, which is a rarity, only to he told there are no appointments left. The -dragon- receptionist claimed even the emergency appointments they allocate for at the end of surgery had been taken. DH explained to her that DS in in alot of discomfort as it hurts him when he wees, I had a look last night the head of his willy also looks swollen. Receptionist told him dismissively there is nothing she can do and to ring the next day or take DS to A&E. I mean, fgs. Like our local A&E isn't already drowning with patients with non-serious, easily treatable ailments. And with a crawling, teething baby I really do not want to be sat there for 3 hours.

DS is 11 and being assessed for ASD. He told me he has been in pain for a few days but it didn't occur to him to tell me earlier, only when he couldn't take it anymore. He was in tears this morning. If it's a urine infection like I suspect I know how painful they can be.

What the hell do I do? I imagine tomorrow will be the same, DH was lucky to even get through at 8.15 as it's always so busy. I did ring later on myself and ask to speak to a doctor or nurse for advice. But apparentiy that is the same as an appointment. They are STILL doing phone consulations and only face to face if absolutely necessary. I thought most, if not all, medical staff had heen vaccinated by now so why haven't the guidelines changed.

I'm so pissed off right now, sorry for the rambling. I can't be the only one with such shit service from their GP surgery? Any advice appreciated.

@skodakodiaq Yes. I was left temporarily speechless before asking the clearly inexperienced young man if he knew what a smear test was!!

He hesitated just long enough for me to say they'd need access to my vagina and would have to pop a few bits of equipment up there before he said in rather a faint voice.. "I'm just putting you through to the reception manager".

Bet he never makes that mistake again!!

Ring out of hours and you get an appointment and one of you can go with ds tonight and the other stay with the baby. It is manned on a Rita b the gps.

I would feedback to the gp that you see that you cannot get appointments.

My ds just had an appointment at a 'hub' so it's a hospital apt but ran at a local gp surgery. They don't allow waiting indoors. I was there 4 min before. They ran 40 min late. So I'm stood in a car park. On a busy road. With a 1 Yr old screaming in pram. And 3 year old trying to keep close by. In the pissing rain!

Also it's infuriating as our surgery won't see without a telephone call prior. My ds has gone through so much in his 1st year and not one gp saw him for 11 months. Prescribed allsorts over the phone. Eventually got a paediatrian apt. And they went mad they were disgusted.

My baby has been in pain with his ears for 2 days. They know he had an infection two weeks ago, they know his dad and sisters have problems with their ears but I still either can't get through or get told no appointments.
I'm giving them one more chance tomorrow and then 111. It's ridiculous.
My GP surgery have said they are going to do phone consultation on a permanent basis.
Don't know how they can diagnose over the phone but there you go!

Please don’t refer to the receptionist as a dragon. I completely understand that you are worried & frustrated, but the receptionists are employed by the GP’s, and told by the GP’s how to manage the appointments. It is not up to them.

I've had telephone physiotherapy for a severe spinal injury. It's utterly useless and fkn offensive.

He hesitated just long enough for me to say they'd need access to my vagina and would have to pop a few bits of equipment up there before he said in rather a faint voice.. "I'm just putting you through to the reception manager"

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

That’s awful, I’m glad he’s being seen.

Our GP seems to be in the minority but they always fit children in the same day, even if all appointments are gone.

The phone triage worked great when I needed them a few weeks ago, I got a call back the same day, and I needed to be seen so I was examined and had blood tests taken the same day.

Ours is a small but very busy surgery so if they can manage it I can’t understand why the service at others is so dreadful.

GPs have not come out of covid well

Totally agree. They've still got the doors locked to ours, so you have to bang on a window to collect prescriptions, with a mask on and you also have to sanitise your hands else they won't serve you . They then get your pharmacy bag and throw it out of the window at you. Card payments are taken through the glass contactlessly.

I haven't had a diabetic check for nearly 2 years, and am about a year overdue on a smear test having had early cervical cancer years before. This has reminded to see if I can get a BUPA one done.......

@MadisonMontgomery

Please don’t refer to the receptionist as a dragon. I completely understand that you are worried & frustrated, but the receptionists are employed by the GP’s, and told by the GP’s how to manage the appointments. It is not up to them.

Funny how different receptionists in the same practice deal with the same issue then, isn't it? If they're all following the same "orders", then what they say/do should be the same.

My OH needs regular blood tests. It's a straight "no" from some of the receptionists when he phones to book one - they refer him to the hospital drop in plebotomy centre. But, if he phones again, and speaks to someone different, amazingly, an appointment is offered. Same GP surgery, different person.

Please don’t refer to the receptionist as a dragon. I completely understand that you are worried & frustrated, but the receptionists are employed by the GP’s, and told by the GP’s how to manage the appointments. It is not up to them.

That doesn’t mean this particular one wasn’t rude though. You get good and bad people in every job.

@SunshineSuxx

GPs have not come out of covid well

Totally agree. They've still got the doors locked to ours, so you have to bang on a window to collect prescriptions, with a mask on and you also have to sanitise your hands else they won't serve you . They then get your pharmacy bag and throw it out of the window at you. Card payments are taken through the glass contactlessly.

I haven't had a diabetic check for nearly 2 years, and am about a year overdue on a smear test having had early cervical cancer years before. This has reminded to see if I can get a BUPA one done.......

I kicked up a right fuss about not being allowed diabetic blood tests, nor diabetic foot checks, nor diabetic eye tests. The diabetic nurse kept trying to do the six monthly review by phone - of course, she had to do that to keep the funding going - kerching! Last time it was due, I refused to answer her standard "tick box" questions on the phone (do you smoke, do you drink, etc) and insisted on a proper review with physical checks. Funnily enough, I've now had the full suite so she can tick her boxes and claim the dosh!

Those saying that speaking to a Pharmacist won't help, I once went to see a Pharmacist about something that I was fairly certain about what it was but needed a 2nd opinion as I wouldn't have got a Dr's appointment without it. I was able to tell the GP's receptionist that the Pharmacist had said I need to be seen by a doctor TODAY. I got an appointment within 1/2 hr.

OP, I hope your son is OK and he is seen quickly.

Although it will be of no comfort, our GP has been exactly the same, I am starting to see it as a complete abdication of care. I am currently battling to get my DS a referral letter to see a consultant which another HCP has said he needs to see. They won't do a referral without a telephone appointment and I can't get an appointment as you have to phone up at 8 and hope it is your lucky day (it hasn't been ours yet). I wouldn't mind but we have Bupa cover so won't even cost them anything

111 have the ability to book to an appointment with your GP - I had to call 111, went thru everything with them, then they booked me a call with the GP same afternoon!

Well I'm a GP and I can tel you that we are drowning in work.
We are seeing patients face to face when necessary but only after appropriate telephone triage.
Demand is going up and up.
The NHS and particularly primary care is chronically underfunded and nobody wants to be a GP anymore because it's stressful and there is zero thanks.
The days are consistently long and over booked, we can't magic time or appointments out of thin air.
If you aren't happy complain to your GP, that will be the only way to change things.
Honestly things are going to get much worse before they get better.

Any word?
Don't start me on gps non appointments. I struggle on a phone as I have partial hearing. I needed to see a dr and dh phoned and explained this. They just said too bad. One of the clearer speaking drs called back.
It is crazy completely and they seem to be run by dragons at reception.

Aghh!
I meant complain to your MP not GP!
Trying to feed my baby and type at the same time

I've got to say, my surgery is very good. Before you get through to reception, the main GP shares a message about why the receptionist will ask the reason for your appointment, so that's clear to those who don't like to disclose.

I phoned yesterday, about 11:0, told reception that I had a history of COPD and asthma and feared I was getting another chest infection and has started my standby steriods, but that my antibiotics were out of date. Initially I was told they had no call back slots and would need to phone back today. When I stressed that all I wanted was reassurance I was doing the right thing, and not jumping the gun, and a repeat script for antibiotic, she put me on hold came back to me and said under the circumstances, she would arrange a call back for today ( I have a history of hospital in patients after getting chest infections). Got my call back, all good. The nurse said I've got enough experience of what is and wasn't a chest infection, and after going through my symptoms, said carry on taking steroids and sent two lots of antibiotics and one of steriods.

I don't mind telephone consultations, but I'm sure I wouldn't if it was my child.

Complain, start with practice man ager, even if A&E sort your not out this evening.

Agree utterly shit.

My mental health is suffering (I have a diagnosis but things have deteriorated) and I can't see the GP. They want to talk to me on the phone but that's not something I can do. Hey Ho.

www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/pressures-in-general-practice

This is why lots of GP practices are struggling.
Have been a GP for 15 years and never known demand like now. Probably reflective of telephone triage effectively meaning that one patient has 2 appts , struggling to see a way round this whilst sticking to NHS England guidance

Have never stopped seeing patients face to face as necessary alongside every practice in our area. Our area however is relatively affluent and most practices didn’t have a recruitment crisis pre covid. The only surgery that did is struggling massively now , cannot do a lot of f2f appts as they can only just keep on top of telephone calls. I know that colleagues who work here don’t sleep due to anxiety that they’re missing things .

Should you be cross that you cannot get a GP appointment when needed. Absolutely you should and I think everyone who needs should be able to be seen but don’t be cross with the primary care team who are barely swimming . There is only one of me in the surgery , I cannot safely see everyone who rings as when we are full we are full, I cannot produce new doctors or appointments
Be cross with the government who has chronically underfunded the service and understaffed it. There is a huge recruitment crisis in primary care and most practices don’t receive enough to meet their patients needs.

I'd ring 111, explain your GP surgery won't see your DS urgently and told you to go to A&E.

To be honest, they aren't that busy right now. My DH had to go to A&E with a broken hand on a Thursday afternoon. There was nobody there when he arrived and only one person sat in the waiting room when he left. Normally there are 30 or so people (he's accident prone, so we know).

OP I hope your son is ok. Absolutely not unreasonable that he should be able to be seen.

However to other posters I can tell you as a hospital doctor, all the GPs I know are working flat out, they certainly aren’t closed. The NHS is at breaking point and we need to vote in a government that funds it properly.

Of course there will be exceptions and poor care and absolutely you should all be making noise and advocating for your families, but the majority of healthcare workers are working harder than ever before.

@dreamingbohemian

If you can't get anywhere with 111 and you can spare £40-50 (I know, not everyone can) then I would also suggest one of the private GP services.

If this is an ongoing issue, can you change GPs? That's really dreadful.

Where do you get private GPs for that price. The ones around here are £110 for first appointment, £95 for further appointments.

@Feckfeckfeck123

Thank you for the replies. I will try 111 and see if they can help. The nearest urgent care centre is always very busy too, I took DS2 in for an ear infection once and it was a 3-4 hour wait.

I have complained about the GP surgery numerous times to the Practice manager (picked up ds from school to take him to his app only to be told nothing booked, wrong medication being issued, an extremely rude receptionist) but nothing is ever done about it.

How do you complain? By phone or letter or email?

Ask for the email address of the practice manager and the direct phone number!