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.

@OwlBeThere

If there are no appointments then there are no appointments. I know that doesn’t help you, but the gp can’t magic time out of their arse either.

But the local GP is a business -running (usually) a huge profit to pay themselves huge salaries. so if they can't manage the workload -get more GPs, pay more salaries and take LESS profit.

As a pp said, I really don't understand why surgeries are operating a Fort Knox system anymore.

People in real danger from Covid have been offered vaccinations. Numbers are low. So a vast reduction in risk of coming in contact with it, ease of transmission and severity of effects if they do catch it.

Life is gradually returning to normal and that should include GP surgeries. Keep people waiting outside rather than in waiting rooms if you must, continue with an enhanced cleaning policy, but things need to slowly relax. It's bunker mentality.

As for phone appointments, it's bad enough trying to get through in the first place. So phone lines are being tied up even more than usual. Then you get the drs who are less helpful / more reliant on you to describe over phone, or language barriers whether that be understanding each other due to language/accent or sheer lack of ability to describe. Try describing a lump over the phone - is it this, is it that...? So much easier if you could just see/feel it for yourself, I don't have the appropriate vocabulary to describe. As for being asked "why are you ringing, what do you think it is?" I'm no dr, no idea what it is, I know it wasn't there and is gradually getting bigger. Tumour, infection...I don't know! That's why wanted a dr to take a look.

If you can, change GPs. GPs are paid for each patient on their list - staying at a bad one means rewarding their shitness.

Mine have been fine over the last year. Booked an appointment recently, got phoned at the expected time, the GP decided on the basis of his questions that it was more serious and invited me in to the practice immediately. This seemed really sensible to me. Good practices can handle covid without degrading patient care.

And I hope your boy is okay.

Bloody joke.

There are some great GP's but the minority are giving the good ones a bad name!
They're acting too precious to see anyone yet you have, nurses, surgeons, dentist etc all seeing people.

I got AB's over the phone for 3 days for a suspected UTI they didn't even take a water sample... phoned back on the 3rd day saying the abs were not working yet they still wouldn't see me and told me if it didn't improve by the weekend to phone them back on Monday. Ended up seeing a lovely GP that Friday night through 111 (total of 2 hours from call to 111 to being seen) and I had a bloody kidney infection.

Hope your son is okay!

@Iamaperiwinkle employing more GPs isn't that simple. The NHS is haemorrhaging clinical staff because they can't cope with the ever increasing demands. Patient lists are getting longer plus GPs have increasing amounts of admin to do in addition to seeing patients.

Be angry but direct your anger at the government for never ending budget cuts.

Our GP surgery (small rural town) has a terrible GP recruitment and retention issue - currently only locums. The last two occasions one of us has needed an urgent appointment, we've been told none available, until we ring 111 - then an appointment magically has become available the same day. It's ridiculous. Unfortunately, our next nearest surgery is miles away.

This is not aimed at the OP, who is obviously having a terrible time getting help for her son- anyone would be stressed in that situation and OP I hope you get some relief for him soon

But as a general response to others I feel compelled to say that my DH and also several of our close friends are GPs and they are all working their arses off, even more so than usual. The government is to blame for the chronic underfunding of the NHS. Not the doctors or receptionists. Please complain to your MP and don't vote Tory!

[quote cottonwoolbrain]@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!![/quote]
I have no words.....

As a GP of ten years, the venom towards my profession on this thread, on social media and in the press is seriously making me want to leave.
I’m sorry to the OP for the rubbish day you have had. Hope things are getting sorted.
As another GP poster up thread stated, we are governed by NHS England. They have advised remote telephone triaging in the first instance. I have seen patients face to face every day throughout the pandemic when necessary. This year has been the hardest of my career so far.
I hate telephone calls. They’re time consuming and more risky. I’d love nothing more to go back to how it used to be.
Please do not blame GPs nor receptionists. As said upthread, this is the result of years of chronic underfunding by the govt within a growing and ageing population.

@Offerdecisionneeded and the other people on here who are GPs - thanks for all that you do

@MadisonMontgomery, it's due to a significant number of them being downright rude and deliberately unhelpful. There is no need to be like that and if they can't do the job professionally or pleasantly they should look for something that doesn't have any dealings with the public. A stressful job and dealing with upset and demanding patients is still no excuse to act like some of them do, that I have come across. It was a real eye-opener last week for me when an ex-GP receptionist complained about our GP receptionists on the local FB page and the 200 plus replies were unanimous in their agreement about how dreadfully rude and obnoxious they are. It's right from the word go, when they answer the phone with a tone that translates to "What the eff do you want, you scumsucker?"

Sorry for disappearing, DS drained my phone battery whilst there and it was quite hectic upon getting home. I've only just sat down to check MN.

Doctor at Urgent Care has given DS antibiotics, likely a UTI. Poor kid suffers from chronic constipation and apparently it's linked to that. He likely doesn't drink enough water too tbh. He's been drinking alot more and it's helping.

@owlBeThere I agree if there are no appointments left there isn't much that can be done. But clearly even just reading through this thread it's clear the system isn't working and many people are left to suffer. And I'm sorry, but how can even emergency apps be taken within 15 minues. I smell a little BS there.

To the person who didn't like my namecalling of the receptionist. No, that one really is a dragon. The rest are fine. This particular receptionist is very condescending, lacks empathy and is almost robotic in her lack of emotion when refusing appointments. I complained about her when she made me cry post-birth. I would change practice but the 2 GPs I usually see are lovely. They are locums but have been there a while.

I'd like to make it clear I'm not cross with the doctors, and those on this thread you have my sympathy as I know it's such a tough time for medical professionals. I also know it's not as easy as hiring more locums or stopping intake of patients. But whatever the answer, it cannot continue the way it is. People are genuinely fed up.

My three year old had a uti recently- no need for apt - called gps, receptionist told me to drop off a sample, it was tested, got a prescription electronically sent to Parma yesterday by the end of the day

I think a lot of gap surgeries are now taking the mickey the current system of phone consultation suits them as they can filter appointments. I would go down there and insist on him being seen, the receptionist shouldn’t be making this kind of decisions.

@PrincessesRUs she did say we could drop a sample off but because the nurse was unavailable, the sample would be sent off and take 2 or so days for the result. If he wasn't in agony I would have done that. Plus with his swelling I thought it best he be seen.

It's very hard to get an Appt at our GP's and even harder to get a blood test

Before covid started I had a Drs Appt having felt poorly for some time - she referred me for routine bloods - the first blood test Appt I could get was for 5 weeks later - I wouldn't mind but literally it was the first free Appt - I wasn't being fussy about time of day/day of week it was the first available

Roll forward 5 weeks & I have bloods - that afternoon I'm sent you the hospital for a testers and then admitted for a blood transfusion

They are absolutely bloody useless and infuriate me at the moment. Paid a damn sight more than the majority of the NHS Staff who have been seeing patients face to face throughout.

I called yesterday regarding my 5 week old baby who sounds chesty and phlegmy. She so choking oh her phlegm and coughing. Said they didn't need to see her ffs! She's a tiny baby! 😤

My son had the same and was diagnosed as UTI initially took him back few days later as no better and another GP took one look and said definitely not a UTI so ended up in hospital to be circumcised, that didn’t work either and they had to widen the tubes so please keep an eye on this over the next few days

Sorry to hear about this happening to your son. It’s disgraceful. They could at least give you a pot to get some pee to send to the hospital for a check. I would take my child there and wait.
I called mine yesterday as I am using two inhalers and still wheezing. I am told I have to wait seven days for an appointment . And I work in a school. Better not cough!!

I’m insulin dependent and couldn’t even get past the ‘gate keeper’ at my surgery for an emergency prescription of my insulin (2 failed insulin cartridges)! Luckily I found an old script and posted that to them, otherwise I’d be in A&E or dead! Fucking ridiculous 😡😡😡

I don't think people are cross at individual GPs, more at the system that you poor sods are currently having to work within.

We get that the system is stupidly underfunded and GPs are working hard and following Covid rules. You're having to work with hands tied behind your back, and that leads to frustrations and problems like those detailed on this thread. But as we don't know the details on who GPs are/aren't allowed to see face to face etc, we just know that it's bloody hard having to try to see a dr at the moment. We're cross about the restrictions and the way in which different surgeries seem to be applying them, and the fact that we're told one thing by a surgery and yet later find there's a way round it, which looks bad. It's not individual GPs we're angry with (well, most of us
I'm sure there are some.) Most of us are frustrated that you can't get back to how things were, which wasn't amazingly wonderful in the first place, and can't understand why. Certainly the current, "Covid secure" system is basically failing a large proportion of patients, who are quite rightly angry about it.

Personally I think it's government letting public get so annoyed that privatisation seems a good move - look at the pps on this thread recommending going private, doing apps etc.

@Roonerspismed

I hear you. Had a similar experience this morning.

GPs have not come out of covid well

This! My DH has had one vaccination and is expected to teach 16 year olds with no social distancing and no masks from next week! The very least bloody GPs can do is start seeing patients properly. They’ve been MIA throughout this pandemic.

[quote MyGhastIsFlabbered]@Iamaperiwinkle employing more GPs isn't that simple. The NHS is haemorrhaging clinical staff because they can't cope with the ever increasing demands. Patient lists are getting longer plus GPs have increasing amounts of admin to do in addition to seeing patients.

Be angry but direct your anger at the government for never ending budget cuts. [/quote]
Actually the average salary for a GP is said to be the main reason. NHS consultant £115K Average GP £98,000

But this masks the truth. I know a lot of GPs most of them are in a great position. My friend earnswell over £100 K not full time -two full days and 3 half days as a partner. On top she gets car, internet, phone and does assessments of medical students for which she gets paid on top.

But the salaried GP at the surgery get £40,000 and no share of the profits of the surgery etc. So the 4 partners get x3 the salary of the others for working much less hours etc.

So it's not the full pictures. My friend doesn't find it stressful neither to any of the other GP friends I have -none work full time and all are partners. However, GP who are salaried work longer for £40K a year. I know this from my friends. I don't know a single 'poor' doctor in the NHS. But many of my friends work less than 50% of the time.

This is not about budget cuts this is about profit. GP are on the whole a business looking at profit.
www.gponline.com/falling-gp-income-driving-recruitment-retention-problems-study-warns/article/1661526