To think gps need to unlock the doors/open properly

[Nousernameforme]

Theres an article on the bbc about childrens a&e being overwhelmed by visits that aren't needed. Aibu to think that these people would have taken their children to the gp had they been able to? I know that they say a lot of them wouldn't have needed to see a gp but the viruses right now are horrible, probably due to everyones immune system being protected for a year, so it's harder to tell what needs help and what will get better on it's own.
My youngest has just got over the most awful virus which if it had not turned a corner when it did I would have got him medical assistance and if I can't get it from a gp I would have had to take him to a&e.

Our gp surgery is locked up the phone lines are only for those who have no internet and if you do get through all they do is put a request through on the ask my gp thing. I or members of my family have tried to see the dr for about 9 things this past year and got in once. 4 times we were prescribed antibiotics having not seen a dr.
Can we not have an official unlocking of the gp surgerys now please.

Good for you. BUT, our GP surgery don't do online appointment requests. The ONLY way to get an appointment is to phone up. That means 30-60 minutes in queue in the morning, only to be told "sorry, all gone, try again tomorrow

Same with us and if you do get an “appointment” it’ll be a call back at an unspecified point of the day, and the job I have means I’m not in a position to be able to answer calls. Thankfully I can afford to go to a private GP but I’m not sure what people at my surgery who can’t do.

I don’t blame the GPs, who work very hard in trying circumstances. If they’ve only got 75 appointments and 100 people that want them what can they do? I blame the government who has done nothing about the shortage for years.

In terms of the pandemic, my surgery sees people face to face “if necessary” but the default is by phone, which I wouldn’t mind if I had a vague time for the phone call. If other surgeries are seeing no one at all face to face then that’s bad, but I don’t think that is happening many places.

The big problem here is fragmentation and lack of control over GP surgeries, There should be central/consistent standards across all GP surgeries. It shouldn't be a post code lottery or a matter of luck that your GP surgery have set up an online appointment or e-consult system - it should be a basic requirement of their NHS contract to do that.

Yes exactly, why isn't this the case?

Our GP practice has been brilliant over this year and a half. They do telephone appointments and if deemed serious enough (twice in 18 months for us) they do face to face. My DD is prone to ear infections and it’s been much better to just talk to GP on phone and get a prescription sent to the pharmacy instead of having to take her in. The two face to face appointments we did have were very much needed.

@Greenmarmalade

* SmidgenofaPigeon

I am awaiting the whooping cough vaccine I mentioned earlier so am in my local GP now. There’s an elderly woman begging to be seen, saying she’s weak and shaking, and can’t get through on the phone, she’s literally begging to be seen, and the receptionist is not even letting her through the door and saying WAIT ON THE PHONES WE HAVE TO PROTECT EVERYONE FROM COVID. LEAVE THE SURGERY. The woman is in tears.

It’s a bloody travesty.*

Please see if she can get to A&E? @SmidgenofaPigeon

This is shocking.

Yes- nhs is underfunded and disorganised in some ways. Some GPs are working hard in difficult circumstances. But we all need access to a GP and this needs to be happening in every practice- otherwise there’ll be horrendous consequences.

Or get her to phone 111. Which the receptionist should have told her.

With due respect @sparemonitor, how do you know the vast majority of GPs are doing a good job and there's only a few bad apples? Isn't it possible that it's more than a few?

I've been on some of the threads lambasting academics for being lazy and useless, and while I do push back against 'all academics are lazy', I can only speak to the efforts of my own university -- there are so many examples of bad practice around the country that there's no way for me to say whether it's a few bad apples or a much more serious problem.

I’m really lucky as I’ve not experienced any of this. Ive had face to face appointments since early summer last year and continue to do so. Went last week to discuss hrt (so one could argue not life threatening except perhaps to my husband given my mood swings) daughter has been for them to look at a rash and husband has been to ask for a referral for a vasectomy. It’s just awful that I can just waltz in and get an appointment and people in other areas cant. Same with the dentist, started going last summer and now going to the hygienist every three months.

@dreamingbohemian

That's interesting *@Letsallscreamatthesistene* I have been wondering the same in my sector (academia). Despite being under similar pressures across the university, some of our departments have done rather well the last year, some have been really shit, and from what I can tell a big part of that difference is leadership.

I think the pandemic has shown how good some are at change management/flexibility etc, and how some induviduals are really lacking.

My surgery Is walk in open I went in last week. There were fewer seats.barriers in front of receptionist but it was "open'. I really can't faulty gps during the pandemic I've had appointments and scans.im sorry pps. Have had a tough time. Getting. Seen.

Totally agree @Letsallscreamatthesistene
It would be nice if some of these best practices eventually trickle out to all GPs, you can see why people are frustrated that there are such different standards even in the same areas

@dreamingbohemian

Totally agree *@Letsallscreamatthesistene* It would be nice if some of these best practices eventually trickle out to all GPs, you can see why people are frustrated that there are such different standards even in the same areas

Yeah totally, and peoples complaints are valid. Its just so so frustrating when 'GPs are shit and lazy' gets thrown around with no real thought behind the issue.

GPs aren't seeing/speaking to/treating any less patients than pre-pandemic, as far as I know.

Many, many people who book GP appointments don't need to be seen face to face. Many of these will now be attending A&E. That's not the fault of the GP.

any *fewer patients, that should say

The article mentions RSV as a mild virus. Having had.a child on oxygen more than once and two children requiring oral steroids, it's not always a mild virus. Some care works great over the phone. My teen has severe acne and I was able to send in photos, have a telephone consultation and get a prescription. I didn't need him to take time off school and he didn't need to go through the excruciating embarrassment of showing his chest and back acne to a stranger. Win win. On the other hand, another GP refused to see us because I couldn't get a photo that showed my child's rib hump effectively. She was actually quite nasty on the phone about it - no doubt really stressed but it wasn't helpful. Having gone private my daughter now has a diagnosis of scoliosis requiring physiotherapy now to try to reduce the chances of bracing and surgery later. Finally, I was put on the 2 week pathway for pain and a lumpy breast. All I really needed was some reassurance from the GP ahead of starting HRT and I felt embarrassed to be taking up time and resources at the hospital. It's an imperfect system, and since smell is part of diagnosis in some conditions, I worry that children will have missed and lost diagnoses. Finally, when I've been to A&E with my kids it's generally been 50/50 between "why are you wasting our time" and "why didn't you come sooner, this is serious". Once or twice a serious thing has been missed due to the mindset of "why are you wasting our time".

@NotPersephone

To be honest anyone who voted Tory is now enjoying the rewards of their vote - unless rich enough to have private healthcare.

With all due respect, that’s bollocks. It was Blair who destroyed the doctor/patient relationship with the GP contract that ripped up continuity of care and led to a massive imbalance between patients needs and GP’s rights not to bother meeting them.

yes this. and he strangled the NHS with PFI contracts and top-sliced money to inefficient private sector providers.

@dreamingbohemian

The big problem here is fragmentation and lack of control over GP surgeries, There should be central/consistent standards across all GP surgeries. It shouldn't be a post code lottery or a matter of luck that your GP surgery have set up an online appointment or e-consult system - it should be a basic requirement of their NHS contract to do that.

Yes exactly, why isn't this the case?

because GP funding has reduced year on year in real terms every year in 2004, the number of GPs is dropping and we cannot clone ourselves. It might be possible to meet everyone's needs. It certainly isn't possible to meet everyone's wants.

@dreamingbohemian

With due respect *@sparemonitor*, how do you know the vast majority of GPs are doing a good job and there's only a few bad apples? Isn't it possible that it's more than a few?

I've been on some of the threads lambasting academics for being lazy and useless, and while I do push back against 'all academics are lazy', I can only speak to the efforts of my own university -- there are so many examples of bad practice around the country that there's no way for me to say whether it's a few bad apples or a much more serious problem.

Ok I'll amend that. I know that in the area of England where I work, the majority are doing their best.

I think it is an unhelpful media article. Children's hcp would much rather see a sick child that not IMO.

Yes it might just be 'bronchiolitis' but this can be serious. I have been to hospital when DS was a toddler, lethargic, and I couldn't get his temp down with meds. They were able to administer more meds and observe us for a good few hours before we were allowed home.

Either the health service is open or not. People have the right to take their sick kids to A&E if they are worried, especially if there aren't other options available to them. Children have been screwed over enough in this pandemic without parents being blamed for trying to get medical help.

Phone appointments are ridiculous, basically them coaching you through doing the examination yourself as though you actually know what you should be feeling. And then they complain about people turning to doctor google.

On the other hand my dentist

@annie55 the amount of money that a surgery is given to meet the needs of its local population has gone down in real terms every single year since 2004.

Our GP surgery is great. They have been seeing people right through, with phone triage first. I wish the government would increase funding though. I know they work so hard and they shouldn't have to be working such long hours just to keep things going.

I had to kick up a stink to see a gp after two telephone consultations where my child was misdiagnosed (it cost me £50 which I can not afford to waste in over counter treatments as they wouldn't precribe the treatment they said she needed). I finally spoke to a pharmacist who diagnosed her correctly over the phone after a quick chat and then I kicked up a stink over the phone to see the GP to get correct treatment (which wasnt available without a prescription!). Oh and they have also cocked up another childs prescription - luckily I spotted it before I administered it 🤦🏼‍♀️

We have e consult. As much use as the proverbial.

Last year’s asthma review was a phone consultation. This year, not even that. A form to fill in. I could have lied on all the answers. How would they know?

@Foxyloxy1plus1

We have e consult. As much use as the proverbial.

Last year’s asthma review was a phone consultation. This year, not even that. A form to fill in. I could have lied on all the answers. How would they know?

If someone chooses to lie, then they're free to do that. People need to take responsibility for themselves.

My gp ain't even doing econsults at the moment they have been turned off for 2 weeks and they are only seeing emergency patients. ITs a battle of the wills trying to get anything off them it has even gotten to the point I have started asking the gp when he rings about my review on medication any problems I have because I can't be seen...