To wonder what my GP surgery are playing at

[midsummerflowers]

They open at 8. I’ve been calling since 8. It just rings out and now I can’t get through at all.

What the hell is the point of being a doctor that no one can get through to?

Thanks, pump, someone rang us at 2 and we have antibiotics.

I’m so pleased you’ve managed to get your little one some treatment. I really hope they’re feeling better very soon.

The system is not working. A change in government may help but it will take years to recover after so many years of underfunding and now covid. The poorest in society suffer worst, as always.

@midsummerflowers

Too right I’m entitled when my child is in pain.

Too right I am.

And if you’re not, then I’d question your priorities, quite honestly.

You said yourself that you spent hours trying to get through to the GP, then a trip to A&E, then again the GP for a heat rash.

A heat rash.

There are several other ways to access health are op, including any pharmacist. Pretty much all pharmacists in my area have a private consultation space, and all are available, all day long, for advice, for free, face to face, while you wait.

A heat rash. Whilst I do appreciate your concerns, the NHS is on its knees at the best of times, yet you've taken hours of its time and £££ Of resources for a heat rash, whilst folk are desperate for appointments for lifelong critical conditions. See your pharmacist, look online, call 111,book a private consult if you're that worried.

Couldhavebeenme2

The point being, OP isn’t a doctor. She didn’t know it was heat rash. And the standard answer from pharmacists here when it’s a very young child with a rash is ‘see your GP’. They don’t take chances, nor should they.

book a private consult if you're that worried.

As for this comment. Do you think everyone can afford this? You talk of the NHS bring on their knees, some families are too. Maybe work on your empathy for those people.

*being

YANBU OP I went to A&E and was treated to an extent but was told I needed to see my gp the next day. I would ring and be put on hold for about 10mins and then it would hang up. This happened for almost 2 weeks and I didn’t want to ring 111 again as they’d told me I needed to see the gp. I ended up having an ambulance called and having to stay in hospital because I was so ill.
It’s actually quite scary that people are being left for so long and I feel so sorry for the overrun A&Es!

You're not alone, my GP surgery just seem to want to provide lip service and not actually do anything.
I spoke to my GP yesterday at 8am on a phone consultation. They said they couldn't see me in person for another week as they were fully booked that day and to go to A&E instead.

I should point out that I did have severe pain but definitely didn't need to go to A&E without an in person assessment first.

Oh the irony… the health system is on its knees because people are going to A&E because of conditions like heat rash during a global pandemic! Do people supporting the OP not realise how hypocritical they sound?!

I don’t see what’s wrong with sending photographs and speaking on the phone with a doctor? Surely that’s safer for you and your baby, so you’re not exposed to a place that’s had hundreds of patients (potentially with covid) visiting it over the past fortnight? Waiting 12 minutes is not a big deal, unless your baby is in serious danger. It doesn’t sound like they were because when posters suggested 111 or A&E, you bit their heads off because you didn’t want to “wait” as you had to last time.

All I can say is be thankful you’re being asked to wait and not being rushed through as an emergency case, unlike some families have had to deal with. Very upsetting and triggering post for people who are dealing with more than heat rash at this time, OP.

Note that 111 have access to a set of GP appointments that they can book you into if you need to be seen in the next 24hrs but not an emergency,

If in doubt start with the pharmacist, if they say see a GP then try the GP if you can't get through then use 111 and they will route you. It may not be your own GP practice you speak with, but it provides a non emergency review.

If they think you need a&e then that's where you go.

I know if is frustrating to try to get through and fail. Personally I always call later in the day after the 8am rush and explain to the receptionist the problem and generally I get a call either with a nurse or doctor in a reasonable timeframe depending on the symptoms

Zan that’s really unfair.

The heat rash did not spell out in spots I AM A HEAT RASH. It was raised, red and angry.

It could have been meningitis or measles or an allergy or chickenpox. I am not a medical professional. Neither do I take the piss. Ds was born, was readmitted back to hospital, and then did not bother any medical professionals for six months before we woke up to him looking like he had contracted smallpox or some other medieval disease.

Obviously I’m going to get that checked out. What I do object to is then being told by the people at A and E that I should get him seen by his GP and then the GP referring us back to accident and emergency for something that is obviously neither!

Zan58

You should try reading OPs posts.

You expect people to believe he looked like he had smallpox and you were still made to wait hours in A&E? Most people here are sensible and educated; don’t insult their intelligence.

You were frustrated this morning when your baby was ill. That’s understandable, we’ve all been there (despite you rudely telling other posters their children’s health isn’t their priority; I guess to care about your child you have to be obnoxious). But it’s now 12 hours later; you need to admit you were stressed and over-reacted.

Next time, pop into the pharmacy when your baby has a rash. You’ll be seen straight away.

Again, just stop and think how triggering your post might be for some people right now.

If the surgery has more than one receptionist answering the phone then the appointments would go even quicker.

@SupermanInk

I have read the posts. Am I supposed to understand your nuanced response?

Oh not to worry! I was obviously worried and frustrated this morning. The system is ridiculous but there are wonderful people within that system.

Oh the irony… the health system is on its knees because people are going to A&E because of conditions like heat rash during a global pandemic! Do people supporting the OP not realise how hypocritical they sound?!

OP didn’t want to go to A&E which is why she was trying to get through to the gp. If she rang 111 they would have told her to go to A&E

@toocold54 if you read all of the posts, she was already annoyed at A&E previously because she went there with a heat rash and was asked to wait.

Zan58

For a start, the 12 minute thing you mention is completely wrong. Just read.

My GP sent me a booking appointment to book a specialist and choice of 4 local hospitals. I can't get an appointment at any of them. My GP referred me as urgent. Don't really know what to do can't even book way into future. Just note hospitals are not giving appointments ATM.

My Mil is 80 and does not have a smartphone or computer or know how to use one. Her GP surgery no longer answers the phone. A recorded message tells her to go to surgery website and fill in box.

@Zan58 that’s because 111 had told her to go there, which was why she didn’t want to ring them this time.

@midsummerflowers I hope you are ok.

The comment you made this morning"this baby has been disregarded every day of his short life" just made me cry because this is what I said to DH about my daughter before.

Not a doctor issue, a HV issue. She was born December by section. Discharged after 24 hours, taken down half an hour by me to a heel prick test because the midwife forgot and I phoned. That's it. Nothing. I've never been seen, neither has she. She is SEVEN months old.

I had feeding and weight gain issues with first baby. I had post natal anxiety. Despite the background not one person has phoned or been to see her.

I have made a GP appointment for next week. It's the same practice. I want to know why this has happened and I would like her checked and weighed. In order to get this appointment I had to hold for twenty minutes, fine. Then explain to receptionist. Then wait for a GP to call. Then explain I was feeling anxious at which point they agreed to see me next Friday.

I volunteer at my local GP surgery to help them out, as I know they are very busy. I wondered if any of you would consider that?

The volunteering service is usually called the "patient participation group" and it's mandatory for all GP surgeries to have one. If you are keen to help and want to see a better service, you could offer to help out. I'm sure they would be grateful, and it's a really good way to meet people and become more knowledgable about health stuff.

@toocold54 Hence why I told her to see a pharmacist. Of course 111 will tell you to see someone because they can’t see the rash. A pharmacist can see a rash, in person, quickly.

I really don’t think I’m missing anything here?

Zan that’s not what happened but I don’t think there’s much to be gained from me repeatedly explaining what happened and you then posting something completely different