Unlock the doors please, GP surgeries

[Tiari]

to think, if restrictions are lifted on July 19, then GP surgeries will open their doors?
We should be able to walk in freely and up to the reception desk for queries, appointments etc?

My GP has already unlocked theirs. It’s definitely an improvement, the poor receptionist isn’t having to hop up and down every few minutes.

Doors will be opened, phones will be answered, appointments will be made. If not why not?

That's good news Gladiolys

I don't think they will go back to how we knew them. Believe it or not they do want the best for their patients and staff, they are so overworked and still need to keep themselves safe
It's all so sad and frustrating for everyone

@Tiari

Doors will be opened, phones will be answered, appointments will be made. If not why not?

Doors may be opened if they aren’t already (most are) Phones won’t be answered faster than now as demand is overwhelming, Appointments are already being held - more than pre-pandemic - but GPs will carry on triaging appointments rather than the unfair free for all that was happening before. If patients can’t be trusted to know when they need to see a GP urgently (and sadly too many can’t) then GPs are going to have to carry on screening to make sure the people in need get through. (Subject to phones being answered…)

I don't think most of the doors are opened. Certainly in my part of the world - North West Kent - they are all shut and not even answering phones. Relying on e consult and failing in their duty of care and requirement to be accessible to the older and more vulnerable in the community.

Pleased to hear most doors are open now. Mine isn't yet so I'm looking forward to that.

My GP never closed their doors.

Oh, scrap that!!
Doors are not open in north west Kent

I hope my GP opens its doors for those that need it. And I also hope they keep the telephone consultation option for those that prefer it. I don't miss sitting in the waiting room for 40 minutes. Would much rather receive a phone call.

My GP never closed their doors
And could you walk straight in shivawn or have to knock?

Central Government rule changes won't make any difference. If your GP doesnt allow people in, that is their policy, not government policy. You need to take this up with your GP practice either personally or as a community if you have a problem with it.

What will you get by having open doors that you don’t have now?

The only answer I have had is to have a social chat with reception. Sit in waiting area.

The waiting lists are 5 years for some outpatient waiting lists in my area. Years for surgery. 2 months or more for some urgent suspected cancer investigations. I’d focus on this as a post lockdown priority.

I have a number of illnesses, including recurrent uti's and kidney problems. It's been pretty scary that we haven't been able to freely take in regular urine samples as we would do normally.
Now we have to knock and if GP hasn't given permission, receptionist won't accept the sample. Can't get through on phone to GP to ask permission and econsult takes five days. Just to take a urine sample in!!

Ours are open to an extent, there is a video doorbell though and you're encourage to just speak through that if you're dropping off a sample etc. I've witnessed them let elderly and disabled people in though who can't manage video doorbell. We're still encouraged to go through online or telephone triage but to be honest that suits me and lots of other people. I've had a few pregnancy related issues and have been pleased to deal with them from home and get a prescription remotely sent to pharmacy.
Face to face has been back since last June for us just with those
Slight amendments that I think they will keep

Hope yours follows on soon

Thanks nellly
Good luck with your pregnancy 😊

I bloody hope my gp does. You can't walk in, they won't answer the phones and they have removed the e consult facility from their website. It's no wonder A&Es are so overworked right now.

So yours isn't functioning at all? wasthataburp
I feel you should contact your MP and change surgeries. I know it's not that easy, but you should have some sort of access, even if small.

I’m in the minority here but the telephone triage service has been so much better at my gps than before. You would normally be looking at about a 3 - 4 week wait for an appointment before but now you get a call back either the same day or the next day by the gp. And on the 2 instances that me or my daughter have needed to go into the gp offices, because there are less people needing actual appointments we’ve been seen in less than a week. It’s actually made going to the doctor usable again for us now.

For those of us unable to access GP's, do we get a tax refund?
Facetious I know but really fed up with the situation.

Yennefer19
I see what you mean but how do you acquire the telephone triage in the first place? Econsult or telephone?

My MP claims he's going to get funding for a whole new surgery. He's completely ignorant to the fact that there's not enough GPs to staff the existing surgeries, despite numerous people (including a GP Partner) pointing it out to him. So basically, he wants to give a few million to a private construction firm, to build a surgery that will remain empty.

I don’t know if this is any help! But anyway.

We have free access for delivery samples etc just not open access to waiting area.

However patients are now not waiting to be seen, we keep appointments strictly to time.

The average recommended number of patients for a full time GP is 1600-1800.

We have 4300 patients for 1 full time and 1 part time GP. We are contractually obliged to keep registering patients/ expanding our numbers despite saying we cannot cope with demand.

We advertised for another GP and no one interested! There is a shortage in this area and we cannot recruit. We cannot get locus cover so in order to take 2 weeks off in summer the other GP has to do 11 hour days 5 days a week, but even doing this there will naturally and unavoidably be less access (you can’t get 1 person to do 2 jobs). If one of us gets sick, we’re screwed (financially and workwise), we’ve been lucky these past 6 years, apart from 2 of my children being admitted for surgery I have only had to take 1 day off with gastroenteritis. My colleague covered. She has only taken 1 day off about 5 years ago and she has health problems (aged 60).

We have employed an extra receptionist since we are doing more phone contact. I would suggest this to your surgeries if anyone is doing a complaint. I think swift answering of calls is vital.

*locum

I’m in a recipe for burnout. That’s why I cannot/will not work full time. I will not last the distance.

This thread is interesting reading.

@LizJamIsFab can I ask why there is such a shortage of GPs? Is it not an attractive career option for doctors? I'm not being goady, from your post it sounds an awful lot of hours with very little holidays. But I naively thought that it may suit some people as it's more local to home without the complications of a large hospital to negotiate. And the chance of becoming a partner.