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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

At my local surgery all GP's are on holiday

110 replies

MobilityCat · 13/07/2021 14:08

I need a new prescription and when I called the surgery I got an automated message telling me that they were all away on leave but someone will be available for telephone consultation only in a weeks time. Meanwhile in pain and almost out of medicine. Is it too much to ask for ONE out of four to take their leave separately?

OP posts:

Mamamia7962 · 13/07/2021 14:11

That seems very strange, surely there must be clerical staff still there.

Purple21 · 13/07/2021 14:12

What all GPs are off? How is that even allowed?!

Lurcherloves · 13/07/2021 14:14

I expect they are burnt out from a very difficult year. They are human beings you know. They do a very demanding job.
I’m sure there is alternative provision.

Mamamia7962 · 13/07/2021 14:15

For an emergency prescription you can ring 111.

hardyloveit · 13/07/2021 14:15

Surely they can't all take annual leave at once? How ridiculous.

Twoforthree · 13/07/2021 14:15

What did the message tell you to do if you need medical assistance?

WheresMySnackPack · 13/07/2021 14:16

Surely that's not legal?

When we are open at the dentists legally we have to have a dentist on site. We once had a dentist sick for a day and under no circumstances could we tell the patient there was no dentist there.

hardyloveit · 13/07/2021 14:16

Lurcherloves - they haven't even been seeing people face to face for the best part of a year!! Only phone calls so GPs haven't had it as bad as some doctors

DistrictCommissioner · 13/07/2021 14:16

I am absolutely gobsmacked that this can be the case. Where is this?

My DH is a GP, worked in quite a few practises, it would never be the case that all the GPs take holiday at the same time. In fact at his current practise, because most of them have school aged children, the holidays have been assigned for the next 5 years to ensure adequate cover while allowing each GP a total of 3 weeks off during school holidays each year.

Orchidflower1 · 13/07/2021 14:16

@Lurcherloves

I expect they are burnt out from a very difficult year. They are human beings you know. They do a very demanding job. I’m sure there is alternative provision.

They do an enormously demanding job but they can’t all go on holiday at the same time!

Soubriquet · 13/07/2021 14:18

That is ridiculous

111 should not have to be a back up service for people who can’t access doctors.

Yet, sadly it has become this.

Tal45 · 13/07/2021 14:18

I would contact PALS and get advice from them, that is really poor no matter what their year has been like. There's no need for all of them to suddenly take holiday the exact same week.

FightingtheFoo · 13/07/2021 14:23

@Lurcherloves

I expect they are burnt out from a very difficult year. They are human beings you know. They do a very demanding job. I’m sure there is alternative provision.

You're right. Selfish patients should schedule their dying for another time, when GPs come back.

If my GPs office hadn't been open a few years ago when my dad was having a heart attack he'd be dead now.

4 GPs swanning off at the same time is ludicrous.

And considering most of them haven't even been seeing patients face to face for the entire pandemic my sympathy is somewhat diminished.

Lockheart · 13/07/2021 14:24

The amount of threads you've posted OP with different problems each time, you clearly have incredibly bad luck.

ApolloandDaphne · 13/07/2021 14:26

That does not seem right at all.

TheUndoingProject · 13/07/2021 14:28

I think there must be a lot more to this. I think that would be a breach of the GP contract?

AndSoFinally · 13/07/2021 14:29

This can't be right.

GPs have a contractual obligation to provide care all year round. If they've left no provision in place they will be breaching this.

Contact your Primary Care Group (depending on what part of the country you're in) and ask who is currently fulfilling your practice's contract

Wheresmrpenguin · 13/07/2021 14:32

Yeah this doesn't seem right, i'd keep trying, I wonder if the wrong message has been put on? do they have a website or facebook you can check for updates. Is there a connected pharmacy that could confirm or give guidance?

Smallfry79 · 13/07/2021 14:35

Away on leave doesnt necessarily mean annual leave. Maybe the ons scheduled to cover leave has gone out sick or had a bereavement.
Maybe one of them has covid and the others also contracted it or are isolating.
Summer staffing is always an issue with so much annual and parental leave, throw in covid or other sick leave unexpectedly it can be a nightmare.

If it is all annual leave that is very poor management and terrible service

covetingthepreciousthings · 13/07/2021 14:37

I would assume there is more to this. Obviously the message saying they are all on leave makes it all sound like they are on their jollies, but it could be a case of a few of them contracting Covid / isolating, and another on holiday. It would just be easier for them to say they're all on leave then specify what's going on.

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 13/07/2021 14:44

Ask at a pharmacy, I'm sure they are allowed to dispense limited amounts of certain medicines in emergencies .

Artus · 13/07/2021 14:53

andsofinally is correct. This would be a breach of contract if true, and should be reported to the Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS England. if an unavoidable situation arose due to illness for example then alternative care must be provided via locums or an arrangement with another practice.

DeathStare · 13/07/2021 14:55

There are other types of "leave" as well as annual leave - maternity leave, adoption leave, compassionate leave, sick leave.

Try calling 111. They can sort out a prescription for you.

Dddccc · 13/07/2021 14:59

They probably all have covid and are on sick leave you can ring 111 and they can arrange meds for you

ExConstance · 13/07/2021 15:02

I would report them to CQC, it is putting them outside the requirements for Safety, being caring, being effective responsive and well lead - a full house of breaches!

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