At my local surgery all GP's are on holiday

[MobilityCat]

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?

Ridiculous. How can that be allowed? I don’t get the demanding job burnt out argument. Everyone is burnt out after the last year. They don’t have the toughest job out there. There’s no excuse to all take leave at the same time.

I meant phone after 6pm here you would get seen at a local hub that has GPS on at night weekends and bank holidays I have had to do this a few times hope you sort it

Tramadol is serious stuff, OP, hope you are OK

There must be some sort of alternative provision, surely? Does the automated response not say what you should do in the event of an emergency?

My guess with no staff in is that a member of staff has tested positive and that has taken the whole team out. It is going happen more and more.

Maybe they’d only just recorded that quick message when they realised they all had to isolate and didn’t have time to give alternative options.

If our surgery is closed for training then they tell us what to do in an emergency.

I suggest ringing again to see if the message has been updated.

If our surgery is closed for training then they tell us what to do in an emergency.

Yeah, ours is shut for training this afternoon and I got a text saying to call 111 if urgent medical treatment is required and 999 if the condition is life-threatening.

If you regularly take tramadol, OP, and will run out, then that would qualify as requiring urgent medical treatment imo.

If there are genuinely no GPs at the surgery, alternative provision will be made. eg when my local surgeries closed for training or similar, the out of hours service were paid to cover the hours the surgery was closed.

It may be that you have misunderstood the message, or that there is a sudden unexpected need for leave and alternative plans haven't been set up yet eg GPs unexpectedly sick, or that the regular GPs are on leave and locums are covering.

I would check the surgery website for further info.

But a surgery can't just choose to have all GPs on annual leave with zero cover arrangements, that won't have happened.

That's shocking OP.

I don't know if this helps, but I spoke to my gps a few weeks ago, they didn't have appointments but arranged for me to speak to a doctor using the Push Doctor app, that day. They were helpful and sorted a prescription to my local pharmacy. Might be worth seeing if you can get an appointment on there. I don't know if you need to be referred by your gp, but when I was looking it seemed like you might just be able to request an appointment

I think if it were me I'd be heading down to the chemist that did my last prescription and asking them for advice on what to do next.
Sorry but that sounds way too much like common sense!

You can ring 111 for an emergency prescription ive had to do it a few times. If all gps are on holiday then it isn’t good enough. They need the locum Doctors to support while their not in.

There has to be someone covering.
They have to get locums in if they are all off through some unforeseen circumstance. That's what is usually done for holiday cover, maternity etc
They can't just abandon ship
As PP has said they are paid by the CCG to run a service so they have to keep it running or hand the contract back.
If there really is no-one then you should tell the CCG and they can organise another practice to take it over or directly pay locums. That's what happens if a practice is in real shit eg gets shut down by CQC the CCG has to run it.
Patients cannot just be left in the lurch.

If you've got a pharmacist who knows you, it's definitely worth asking. I have been able to get insulin and some fairly toxic drugs that way because the pharmacist knows who I am. They'll only give you a few days' worth but that may be all you need.

A good pharmacist might know how to get an emergency script in this situation anyway ie if another local surgery is covering.

Otherwise surely the obvious option is to wait until after hours and ring the OOH GP service. They won't be very happy because it's a CD and can be abused so they need to know that you aren't an addict pulling a stunt to get extra but if they can verify that you have a genuine need they will do a short script to tide you until your GP is back. Similarly A&E would if you absolutely had to but it's not really an appropriate use so OOH first.

@Lonecatwithkitten

My guess with no staff in is that a member of staff has tested positive and that has taken the whole team out. It is going happen more and more.

Mine too.

I’m wondering whether one or several of members of staff have tested positive so the entire surgery has to self isolate, hence they’ve had to close. In that situation even if they could get a locum GP to cover at very short notice, that’s no use with no reception/admin staff to open the building and run reception.

Sign up with something like Lloyds Echo. Input your details, they contact the gp who signs the scripts, and sends the meds where you want them. meds

I've also used the online pharmacist and paid for the script, they also contact my gp to get it authorised.

I would also go to the local paper as well as officially report. These gp need to be investigated. Far too many patients are having issues contacting gp's which should not be simply accepted just because. A&E is taking the hit for this so hopefully they are also reporting. 111 are rammed with calls from people not being able to get in contact with their gps and I'm talking surgery hours.

Some gps aren't doing their jobs. Great for those who can. Not so great especially for the vulnerable when they are constantly told we need to see you, patient hopes raised only to be told they aren't seeing anyone. Phone back in 3 months for an update on when we will start to see patients again.

YANBU. This is a perfect example of why locums are awesome.

Can you contact another surgery as temporary resident?

@Soubriquet

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.

My surgery advises you call 111 BEFORE you even attempt to call the surgery.

I don’t think this is true.
OP please post the number of the surgery so we can all call the number and check for ourselves.

@HopelesslydevotedtoGu

If there are genuinely no GPs at the surgery, alternative provision will be made. eg when my local surgeries closed for training or similar, the out of hours service were paid to cover the hours the surgery was closed.

It may be that you have misunderstood the message, or that there is a sudden unexpected need for leave and alternative plans haven't been set up yet eg GPs unexpectedly sick, or that the regular GPs are on leave and locums are covering.

I would check the surgery website for further info.

But a surgery can't just choose to have all GPs on annual leave with zero cover arrangements, that won't have happened.

Exactly

It sounds like 1 GP is away, due back but needs to isolate on return and while they're away the others have needed (either together or separately) to isolate due to positive tests. Suspicion that DC testing positive is the most effective way to wipe out WFH/phone consult options. Or one has randomly got ill/injured...

Or bereavement/major family illness/injury could take a GP out of circulation.

HOW DARE THEY

I'm sorry I dont believe this.

The only thing that I think is possible is that either they are all unwell and have been unable to get any locums at all.

GP cant go off on leave all together.

All on AL or isolating perhaps?

@DistrictCommissioner

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.

my dh is a dr. holidays are always carefully managed as there always has to be enough to cover patients. same in my profession. I have never heard to this. yes hard year but they dont all have to have leave the same weeks. you stagger them to provide cover. v v unprofessional.

At a guess there’s annual leave and Covid isolation going on. Drs still catch it and also have to self isolate. They have children who need looking after if bubbles go. It won’t all be annual leave😂