to wonder what GPs are doing at the moment?

[MaMaLa321]

I couldn't give blood last time, because my iron level was so low, and I was strongly advised to see my GP.
I called my GP to be told that there are no face-to-face consultations and that I had to have a phone consultation (in a month's time) which will be of no use whatsoever because I'll need a blood test from the nurse. And no, I can't book an appointment with the nurse directly, I have to go through the GP.
And yes, I am aware that this is in no way an emergency but it means that serious conditions aren't being picked up.
But no wonder A and E is overwhelmed. And what are GPs doing?

The doctor will call me between 9am and 4pm. I explained that I will be at work from 8am until 1pm and unable to receive phone calls so can it be after 1pm. “Sorry we can’t do that and if you don’t answer after two attempts the consultation will be cancelled”. I can’t take the day as leave as I work in a school

I think some practices are failing their patients with these silly rules. How can it make any significant difference to them to put you further down the list for calls that day.

I had a telephone appointment booked when I also had a hospital appointment. I explained I might not be able to answer, and their response was "Don't worry, the doctor will keep calling until they get hold of you". It's clearly not beyond the wit of some practices to realise that not everyone can spend all day waiting for the phone to ring and be responsive to those difficulties.

It’s all abit strange tbh. At my surgery you can’t get an appt till end nov atm, unless you ring at 8am, that’s if you can get through, it normally takes around 160 tries to get through….oh and they open at 8am, except they don’t, in sheer desperation I arrived at 7.45 one morning to ensure I could get an appt….they opened the doors and started book8ng same day appts at 7.50am!!! No wonder you struggle to get an appt even if you are lucky enough to get through at 8am!!

Myself and my dd were in the waiting room Tuesday, the appt was 20mins late, in that time we were the only people in the waiting room and only 2 people walked through who had just had their appointment!

Whole situation is bizarre.

It's an awful situation. My DM has been v unwell for weeks and weeks with lots of cancer red flags, and has had to wait weeks to see a GP. When she finally did, they gave her the details of a private consultant and told her to pay if she wants a chance of having investigative tests done any time soon. Luckily she's able to pay. There must be lots of people out there who aren't so lucky. I'm not saying it's the GP's fault, but it's still awful.

My GP surgery was pretty crap pre covid and is now totally crap. It's no wonder A&E are overwhelmed.

@MaMaLa321

You're right OP, we're doing fuck all. Now leave us alone so we can get on with gossiping over coffee and cake. Do you work in the NHS? Are you normally this hostile when someone questions you? Do you think you're in the wrong job? Also - where did I say you were doing fuck all? Nowhere. I just expressed surprise that my waiting time has gone up from 2 days to 48 days. And it's only for a referral because I need to see the nurse. And I can't see the nurse without seeing the GP.

Well you certainly implied it!

When will people realise that GPs are turning up to work, instructing receptionists to NOT give out available appointments, so that they can sip cocktails, have a nap, gossip and play solitaire, and browse Facebook?!!

Surely it's obvious by now that this is what is happening.

Pharmacist advised I saw a GO, called to request an appointment and was told it would be a nurse that would call me back. Broke a few ribs earlier this year, called GP's and was told to call NHS 24 even though it was about 9am. Called NHS 24 and spoke to a very harassed sounding Doctor who confirmed over the phone that I had broken ribs, never been seen in person. On another occasion had to pick up a urine test kit for someone, assumed it would be from Doctors reception but no I had to pick it up from the hospital reception. Can't help but think this may be the new normal for our surgery

You'd have thought that if GPs were that overwhelmed they would simply allow her to book direct with the nurse.

It's one thing being overwhelmed but then not taking active steps to delegate.

However, to be fair OP, the blood donation people will always tell you see your GP if your iron levels are too low to donate - the levels they require are higher than you need to live an active and healthy lifestyle.

I agree with a pp you should go to a pharmacy and take iron tablets of some kind in the meantime. The situation may improve by the time you get to speak to the GP and get referred for the blood test, but at least you've taken steps yourself to improve the situation. I've been turned down for giving blood several times over the years due to low iron levels but never been to the GP, just taken a supplement and donated the next time.

Our GPs are being bloody fantastic.

I rang on Monday because my (very young) child has been coughing horrendously for weeks and weeks having had cold after cold. Covid tested several times, all negative and I was concerned that it was a chest infection as she can't seem to shift it.

Rang at 8:30, was told GP would call me back that day. GP called an hour later, triaged over the phone and told me to bring her down at 11.

In and out by 11:20 with a prescription.

I prefer the triaging over the phone, saves wasted appointments. I had a stubborn bit of eczema that was driving me mad a few weeks ago and the cream from the pharmacy wasn't working. Did an e-consult, was asked to send a photo, nurse practitioner rang me and asked a few questions. Prescription issued for steroid cream for me to collect some day at the pharmacy.

I cannot complain!

I haven’t had blood pressure checked for 2 years. I know you can by machines but I’m not sure how accurate they are

I hope this reassures you that they are accurate. A couple of years ago a relative of mine had an operation and it didn't go very well and she was in a great deal of pain. We called out a doctor (those were the days -well it took about three phone calls but they came in the end) to her home and he checked her blood pressure with his stethoscope thingy and it was the same as her home blood pressure machine. I checked mine on her machine and when I got home and checked it on mine, it was the same.

But that’s not the experience of my DP. It is always very very different from the GP blood pressure version.

Duchess - I think the receptionists will prioritise children. Before covid my son was ill and I phoned at 8am and said he'd had stomach problems in the night and was offered a same day appointment (face to face) at 9am!

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

But that’s not the experience of my DP. It is always very very different from the GP blood pressure version.

Is it lower? Does he have white coat syndrome?

If it's higher at home, that is odd.

@Lockheart

They're dealing with patients, mainly. Or volunteering giving vaccines.

Your problem is too many patients for too few doctors. Not lazy doctors.

But kudos for the totally original and not at all overdone GP bashing.

No, GP’s are not volunteering to give the Covid vaccine.

They are being paid £50 per vaccine they give.

What’s wrong with questioning what GPS are doing?

@MaMaLa321

You're right OP, we're doing fuck all. Now leave us alone so we can get on with gossiping over coffee and cake. Do you work in the NHS? Are you normally this hostile when someone questions you? Do you think you're in the wrong job? Also - where did I say you were doing fuck all? Nowhere. I just expressed surprise that my waiting time has gone up from 2 days to 48 days. And it's only for a referral because I need to see the nurse. And I can't see the nurse without seeing the GP.

Ok. Even if you booked directly with the nurse. What blood tests should she do?

Which blood tests do you want the nurse to do? The nurse doesnt isnt qualified,.they wont know which ones to do. And it isnt a simple quick question you can ask a GP.
It's better to speak to the GP so they can do the specific ones you need.

Rather than just a test for iron. It comes back low. But because of that you need another blood test. It showed you were anaemic.

Then you speak to the doctor to find out why you might be anaemic, and they say actually you need these extra blood tests too.

Judging from the enormous number of GP referrals we's seeing on the children's ward, I think they're seeing hordes of hot and wheezy children.

@MaMaLa321

You're right OP, we're doing fuck all. Now leave us alone so we can get on with gossiping over coffee and cake. Do you work in the NHS? Are you normally this hostile when someone questions you? Do you think you're in the wrong job? Also - where did I say you were doing fuck all? Nowhere. I just expressed surprise that my waiting time has gone up from 2 days to 48 days. And it's only for a referral because I need to see the nurse. And I can't see the nurse without seeing the GP.

I'm not sure that suggesting a GP is in the wrong job because they posted an anonymous non-threatening reply on a social media forum to a thread full of people questioning their work ethic when they are likely exhausted is going to help the GP recruitment crisis!

The GPS I know are seeing patients Roy d the clock and having zoom meetings/spending hours on paperwork on their days off. Also doing covid hubs. One of them even does vaccinations and flu clinics on his days off, unpaid. They are all incredibly upset by the hate campaign that is going on against them. To the point where many are considering retiring earlier than planned because of such hostile working environments.

Op the hostility probably comes from you assuming they are somehow freed up from 'an enormous amount of work ' by not seeing peopke face to face. They are doing phone consultations in that time, can you really not understand that can take the same amount of time?

@nocoolnamesleft

Judging from the enormous number of GP referrals we's seeing on the children's ward, I think they're seeing hordes of hot and wheezy children.

Yes, this is what the GP told me on Monday. My child has a mild chest infection which has already started to clear with a few doses of 'banana medicine' (penicillin) luckily but she said that even though it's totally normal for 3 year olds (particularly those who've just started playgroup, like mine) to get bug after bug as their immune system builds this year has been unprecedented with poorly children, and they're more unwell than normal.

Not surprising really seeing as lots of children this age have spent most of their life in lockdown/away from lots of people and not being exposed to the normal level of germs!

This is total bollocks. Not sure if you're lying or just totally clueless, but you shouldn't post so definitively when you don't know what you're talking about.

It's £12.58 per jab and this goes to the PCN to post for the service (and much of it gets taken in admin costs, venue hire etc). No-one is getting £50 per vaccination.

You can check this for yourself here on Page 3: www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2021/07/C1351-Letter-to-GPs-Phase-3-opt-in.pdf

That's in response to @Ladywinesalot

I am pretty sure you can get some iron over the counter....maybe start there. A+e will not generally check your iron level but will check your blood counts. If they were that low I would have hoped the blood bank would have directed you straight to hospital.

The few GPs that there are are doing a lot actually, they probably can't answer your question because they are too busy to be on Mumsnet but the problem is not what are gp's doing, the problem is there is a huge shortage in gp's!! There are not enough of them, that is the problem that needs to be tackled

Our NHS is the envy of the world

I don’t even bother going- way before covid. Can’t get through, if you do get through all the appointments are gone, if you get an appointment they don’t want to prescribe anything. I ended up on A&E after collapsing at home. Utter waste of space.
I used to have a lovely practice, amazing G.P’s and some are still out there. Just not at my new practice.
I pay privately now.