Waited in hospital since 10pm to see out of hours gp. It's now 2am. Do I give up and go home?

[GrrrlPwr]

There's 5 people ahead of me in the queue. Receptionist has no idea how long they will all take.

Do I go home and plead my GP for an appointment tomorrow?

Feel so stupid to have waited so long and to go home. But I ache so much. I need to go to bed

Try passing out on floor in gp surgery or better still hospital....you will be in a bed in minutes.....for me thou....it was genuine. They got busy then.....lol. I am ok now.....thanks.....xx

@diamondpony80

That's awful, I've had tonsillitis and I know what it's like. The last time I had it (over Christmas) I was desperate to see a doctor and get some antibiotics but there weren't any appointments available. On Christmas morning it was so bad that I was desperate and used some online doctor - I think it was through an app on my phone. It cost me about £20 or so, but a doctor saw me via video in the app in about 30 minutes and had an antibiotics prescription sent straight to our nearest open pharmacy. So I got my antibiotics within a few hours even on Christmas Day. I just checked and the app was called Push Doctor. I've never had to use them since, but on that day I was never so grateful that such a service existed. Maybe check them out?

Yes, and Livi is also good for this. Toncillitis is awful OP, you have my sympathy

@GrrrlPwr

How are you OP?

Most tonsillitis is viral

So antibiotics are useless

Over 2000 people died last year as a result of antibiotic resistant bacteria , and that is rising year on year

Please don't leave it as it could be a quinsy. I ached all over and felt awful but thought it was "just " tonsillitis.I ended up really ill in hospital as it closed my throat.

@CloseYourEyesAndSee

Don't you have a GP you are registered with? They can give you an appointment today? Also are you sure It’s bacterial? Tonsillitis can be viral which won't respond to antibiotics.

What a fatuous comment (the ‘go to your gp / same day appointment’ one)

It is a long wait but if you’re really ill you will stick it out and wait , I was the same taking my grandson the wait was horrendous . I think it’s so genuinely I’ll will wait to be seen tbh - and put time wasters off . It is ridiculous though that gps are telling you to go to urgent care as they are too busy 😢

TBH I'm not sure what you expected, but if this is a typical large hospital on a typical evening, even before the current extra stress on the system, you haven't yet been waiting an unusually long time.
Of course you should not give up. You joined that queue because you felt it was important to be seen by a medic as soon as possible, and assuming you still do, it's still most likely that you will be seen by this method sooner than by any other readily available method.

My 71 yo FIL had a fall this morning, phoned the ambulance as he may have broken his hip. Called the ambulance at 9.30am, still waiting and it is now 6.30pm. When he had his stroke in the summer he was waiting over 7 hours then. Both timed been told, "No, you can't bring him in yourself, might do more harm that way"

Our out of hours service regularly has waits of 7 hrs so I'd stay.

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

and good for him doing that too! you seriously went and took yourself to the hospital over a sore throat? you could have just tried some mouth wash or even a glass of whiskey, that would have killed the pain and a few buggs too, enough for you to get some sleep and then see your gp in the morning, i find ice cream helps too!

oh and now you have such a problem, your poor bottom all numbed up from sitting on a hard chair that was so bad you nearly passed out! - drama queen! to the max here i think

Don't be so bloody nasty. I take it you've never had severe tonsillitis otherwise you might understand how bad it it. If it's bacterial a fucking mouthwash or whiskey isn't going to cure it!

Jesus Christ, some people!

@ PinkSparklyPussyCat im not being nasty at all, and not once did i say it would cure it, but it works as pain killer for a few hours at a time, until you can get to see a doc.

oh and your jumping to conclusions, yes unfortunately i have had it a few times and had to manage without running off to the hospital about it, in fact going to hospital wasnt even entering my head like many other people wouldnt do eitther,

find a 24 hr pharmacy get some really good painkillers and go home! make appt to see your gp at the earliest time able that is the normal way of getting it treated

Would've just waited for next day and ring doc tbh, sorry but far more urgent cases.

@CuteAndFluff

So glad I live in a different place to the UK. System is fucked. Where I live you can go online and choose an appointment to see any available gp as far as you choose to travel, usually that day, often zero cost. We have out of hours gp service that will come to you so you wait at home. Again usually no cost.

UK system is screwed

I'd love me some of this here in the UK. High time to reform the healthcare system here.

Topazmumma omg that's awful . Really hope he gets help soon.

Did OP ( @GrrrlPwr ) update if she got antibiotics today?

Our NHS gets away with being utterly shite! Im sorry but that is ridiculous - the NHS needs a huge audit and manager overhaul! Having worked in a very busy vets where you are literally running around like a headless chicken to then in stark contrast sitting in a A&E department watching Drs and nurses mill around like snails. The excuses have worn very thin

@Jeannie88

Would've just waited for next day and ring doc tbh, sorry but far more urgent cases.

Why do people feel the need to go to the effort of typing out heartless comments like this? Kick op when she's already feeling shit, why don't you

Feel for you but it comes to something when you have to go to hospital for a sore throat.
I waited 3 weeks for blood tests,went today at 930 and already a notice on the door of the Walk In Centre saying 4 hour wait to be seen.
The NHS is really at breaking point.

Now here's thing, your been registered in the hospital. If you choose to go home and ring doctors in the mornings and they say they have no appointments left. Ask to speak to the practice manager explain you tried to get an appointment for 2 days running, you've been ill for more than 5 days that you went to the Hospital you wait for many hours but realised they had many more urgent cases to deal with (the system will verify you attended the hospital) say to the practice manager you need an emergency appointment the practice manager should have kept back a few appointments to issue at their discretion) the fact that you have said you have been ill for more than 5 days and have been to the hospital should help you get an appointment. I also have regular bouts of tonsillitis I gargle with soluble aspirin and use chlorasepic (horrible taste but seems to help me). Take paracetamol for your aches and pains. If you ever go to Greece on holiday pop into a pharmacy and ask for amoxicillin (if you aren’t allegic to it) 3€ over the counter 2019.

I'm sure these people are Tory bots primed to reply to these kinds of threads with a message that we should be grateful for shit service

@WTAFhappened123

Our NHS gets away with being utterly shite! Im sorry but that is ridiculous - the NHS needs a huge audit and manager overhaul! Having worked in a very busy vets where you are literally running around like a headless chicken to then in stark contrast sitting in a A&E department watching Drs and nurses mill around like snails. The excuses have worn very thin

Hahahaha, yes it always confuses me why things seem so sedate behind the scenes in A+E and yet you wait around for hours

@bordermidgebite

Most tonsillitis is viral

So antibiotics are useless

Over 2000 people died last year as a result of antibiotic resistant bacteria , and that is rising year on year

I have never ever had viral tonsillitis or tonsillitis that would shift without antibiotics I'm high risk for sepsis so nope, not waiting 2 days until my throat starts dripping with pus

@ Carriecakes80, so sorry for your loss, such a sad post. Take care 🌷🌷

oh and your jumping to conclusions, yes unfortunately i have had it a few times and had to manage without running off to the hospital about it, in fact going to hospital wasnt even entering my head like many other people wouldnt do eitther,

Presumably that was when it was possible to see a doctor.

find a 24 hr pharmacy get some really good painkillers and go home! make appt to see your gp at the earliest time able that is the normal way of getting it treated

See your GP at the earliest opportunity?! Mine had a 2 week wait for telephone appointments!

@GeorgiaGirl52

Where I am, I am registered with a concierge (private) doctor. He will see you the day you call, if you call before noon. If you are too ill to come to his office (or have no transport) he and his nurse do home visits from 6-8pm. If prescriptions are needed, he calls them in to the local pharmacy and they are delivered before 11pm that day. Also gives free flu shots and free pneumonia and free shingles vacs to all patients over age 50 as part of a Wellness Program. Always lots of critics on Mumsnet about the cost of insurance in the USA but this is what it pays for. It comes out of my teacher retirement check, so I am NOT rich.

Whoop de doo !! Arent you special. Wind you neck in, OP doesn’t actually give a shit about your private doctor!! Unless your going to send the amazing man to her door!! Nob