Am I expecting to much from GP surgery?

[SimpleTestsandXrays]

Just before Covid hit our GP surgery bought in a new system, you go online and fill out a triage form it’s then sent to the Dr or Nurse who read it and they’d action anything, either an appointment made, prescription sent to pharmacy or referral made. Those without internet access or elderly can still call up and the receptionist fills the form in over the phone with them.

It used to work quite well, you’d get a call or text within a few hours to say what action is being taken. It worked well and freed up appointments or staff for people who really needed them.

I haven’t had to put a request in recently, but after speaking to my daughter’s physio he wanted some x-rays and blood tests conducting. I put the request form in on Monday, stating that it was physio who’d asked for this and included his name and contact number. When I’ve done this before I’ll get a text to say “Will speak to physio on (date) then will action the tests and xrays” and it’s been done and a letter comes in the post a few weeks later for the tests to be done.

Except I’ve had no reply. I’ve called the surgery, waited to get through on the phone for over an hour to be told that the form hasn’t been read and as it hasn’t been read within 4 days it’s now out of date so I’ll have to do it again. They did it with me over the phone as they couldn’t resubmit the old form. I was warned that it probably won’t get read until Wednesday but if not read by end of day Wednesday I’ll have to put another form in.

I just feel frustrated. My daughter needs a blood test and an xray, the result of those will tell the physio what needs to happen next, he’s worked with the GP before on similar issues as he can’t refer outside his remit so can’t send DD for the xrays and tests she needs so the GP does it, there’s then a letter sent with the results to physio, who then replies saying “X and Y referrals needed” or “I am able to refer (DD) to Z so no further GP action required”

Am I expecting too much from the surgery for them to at least read the form and give me a reply within the time frame? I know they’re short staffed due to covid, but this system is supposed to be quicker and easier to use.

AIBU?

Do you mean this Monday just gone?

If so I think that's wishful thinking I'm afraid. Unless it's life threatening I think there's about a 2-4 week wait for GP referrals to be processed at the moment.

"told that the form hasn’t been read and as it hasn’t been read within 4 days it’s now out of date so I’ll have to do it again"

The form going out of date because they haven't managed to read it is unreasonable, and them not reading it within 4 days is unreasonable in itself. I'd be pissed off.

I would expect the physio to write to the GP requesting the tests needed rather than asking you to be the middle man. Whenever Ds has needed similar then they have wanted it in writing from the requesting professional which is fair enough.

@bbtatoes

Do you mean this Monday just gone?

If so I think that's wishful thinking I'm afraid. Unless it's life threatening I think there's about a 2-4 week wait for GP referrals to be processed at the moment.

@bbtatoes Monday 21st yes, but I've had to resubmit the form as it wasn't read within their time frame (3 working days - Friday doesn't count apparently) so expired. All I wanted was that they'd speak to physio then do it even if that was in a few weeks time.

@bbtatoes

Do you mean this Monday just gone?

If so I think that's wishful thinking I'm afraid. Unless it's life threatening I think there's about a 2-4 week wait for GP referrals to be processed at the moment.

I think you misunderstand, OP isn’t asking for the referral to be made that fast, but for ghe message to speak to the doctor to be picked up. YANBU OP. It’s a crazy system where after 4 days they just ignore your request!!

At our GPs we have to ring up before 8am to make an appointment on that day. You cannot make an appointment for any point in the future. You also cannot get into the GPs without an appointment because they lock the doors. They don't do telephone appointments or online appointments.

This then leads to a mad rush of people trying to get through to them before 8am to make an appointment for that day.

Unfortunately they don't open until 8.30 🙄

The messages expiring thing is madness. Our GP has a similar system but I've not heard of messages expiring.

@Frlrlrubert

The messages expiring thing is madness. Our GP has a similar system but I've not heard of messages expiring.

@Frlrlrubert I think I will feed that back to the surgery (theres an online feedback form too) just saying that the system works well but messages shouldn't really expire.

The fact the form has been unread, as a non urgent request, isn't so terrible.

The practice not relaxing their 4 day rule if they aren't able to comply with it at the moment is ridiculous.

@CoffeeRunner

The fact the form has been unread, as a non urgent request, isn't so terrible.

The practice not relaxing their 4 day rule if they aren't able to comply with it at the moment is ridiculous.

@CoffeeRunner You've expressed my feelings on it. I'm not bothered they've not read it as such it's the fact it expired and I had to do it again.

@CoffeeRunner

The fact the form has been unread, as a non urgent request, isn't so terrible.

The practice not relaxing their 4 day rule if they aren't able to comply with it at the moment is ridiculous.

Yes, this really - it's surely taking up more staff time if they then have to input the details themselves repeatedly until it is read? That bit seems like madness to me! Surely they should read and triage the messages within four days?!

The form expiring and thus needed resubmitting is a pain and should be fed back (or there should be an option to log on and confirm that the form as submitted is still correct).

That said it does seem daft that you’re expected to write to the GP who will then get in touch with the physio to check your message was correct and then get back to you. Presuming this is an NHS physio they should be able to liaise with the GP without the need for you to be the middle man and generate unnecessary work at a time when GP services are under increased pressure. Might be worth feeding back to the physio service as well.

@Sirzy

I would expect the physio to write to the GP requesting the tests needed rather than asking you to be the middle man. Whenever Ds has needed similar then they have wanted it in writing from the requesting professional which is fair enough.

Absolutely. Ridiculous for this to have to be conveyed by the parent.

I had to wait 12 weeks for a nhs optician app, which I may need that was October.
I paid privately for specialist opticians , not optical brain to eyes, phyatrist next, tired of waiti

The requests “expiring” because they haven’t read them is ridiculous. Yes it’s not urgent - yet. Two friends have had their cancers picked up due to Physio’s suspicions (and being referred to GP) - not to alarm you OP, just to any posters who assume this is automatically low priority. And even if it is genuinely low priority this isn’t a health service comparable to the rest of the developed world, and one which we pay handsomely for through NI contributions. I would raise a formal complaint about the expiring system with the practice manager and then escalate it if it’s not amended.

@DaveGrohl

The requests “expiring” because they haven’t read them is ridiculous. Yes it’s not urgent - yet. Two friends have had their cancers picked up due to Physio’s suspicions (and being referred to GP) - not to alarm you OP, just to any posters who assume this is automatically low priority. And even if it is genuinely low priority this isn’t a health service comparable to the rest of the developed world, and one which we pay handsomely for through NI contributions. I would raise a formal complaint about the expiring system with the practice manager and then escalate it if it’s not amended.

@DaveGrohl Cancer isn't the suspected diagnosis but it's semi-urgent in that the quicker it's picked up the quicker treatment starts and the better outcome for my DD long term.

I had a problem so used our surgery's online form, called Ask The Doctor A Question. After four weeks of hearing nothing back from them I had to actually ask for the appropriate meds by name on the prescription order form. Initially I was looking for advice and hoping to avoid taking the antibiotics I eventually asked for. An altogether pointless waste of what could be a good idea.

But you've said it yourself, short staffed due to covid. I think your expecting too much. Its not exactly life threatening is it. Ive been waiting for 2 years for pain relief.. I never expect immediate responses from anything medical related, its just norms these days.

No you are right - that is a nonsensical system.

I feel your pain OP.
I got a face to face appointment back in September with Doctor who was going to refer me to Neurology. As luck would have it I had a telephone consultation in November where GP informed me he had "forgot to send the referral." I got an urgent Neurology appointment in December resulting in an MRI scan last week so I'm keeping everything crossed that it'll be OK.

Is this an NHS or a private physio? It's not clear in your post.
Either way, it is their responsibility to email or write to the GP. They shouldn't be using you as a middle man to communicate about something that they have recommended.

@youarenottheone

Is this an NHS or a private physio? It's not clear in your post. Either way, it is their responsibility to email or write to the GP. They shouldn't be using you as a middle man to communicate about something that they have recommended.

@youarenottheone NHS physio, she's under them due to another condition but something else has come up on assessment in January. He wanted to wait a few more weeks to see if it went away on it's own but we spoke on Friday and he asked me to do the form. I was working Friday so did it Monday morning at 8am.

'NHS physio, she's under them due to another condition but something else has come up on assessment in January. He wanted to wait a few more weeks to see if it went away on it's own but we spoke on Friday and he asked me to do the form. I was working Friday so did it Monday morning at 8am.'

Thanks. However, it is the physio who is in the wrong here in asking you to do the communication that it is their job to do. Can you imagine a hospital consultant wanting to start you on 3 new medications and asking that you pass the message to the GP and request your own bloods tests? Obviously not. It is the Physio's responsibility to request these things from the GP if they feel that your daughter needs them. They are simply creating extra work for you, the GP and the surgery staff by not doing this which is entirely wrong and causing a delay.

Agree this sounds like a cop out by the physio. I work in general practice and any requests come directly from the HCP requesting them. Too much can get lost in translation.

My e-consult forms usually get a same day response - I did have one that seemed to go astray, I left it a couple of days and emailed to see what was happening & got an apology.
Even one about something not especially urgent got a same day callback, and a GP appointment three days later.