No GP appointment

[DyingForACuppa]

I have a non-urgent-but-totally-fucking-my-life-and-making-me-suffer medical problem.

I have been phoning the GP whenever I can (between work/looking after small children) for days. Most days I don't even get through.

Today I got through at 2pm and was told there's no appointments (not even phone appointments in a month kind of thing). 'You're too early, the next appointment slots haven't been released yet, try in an hour'. I point out I have been trying for days and am picking up my kids in an hour, but apparently nothing can be done. Pick up children then call back, wait on hold for an hour, then an told, 'sorry, all slots gone now, try again tomorrow'.

I am just totally filled with despair. I'm pretty sure that with the right medication I could be fine again, but I have no way of accessing it.

No E consult at our surgery either

also no email contact details

Only the phone number which is the 830 free for all - redial hundreds , and I mean hundreds of times to get through.

Happens every day. Not unusual.

Took me nearly 6 weeks to see GP for a face to face with my BP going through the roof.

It's luck rather than judgement that I didn't have a stroke in the meantime.... my existing meds weren't working and my average reading has been 160/120.

@Badger1970 Similar happened to one of my parents , blood pressure sky high and not being seen , having to take own blood pressure and write it down
Eventually got appointment and medication was put up to the max amount

My GP practice which now has 33,000 patie to because it has taken over every small practice in the area doesn't have any vacancies. They are blaming it on lack of admin staff who can't be sought because they are as scarce as hens' teeth. They pay them minimum wage; in Surrey I pay cleaner £15ph.

None of the GPS does more than five clinics per week. All of the partners do at least one clinic per week at our local private hospitals.

Nothing is their fault. Its the fault of the CCG, the MP, the government, the local MH Trust, the local hospital. They have made more cock-ups than I care to mention including data breaches- I have received other people's referrals and prescriptions. They lose things and their staff are often not helpful; sometimes they are very helpful.

I have had two serious misdiagnoses in the last 6 years that have been put right only privately.

The last time it was as difficult to get an appointment was in about 99/2000 when Tony Blair decided everyone shoukd have an appointment in 24 hours. So everyone could only get an appointment if they could get through and if one was available on the day. One couldn't and there weren't available appointments - not even for GP dictated reviews. They threatened not to renew my prescription once for a chronic condition because I hadn't had my appointment. I couldn't get one, circa 2001.

I agree with a previous poster. High earning professional people work punishing hours. DH usually worked 12 hour days and weekends for 20 years. He would never, ever have whined to a client or complained.

Somehow the GPS have done it all wrong. I don't have a degree, work in the quasi public sector but do earn more than the average GP and always have. Have always worked a minimum of a 50 hour week though. And I have never ever intimated to another stakeholder that I am their superior or if I, or my team have made an error, I apologise and put things right. I am not sure most GPs would survive outside the NHS with their attitudes.

I insisted on a referral in the end for a skin condition that was diagnosed BY PHONE having never been seen. Not even photos.
Fuck knows what the consultant will make of that even if it even gets through the referral process.
No one reads my notes before my call (multiple phone appointments to get medication, I'd often run out before I got a repeat)
I have to go through the dismissiveness every call, the persuading them that I'm a functioning adult, explaining the timeline, the medication that doesn't suit me etc.
(Yes I know why you don't want me to have the one that actually works. That's why I'm stockpiling it off the back of your OTT prescription that you cocked up)
It's exhausting for patients too, we start every call readying ourselves for the struggle we are about to have. Preparing for the quick dismissal, being talked down to, not being listened to.
It's SOUL DESTROYING.
Something needs to change, and it's not throwing more money at the already extremely wealthy GPs.

Say it's urgent.

I have never met my GP. He only consults via text.

You've just summed it up perfectly, it is soul destroying.

Is 111 run differently in various areas? Twice I had need of antibiotics for an infection. The pain and discomfort escalated in the early hours, I rang 111, an OOH GP rang back within an hour. The first time they sent an electronic prescription to the local pharmacy, the second time they made me an appointment at the walk in centre. I could have just gone there, but might have waited hours without a prearranged appointment. I saw an ACP (didn’t warrant a doctor) who prescribed as previously. Sorted.

i agree re the difficulties around seeing a GP, no way would I go to A&E unless it was absolutely necessary, but I was very happy with the outcome via 111.

My experience is exactly the same as the OP’s. My GP did do the email forms during lock down but this has gone now along with evening telephone appointments. My GP has control of 3 practices of which only one has doctors - the others are for seeing a nurse only.

I’ve had a problem with the GP prescribing me insufficient HRT, I rang up and got told I needed a GP appointment but there were none available as I wasn’t an emergency. Put through to the pharmacist who said I did need an emergency appointment and a GP called me back. Clearly the receptionist isn’t able to triage effectively.

I may start using the local private practice - I can see a really good GP there, he also works at my NHS practice but I can’t get in to see him.

I think A and E should start charging GP practices for when they see patients who should be seen by a GP and not waste A and E time. This might make the GP practices shake things up a bit.

BTW I know not all practices are as crap as mine or the OP’s, I’ve got friends who have no trouble getting an appointment to suit.