GP won’t give me a smear

[Kanfuzed123]

So posting for traffic really but I’m starting to get angry and a bit worried. I can’t get a smear at the GP, they won’t give me an appointment. I’m calling every morning at 8 but by the time I get through all appointments are gone.

I will complain but I’ve not had one since 2018 due to pregnancy and I’ve been trying to book one for 4 months and I just can’t. No other GP in the area will take us on as ‘we’re out of the catchment area’. What else can I do to make sure I get the screening?

You shouldn't have to obviously but as I hate going to the Dr's for smears I buy a test kit online I have health anxiety and I prefer it as you get results by email in 3 days.
Or do the sexual health womens well being type clinics do them?

Our GP surgery doesn’t do smears at surgery anymore - i was referred to a clinic. Appointment made within a few days, do you have anything local near you?

Any local family planning clinics?
It's usually the nurse that does them where I am. Ate you specifying what the appointment is for?

Contact your GPs patient Participation Group- details will be on their website or ask reception. It’s compulsory that they have one.

Write to the practice manager to complain. One question though, the nurse does them at our GP, are you asking reception for a smear test appointment or just a doctor appointment? Regardless you should get one much sooner than 4 months, but just wondering if it's crossed wires.

As PP said, please make it clear you are asking for a smear appointment. Nurse appointments should be much easier to come by than GP ones which do indeed get fully booked within a matter of minutes every morning.

Ring in the afternoon and explain what you need. There’s no point ringing at 8am for that.

You can get a smear at your local sexual health clinic. I have been on two occasions as the nurses are lovely and very experienced.

Depends on your doctors
Mine you have to ring at 8 or 12, they won't book you otherwise

I have, that was the initial call, saying I want a smear I’m due one. I was told no appointments for it at all, you need to call every morning at 8am because I don’t have symptoms. I said it’s a cervical cancer screening test you don’t need symptoms it’s meant to be preventative and they said just call back every morning to see if the nurse has space

Have you had a letter ? They won't give you one if you have not had a letter .

Go into the GP surgery at 8am - book a double nurse appointment and then ask the nurse to do it (assuming it's the nurse that does the smear).

They don't even look at the cells now unless the sample tests positive for HPV, so getting a private HPV test from Superdrug or similar will give you same reassurance, if it comes back negative.

I’ve had 2 because I’ve not had a smear since 2018 so I’m definitely due one

If they won't give you a smear when you're due one because you don't have symptoms, just say you have symptoms. No point being polite and playing by the rules if you die from cervical cancer. The system is fucked, do what you have to do within reason.

Appreciate it's massively inconvenient, but could you physically go to the surgery to make an appointment (& take the letters with you)?

Or, is your surgery linked to the NHS app? I use that to make appointments as much easier.

Hope you get something sorted soon, it must be so frustrating.

@Kanfuzed123 if they're saying you can't get an appointment because you don't have symptoms, I would just lie and say I did 🤷🏻‍♀️

I think you might have had some incorrect info from a receptionist, I’d try calling in the afternoon stating that as you have received your letter they are required to see you.

Can you visit a family planning / sexual health clinic? They can usually do smears too.

I know it’s not ideal re your GP but your GP is clearly hopeless.

Go into the surgery and take the letters with you.

It shouldnt be a call on the day appointment. Do they have other means I needed to email for mine

This is why people are disillusioned with their GPS etc. They’re still operating like it’s the middle ages.

Mine has a triage list run by doctors, a hub for routine tests and procedures we can be referred in to.

Emergency appointments are given as necessary and I’ve never not had attention same day if needed.

These surgeries refusing to modernise are what gives the good ones a shoddy rap.

Agree with pp's about ringing round for a sexual health clinic. My gp surgery runs smear clinics, often at weekends, and the nurses running them will contact people who are overdue smears to book them into that. They don't have capacity to fit them into the regular doctor and nurse appointment slots. Can you ask if your surgery does something similar or if they partner with another clinic to offer smear tests?

Is there a long backlog? I had similar last year. Two letters from the regional Heath service - one initially saying I was due a smear, the other telling me I was overdue and then numerous texts from ny actual practice urgjng me to book and appt. However i kept calling and being told that all of the nurse's appt's were full and to ring back when the appts for the next fortnight were up. I played this game for about five months and then eventually got seen. I wasn't aware that I could have tried elsewhere. The whole thing was quite frustrating.

Your GP surgery is poorly managed. Is there a practice manager you can ask to speak to?