To ask about face to face GP appointments?

[Newyearnewname20]

I’ve had an ongoing problem with my skin for the last 3 months or so. Each time I’ve contacted my local doctors’ surgery (am based in London) about it, they’ve said they’re not doing face to face appointments, and I’ve had a phone appointment instead.

The surgery hasn’t said why they’re just doing phone appointments, but I’m assuming it’s because of Covid restrictions still in place? Not really sure though.

I’ve now had 2 phone appointments, each with a different doctor. The doctors disagreed on what my skin problem could be, they each prescribed me different courses of medication (so I’ve now had 2 separate courses of medication).

My skin problem still hasn’t cleared up, and I’m none the wiser about what could be causing it.

I’m getting really fed up of the problem (it’s making me v self conscious), and I just really would like some continuity of care form the same doctor and to be examined face to face.

I guess I’ve got a couple of AIBUs really! The first is - AIBU to ask if your local doctors surgery is doing face to face appointments, or if you’re having to do phone appointments too? Second AIBU - would I be unreasonable to ask for a face to face appointment?

Thanks all.

See I wouldn’t mind so much if our surgery did this. At least I could choose when a telephone appointment would suffice. So if it’s just to discuss medication or something more minor, then telephone is fine.

Instead, you have to call and wait in a queue for ages, then just get told the Dr will call you back at a specific time, to which they never do and are always a good 30 mins late.

We had an online booking system in place before where you didn’t have to phone in, you could just go online and book an appointment for a day and time that was convenient to you. That was removed at the start of Covid and hasn’t been put back. So we’re back to the old system of everyone trying to get through on the phone the moment it hits 9am. The only thing they’ve changed with that is to put a telephone queuing system in place so you don’t have to redial 132 times to get through, like you did before 🙄

Same - I had a few face to face appts throughout the height of the pandemic.

I assumed most GPs were doing the same but reading here makes me realise how lucky I’ve been with them.

Theres no need at all for only phone appts now, I’d definitely be looking to change practice

I really don't get this. My gp surgery saw patients during covid after a telephone triage and now is completely normal with face to face apts. Very odd.

Phone and only f2f if they absolutely have to, like take a swab or do an examination on anything they’re particularly worried about.
dh had a problem last month and he had to beg for f2f - he only got it because he called 111 who called the surgery and forced them to see him (he could only get referral through him being seen f2f).
i hate it cos I find it much harder to communicate on the phone and then you’re not examined physically (ie if you’ve got stomach issues there’s no palpating to check for tenderness).

Are they doctors you'd usually see? Many surgeries have outsourced a fair amount of appointments and these are typically done via telephone as the doctors aren't physically at the practice. Ours have been brilliant though, phone in the morning, call back within a few hours, they'll see you the same day if needed. I've had my smear, DS has had his jabs as well recently.

Ours does phone appointments initially and then then they’ll book you in for a face to face if needed. They also use econsult which I’ve found to be really good and I’ve often had a phone call / text with prescription within a couple of hours of submitting it. Can’t fault them really.

The school nurse referred my 5 year old to a service. As part of that referral he needed to be seen by a GP for a physical examination.

I could for love nor money get the receptionist to give me an appointment as she (receptionist) decided there was no need for him to have an appointment.

In the end I had to contact the school nurse who had to contact the actual GP direct who put on my son's medical notes that when I rang for this appointment I was to be given one. Nearest appointment was then 4 weeks away.

The whole system is ridiculous!

Our GP Surgeries are offering face to face once you've filled in an online form.
They do offer telephone consultations too .
I did send a photo of an issue once too

Nearly all phone consultations, regardless of the issue described when booking, so it just wastes more GP time when it’s relatively obvious the problem can’t be diagnosed without a face to face and they then have to give another appointment out. Even the GP was getting exasperated the last phone appointment I had that we were effectively wasting our time and I needed a face to face appointment. A lot could be solved with some basic administrative efficiency.

GP's and hospital clinics here are doing blended clinics so a bit of both.

We have patients who prefer phone or video calls as it suits them for work or childcare.

Most of my clinics are optional slots so the patients are asked if them want F2F or phone.

There are a couple of places who are short on space and we are still doing phone only but they are rare now thankfully

My drs are a joke am currently say in there reception eying after a dr left me a voicemail saying I need a face to face after a consultant diagnosed me with idiopathic anaphylaxis- prob related to ongoing issues with my bloods. The receptionist says I can’t have a face to face despite me offering to play her the voicemail from the GP, says that’s not proof and can only have a phone call

Mine are doing face to face and phone.
I send an e-consult and its either surgery visit or they'll call me and do a referral. Works well.

My surgery has a phone first policy - receptionist basically takes a message and advises the Dr will call back that morning. The Dr will always phone first before getting an appointment. I had a couple of telephone appointments initially, got sent for blood tests at the hospital then the surgery called me to go in as needed to check my blood pressure. Since had more phone appointments and one face to face 'well woman' check with nurse for BP, height and weight. I also got referred to a 'hot clinic' when I thought I had something that could be contagious (not Covid). The surgery said they don't accept anything face to face that could be a contagious illness - you had to go to the special centre to be seen (ex Covid clinic at the health centre in next town). Very sensible - no more kids with tonsillitis or chicken pox etc sitting in a waiting full of people with weakened immune systems!

It's working really well for me. Can speak to the Dr same day and easily get an appointment at a suitable time when needed and waiting room almost empty and seen quickly - was never that easy pre-covid!

It's staffing issues here rather than Covid restrictions. They say they can offer a much better experience for most people as far easier for most people to be able to speak on the phone than get to the surgery. By completing many appointments by phone it frees up the F2F appointments that are available for those that need them.

I'd make another appointment, ask them it it'd help if they could see the skin issue!

I'm a GP, we've done phone triage since 2013 so it isn't new. I'll often handle skin things with a texted photo but if that has been done and it hasn't resolved, or it's widespread all over the body, or the patient wants F2F then that's perfectly reasonable. have you asked for a F2F?

Yanbu. My gp won't do anything hardly. I've even got to ring the hospital for my own referral. It's a joke.

My surgery defaults to phone, which works quite well for me as a home worker, but will book face to face if you ask. I phoned expecting to have to justify why I wanted one but they just booked it without asking why. This is in Scotland where restrictions were a lot more cautious, so I think your surgery is taking the piss.

@YeahIamdone2022 I would email the practice manager and explain the situation.

Ours are doing both. My neighbour has had a number of face to face over the past year. I need an appt now, and have said a call is fine, really doesn’t need to be a face to face, and they were happy to book that. It’s on a day I will be home, so won’t have to discuss my person problems potentially at work/in public!

You mean you have to ring and chase your own referral? Of course you do! Your GP is your doctor not your PA. They are actually very limited with what they can do to speed up your referral. They can write and ask to speed the appointment up if the situation has changed but otherwise you're just as capable of taking responsibility for your own health and GPs simply don't have time.

Have consulted the journal of record and the Daily Mail has confirmed no GPs are offering F2F appointments and some are using premium rate telephone lines from their Gite in France while herding their flocks of golden geese. In the real world, we never stopped offering F2F and have offered more appointments in the last two years than before lockdown though demand has disproportionately increased.

Our surgery seem to be only doing face to face if they absolutely, truly have to.

For me, a chest infection was diagnosed over the phone and antibiotics prescribed. No temp check/listening to chest.

I was also prescribed the pill after not using it for a number of years, over the phone. Just asked to text a blood pressure reading. I did it, but someone could literally text anything in.

My mum is senior staff at a care home who use the same practice. Pre covid, each week, a 'ward round' would take place where the GP would come and visit/get updates on all residents etc. I can totally understand why they went virtual for a while but now, despite visitors being allowed as normal, the GP still won't visit!

I actually popped into surgery a few weeks ago to collect a prescription for my Dad and it's like a ghost town. Waiting room completely empty!

Dammit you just reminded me to feed my golden geese.... never mind the butler will do it whilst I enjoy a round of golf 🤣

I thought it would be F2F, as I assumed things would have returned to how they were pre-Covid

But they aren’t going to return to pre covid state, that’s been made very clear. Like most other industries, healthcare has realised that the world has moved on and the way they operated is no longer fit for purpose.

Telephone appointments serve a useful purpose for 1. Minor issues that can be easily diagnosed or redirected over the phone, 2. Those who can’t easily get to the surgery, 3. Quick triage to determine who actually needs to see a GP.

Doesnt mean there should be no access to f2f appointments but there certainly no case for a return to fully f2f working.

I'm so sick of it. You have to phone first thing to try and get past the receptionist to be put on the list for a call from the GP. Then that's it. They will see you if they think it needs to be seen. If not you have a simple phone appointment. It's a huge barrier for me as an autistic adult and it has made me default to my lack of self care mode. I need to be able to face to face so I have just left it.

Scanning threads.. OP, do you have rosacea? (I do).

@Nahimjustaworm 😀

Forgot to mention we still do and did home visits for the genuinely housebound and had to don and doff PPE outside in snow and in sweltering sun back in the day. Housebound and care homes had their vaccinations and boosters too. Don't know how long things will be viable as the next practice have handed back their contract and we're struggling to recruit and have some early and mid career colleagues leaving the profession entirely. Inadequate pay rises for salaried will need to be funded internally and currently looking at pay for nurses who are looking across at the AfC proposals and the petrol costs and milage rates. Everybody struggling but it does feel like the government's trajectory for primary care has progressed. Hope you get an effective treatment, OP. Depending on the two diagnoses and treatments, might be an idea to ask for a swab/culture.