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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

FUCKING GP SURGERY

70 replies

Screamscreamscream · 23/12/2022 13:49

Sorry for the swearing. I could actually scream, or cry, or both. My GP practice is great if you can get an appointment, but an absolute nightmare to do that. There’s no email or online system, no apps, no econsult, nothing. You can’t go in and book an appointment anymore after covid- it’s phone call only. It takes hundreds of calls to actually get through, then when you do, all the appointments are gone. There’s no advance booking- it’s only appointments on the day. The receptionists are lovely but have to interrogate you and decide if you can get an appointment or not (not blaming them at all, I understand why they have to do it). I was once serviced by a receptionist to take Imodium and call tomorrow when I explained I was having stools with old blood in it.

there's another practice in the same down that has the apps and online system and has great reviews. My friends are registered there and can send a message on the app and have a reply within a few hours. It saves the phoning up hundreds of times every morning not being able to get through. I work during the week and cannot go on my phone at work so the way my current practice is set up isn’t working for me whereas the other would be better.

I tried to change surgery but apparently that’s not allowed within the same area, and the health board won’t allow it under any circumstances. I explained I literally can’t contact my current surgery because of work and even when I can it’s a nightmare but they were really apologetic and said it’s just not allowed.

has anyone had any experience of this? I’m so disappointed and frustrated. I understand it’s neither surgerys fault but I can’t believe I’m now locked into the shitty GP practice.

OP posts:
Sapphire387 · 23/12/2022 14:15

The NHS website says you can change if you're having problems with your GP practice. I'm not sure how they can ban you. If I were you, I would write to my MP.

AnchorWHAT · 23/12/2022 14:18

My DH changed his from one that was rubbish to the one me and kids were at it is literally opposite.

GreenLeavesRustling · 23/12/2022 14:19

Ours is the same. No advance appointments, you have to call on the day at 8.30, hold on the phone for ages. Phone triaged by reception. Then later on (they tell you to expect a call 12- 5 phone triaged by a doc. Then if it seems important enough, you get an appointment 5-6) if you don’t get one then, you have to try again tomorrow.
if you work full time, have school runs etc it is impossible.

londonrach · 23/12/2022 14:21

Of course you can change gp surgery. Not sure if make you feel better but sounds like all the GP surgery in this area. Everyone just goes to a&e now (against MN advice)

SouthwarkSwish · 23/12/2022 14:22

It's the same in my town unfortunately- you can't change GP practices within the same area unless there are exceptional circumstances. The two major practices are SHIT, so if it was allowed there would be an unmanageable outflux of people trying to change. Not saying in anyway this is right btw.

dreamingbohemian · 23/12/2022 14:22

That's ridiculous!

According to this NHS page:
www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/gps/how-to-register-with-a-gp-surgery/

You should be able to switch. If you can't they say:

If you have problems registering with a GP surgery:

call the NHS England Customer Contact Centre on 0300 311 22 33

contact your local Healthwatch

dizzydizzydizzy · 23/12/2022 14:24

I changed surgeries in 2019. It was easy . Same town, less than a mile apart.

Mollyplop999 · 23/12/2022 14:24

It's the same at our surgery. And depending on the problem I don't always want to discuss it with the receptionist. I've got a water infection and ended up paying £26 for antibiotics from Boots as I haven't a hope in hell of getting in before Christmas.

VHSyeah · 23/12/2022 14:25

Same in my town. You can't even request a new GP if yours is a hippy fuckwit who believes in sun and moon bathing (not a joke!)

Red tape and bureaucracy!

Greyskyblue · 23/12/2022 14:26

I changed surgeries to one a quarter of a mile away. Make a complaint to the practice manager if you can’t get your basic needs met.

Original poster
Screamscreamscream · 23/12/2022 14:26

I think it must be specific to each health board, she said ours has stopped it altogether within the same area and the only exception is if you have no choice eg the practice closes!

OP posts:
VHSyeah · 23/12/2022 14:28

@dreamingbohemian I used to work for Healthwatch and they are literally the most useless piece of government funded crap..

OP would benefit more by leaving a review on Care Opinion so that the GP Practice Manager can reply. Also visible for the CQC to see.

Tropicaliyes · 23/12/2022 14:31

Oh that’s weird! My GP has the patient access app which gives you the ability to message the surgery for non urgent enquiries however when I try to use it, they don’t get back to me full stop leading me to call. When you do call they say to ring at 8am and the receptionist do as you said and try and judge if you should be given an appt, I only opt for a call back appt though and usually it’s granted, but I do think they are more strict on physical appts although they do offer appts In advance (but usually far).

my last surgery was going down hill fast and after being with them for years I had enough and move myself and DP to the nearest one I could find on Google with the best reviews… I wasn’t told I could not move or I needed a reason or anything, I just think I needed to stay within my catchment area and I was fine. I didn’t even leave my last surgery, just signed us up for the new one and it automatically took us out the system of the last one.

Even now I’m with this surgery and not happy with the lack of appointment and then the quality of appts when we get them so have considered moving again, if I do I will do the same as last time and search for the next best and just sign up… If I had to I would keep doing that until I find the best one but we have decided to join a private GP along with this rubbish one to supplement the NHS since there is no shortage of appts in private or wait times and more flexibility with appt types including online consults if needed. I feel it doesn’t matter the NHS GP we try, in this area they are all pretty bad and I have used quite a few over the years as I have moved homes (I’m not in the catchment area of some of the previous ones I was with).

I didn’t know some places tie you into the same GP and don’t allow you to move around, that sounds terrible but makes me wonder if the GP surgery let you go then are you free to choose another? Some places even allow you to sign up as temporary patients usually when your not in their catchment area so I’m wondering why your area doesn’t give you the freedom most other places do.

I would recommend private GPs but I understand not everyone had the ability to pay for them on top of medication/procedure costs but some can also be found pretty cheap and you won’t be using them all the time, just the one off when your having issues like you are with your NHS GP.

WatchoRulo · 23/12/2022 14:35

Definitely write to your MP - this is what they are for.

MajesticElephant · 23/12/2022 14:43

Could you un register from your current surgery and then register at the new one. It wouldn’t technically be a transfer then? There is probably a batshit reason why that wouldn’t work but might be worth a shot?!

Augend23 · 23/12/2022 14:44

Which is your Health Board OP - are you in Scotland/Wales? I don't think England has health boards any more but we do have renamed ones called ICBs. I ask because as health is a devolved matter it might mean things are quite different for you.

CottonSock · 23/12/2022 14:48

Mine used yo be like this. Then they implemented a phone queuing system. So it tells you what place you are at. And ringing repeatedly at 7.59 usually gets you at front of the queue. Could you write a letter to the practice manager asking for similar?
I had the same issue with previous system as I would sit on redial for 100 times whilst trying to do the school run..now it's much improved, even if not perfect.

Iheartmysmart · 23/12/2022 14:52

I feel your pain. My surgery is exactly the same, absolutely impossible to access healthcare if you work. Can’t change surgery as none of the others in the area will accept patients who are registered elsewhere.

I wrote to the surgery over a year ago asking if they could at least implement a telephone queuing system and am still waiting for a response.

thereisonlyoneofme · 23/12/2022 14:56

I want to change but none of the other surgeries are taking anyone one. My GP sounds exactly like yours maybe it is yours !

badgermushrooms · 23/12/2022 14:56

Have you since had the blood in your stools checked out? Is it still happening? If so I would email the practice manager (so there's a record that could be FOI'd) and say you have blood in your stool and have been denied an appointment, it's not something to mess around with. Sorry your practice is shit.

Tilllly · 23/12/2022 15:11

Mollyplop999 · 23/12/2022 14:24

It's the same at our surgery. And depending on the problem I don't always want to discuss it with the receptionist. I've got a water infection and ended up paying £26 for antibiotics from Boots as I haven't a hope in hell of getting in before Christmas.

Completely off topic but - you can BUY antibiotics for a UTI?
How do I do that?

HighAsAKiteAgain · 23/12/2022 15:28

Deregister- tell them you're moving away and have no forwarding address. Then register at the other place

The surgery you're currently registered at are being paid to do fuck all

georgarina · 23/12/2022 15:53

Tilllly · 23/12/2022 15:11

Completely off topic but - you can BUY antibiotics for a UTI?
How do I do that?

Show quote history

Not OP but you can buy them through an online pharmacy - Boots, Lloyds etc - but it's generally expensive

Tilllly · 23/12/2022 16:12

@georgarina can't find it at all on boots website

luxxlisbon · 23/12/2022 16:29

I was once serviced by a receptionist to take Imodium and call tomorrow when I explained I was having stools with old blood in it.

Do they purposely hire GP receptionists who give out poor advice?
Mine just told me to go to the pharmacist to get something over the counter when antibiotics and steroids hadn’t cleared a chest infection and I was more unwell 2 weeks after starting them than I was before! I mean really what am I going to be able to get over the counter that will work where the first antibiotics haven’t!
I rang 111 and they booked me an appointment the same day with a GP from my own practice but the whole thing was a 3 hour ordeal by the time I waited in both queues.

My GP practice is genuinely failing and has been put under review for closure, but other GPs in the area won’t take me as I have a local GP. Does anyone know if they can actually decline you??