To expect the Doctors to be taking calls at lunchtime

[OwwwMuuuum]

It’s my lunch break. I called the doctor for blood test results.

First, a message stating “due to staff sickness” they are not staffing the phones over lunch break (unless it’s an emergency). Variations of this excuse have been peddled since the start of the winter.

Second, a long message about respecting phone appointments and the decisions of advanced nurse practitioners etc etc.

The phone to reception then just rang out, there is no other way of retrieving my blood results and I can’t call back when I’m working.

YABU - busy doctors Surgeries shouldn’t have to plan their staff rotas to cover lunch breaks, when most patients are trying to contact them.
YANBU - patients should be able to reach their doctors surgery over lunch times.

This 100%

YABU. So when do you think staff at the practice can eat? Why didn't you take a lunch break earlier or later? or ring first thing at 8am. My GP's surgery is open 8am to 6pm, and I really think they need a break for eating etc!

That's what staggered lunch breaks are for. Much easier to factor that into a job where taking calls is literally the point, than expect everyone who might need to ring them to change their lunch break, something that might not be at all possible in their job role.

I used to be based in a GP surgery, we closed for an hour for lunch and it was amazing. No sorting out a rota of who has a break when, you can have an actual break as there's no risk of someone saying can you please just quickly help with x, if you needed to leave site it wasn't an issue, you knew when you'd get to eat, it was nice being able to catch up with colleagues or sometimes we had meetings. Many of the staff work right through to try and prevent a build up of admin, but on the whole was brilliant. Patients knew when we were closed (has been the same time for years and heavily advertised). The phone for hospitals and other HCPs would be manned but they had a direct number so just one person on the phone who then had lunch after.

Our health centre closes for an hour over lunch. Makes sense to me as when they are open they are at full capacity. It's a time where all staff can not only take a break, but have staff meetings, training, paperwork - they're not sitting around doing nothing - and even if they were they are entitled to a lunch break

Don’t want to derail but I hadn’t heard about the NHS app so had a look.

it’s only available in England and the IOM. I think it would be really useful so hopefully Scotland will some day do one too

Our surgery only answers test results calls after 2 every day. They do open later a couple of days a week though so it's possible at some point to call. Also, whenever I've had anything actually show on results they ring me first.

Surely you don't need to be a GP or work in a surgery to realise staff aren't off enjoying a leisurely hour long lunch mid surgery in this current NHS crisis

Playing catch up with overrun appointments more like so they can start the afternoon on schedule whilst squeezing in urgent calls, checking up on EOL patients, writing up reports, chasing test results and all the other admin needed. My bf is a GP of 25 years and utterly broken - she is training to deliver aesthetics so she can leave before she actually has a breakdown

I just don't understand the vitriol for GPs the vast majority of whom are are doing their best to care for hundreds (& hundreds) of patients within a very broken system.

Actionfilm · 20/01/2023 20:21

"You can't get through to our doctors' surgery anymore full stop. Not at lunch time, not first thing, not ever. They should answer the phone sometimes. They don't."

"So they're all sat there doing nothing? Someone must be getting through right?? You get that it's not just you on the planet yes?"

How fucking rude are you? Is that the way you would talk to somebody in real life who said you can't get through to their GP? I doubt it. Just rude as fuck behind a keyboard.

And it's not just me. It is everybody I know, and the whole village and surrounding area according to the local press.

Well someone's rude and I'm pretty sure it's the person swearing and ranting...
So you're whole village can't access their GP? That's absolute nonsense. I asked again and it's not rude so they aren't doing anything. Surely you need to report it to the CCG so they can investigate wat they are doing? Right?