Can't answer your call because of the COVID pandemic???

[ImJustMadAboutSaffron]

This is what I heard when I tried to put a call in to the doctor this morning. My back went in the shower on Monday and it's spasming. Causing me to walk funny and affect other muscle areas in my back. I wanted to put a call in to obtain painkillers.

COVID? Really? After three years?

Yes, I absolutely agree. My husband has two types of cancer, diabetes, and heart failure. Hasn't seen a GP face to face for four years.

It’s ridiculous, I find both public and private service and accessibility absolutely shocking these days
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I think we went way too far with the whole “leave services alone they’re BUSY” - which was relevant in 2020, but now 3 years later it just doesn’t wash. I know a lot of people now WFH but I shouldn’t be on hold to a company I need to talk to urgently because their workers are ‘dealing with COVID’ (having a nap/watching Rip Off Britain 🙊)

My GP still has a covid message waffling on when I call. And it's the very first version with completely out of date advice in it. Really infuriates me that they never even bothered to update it during the actual pandemic.

@ImJustMadAboutSaffron I think you're at my GP surgery. I've been trying to get through all week to be met with a recorded message "due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic....."
I've only managed to speak to the receptionist once who told me they only see emergency patients and I wasn't one of them (strange lump needing assessed) waiting on a call back from practice manager

For painkillers for your back boots sell their own brand ibuprofen with codeine cheaper than neurofen plus.

It is still here though. Lots of people off sick and in hospital with it. One doctor from my surgery has been in hospital with it since before Christmas

There's always one comment "covid's not over" or such like. No. Neither is Spanish Flu. It is over as the number 1 emergency and we should stop using it as an excuse for dreadful service.

Some surgeries, like mine, are closed - or barely functioning - atm because of the current outbreak so for some it's not an incorrect use or shit excuse. It's whats going on.

We are still busy (not GP) it's not an excuse
We still have people off with covid and also we are just busy
I took 214 calls in a 9.5hrs shift so it irks when people are saying we are lying/aren't busy or are yelling about queues. I don't move from my desk and still WFH

One tip I would give us don't ring anywhere on a Monday if you don't need to. We get hammered on a Monday and a lot of people don't need to ring us then. Mid afternoon is usually the best time

Should add we don't have any covid messages but covid is still affecting us due to people being off sick. I was off for 18 days with it

Some phone systems fall back onto a recorded message if they are above x number of incoming calls. I doubt they're not ever answering any calls, if that is the case then report them.

But why should you be so much busier post pandemic than pre pandemic?

@TheObstinateHeadstrongGirl we honestly have no idea. I guess call volumes go up year on year anyway so 2023 is different to 2020 and would have always been

A lot of people that won't do things for themselves and want us to do it (like googling a phone number)
Lots of cancellations due to covid which means more calls
Then staff off sick with covid
Business has improved/increased
New cars still not available so loads more people now need services and MOTs when previously they would have changed their car after a year

@ImJustMadAboutSaffron it comes together as one pill. You can also get codeine with paracetamol. Both types can only be bought from the pharmacy but don't need a prescription. You have to be very careful not to take extra paracetamol with codeine as the paracetamol is dangerous in overdose.

I've had naproxen before and it is better than ibuprofen, but sometimes only codeine is going to work. You shouldn't take codeine more than 3 days on the run though, as it can be addictive. Also it has a constipating effect, just to warn you.

Well it could be an old message.

doctor numbers have massively dropped.

And yes covid is still a problem despite what the media and government may have you believe.

It’s absolutely ridiculous 😞

If they managed to change the messages 3 years ago, surely it's not that onerous to change it to a more generic "due to high demand" type message. Unless answerphones can only be updated on 29th February...

I will try those. I did get through to the surgery and they offered me an appointment, but I refused because of the particular doctor it was with. He is an arse and I have had issues with him in the past, totally refuse to see him.

I will go to Boots and ask for those you recommend. Thanks.

Fed up of the because covid excuse. It doesn't wash any more. You may as well just announce you are lazy and useless.

Well I got a call back from a doctor, not Dr Grumpy who I don't want to see. I should have complained about him years ago when he said "lie back and think about George Clooney" before a smear test.

They've organised a prescription for me and I'm getting the recommendation from @WolfFoxHare for tonight and tomorrow.