How on earth does anyone get a GP appointment?!

[2023b]

My first time calling in about 5 years, probably longer. Moved house recently and registered with a local GPs. Told appointments for nonurgent issues given out on a Monday morning and to call at 8am. I havent been able to do this for a number of weeks due to working at this hour. Obviously this is a non urgent issue but an issue that needs sorting none the less.
Been calling up non stop (37 times so far) since 8am, listen to the automated message which eventually cuts you out.

What the heck am I supposed to do? Ive taken a half day off today (genuinely) just to organise an appointment for a future date then to try and take that date off too. When I went in person to register I was told this is the process, to keep trying on a Monday morning, all other days are for urgent same day appt. I cant keep letting the weeks pass by... Is this what its come to :(

It's luck of the draw really, ours are amazing but many sadly aren't. It's not always the surgeries fault though (although I'm sure some have incompetent practice managers and partners so it is), as there is a shortage of GPs, nurses and other HCPs in this country recruitment is often a huge issue, and not one that is easily solved.

Sadly unless there are fundamental reforms to the way in which the NHS contracts GP services (they are essentially private businesses contracted to the NHS with clear metrics) then it won't get any better.

I love the premise of the NHS, free at point of use healthcare for all is extremely aspirational, but it's not coping with the shifting demographics (people living longer with more complex healthcare needs)- this has been on the horizon for decades yet the government has done nothing to prepare for it. Its always been well if people can't access x service they'll go to A&E who have historically been able to somewhat manage- now they're not able to cope the whole pack of cards is falling.

72 minutes later I am in some sort of queue...

We can't even do that at ours, I tried it recently out of desperation and was told all appointment requests must be made by telephone.

I ended up emailing the practice manager to complain and funnily enough an appointment was found by magic for that week.

It's come to it that the only way you can get anywhere is to complain with the NHS.

Mine have been absolutely fab. Only wanting to say as I know gp surgeries are getting a bashing atm.

I feel your pain though it is frustrating, I tend to call a bit later not straight away at 8 to avoid the endless calling and usually get through and can make an appointment. However if they can’t offer you an appointment at the surgery they might be able to offer you one at another surgery. They are part of a cluster group of surgeries so I’ve had appointments on a Saturday etc and it’s been fab. They also do e consult and you either get a call or they book you in for an appointment. If that’s not suitable you can ring to rearrange and you can just call at anytime to do that.

I really think some surgeries need to diversify how they do appointments

Just to update, I’ve been in touch with our surgery, hold queue of 30 people took about half an hour. The lady told me a doctor would call back to make a face to face appointment and we are going in at 11. The appointment isn’t for me, it’s for my dc.

My GP surgery has System Online, which is fantastic. I can always get an appointment, telephone or face to face, usually within 48 hours, by logging on at midnight and viewing the availability of appointments. I can also order repeat prescriptions, read my notes etc using this system. Get your surgery up to date!

And also to reference an earlier post which said to screenshot and show them how many times you tried, what’s the motivation for that? The people you speak to on the phone have absolutely no control over any of this, it’s not their fault. They’re not purposefully making anyone wait or time wasting during phonecalls. I imagine their job is so bloody stressful and that will not help.

We can email or use the op for non emergency appointments.

*use the app

Mine is the same. It doesn't work for anyone who at 08.00 is on their way to work or getting children ready for school.

Even if you do actually get through on the phone, you have to describe your symptoms to a (medically unqualified) telephonist who decides if you need to speak to a Dr.

Even then, there's no guarantee that appointment slots are still available for that day.

It's not possible to book in advance. It's a system not fit for purpose.

A lot of surgeries have this (or Patient Access, or another similar system).

However, so many surgeries have also switched off the online booking function. Mine has; they no longer let registered patients book online. (You can still order repeat prescriptions, because that goes straight to the pharmacist.)

I've used the econsult system when I've needed to arrange an appointment. It's not the same as booking online; econsult is more like an online version of ringing up. But they do respond. It's normally a callback.

Can you book online for a few weeks' time? We have 2 options - call at 8am, for same-day, urgent appts. Or book online for3-4 weeks' time for things that can wait that long. Nothing in between.

As per PP sticking up for the good practices, ours always has pre bookable online appointments on patient access (the website Sarah Jarvis runs) and econsult (I used econsult at 5am the other week and they called me at 8.30 with a 9am appointment). And then for other things we can ring at any time and book an appointment in advance.

But ours is a rural affluent practice. Lots of affluent older people, a lovely place to live and work so no trouble finding GPs.

My surgery is the same. Ring at 8am for a same day appointment only. No e-consult, they’ve disabled the online booking system and there is no phone queuing system. If by some miracle you actually get an appointment, it will be a phone call any time between 9am and 6pm. It’s utterly shit.

Fuck that. Phone another day and say its urgent and just get an appointment. Its ridiculous.

I am furious on your behalf, OP. The situation you are in is totally unacceptable.

I know this is of no immediate help to you, but please contact your local MP about this issue, telling them what you have told us. Just an email saying almost exactly what you put in your first post would do. Should be easy to find their contact details online.
If you are lucky enough to have a half-decent MP, there is a chance that they will put some pressure on the surgery to change their appts. policy so that all their patients have a fair chance of getting an appointment.

I know it sounds like a waste of time and a bit of a long shot, but would be worth the effort if it made things easier for you in the future.

This is certainly not a personal dig at anyone, just a realisation that the system is so rubbish. As I say I work in the NHS and know fullwell how hard the majority work so I suspect its no different in primary care. It is frustrating though that receptionists in my experience have often lived up to the stereotype of being rude etc. I'd like to think there are nice ones too.

Also empathise with a PP who shared their frustration that after waiting so long someone whos not medically trained essentially triages you to decide whether or not you get an appt. (I have been on the receiving end of this too, having been given an appt with a nurse as receptionist felt that was appropriate... the nurse immediately said it was one for the Dr and gave me quite basic lifestyle advice which didn't really apply as I don't smoke or drink, am a healthy weight etc and didn't feel qualified to give deeper advice). I really hope this does not happen today. I'm happy to wait if needed but do need to speak to a Dr. Fingers crossed.

I don’t know the answer and fear for the future health of the population.
I am in a fairly rural area and we don’t suffer as much as some, but it’s nearly impossible to get a ‘routine’ appointment.
Not every health problem is urgent or an emergency, and may never become so, but it is still important for that patient.
In less pressured times I know that my husband’s GP would have followed up on his initial treatment for a chest infection. He wasn’t ‘right’ after the first course of antibiotics, but not bad enough for the problem to be treated as ‘urgent’ under the current regime.
Unfortunately his condition deteriorated rapidly and he ended up going to hospital by ambulance and remaining there for several weeks. I don’t in all honesty know whether it could have been avoided with more GP input, but when he phoned the surgery ( after 8.00am, but as soon as the problem started) to say he was coughing up blood, the receptionist suggested that he phoned 111. The 111 service is overwhelmed, and when waiting in A&E nearly every person said they had been advised to attend by 111.

Write to the practice manager
Use a stamp. Complain.

Ours now has bookable appointments via the NHS app but dates are usually long off for the not same day stuff.

124 minutes later, still waiting. Have an irrational worry about the line being cut off prior to actually getting through...

Have you tried via the NHS App?

Even surgeries that don't offer self booking via their portal often have some via the App

Over 2.5hrs later, finally got through and managed to sort a non urgent appointment down the line (now to try and take the day off..) feels like some kind of lottery. Not sure if I was just lucky with the receptionist or the overt politeness/kindness helped.

Oh don't even get me started on the desk dragons.

At our surgery, you will only get somewhere if they like you. There's one desk dragon whose tone entirely changes to hostile when she knows it's me. I had to complain about a huge error she made that could have been dangerous. Since then, she is contemptuous to me. She literally blocks everything for my family and the practice manager has spoken to her but of course she denies it.
We also have one who is the most nosey cow ever, she is known to gossip in the village. I rang and said I wanted to see someone regards a personal issue. Their own telephone service says this is acceptable if you don't wish to tell them the finer details if it's sensitive. She told me I would not get an appointment for a call unless I told her what it was. I said it's a woman's issue. That was still not good enough. She needed to know the full details.
In the end I said to her the phone line says what I had said was fine and even saying woman's issues should be sufficient. No, she got all stupid and said no appointment or call as I was being "difficult". Yet another time when I only got somewhere after contacting the practice manager.

I'm an unpaid carer so I have to call regularly and it's soul destroying but the other surgery here is just as bad

I called for an appt for my son whom I suspected had scarlet fever based on the symptoms (and recent outbreak at Nursery). Receptionist said there are no appointments available (bear in mind this is 8:05 when and the practice opens at 8:00 and I dialed at exactly 8:00). She said the best they could for me is a call back from a GP and I said ok.

Anyways, Dr eventually called and I told her DS has scarlet fever and he needs antibiotics. I explained all the symptoms and she said she can't prescribe antibiotics unless she sees him and suddenly a magical face to face appointment was booked the same day.

We were really grateful but where did the slot come from if they were all booked? Granted the appt only took 5 mins so maybe she just managed to squeezed us in or are receptionist being told to say "no more appointments available" and they're leaving some slots open only for urgent matters? Who knows but the state of affairs now is really bad.

With everyone ringing, 37 times isnt very many. It's very easy to press redial on a mobile.