To be appalled by this new system at the GPS

[Comedycook]

Haven't had to go for a while but my DC needs to see a doctor. We used to call up in the morning to get a same day appointment or we could book in advance.. usually a two week wait. Called up this morning and told next available appointment is over a 4 week wait. I asked what happens if you need to someone more urgently. Was told that what happens is a paramedic will phone you and triage you over the phone. They then decide if you need to see a doctor. Wtf. I hate this stupid country.

There are so many conditions whereby you don't need urgent care but you also can't wait a month for help. Also, what about work and school. How do you know if you are going to be granted access to a doctor that day after your phone call from the paramedic? Do you keep your DC off school, do you take the day off work just in case they can see you?

As for myself I have several minor health niggles and in all honesty, it's not worth even trying to see a doctor so I just live with it. However, I obviously wouldn't do that when it comes to my DC.

To be fair, I felt sorry for the receptionist. No wonder so many people just turn up at A&E.

I disagree. All of these issues have really been compounded by Covid. Before Covid there were issues, yes, but nothing like what we have now. You could certainly contact a GP easily, get an appointment, and hospital waiting lists weren't that bad. Other countries managed to not entirely close down their health systems during Covid. We did. We are still, despite record funding, nowhere near the pre-Covid levels of service. We now are living with the consequences.

Starting at one minute to eight.......twenty-five minutes re-dialling every ten seconds until I don't get an engaged signal.

"Surgery."

"Hello, can I make an appointment for my daughter to see a doctor today please?"

"Is it an emergency?"

"I don't know."

"What are the symptoms?"

"Stomach pain and vomiting in the early hours."

"Might it have been something she ate?"

"I don't know. No one else in the family has got it."

"Is she still vomiting?"

"No, but she's still in pain. Can she be given an appointment?"

"Someone will call later on."

"When?"

"Between three and six."

"But she's in pain now. You mean no one's even going to assess her for - at best - six and a half hours, maybe ten?"

"Well, if it gets worse, take her to A&E."

"If it gets worse?"

"Or just take her anyway."

"What would I have to have said to have got her an appointment this morning?"

"You should have called at eight."

"I did call at eight."

"We're very busy. There's only two of us to answer the phone."

"I know this isn't your fault - but it's crap, isn't it?"

"Do you want a callback or not?"

"Yes, thank you. What choice do I have?"

"Well, as I say, you can take her to Accident and Emergency."

"I thought I was only supposed to do that if it's an emergency. Is it an emergency?"

"I don't know. I'm not a doctor."

"Neither am I! Actually, forget it. I'll take her to A&E. It's probably only a five or six hour wait. More importantly, if she does get worse, there will be doctors around the place. Though obviously we'll be increasing the wait for everyone there."

"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Else?.."

We have this system.
I quite like it. Its like a&e triage but not emergencies.
I'll give an example of it working:
My daughter has thrush. I wasnt sure it was but she was sore and red. She went to school. I called GP at 10ish. The paramedic called me back at lunchtime and talked it through with me. She agreed was worth seeing a doctor and found me an appointment within 2 days after school with a female GP. GP looked, prescribed cream.
A week later it wasn't clearing up so I called back. Receptionist tried to book me a face to face with GP but DD was in school and I said phone call would be better- then GP can decide if they need to see her or not.
They prescribed a new cream over the phone and said if it hadn't cleared up to call back in a week and outlined next steps.
Totally fit around us. No need to miss school. Less GP time used. All good

But then at our GPs they do divide morning and afternoon. So if you call in the morning and its traiged as urgent (which children generally are) they'll call back before lunch.

please book your smear tests. It could save your life.

I actually got asked on a call to the GP today - what I thought the problem was (in my case I do know, backed up by pretty solid evidence - and private ENT staff have looked at the images and verified that it's an ear infection), what I wanted to do - did I want more antibiotics or did I want the GP to "look at it"

I fear for those without that knowledge, or those who are drug seeking, or just those who still think antibiotics cure everything.