Prescriptions should be available elsewhere than just the GP?

[HouseIsOnFire]

Feeling very sorry for myself, I have tonsillitis and am in agony, hurts to drink, eating is a definite no-no and have been feeling awful since Tuesday.

I frequently have tonsillitis, there's no question that it's not and I need antibiotics.

The earliest I can have a telephone appointment is Saturday 20th May! My gp has nothing sooner, no ring and be seen on same morning, nothing but wait it out for weeks.

111 won't prescribe new prescriptions and pharmacist can't for tonsillitis.

AIBU to think there needs to be another option when it's such as obvious condition??

Can 111 offer you out of hours GP appointment?

The issue is that you can’t get a GP appt, not that they’re the only ones doing the prescribing.

I think if you can’t eat or drink it’s an emergency. Keep trying, see what 111 say, they might send you to a&e. are you sure you can’t get an emergency appt at your GP? Try again and stress you can’t eat or drink

No, they said it was a local gp matter

Go to an urgent treatment centre or a call back from a clinician through 111 can issue medication

If it's bacterial and not viral. Go to boots or your local chemist and get some hydrogen peroxide solution, mix as per instructions and gargle hourly. It'll oxidise the bacteria and you'll feel better quickly. I became immune to the family if antibiotics they use fix throat infections and was told by a pharmacist to do this.

I suppose with antibiotic resistance having GPs as a gatekeeper is a way of limiting it. As it might be viral, ABs wouldn’t help. Hope it gets better soon.

Aren't pharmacists able to do basic prescriptions?

Try Boots online GP? I got a rosacea prescription through them.

can you go to urgent care?

(And that was a new prescription for me)

I got rid of tonsillitis by gargling salt water.

I can drink, it just feels like swallowing razorblades, so thankfully not going to die of thirst 😅

111 said it wasn't an emergency and when I explained what it was and how much pain I was in, receptionist told me they don't accept self disgnoses!

No. They can sell you Pharmacy Only medicines, but Prescription Only require a doctor's prescription.

My daughter got a course of antibiotics from a nurse at a Walk in centre this week.

Thank you, will try this!

You can get them online from a private GP or an online dentist. If dentist say you have a tooth infection and your dentist appointment is not for a week and you get antibiotics next day. Costs about£30

Pharmacists can only do certain conditions/antibiotics sadly, and tonsillitis isn't one :(

Everytime I read about the NHS in the UK I get so grumpy. Why do you need to see the same GP.? I understand continuity of care, but surely for acute cases or emergencies you should have another option.
I can go to any GP, that has an appointment, same day usually, or I can even get a doctor to come out after hours all on Medicare, so bulk billed, meaning no charge.
I hope you feel better OP.

I never really understand how urgent urgent care is and 111 didn't suggest it.

I'm not going to die from it, it will get better even if it takes longer, just infuriating to be left feeling so ropey when its an "easy" fix

This isn't a specific gp, I don't have one - it's the whole practice and they've no availability between them!

I agree, when living abroad it was so much easier

Ahhh will try this, thank you!

111 won't prescribe new prescriptions

111 can absolutely get you an appointment with a prescriber, either in person out of hours and also over the phone. I’ve done both several times.

Yes we've done the same, self diagnosis of UTI and got a prescription sent to local pharmacy. DH has got to the stage where old men seem to get lots of UTIs.

Maybe I gave in too easily :/

Private GP?