Apparently you can no longer call the GP to book a GP appointment.

[AngeloMysterioso]

You now HAVE to book online, and it HAS to be through the website and NOT the app.

I found that out the hard way today when I tried to book an appointment for my son, the app said none available so I rang up and waited half an hour on the phone to get through to reception, who told me I had to book it online.

You make a request and they’ll get back you within 48 hours.

AIBU to think that’s bloody ridiculous?!

My surgery has just moved to Econsult. Tried it for the first time yesterday about 1400 but there was a message saying they were over capacity and to try again the next day at 8 am. At least before when there was a phone service you could speak to someone and put a date in the diary even for 3 or 4 weeks hence if non urgent. Now you can’t even do that. I can see a lot of people just giving up. I did call asking what I was supposed to do as I hadn’t used the online system before and wanted to make sure I’d understood the issue re the message and what I was meant to do to book. there’s a voicemail asking people to keep the line clear for those who can’t book online. But then those of us who can use the technology can’t book either. To me it just seems my Practice has just become a whole lot less accessible to everyone whether you can use the tech or not.

@AngeloMysterioso has to book online at her surgery, @QuizzlyBear - so patients from that surgery clearly cannot make appointments on the phone - and I doubt it is the only one. Another poster on this thread (sorry, I can’t remember who) said their surgery will not allow patients to walk in and make appointments in person.

People need to have all three options available to them - in person, online and phone. Doubtless this will change over time - I’m sure that, eventually everyone will be sufficiently tech savvy to make appointments online, as long as they have the relevant tech, and internet access - but until then, the service has to meet its users where they are, rather than setting extra obstacles for some of them.

And this is exactly how serious conditions are missed. It’s not coincidence that lack of face to face consults have related in a surge of misdiagnosed and undiagnosed cancers.

I don’t know how people who work cope with this. When I did work full time at least I could have an appointment in the diary and work round it so would usually go for as early appointment as I could get but I’d know in advance I had an appointment so could ring fence that time

It's ridiculous. I have started going private but really feel for those who haven't got the cash.

@QuizzlyBear

If on the other hand, someone is not capable of operating the internet, despite its presence (dominion!) in our lives for the past 30 years, I would imagine that they already have care packages in place - if not, this would be a red flag to implement one.

WTF have I just read?! What planet are you on where everyone has been regularly using the internet for 30 YEARS? What a load of tosh you are speaking, really! NO-ONE has been using the internet virtually since the end of the 1980s!

The internet has only really been used (by most people,) for around 20 years, and in the early days, it had a very limited amount of things you could do with it. Most people I know did not start using it til around 2003-2005. And even then it was just scrolling through the few websites available, and posting on one of very few message forums.

Anyone who used it before that (2001-2003,) would generally use it only for emailing! Auction sites and Twitter and Facebook and YouTube only started to get regular use about 13-14 years ago. And instagram, and tik tok, even more recently than that.

As for internet banking, and going online to access your gas/electric account, and internet provider account etc, many people have only been doing that since around 2010-2013ish. I never used internet banking til 2012, and I am fairly tech savvy. I never used any online service for my medical practice til 2018! And I am only in my early to mid 50s!

As I said earlier, many people who are of a certain age now (75+) will NOT have grown up using computers and the internet, and even those who DID (and they will be few,) may not be able to use it now, because of certain conditions and disabilities. Many people over 75, (indeed some over 65,) will never have accessed their bank account, gas and electric account and the like online - ever. They have also never gone on any online medical practice account. And they very likely never will for, as I said, MANY different reasons.

Your posts are ignorant and rude at best. Nasty and ableist at worst!

I agree with @PinkSparklyPussyCat's comment about you at 18.07!

I work in older adults mental health and this type of system is impossible for so many of our clients.

That's true but then it can be the other way around for other people. I work full time and cannot answer or even have my phone with me when I am at work from 8am - 4pm apart from my lunch break so calling is not possible for me. I can quickly use an online form though.

Ours is like that but elderly patients can ring. They have a response form that they close once they have had too many responses for one day. It’s not improved efficiency. I had to get a confirmation of dyspraxia for exam access arrangements renewal. They were quick enough to ring me for fee payment but did not email the letter in a week, as stated. I rang up, “oh there is a letter”, “I can’t see that it’s been emailed” - 2 days later finally arrived. One sentence!! Tempted to calculate how much per word

Forgot to say also @QuizzlyBear your posts are AGEIST too!

Ours did have the app which was so good. Really easy to book appointments. Then they got rid of the app. If you're ill you can only book on the day appointments. You have to call at 8am. 90% of the time you won't get through.

If you do the appointment will probably be at the 'other' surgery. Which is 2 bus rides away, not helpful when I'm ill!

Recently they wouldn't approve my repeat prescription until I had a review check up. These can be booked in advance, but there aren't any left for September and they aren't taking October bookings yet. That was a fun phone call.

We phone, are triaged and they call back with an appointment.

Have you not actually read the posts from other posters, including the OP, who are given no alternative to online booking? The phone system has magically stopped working, and they are not permitted to turn up and walk in.

The OP states online only appts. This is mostly what people are trying to say. If it's all online only, then people will be left out.
My dementia neighbour cannot possibly use an online form for the drs. She doesnt have smartphone anyway, but she has no idea any more how her brick mobile works. She has carers twice a day. They have all on getting her dressed and fed. No time to sort out her potential dr visits.

If it all goes online, first she wont know what that even means, but say I took on the process for her, I'd need a ton of information like her DoB ( that she doesn't know) what was wrong with her, that she may or may not know. Then I have to get the dr to call me when I'm with her. I cant spend a day with her waiting on a drs call, no one can.

That's just one person in one street. Times that across the UK, it's a lot of people.

Yep exactly! As I and many others have said, some people cannot use the internet, and some people cannot get access to it. As another poster said, are 'poorer' people mean to ask a more affluent neighbour if they can use their internet? They would be so embarrassed and ashamed!

My super active neighbour handled all admin , his wife nothing, following a stroke, she's having to learn. Circumstances change

In the end how much time/money is this really saving versus answering the ‘phone and allowing people to book appointments that way. Plus what about the cost of all the more expensive treatments people are going to need because they will end up with a late diagnosis because they gave up trying to get an appointment until symptoms become severe/dangerous. I don’t really understand why GP’s are allowed to lower service standards like this. Is there nothing set out in their contacts with the NHS?

I love the way people are just expected to spend money. Using my uncle as an example he'd have to buy a smart phone or tablet and pay for broadband or data. Why should anyone have to do that just to get a doctors appointment? He wouldn't need it for anything else.

In DM's case she wouldn't have been physically able to do it but she could use a telephone. Yes I could have done it for her but why should anyone have to tell a family member their medical information?

I am a practice manager and we recently implemented this. The feedback from patients has been great. It stops people who would be queuing outside from 7.30 am every week to book an appointment for trivial things or use the GP as an agony auntie can to be given to patients who really need them.
The idea is to signpost and book patients with other clinical staff which previously would insist on a GP appointment and the receptionist would need to oblige. Also
There are not enough GPs for all hence making sure that we use their time wisely and to prioritise each clinical case.
Our patients who do not have computers or are not IT savvy can ring and the receptionist will complete the form on their behalf though so that there is no discrimination and once we explain the rationale people do accept the service.

@amarante So with this system, when my son calls for an appointment, what would you do? He has autism and can’t fill out forms himself, and because he has problems communicating, he would struggle with anyone saying he can’t have an appointment unless he fills out the form, and wouldn’t argue that he needs help. Can notes be put on records to flag where people like him need additional support?

Absolutely. All practice systems have a facility to add alerts. So when we search-for the patient details to check their age and whether they are in any group which may need more assistance an alert will pop count stating that such patient needs help with the form. Patients in groups which will need the form to be completed on their behalf will not be asked appt show questions as well. Reception ask what is the issue or reason for the appointment and will complete the form as such.
I can assure anyone that the reason is that make sure that the people who actually need to be seen are seen. This is not to stop elderly or people with other difficulties from seeking their GPs.
People would be shocked to find out how many people come to see the GP without needing one or even twice a week. But because they either queue of are on the phone system by 7.59am they get an appointment.

Also, if patients turn up the practice should complete the form on their behalf. The idea is that all requests are enter on the platform.

Would also like to say that by using this platforms, we GP practices will have data to present to our NHS local teams and prove that demand for a GP service.
If there is nothing in place and you book the appointment like before - telephone or online- once all the appointments are gone there is nothing to show or prove the number of people who called or tried to get an appointment and did not get because they were all gone.
In this case we can show that indeed the number of GPs available is not sufficient so more pressure will be made on policy makers.

In my case there was just an on screen message on the practice website saying they were at capacity and to try again the next day so not sure how this would be counted? I wonder whether the feedback you have received is a bit self selecting - it’s the people who have used it/can use it and like it. I don’t like the fact that once they are at capacity you can’t book any sort of appointment, at any time, in the future. You are left with an on screen message saying try again tomorrow. For someone who might be worried and stressed about their health i personally don’t think it’s terribly helpful to just see this on a screen with the feeling that they might never get an appointment- what if it’s “at capacity” the next day too?

I can assure anyone that the reason is that make sure that the people who actually need to be seen are seen. This is not to stop elderly or people with other difficulties from seeking their GPs.

People who know how to game the system will still be seen, while some of those who don’t, won’t! All they need to know are the key phrases to get medical attention!

Had a lovely chat with receptionist this morning for advice. Six days into D&v I'm feeling somewhat weak. Did have a reasonable day on Tuesday but it returned on Wednesday. There's a lot of bugs going around she said so advised I see a pharmacy for immodium. I'm too wobbly to drive so OH has picked some up from the supermarket. Receptionist said if they don't work then ring at 8am tomorrow to try and get an appointment.

Went for a birthday lunch on Friday, had whitebait which was cold, undercooked so it might be food poisoning.

We don't have e consult unfortunately.

Wish me luck.