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?!

You begin to think it's deliberately belligerent behaviour from GP surgeries.
I have some laugh with mine, phoning from outside the door to speak to them as they won't let you make an appointment face to face when you've just been in with the GP who asked you to make a follow up appointment 🤦🏻‍♀️

Same system at ours too, it’s really annoying.

Computers have been around decades. If they don’t know how to use one then they had their chance to learn and chose not to.

Now there are consequences to that decision.

Ours does this and I personally prefer it as it was sometimes impossible to get through on the phone, or be offered a telephone appointment in three week's time if you were lucky. It is discriminatory for some, including older people without computers. Even if you have family or friends who will do it for you, you won't always want to tell them your private medical information.

It's worked well for me today. I filled the form in at 8am, received a text that someone would ring me before 12pm at 9.50am, the doctor called at 10.18am and again at 10.55am. I didn't need to be seen. I have an injury but it was quite straightforward to assess over the telephone.

However, you can still call them for an appointment. The online form says you will hear back with 2 working days, I've never had to wait that long. For me, it's much preferable to hanging on the telephone for an hour to be told there are no appointments left.

There should be the option of online, telephone and in person booking. Different methods suit different people. Personally, I'm glad it's moved from the "call the surgery at 8am" model, the amount of times I'd have to try and quietly explain my issue on the train is ridiculous.

That's bonkers. Econsult is great but it should be an option, not mandatory.

What do you do if you're illiterate? Or older and can't use computers well? Have English as a second language? Have a learning difficulty etc

Also the econsult thing often is only for adults, not children.

What if you need to call to discuss something a bit complicated like requesting a letter?

My dad had his physio appointment over the phone.Needless to say he's now in the queue to be seen by a real person.

Quite a lot of people are functionally illiterate. You can't just say fuck em, no healthcare for you

Have you or are you going to complain to your MP.

As ultimately its under their control.

We have all methods to book apts. Our GPs are amazing.

I love econsult. I sent one through at 10.30 on Friday and was seen at 4pm after the surgery called and booked me in face to face.

Recently I needed an appt and logged in at 5am to check appts and got a cancellation for 9am that morning.

Ours has finally moved to e consult , it’s brilliant . I’ve had 2 face to face appts in the last month and my daughter filled out a form at 2:45 today about an issue with her eczema and has already had a reply and a prescription sent through to the chemist . The system before ( post pandemic ) was call before 10:30 and sit in a queue on the phone for an hour or more .

Are you going to say that to a 93 year old who was already elderly when computers became widespread?

Do you want a society that didn't look after it's most vulnerable?

I been trying for a year to see a GP, but to no avail🙄

OMG that would drive me loopy!

My father in law and father would not cope with that system. My FIL point blank refuses to have anything to do with the internet and my DF would forget his password every single time. Surely they have some other solution for those not able to do it online?

I haven't had to go to my doctors for years but then had to go twice in the last month. First time I called in the afternoon to find out what the system was - got a lovely lady who told me when I needed to call but offered me an appointment that afternoon if I needed it. Next day called in at 8.30am and had a nurse practitioner appointment, in person at 10.30am. The following week I needed to be seen again, called in at 8.30am and got a 9.45am appointment with an "advanced healthcare practitioner". I have no idea what level of medical qualification she had, but she was allowed to prescribe the antibiotics I needed.

I have to say I was dreading battling the phone lines, the system and the reception staff but it couldn't have been easier. I was very pleasantly surprised.

Even better, I had to park in the hospital and was in and out within the 30 minute free parking window!

Ours is just call on the day or queue up at 8.30. If I go in and sweet talk the reception they usually find something for the future but the calling on the day is a nightmare

@nebulae @TheBarbieEffect My mum (93) used to be relatively quite good online but she's now too old to manage. She would never have been able to manage online appointments though, only email and YouTube.

It really isn't a choice.

I think overall it’s a better system as less open for abuse with some patients visisting for very trivial medical conditions that could be sorted at a chemist. If this is 20% of appointments, then it’ll create more appoints and people will be seen quicker or spoken to quicker

i much prefer telephone appointments but was lucky I didn’t work from home so could just nip in F2F and could wip out my phone for a dr appointments.

not one system is going to suit everyone

Today I find they don’t send blood tests results to patients unless we fill out an e form to request them ( which means guessing when they have come back as can be 5/10days.) Yippee , blood tests results texted back , but they quote things I don’t need and miss out the important thing . I can’t phone them for result I need , so fill in another form , an admin I have a query form .

Result is a text from gp with appointment booked for 2 weeks time while I will be working , but to contact the surgery if I need to alter it . I phoned this time 45 mins wait to be told they can’t reschedule appointment, only cancel it and I can send another e form tomorrow to request another appointment which I may or may not be able to attend as they can’t guarantee which day or time I will get a call back.

I guess this system is fine when you are really ill and will be at home until they call , but it’s a bit tricky for patients who work or have any sort of commitment which means they can’t be permanently available for non urgent appointments.

Agreed.

My FIL isn't quite that old, but worked in a manual trade that never needed to use a computer and didn't see the need because he can do everything he needs to without it. My MIL used to do anything that was needed on the computer, but unfortunately she passed away and now my FIL has no inclination or patience to be taught anything new.

If his doctors had this system without exception for those without any internet connection or skills, one of his DC would have to do it for him. He's fiercely independent (aka stubborn!) which means he'd probably not bother to go at all.

A 93 year old was not elderly when computers became widespread 🤦‍♀️

littlefluff

would you not be able to do this for her and put
“ private doesn’t want to tell daughter or son”

Unfortunately not, but you can say learn or find someone to do it for you. The world moves on.

Ours is the same, and that's Edinburgh. Absolute joke. You have to phone at 8am and by the time you get through the appointments are gone anyway

I guess I am in the minority but I love the online system our doctor surgery introduced. Previously, I would have to call and be on hold for 40+ minutes to even get through to speak to someone. Now I log on at 8, fill out a form and usually have a message/phone call within 30 minutes letting me know when I can come in. Saves me so much time. If I was at work at 8am or computer illiterate I would feel differently!

@TheBarbieEffect you should be ashamed of yourself.