Caller number 31 in the queue?!

[tiredmama23]

On hold to my GP surgery currently. The automated voice just told me I'm caller number 31 in the queue 😲 Is it just me or is this a bit mental? I know phone lines are busy in the morning and I'm used to being number 10-15 ish in the queue at busy times. But 31?! I don't even live in a busy city either, we live quite rurally. Is this length of queue normal in other areas?!

its worth asking if your surgery is on the patient access app. Not all surgeries shout about it and they tend to release a number of app only bookable appointments. It puts you at a slight advantage over people who aren’t tech savvy, and whilst you still can’t get in for a day or two there is usually a Face to Face GP appointment within a week on there in my experience.

I’ve found checking just after midnight seems to release more appointments as well.

it’s all a bit shit though. I’m lucky in the fact DH has a healthcare package through work so a recent lump scare was diagnosed long before an NHS appointment could have been made, but it’s all going to the wall unless you can afford private.

The situation is awful, people will die. I was admitted to hospital last week and we went through A & E. It was complete carnage in there, it was Wednesday lunch time. What is going on?

Disgraceful

I didn’t vote for Brexit but I still find your post completely bonkers.

@Sholkedabemus Tories have slashed budgets. And wages. Brexit has meant loss of staff. Not bonkers at all. The root cause of all these issues.

Tory Britain. Broken Britain.

I have relatives in Wales (where its Labour run) who use the NHS a lot, and it sounds even worse than in England. The stats normally support this too.

@dreamingofsun the overall budget is set in Westminster. They give less. And expect them to do more in return for autonomy. That way they can blame all the councils for not running things properly.
Same in every region. London is always the most funded every other area is cut year on year.
They decide the budgets for everything. Everywhere. Then blame everyone else.

They will cut all labour run areas more than Tory ones. Of course they will. It's a Class War. They want to win. Rishi is even recorded saying as much.

flyhigher - please look up the stats for funding per person from tax for the regions. England always has less than the others per head. Blaming other people sounds like labour's approach to me. Mind you, my relatives did enjoy the sandwiches provided for outpatients and their relatives whilst attending appointments, so not all bad in Wales.

Ours cuts off the E-consults around 9am now and you can't contact them until the next day. Even when you're halfway through a complicated one for a child. I couldn't believe it when I got cut off.

My record so far is 1hr 45 min trying to get through. Unsurprisingly all appointments gone when finally got through