To think that then problems with getting a GP appointment is often due to individual Surgery Policy

[Oldsu]

Last year when I needed to see my GP my surgeries policy was to ring before 8am only to get a telephone appointment not a face to face, I thought that was the procedure as from what I had read all surgeries were doing the same.

Just before Christmas my surgery was taken over by all new GPs, 2 weeks ago I had a phone call asking me to come in for a blood test, that was a first as the old surgery were never as proactive as that and the blood test would be done at the surgery whilst with the old GPs you either had to go to the hospital or another surgery,

I had my blood test on Monday while I was there I asked the Nurse if I needed to ring the surgery before 8am to get a telephone appointment as I wanted a mole on my face looked at, to my surprise I was told to go to reception to get a face to face appointment which I did and my appointment was yesterday

Luckily my mole is benign but as it is painful and itches the GP took a picture of it to send to a teledermatology assessment service for further analysis, all in all I cannot fault the service I got

I’m not sure which bit is unreasonable or not?

at our surgery it is almost impossible to get an appointment
you have to find daily at 8 - every day there are no appointments left
if lucky you will be offered telephone appointment about a week later. Then if even luckier get to see a physician associate if they can’t sort it over the phone.
its rather frustrating trying to get an appointment for a school
child or indeed for a shift worker

I saw it al the time on here but GPs can choose to be better.

Mine has a great triage system and I’ve always seem a doctor same day when necessary. They proactively ask us for medication reviews, regular blood tests etc.

Surgeries literally a mile away can’t seem get it together.

I think that's the real issue - it's so inconsistent. Some surgeries are great (mine is brilliant) and some are awful. Mind you, I had an excellent and incredibly quick NHS 111 encounter at the weekend too that was remarkably efficient. Within an hour of requesting a call back online, I had picked up a prescription for antibiotics from my nearest pharmacy.

I hate the new system of filling a form online then hoping to get a telephone call.

I'm at work and can't take calls. Am I supposed to take a full day off work on the off chance I might get a phone call?

I have to say our doctors surgery is excellent as well. Can always get an appointment within a day or two. Good about squeezing in kids the same day. I belonged to a call at 8am, no appointments for the next 3 days, call back tomorrow surgery in Edinburgh in years gone by. I was hospitalised twice for IV antibiotics for tonsillitis. Couldn’t see doctor till it was an “emergency” by which time they popped me in a taxi to the local ENT hospital.

My surgery used to be a nightmare - you would call at 8àm and queue for 45 minutes for three days or so until you finally got through, only to get an appointment the following week unless the appointment was for a child.

Now they've changed it to a triage system where you fill in a form with details and get a call back. Since the new system was introduced, everyone in my household has been seen and diagnosed/prescribed/referred within a few hours of filling in the online form. It's so much better than it used to be.

My GP is wonderful. You can phone on the day or book an appointment for in a few days time. You can also have a telephone consultation with a doctor or a pharmacist.

I had mastitis and had collected a prescription that was sent to the local pharmacy less than two hours from me first ringing them.

It seems a rarity and I’m so grateful. Oh and the reception staff are all polite and helpful too.