I just need to fucking rant about getting to speak to a GP to

[Wokeuptired]

I have many health issues but this is about my hips, I had an x-ray on them early may last year and at the end of may I received a letter stating I have osteoarthritis and I need a gp referral to pain management and orthopaedics, I eventually got an appointment mid June and saw a paramedic who apparently referred me to both, I started trying to get an appointment to see what was going on in November, I'm still trying and I'm now in so much pain I can't stand up. The receptionist at the surgery can't tell me as they are not allowed and I have tried emailing but they don't reply as it's medical, and the econsult is useless as it's constantly full for the day, so what do I actually do, sorry if I'm rambling but I'm writing this through tears as I have had enough.
I will put photos in the next post

I think instead of calling the surgery trying to get an update on where you are in the queue OP, I'd request an appointment with the GP to discuss your worsening symptoms. You can't stand up? That's a major development since you were last seen and definitely merits a GP appointment IMO. Are you using a wheelchair or walking aids? I know waiting lists are interminably long, even for people in lots of pain and with serious medical conditions, but it sounds like your condition has worsened considerably since you were last seen.

I'm in terrible pain and I'm normally quite good with pain but this is not letting up at all, I just can't get an appointment, when I moved here 30 years ago it was a small village now it has over 6000 more homes that have been built in the area but it's still a small surgery that can't cope.

And yes I'm in a wheelchair

If you're immobilised with the pain and no-one able to assist you should get an ambulance out. I've seen people with far less wrong with them in A&E. Depends how bad you are and how busy your local services are? You could end up in a worse predicament if you fall trying to get to the toilet or getting food. Alternatively do you have someone who could attend the GP surgery on your behalf to explain your situation or even get you a prescription for better pain relief?

I will write a letter and get someone to hand deliver it, thank you for the idea x

A letter will take ages to get a response, call the surgery don't mention the referral appointment and/or waiting lists just ask for a GP appointment for the worsening pain.

Apologies but I can't see where posters have suggested this?

A letter won't help as it is likely to get lost among other paperwork, and even if it's looked at it will take weeks or possibly months for any update. It also doesn't convey the urgency of your situation.

I agree with @LipstickLil, you need another GP appointment to help with the worsening symptoms.

You say "I started trying to get an appointment to see what was going on in November" - is that trying to get an urgent/on the day appointment, or just any appointment full stop? Most surgeries seem to have a system of triage and they either do an on the day call or appointment for urgent matters, or you can be booked in for a couple of weeks time. A 'clinician' of some kind should review all requests for an appointment to determine what is needed.

Our surgery only does on the day appointments they open the phone lines at 8:30 and by 8:35 all appointments have gone, when I called this morning I was 29 in the queue, the system they have is awful and it's a lottery. Once you have an telephone appointment or have been seen then the doctor can make an appointment for you in the future but this can't be done with the receptionist.
I have written a letter and I will send someone with it on my behalf as the poster vanilladay suggested, I have written the letter as I know that the receptionist won't be able to divulge information. But fingers crossed.

Do you still have your referral letters? They should have contact information on for the team you have been referred to you could chase it up that way and ask to be slotted in if any cancellations come up as you cannot get hold of the gp and your symptoms and pain control are getting considerably worse. I have a medically complex child and bypass my gp most times and just liase with the hospitals and departments that we are referred to or undergoing care with.

Have you actually got a copy of the referral that was done?
Do you have a hospital number?
If so, you can do 3 things:
-Ring the appointments line at the hospital to which you have been referred.
-Ring the hospital and ask to be put through to the orthopaedic outpatients department. In my area all secretaries are working from a central office and no phones are answered or messages acknowledged, so it depends what the set up is in your Trust.
-Email PALS including your name, DOB and hospital number, photo of the referral letter and if possible name of the person who made the referral, date, time and location of that consultation. Tell them what you have said in your OP and see if they can help.

I have personal experience of all of the above and I found PALS the most helpful in that particular situation.
In a previous situation I emailed my MP and she got me an appointment the same week.

Hospital number means ID number, not phone number, just in case that wasn't clear.

I'd consider putting in a complaint. I believe that GPs are obliged to publish details of how to complain, so it could be on their website. If it's not, submit it in writing.

Make the lack of capacity for online consultation requests and answering phone calls the focus of your complaint, but explain that you have been trying to get a consultation because of a worsening condition for 4 months.

Ime, nearly all organisations take a formal complaint seriously, and it galvanises them into action. An enquiry from an MP has the same effect, so you could try yours if they're any good.

Primary care is a disgrace in some areas. Thankfully, ours isn't too bad, but no-one should have to go through what you're going through.

It’s the same at our surgery. Plus every time I try e-consult I get a “service unavailable” message telling me to try again at the times it’s open, which is exactly what I was doing and it IS when the service should be open.
GP services have really gone down the pan in recent years.

I'd phone and ask to speak to the practice manager.
Alternatively can you pre book a nurse appointment? They can sometimes update or refer to GP?

Thank you all for your amazing advice, I have written it all down and will get onto it this weekend when I'm hopefully not feeling so down about it all.

Honestly you couldn't make it up. Sent a family member with my letter and this is his reply 😭

email practice manager. Say that unless you are seen you will be emailing the cqc. Hold them accountable properly as time is being wasted and poor health is no joke

Just to let you know you've posted your full name and your doctors surgery x

OP why don't your do your econsult early? I've done mine at 5am before and had a call from reception when they open at 8am.

Just and idea.

concernedchild
Thank you 💐 I thought I had removed it all, and for reporting it, I'm really not with it today.

Even if you are 29 in the queue it will go down pretty quickly. In fact our surgery always starts at 29 and you may get an appointment on that day by when you hang on. With the amount of pain you are in I would phone 111. They can be really helpful. In our case they have contacted the GP or arranged an ambulance or sent a locum out. At different times of course. Call them, it's what they are there for.

Contact your local MP? It is truly unacceptable that you have not been able to get an appointment for months.