To think GP surgeries shouldn’t be closed over Easter weekend? [Title edited by MNHQ]

[Albertslittletie]

AIBU unreasonable to think there’s no reason for Gp surgeries to be closed for four days over Easter weekend? They aren’t even closed for this long over Christmas.
Why does this happen? I don’t work in the NHS but I don’t understand why most other services seem to run apart from a GP surgery, doesn’t this just force people towards A and E?

All outpatient and elective services are routinely closed at our Trust. NHS has always closed for BH in the almost 33 years I have worked in it.

I agree, just wondering why this isn’t extended to other patient facing roles.

I left being a GP receptionist after being threatened to be beaten up because I wouldn't give an emergency appointment.
The emergency was a broken finger nail. No blood or broken skin just the nail.

It is extended. Hospitals have only emergency on call cover eg one dr for 140 ward patients. Physio OT Speech and language not in. There are some things that are round the clock- emergency hospital on call cover, GP out of hours cover, AE etc, DN
???? Why still asking

No clinics etc

Which other patient faxing roles do you mean? Most others are inpatient so they wouldn't be able to able to take time off as they can't close whole wards full of people?

I think many of the posts are saying 'in theory it would be good' and 'x would be better with primary care than A&E'... Whilst (hopefully) understanding that it isn't remotely possible and that GPs are knackered and stretched as it is :-).

Wishing you and all your GP/nurse/receptionist colleagues a relaxing long weekend. We'd be lost without you and we do appreciate you.

True but two doctors working 1.5 days between them, not each, is unsurprisingly not good enough for a large village in my opinion.

Agree that people will go to A+E who would not on a normal weekend.

Always wonder about those who want something to be available over a weekend or bank holiday, how many ever work one themselves.

Perhaps they have been unable to recruit any other GP’s and the current doctors want to work part time - as they are entitled to.

Given that the contract doesn't cover working Bank Holidays, why would they work it? Do you go into work on a holiday and work for free? No toil, no overtime, just do it for free?

100%

Had a good friend who was a GP before he went to NZ, he'd tell me of the stuff he had to deal with... one minute telling a patient they have a terminal illness, the next patient then ranting about a bruised toe nail and why was he kept waiting for 40mins.

Vast majority of people can wait a few days before seeing a GP and if they cannot there is on-line GPs, Minor injuries and the good old internet.

GPs and staff need a break same as anyone else.

After a kafkaesque situation around Christmas time where it took over a week to get someone to look at my toddler's twisted ankle we took the plunge and got insurance. Tested the private GP service this morning for the first time, DH got an online appointment in a couple of hours and I collected the prescription. He's really ill and needed antibiotics. Only alternative would have been 111 for us today who probably would have sent him to sit in A&E the whole day.
We are privileged to be able to do this and it infuriates me that it's necessary for proper care. The NHS is broken.
I don't agree with those here saying it's our fault for living rurally. We all get taxed the same! I can drive to the GP and don't complain about that, but getting the GP to give you an appointment is almost impossible.

No - absolutely no one has suggested that.

You say getting the GP to give you an appointment is almost impossible. But the fact is, every appointment is filled, and there are many appointments every day. So some people are getting them. You may not be, but others are. So your phrase should really be “getting an appointment before other patients have taken them all is almost impossible”. GPs don’t care who they see. They don’t pick and choose. They just turn up for work and see all the people who got through on the phone in time. And there are plenty of them, trust me.

Several people have said GPs should provide a 24-7 service, 365 days a year. I think one poster generously said they could have Christmas Day and Easter Sunday off.

So what are you saying then? That the contract needs re-negotiated? And that GPs shouldn't be closed on Bank Holidays in this new contract?

Why have these threads become so ubiquitous? Could it be that the NHS is in crisis? It really, really is. Less money in real terms, far more illness, fewer doctors, practices struggling to appoint-especially rurally.

Don't blame the doctors. Look at the bigger picture and blame the government. They do not care and that is a fact. They are happy to go private themselves, and they want to see the demise of the NHS. Seeing the quality and quantity of services deteriorate suits their purpose, doesn't it? They can then point and say , nothing to do with us, the service is ruined by "covid" so we need to privatise.

Then see how it is, when an already kicked about service needs to create profits for shareholders on top. There will be plenty of blaming going on then.

Frankly it's like Brexit all over again. People unhappy with the government, told by Farage and the daily Mail that it's all the fault of Europe, vote leave, and those same people now struggling more than anyone else. Careful what you wish for.

… not the same Doctor.

Blame this shitshow of a government

Oh I absolutely do!

This is one of the reasons you can’t get an NHS appointment. Because the GPs that trained have all gone private. The NHS cannot compete with how much they are getting paid and if they lower themselves to be a locum, some of the fees they charge are nearly a months wages for some.

So where does this enormous supply of GPs come from, given that we don’t have enough to provide an adequate service Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays)?

Maybe the PAs could work the bank holidays? (TFIC)

Gosh the 600 calls, 200 callbacks, 100 FTF, 1000 scripts and much more we do everyday must be in my poor burnt out mind