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?

So from the magic GP tree? We've mostly been driven out by the arsehole government and the pitch fork public.

Gosh really? Are you their only patient then? Lucky them eh

The only thing I find irritating about it is prescriptions. I put a request in last week for asthma and migraine medication for DD and went to ask on Thursday if it was ready yet but it was all out of stock, so they were going to email the surgery to ask about an alternative and they’re closed until Tuesday. We’re off on holiday on Monday so we won’t be able to get it until we’re back a week later.

It is all routine care is closed bank holidays. Only urgent care is not. GP is not urgent care. GP OOH is open which is.

I've no idea why you think a twisted ankle is either an emergency or something for your GP?

of course they are closed.. to be honest GP's do very little now anyway they may as well get a rest at easter. most people by-pass their GP and just rock up at A&E anyway after spending an hour speaking to the call takers on the 111 service who at the end of the call just tell you to go to A&E anyway.

i work for the emergency services, imagine if we took 4 days off!

What do they say about walking a mile in someone else’s shoes before passing judgement?
As a fellow healthcare worker isn’t solidarity in these challenging times a more appropriate response?

Most people don’t bypass their GP - GP’s are doing more appointments than pre Covid but there are less of them.

That's the point.

General practice isn't an emergency service.

Rude unprofessional and beyond ignorant. GPs are doing more now than ever before with less resource. But crack on with paramedics pretending to be doctors but unable to diagnose even the most simple of things or spending hours with patients. You are one of the reasons most of my colleagues are leaving.

@BurnoutGP From what I hear, most of you are going to countries to be paid by private health and insurance as there’s no NHS anywhere else. You just sell out and go to where the money is. Private money.

Everyone knows GPs don’t see people in their homes so the paramedics are called and the ill person bypasses the GP. They then get taken to hospital. My surgery is continually closed for training. It’s no wonder only 25% of the recent survey think the NHS is any good. For many of us, they are absent and dodge responsibility.

So much complete and utterly rubbish. You think GPs in their 50s with families are going abroad. You deserve whatever is coming good bloody luck having your complex medical problems sorted by a paramedic. I and most of my colleagues are done and good luck to you. We are past caring.

It’s no wonder only 25% of the recent survey think the NHS is any good

And this is what the Tories want, to run it into the ground in order to be "saved" by private medicine.

And you fell for it.

GP is not an emergency service and GPs are not funded to attend emergencies. Why do people struggle to understand this?

Doesn’t it seem strange to you that an entire profession would ‘dodge responsibility’.
We have the healthcare service that the government have made provision for. I suggest you target your frustrations elsewhere.
You are right of course, we could all go abroad and have better pay and conditions, be valued and not abused. In fact, I’m off to google jobs in Canada right now….

But surely a GP is for mostly non-urgent stuff any way? Why can you not wait or go to the pharmacy? Services like 111 and the hospital will still be running so if you are seriously unwell you will still get what you need.

Strange comments

Over 1m people get to see a GP face to face each and every single day.

Most GPs are not leaving to go abroad, though judging by your comments, maybe more should? you clearly don't value them.

We are an aging population, needing to see a GP rises very rapidly as people get into their 50s and beyond, much of which would reduce if we took better care of ourselves, so many of us have high blood pressure & pretty much avoidable with diet and exercise but what do we rely on? medication and GP visits.....

Anecdotally, just had 2 weeks in Spain, blown away by how few fat people we saw compared to the UK, yes the weather is better so easier to get out and about and walk/run/cycle but we also didn't experience the anger directed towards cyclists and runners you over here.... if posts on MN are anything to go by! lol!

What an abelist post.

I don't have high blood pressure.

I do have high needs to see the GP as a result of disabilities and the medication I am on (controlled drugs, therefore can't be on repeats). I am also fat due to steroids, used to treat said disabilities. And I can't walk/run/cycle. Even if the weather is better. Don't Spanish people need steroids?

My dh works bank holidays in a warehouse but he gets a day off in lieu, if gps worked all bank holidays they’d then need to take the holiday on another day anyway

Was i referring specifically to you? no! so why take my post as if i had singled you out???

Can we and should we do more to look after our physically and in turn, our MH ? Yes.

Is the UK one of the most obese nations in Europe? Yes

Why is that? diet and lack of exercise, both preventable for the majority, after all, we never used to be such a bunch of fatties.

We should take more responsibility and leave the NHS/GPs for those like yourself, that clearly need it.

Every single commentator you hear says doctors can earn more abroad and are going. They are going to private healthcare abroad. There’s no other nhs to go to.

I do value my GP. That is I would if I knew they were. We aren’t allocated a GP. My DM’s practice never even saw very elderly patients in their homes. In a care home, they come every week. Why is that? Care at home is non existent.

Many GPs just don’t see people in a timely manner. Yes. I do wait - for a telephone call. I’ve not seen a GP since well before COVID. However I’m over retirement age and never ill. I just spoke to an GP about Vertigo. Once. Others seem to be forever ill and don’t look after themselves.

Exactly.

Extra capacity to any service, whatever it is, can't just be willed into existence because people want it to be there. Other people have to be available to provide the service. It amazes me how often this comes up on here, be it GPs, retail workers or anything inbetween.

DH handed back his GP contract and we moved abroad - not for the money but for the quality of his working life.

There are more people than ever wanting a GP appointment (many more chronic illnesses as many are living much longer) but less GP’s to go around. Even with this, more people had an appointment than even before Covid. GP’s do home appointments for those needing them and also do appointments for patients in a care home.

They didn’t do home appointments for DM in her late 90s. They did not. Many GPs work part time. I get the pension position but lots have the same issue when senior in their workplace.

When any doctor leaves the uk they have taken their mostly free training (less the student loan) and decided privately funded healthcare is best. Yet all we hear are doctors complaining about the privatization of healthcare and how bad that would be. We need to get real and look at a better system,

GPs might get through appointing but on the phone.

GP’s are entitled to work part time -many have young children. Any graduate is entitled to move abroad for employment. We are in our 50’s and not British. We decided on Canada as DH is French Canadian. He came to the when he was 21 on a scholarship. Our DT’s graduated from UK universities but both have got graduate jobs in other countries. There are more opportunities outside the UK.
Gp’s do many more appointments by phone as they can do more appointments that way and surveys have shown that for many patients it is preferred