To be so f-ing done trying to organise with docs

[Mama2many73]

I have a recent medical issue which is not an emergency as in I dont need to be seen today, but I DO need to be seen and examined.
Our GP is 8.30am phone calls (sit in queue) for urgent cases to be seen THAT day.

Ours has just brought in e consulte, get a call back by end of following day, so I've used that

Just had a message back pretty much immediately and i have been advised to call at the 8.30 and book a 'double' appointment which will be for that day but at an appointment time I have no say in!

For a start 8.30 is school run and i don't want to discuss intimate details with the fc present (or anychild for that matter). I'm also busy/working which means I might then have to drop work / meeting / DM in it at last minute, or refuse it if at school drop off/pick up!

It's also NOT urgent as in the same day, I'll be taking an appointment ( well 2 actually if they allow a double!) that someone else may desperately need!

I know GPs time is important but so is other people's time. Why can't it be bloody easier than this?

BTW several yrs since I've had to make a GP appointment.

I know it's frustrating I'm a GP receptionist and believe me we get frustrated too. We started taking calls at 2pm yesterday and were fully booked by 2.10. You might get an appointment that suits you but it isn't always possible unfortunately.

I havent seen my GP in 4.5 years. Its incredibly faffy. They never call me back. And I can never get through at 8.30.
I have just self doctored. Sick of it too.

The problem is that everyone wants appointments to fit around their work/family life these days but this just isn’t possible in the current system as there is so much demand for so few appointments.

You won’t be taking appointments from someone that desperately needs them as they will have a triage system in place to deal with emergencies.

The telephone system is annoying though. Is the surgery close enough that you could pop over and discuss how best to make the appointment in person? I find this is usually the best way to sort things.

I just wish there was a better system. My econsult is useless too. Am going to go low tech and pop over.

Our GP has an econsult system. After lots of feedback about the difficulty booking the appointments advised, they now text a link to book the relevant appointment(s). Have only had to ring once to book a non urgent appointment with this system as the dates offered via the link coincided with being away for a few days.

I now call in sick and stay at home so I can fill in the form at 8.00am and then be at home for 2 days to receive the call.

It's very wasteful to call in sick for 2 days just so I can take a 10 min call but I have no option as I can't take calls at work.

Do you know why they don't separate between urgent and non-urgent? It appears it would save a lot of people doing the 8am (or 2pm) clamour for an appointment that would be ok in 2 or three weeks, therefore meaning the urgent people could be seen more easily?

Our practice does differentiate, we have emergency appointments for on the day then routine appointments which are generally 3-4 weeks in advance . Once the on the day appointments are gone it's on call Dr or 111. On a Monday we can have 800 calls , there just isn't the capacity for everyone to have an appointment when they want one .

There are surgeries stuck in the dark ages and some who have embraced technology - it’s maddening that so many haven’t properly modernised.

Mine uses e-consult for first contact triage.

Doctor triages you for either same day, urgent, or non urgent appointment - depending on issue they might call - eg - if you filled in you needed an asthma review the receptionist would call and book you in a late date. If you has earache dr calls and works out whether you need to be seen or if antibiotics can be prescribed over the phone.

I has sinus pain a few weeks ago. Form sent at 8.30, call back by 8.45. In pharmacist
collecting prescription at 9.15.

I don’t understand why this isn’t the norm.

That's how my surgery works, too. I find it works well, but I'm semi-retired so it's fairly easy for me to fit appointments in around work. And work are very flexible, so if I haven't actually got an appointment or a meeting booked, they don't mind if I pop out to the doctor's.

Tbh, I find parking anywhere near the surgery more hassle than getting an appointment.

OP, am I right that you can ring at 0830 for an appointment on the day or use e-consult that will tell you to call at 0830 the following day for an appointment that day?

It sounds like the surgery has attempted to modernise but failed to understand the point. 😂

I think that's a common problem.