GP surgeries discriminating against kids

[Shwish]

Is there anyone I can complain to about this? I think it's outrageous AIBU?
We just moved to a new area. Signed up with a GP who just told me that the system they work is - book online for routine appointments, call up at 8 for urgent - they only release a few a day, or submit an eConsult for GP to be triaged and they'll fit you in urgently if they feel it's necessary. Great! EXCEPT that doesn't apply to kids. For kids you call at 8 and if you're lucky you might get one of the golden "urgent" appointments. When I asked if that meant in practice that kids often didn't get seen when needed because of the lack of triage for them the receptionist admitted that was he case and if I was worried and thought they needed to be seen I should take them to the hospital. BUT ADULTS DONT HAVE TO DO THAT! They get triaged and seen if needed. Why? How is this right? I dont know if something is serious or not a lot of the time because I'm not medically trained. And kids can go downhill so bloody quickly
I tried another surgery and they have that same system.
It seems mental. And ageist frankly. Imagine if they said the same about any other group.
And frankly the age group that's going to be hardest to wait patiently for hours at the hospital is surely toddlers? Luckily my kids are ten so probably could handle waiting a bit better.

Our GP surgery is amazing!!

I called at 4:30pm after going to the pharmacy for a rash on my daughter. They said it was shingles and we called the PG straight away. They told us to come straight in to be seen.

Is there a pharmacy attached to the GP surgery? It sounds a terrible system, but there might be a part you are missing. I think pharmacies have taken on a lot of the GPs routine kids treatment options in a lot of places.

My GP is pretty good, TBH, but their system for kids was often to present at the pharmacy (as they cover a lot of things like rashes, impetigo, eye infections etc) and if you needed to see a GP, they would call the GP and someone would see you pretty much straight away. This is what the receptionist would advise, she'd sometimes recommend kids A&E instead, only GP if it was the best fit.

However, my GP does have a lot of different things in the same building (travel clinic, nurse specialists, HVs, midwives, physiotherapy, as well as specialist pharmacists) so it was probably easier to manage.

Can they extend Econsult to children? Ours uses it and the first question is who are you filling it in for. I have filled it in for my DC and it has been reviewed and been given a same day appointment if it's required.

That's really odd. My surgery have an online portal and everytime I've filled one in for my toddler I've got a phone call within the hour and sometimes an on the day appointment too.

My surgery uses econsult and triages everything, there is no other way to get an appointment. For people who can't use it for whatever reason, they phone and the receptionist fills in the form on their behalf.

We have the same system. In practice, if I ring about one of my children, they tell me when to come in.

You’ve misunderstood the intention. It’s precisely because kids go downhill so quickly (plus littler ones can’t communicate so there’s a greater reliance on F2F exam) that they’re kept out of the eConsult queue. They will always be found an in-person on the day if it’s urgent, and if not, a routine in-person in due course.

Never heard of that before. Anytime I've phoned for my daughter it's been an instant appointment or the GP has called back very quickly and made a face to face for her. I suppose it is different in different areas xxx

That sounds odd and should be, if anything the other way around? I'd ask the Practice Manager for clarification.

This - a million times over!!!!

It's time to charge people to see a doctor, say 100 quid for a face-to-face, 50 for an e appointment. Treatment thereafter would still be free. End of people not turning up.

And where do you suppose the people who can't afford to feed their children are going to get that money from?

Most GPs will try and fit children in even if they have filled up all their emergency appointments.

I hope you’re right. I agree with an 18 month old screaming, so they’d be seen but not so much a 12 year old in the same pain but won’t be as vocal. That’s the worry.