Can drs have no pre bookable appointments?

[Franklyfranky]

I need some blood tests because I’m pretty such I’m anaemic and low vit d (have history of it symptoms are the same as when I’ve been quite poorly with it)

I cannot get a blood test without a gp appointment. I cannot pre book a GP appointment. I have to call the emergency line everyday. I cannot get through. Ive been told categorically the GP does not have pre bookable appointments. I thought they had to?

is anyone familiar with the guidelines to say if this is correct?

No of course not because they filter out all the appointments not clinically indicated and these are dealt with over the phone.

YANBU there are no longer pre-bookable appointments where I live, not since last summer.
If I require an appointment, I call NHS 111, then the surgery texts me to complete an e-consult form. If I'm lucky I get a text back with appointment details. If I'm not lucky enough to receive a reply I have to consider a private GP.

It's absolutely rubbish and we would probably get better treatment in a third world country tbh.😡

My GP largely works like this and I think it works pretty well. Most appoints are telephone so you’d speak to Dr, explain and then they’ll arrange an appointment for bloods with nurse. Why don’t you just calm and get appointment?

I'm in Scotland but my surgery have an e consult thing. I've submitted my request for the same thing funnily enough to a gp on Monday, receptionist rang me with the choice of 2 appointments and have got an appointment with a nurse for Friday.

Your situation sounds very difficult and I'd be inclined to pop in and speak to reception. this is how things get missed!

Mine do. Call to get through. Takes a few attempts. The last time I explained the issue was called back about 50 minutes later and brought in at lunchtime to see the GP.

That is very unusual now (in England) to not have any online triage

Ours doesn't do pre booked appointments unless you go through the NHS app or 111. The NHS app /online triage isn't perfect but it's the only way to get an appointment (other than ringing at 8.30)

It's worth emailing the practice manager or asking to speak to them to check that there really isn't some form of online triage system.

If that's the case can you see if there's other surgeries in the area taking on patients.

With low iron & vitamins if you have had low levels before & know why & don't need the cause investigating then you can just start taking the supplements yourself - you don't need a blood test or prescription.

I know it doesn't help you at all but it's absolutely horrible trying to work and provide care for patients currently too. So much pressure, not enough resource and the constant awareness that you aren't meeting everyone's needs despite your best efforts. I'm happy not to be working in GP any more but I used to always finish work at least 2 hours late and feeling guilty no matter how hard I tried.

All this telephone/online business means that you rarely get to see an actual GP, or indeed any other human being. Basic checks like blood prsssure and pulse, which used to be done at virtually every appointment, no longer happen. These are basic health indicators. If you’re a woman over the age of 50 you will be told “it’s probably the menopause” whatever symptoms you present with. GPs are well remunerated for providing a service which in a true market economy would fail. They don’t have to do better because they get paid whatever. The whole system is an absolute disgrace and nobody seems to care.

they have always mostly been private businesses, although there is the odd NHS owned one. The vast majority are contractors and always have been since the NHS started.

Our surgery (large one) gives you the option to send a query in using the online form. The care navigator then points you in the right direction. Asking you to ring every day is clearly nonsense but you cannot just book yourselves in for a blood test. People wouldn’t know what they were booking, they would mess around etc.

Are they allowed to do this? Well, welcome to the world of the NHS. People want it to be free at the point of use and this is what happens.

All the pp saying they prioritise urgent cases first, how does that help people who have issues that are not urgent if seen now but could be? Do they just wait until it's possibly too late?

What do you suggest for people that cannot ring at 8am - eg nurses prepping people for 8.30 theatre? I had to get my sister to try and get me an appointment once

This won't help you with the GPS, but Black County NHS labs offer vitamin D tests privately. My GP told me about this when my area changed vitamin D blood test criteria meaning stupidly I wasn't eligible becaue my calcium levels are always borderline ok. It doens't matter that I have a history of extremely low vitamin D repeatedly, the local area/labs don't budge.
As they recommended taking D3 as the most effective option and that's avaiable high strength without prescription, or GP supervision usually required, my GP and consultant recommended accessing the test myself, and following the supplementation guidelines the Black County Lab give if I'm low. I do one every year now to know what I actually nee to supplement winter, and it's stopped me going crazy low every other year or so. I know it wont help with the actual GP appointment problem, and you shouldn't have to handle it privately, but if the main issue is actually your vit D levels, it might be the quickest way to feeling human again.
https://www.vitamindtest.org.uk
I sympathise as our GPs are the same. However, they have introduce e-consult which has been helping a bit. Otherwise, you will just have to keep ringing. But if it is vitamin D maybe you can take control and check levels/supplement appropriately yourself?

Yeah right. You do realise there are incredible pressures with patient number / workload.?

You can book a call online and we'll make exceptions for genuine reasons.

Our surgery doesn't, unless it's to the see the nurse for a smear test, or children's vaccinations (actually I assume adult vaccinations as well).

Anything else is an on the day "emergency" appointment

No there is no requirement to offer any pre bookable appts.

Unfortunately we found patients booked them up to 6 weeks in advance and our DNA - did not attend rate - was 34%.
When contacted they either forgot/had better plans/symptoms were better.

When challenged they were indignant and mainly it boiled down to abuse of something that was free.

So back to all on the day appts and guess who complains the most….

Appreciate there are some appointments can be signposted to an alternate service/ phone call etc. IF you can get through, you typically get booked in for a telephone consultation prior

We couldn't just have everybody booking in appointments for blood tests they thought they needed. There would be absolute mayhem. And lead to even less appointments in the long run as they would likely miss others (they'd have to come back for a second time) a GP would request after taking a history.

I ring and reception books a blood test for me, usually within the same week. My illness is ongoing, I do not need to see a Dr to book a blood test. Whilst I am there the nurse taking my blood books the next appointment for me, whether that's in a week or 3 months. I had a hospital appointment yesterday and they asked me to get bloods in two weeks, so I rang and told the receptionist that and she booked it in.

Are you saying that your Dr hasn't asked for blood work to be done? I'm pretty sure you would need him to have ascertained that first at most surgeries.

I feel like this isn’t unique to GPs though it’s all relatively ‘well’ paid professions with quality outcomes and time constraints. I feel the same and I work in finance

What do you suggest for people that cannot ring at 8am - eg nurses prepping people for 8.30 theatre? I had to get my sister to try and get me an appointment once

I'm retired so I often make appointments for my friends and family if they are working and are unable to.

I can do all the blood pressures and pulse checks you want, but you will then wait twice as long for your children's vaccinations or cancer injection. Stats show BP for example is more accurate checked at home, and if raised in clinic it's what we'd get you to do anyway.

I think we are either meant to die (and therefore reduce NHS waiting lists/free up housing etc) or book privately now. It's a bad situation.

I presume you mean call and not calm?

if it wasn’t evident, I’ve been calling daily for weeks. You’re lucky to even make it into the queue to even have a sniff at a call back/ triage