I can't see a GP is anyone elses like this?

[Wintersgirl]

And it's really frustrating, I've had a chesty cough (green gunk...sorry) for 4 weeks now (i've now developed a high temp in the last day) with no sign of it going away, I filled in the online form to get triaged, you can't speak to anyone at my Drs, the message on the phone just tells me fill in the form and we'll get back to you within 2 days, call cuts dead

So I filled in the form, they got back to me a day later saying phone 111 which I did who promptly told me I need to see a Dr, ok fine so I filled in the form again, the GPs come back and say see a pharmacist because they can give out antibiotics if needed, not true at all the I phoned our local chemist and the Pharmacist say we can't do chests , you need to see a Dr....argh! So I fill in another form online saying what they said isn't true, waited a while longer and they come back and tell me go to A&E if things get worse, I don't need A&E i just want someone to listen to my chest! I feel like death but it really doesn't warrant a trip to hospital, does anyone else have this rigmarole or is it just mine? Thanks in advance

Ours now seems to send out texts where they clearly haven't read the message. Something along the lines of this:

I leave message: "ds has an infection and the pharmacy says they can't treat it, so he needs an appointment."
Text back: "Ask the pharmacy"
Or
"Struggling with depression. Had counselling a year ago, but they say they can't take me back without GP referral"
Text back: "You've used counselling before. Refer yourself."

You know really helpful.

I don't know of course but it's been 4 weeks of green gunk (sorry)

You feel like you're going round in circles

i had to go to a and e last week, gp surgery suggested 111 who said a and e and we wouldnt wait as long.
were there 10 hours
they were very good, very thorough, cannot fault them
met a neighbour who grumpily asked, are you here because you couldnt get a gp appointment.

If you have pneumonia or another bacterial chest infection you'll need an X-ray and potentially IV antibiotics, which you'll need to go to A&E for.

Go to A&E.

Or if finances allow just book a private GP appointment for c.£80. If needed you'll get a private prescription, but for antibiotics they're not normally more than the NHS cost. Superdrug pharmacy is cheaper than Boots IME for private prescriptions.

Yes I'm just wondering if I complain they can kick me off their list

That’s disgusting. I would be complaint to the practice manager as this is not at all acceptable

I'm going to have to bite the bullet

do it, go via 111 though

Oh no. They won't let you go round in circles. If you try and explain you haven't got a possible answer from that you get another text:
"Already answered".

Someone's going to die from this. With the bottom one, I don't think a text should ever be a response to someone who's phoned the GP with depression. Even if they have to say they can't do anything, then they should be phoning. One of those times when I was spiralling badly and that really didn't help.

Last 5 or 6 times I've contacted the GP for me or the dc these sort of things have been the answers. Result is none of the things, some of which were quite important haven't been treated/tested.

Not great is it? I’ve just got antibiotics today for similar, in to week six. I have asthma too and it’s really exacerbating it. At least you have Drs though, even if they’re not available. I called ours a couple of months back as DH was very ill (it turned out he had pneumonia, got seen in local hospital walk in, can’t believe I managed to get him there he could barely walk and he’s a unit compared to me) only to be told no Drs available. I said oh ok so do you know when there will be Dr appointments, only to be told no, you misunderstand, it’s not appointments we don’t have, it’s Drs 😮.

How can they say this is an improvement?

Ours are much better than this, thankfully. Phoned at 8.20 today and managed to get a phonecall appointment. Usually if they need to see you they'll get you in that day.

I would suggest turning up and insisting on seeing someone. We did that once with my DD when needed - she was seen before the clinics had opened.

Bloody hell, I hope he's ok now

Oh that's good, I wish mine had that system still

Our doctors is the same literally can not get an appointment and if you very lucky it’s a phone call which will end up with you needing to be seen so needing another appointment.

Twice in the last year I have needed to see a doctor but told to visit the pharmacy who can now issue antibiotics both times told they can’t issue for that reason and need to see a doctor. Both times I have ended up in a&e as no local walk in clinic and they have issued antibiotics straight away as they could see how poorly I was before I even sat down.

From now on when I know I need antibiotics I will try the doctors once if I can’t get an appointment I will be heading straight to a&e.

Local Facebook page is always on about how busy the local a&e department is with people just needing antibiotics that cant get to see a doctor.

It's shit isn't it? A&E is swamped

I'm going to go tomororw as they're closed now

Not for right now, but once you’ve got over this current issue, it might be worth asking around your friends/neighbours to see if anyone can recommend a different local GP surgery that’s providing a better service. You have a right to switch.

Not all GP surgeries are this bad - I’ve called up three times in the past six months, twice for me, once for elderly mum, all for important but non-urgent issues. I’ve got through to the receptionist within 30 minutes and been offered either a same day appointment or call with a GP every time.

This postcode lottery is utterly crap.

@Wintersgirl , good idea.

Yes, it's a nightmare.
I have to book online, then wait for a nurse to call me, then she decides if I need a doctor or not.

They've now started closing at 12pm too. Grim.

My DM died last year because her GP refused to see her. She had a persistent pain in her chest and breathlessness. The doctor repeatedly told her she had pulled a muscle, wouldn’t see her, didn’t want to listen to her chest. She had a fall, got taken into hospital, put her on oxygen, took chest x ray and diagnosed her with terminal lung cancer. She died three weeks later.

My DF died a few years earlier because the same doctor told him his chest pains were all in the mind. My DM finally drove him to A & E in desperation. He had terminal lung cancer and died six weeks later.

The doctor is known locally as Dr Death.

We’re fairly lucky for urgent issues. You can call in any time of the day and there’s a triage GP who gets all the messages and who will either arrange a call, f2f appointment (if really needed) or might order blood tests etc as first step. So for urgent things it’s fine. For less urgent it’s e-consult online, which tends to reach capacity at 7.15am (opening at 7am) so can be a bit of a bummer.

I would definitely complain to the practice manager so they know what’s going on. Don’t worry about being struck off!

Thank you I will change Drs when this is over