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

If GP won't see you, phone 111 back and tell them that. GP surgery will be told to see you.

I'm so sorry, that's disgusting, did you complain?

Good I'm grateful for our. Ring first thing and either get an appointment that day or worst case scenario go on the triage list and be seen if the nurse deems it appropriate. Or book a routine appointment for two weeks today.

This is poor. I got a text back and told to take ds2 to acute illness unit at hospital, they issued antibiotics for chest infection.

It seems to be getting worse too

That's good and long may it continue

I was falling over with vertigo told no appts for a week and 2 days and I had to go to another surgery for that appt as well because they had no appts at all (quite a distance away as I don't drive)
After a week I couldn't stand it anymore and phoned them back saying I couldn't last the two days. They finally gave me an appt and I ended up with a paramedic appt not doctor as no Dr's appts were available. The paramedic then had to go and ask doctor in the next room for advice.
The surgery was completely empty and I was the only one in there.

That's dreadful, I hope you're feeling a bit better now? That's what I don't get, I had to quickly nip in to my Drs the other day to pick up a form for DH, and it was like a ghost town, I'm not saying they're not working but where is everyone if they're booked to the rafters?

My GP surgery has become like this during the last few months OP.The only chance of getting a GP appointment is via econsult and I don't always receive a response to those.I'm not sure how or why this situation has got so bad, but it's not fair on the patients and only a matter of time before some people die as a result of this.
I know the government has a massive task on its hands to sort out the NHS but the GP service really needs fixing fast.

Im so sorry.

How horrible to have both parents so badly let down.

I go to my surgery at 7am when they open and queue to see a receptionist and book an appointment there and then, usually for an hour or two later.

Yes, I think this system will be rolled out everywhere eventually

Gosh, lucky you!

They’re excellent. E consult works well too for non urgent items. Usually back to me within a few hours.

PATCHES - do you have this with your Health Centre?

it is online email service where you explain your problem.

doctor then phones you at home for consultation and gives prescription which he sends to local pharmacy. You can them have it collected or some will deliver to you.

Apparently ours has approved because they now offer online appointments.

I've never yet seen one live on the website for booking. If you phone up, they refuse to engage and tell you to use the online system.

Someone posting on our local FB page that they'd had a wonderful visit to the doctors. They'd been in the waiting room and no one was there and they were seen super quickly. Had to be taken down by admins as the hilarity got too much for the original poster's nerves...

Silly thing is I do like the phone consultations most of the time. I think for a good number of things they are much better. No sitting around in drafty waiting rooms waiting for a call. You can stay at work/in bed/with your dc comfortably etc.
But there are times a doctor needs to see you.

Six years ago we had a lovely practice. If it was non-urgent they'd apologise that you had to wait until the afternoon, or possibly the next day. They popped round to check when they weren't happy with how a child was doing, they phoned up and asked if you were okay after a difficult time and you always got seen that day if you said it was urgent. I was even seen three times in a day (three different things with three different children!) once.
Then the practice manager retired and the practice merged with two others. Since then it's been a nightmare.

I would just go to A and E and tell them why you are there - because your GP won’t see you.

A while ago I sure there issued to be something sent to the GP if their patient had to go to A and E unnecessarily. Probably doesn’t exist now.

I believe it’s on purpose to drive patients into the private sector. It’s certainly worked for me.

it would be lack of GPs
lack of training of GPs
better opportunity abroad for newly trained doctors, better pay and conditions in Australia.

No, mine has.been great, I filled in an online form at 8am and was in the surgery at 9:45.

I also had a blood test (6 monthly thyroid) and pharmacy blood pressure check around the same time which both indicated need for gp and they phoned me and made an appointment.

That sounds awful
my GP is fabulous and I appreciate I am lucky
never ever had a problem getting an appointment-

I’ve seen them 3 times since Nov and got an appointment once same day ( pneumonia/ needed antibiotics ) I rang in the morning and they got me in by 2pm

2nd time within 3 days for HRT appointment with an amazing doctor who gave me everything I asked for and was lovely & kind

3rd time. Referred from a private nurse for a really bad wound and needed antibiotics and got them same day - doctor called me prescribed them and sent to boots for me to collect within 30 mins

then needed to see the practice nurse to check on a wound and got that next day

I don’t go to my doctors that often and these three appointments have been my first in the past year but previously they have always been very very good

Reading posts on here there's so much variation in the UK

it doesn’t sound like being on their list is doing you much good anyway!

I'm literally sat here as we speak - second time in a week - due to Aspirated Pneumonia!

Both days my GP saw me within a couple of hours of an e-consult, both times sent me to A&E for X-ray/ECG etc.

Had to be nebulized both times, just waiting for more antibiotics and steroids 🥳

I work in a GP surgery we answer phone calls, no online triage. A few local surgeries only do online apps now and we have had so many patients move to us because of it. We always see infections the same day if we can. We also have a respiratory clinic we can refer to if we are full. The symptoms you describe would be a same day appointment.
I'd ask friends what their surgeries are like, and call up surgery's and if they don't have a triage system and you can talk to a reception ask about the wait for urgent and routine apps etc. I take a lot of calls asking about how we work before patients register with us. If you do change surgeries make sure you have a couple of weeks or more of your regular medication as generally they don't get added straight to your repeats, you need to book in for a review with a GP first usually.