To think the government needs to stop selling online GP booking systems as an improvement as they’re not particularly when they’re switched off for most of the day

[Gr3yStar5]

Like many GP surgeries ours switched to an online system and no longer takes booking calls. This was some time ago so it has had time to bed in. You fill in a form which gets triaged and it’s decided if you need urgent or a 2 week wait. It was sold as improving patient care and a better booking system except it isn’t. The system is supposed to be open from 8.30-3.30.In reality the system mostly actually seems to close by lunch time until the next day due to being “overwhelmed”. So basically if you don’t get on first thing you’ve had it, you can’t even ring and you have to keep checking to see when it reopens. It’s worse not better and most of the time you can’t see a doctor for 2 weeks if you do get to fill out a form. There is now no in between. You are supposed to say when you can’t do appointments but it just ignores that. It’s nigh on impossible to get a doctor of your choice. If they don’t get you in for a 2 week appointment or you can’t do the time they’ve allocated you have to resubmit your form for the next batch of 2 week appointments( if it’s open). The setting up was dire with condescending staff on the phone just basically shooing the bemused elderly off. My mum has told me of several of her elderly friends who have been reduced to tears by the whole process. I thought this was maybe just our surgery but it isn’t. Lots online with similar tales particularly re the “overwhelm” switching off of the booking system. Oh and now apparantly our GPs can't do gynaecology appointments, that has to be in gynecology clinic and booked separately which is actually currently closed and not taking appointments. Back in the day you could request a female GP and have female issues treated by your GP, not now, being female is an extra loop to jump through.

So AIBU to think that the government needs to be honest and concede that the new online system is actually shite for patients and getting a GP appointment has never been so hard and stressful particularly when they’re apparently going to be investing in extra spaces at GP surgeries. Thanks but no thanks I’d rather have more GPs and a better booking system that actually benefits patients and gets you an appointment in a timely fashion.

I filled in an e consult in the middle of the afternoon one day last week and got a GP response after 25 minutes.

On our econsult Ive never seen an option to ask for an appointment, its about medication reviews or general advice and with the medication review you cant actually ask for one unless the surgery have told you request one, so it asks who at the surgery has told you to request a medication review and its a drop down list, no option for 'I want one please'

😲 😱

Ive done e consults before that have never even been answered. No response, nothing.

And I got a same day appointment yesterday too.

Our practice uses Anima which is also pants! Like the OPs it's 'available' from 8am until 3:30pm although it is often offline by 9:30! It took me a week to get the bloody thing accepted and then 5 days later I got a text issuing an appointment. At the end of the appointment I was offered appointments for all sorts of other tests (cholesterol etc) because I rarely go to the GP. I declined. I pointed out how ridiculous the booking system is and they obviously have plenty of spare appointments if they can offer them in person and the GP appeared surprised to hear how awful it was! You can only speak to a human if you have a medicine enquiry - even test results are via the NHS app.....

I know!!! So let’s put the money into paying for more GPs instead of crappy online systems, managers and surgery building modernisation.

It matters if it makes it even harder to battle for the appointments for some sections of the community eg the working and elderly.

Ours was the same. I think I they have abandoned it currently. It was something called Klinnix I think and was off so much of the day that I actually thought it was broken until I asked the surgery how on earth to get an appointment.

Ours is open at 08:00 and then again at 14:00. I've found it works okay and had appointments in the afternoon or next day if I've completed the form at 14:00. I've completed the form today at 14:00 and have had a text asking me to drop sample off tomorrow morning before 11:00. If this follows the normal routine I will get a call or a text to go and get my antibiotics which I may get on Saturday - pharmacy can be a bit slow though

GP practices are independent businesses or part of a group of practices. They’re not owned and run by HM government. They have a contract and are financially rewarded for factors like number patients on roll, performance etc.

My point being that the government isn’t buying this software. The independent business operating the practice is.

As an aside, I think from their perspective, making it more difficult to access a GP isn’t a bug. It’s a benefit/feature of the system.

It sounds like it's the way it's being used rather than the system itself. If you don't have enough GPs to serve patients then an online system isn't going to fix that.

We're lucky with ours, we have an online system but you can still choose to ring. The online system will stop at a certain point but that doesn't stop you ringing.

I love our online system, no more being stuck on the phone as soon as the lines open. I always seem to get treated appropriately. I imagine that's because our surgery is well resourced though.

I actually think the way our system won’t let you book your GP for gynaecology now and makes you jump through more hoops is pretty sexist actually. .

We have online booking, without fail it just says no appointments available, we also have e-consult which also permanently says it is ‘full for today.’ You can call, but the wait time is around 45 minutes and then it’s very hit but mostly miss as to whether you’re offered and appointment, so I basically don’t have a GP, nor do the rest of my household. Fortunately we’re rarely ill but on the odd occasion we end up at the walk in centre where the wait is around 4 hours 🫠

This! Shouldn’t they be held to account more? Who is monitoring them? The switching off of systems means thousands of patients not getting appointments is going unrecorded.Its shit and the government seem oblivious to this
or just take us for fools.

Ours has an online system (klinik) and it's brilliant. Opens 7-12 and then 2pm-4pm.

We have never not got a same day appointment when an acute concern, and I have requested as late at 3.30 - picking up a child from school who looks very unwell and requested, seen at about 5.30pm. The system itself is a bit faffy, answering same question several times, bit much better than the pot luck of who gets through first at 8.30. Can still call for an appt if struggle with online form. The receptionist fills in a shorter version of the online form for you over the phone. If need an appt when klinik closed can also call and requ4st via reception.

@Dangermoo - I use the NHS app for repeat prescriptions. It takes 3 to 5 working days to be approved and sent to my nominated pharmacy according to both the app and the practice website. Once on the 5th working day (a Friday) I phoned because the app said it was still waiting for approval- the person I spoke to said that there had been nobody available to approve it.... I said that I couldn't believe that the huge practice (which swallowed our fabulous little one) didn't have ANY GPs available for 5 working days and I would complain to the practice, the health board and my MP - miraculously it was approved that afternoon. I now request my medication at least 2 weeks before I need to.....

Ours releases two weeks of appointments online at a time. I've never managed to find when this magical time is, as it's always full. The GP seems to work a couple of mornings a week only.

I've been trying to get a travel appointment for injections and I can't get past the receptionist. Apparently it's not urgent so bye.

Our surgery was supposed to go live months ago. They're phones, emails, checking in system, even the automatic doors crash regularly. We're in Wales our health board are renowned for crappy systems. Our eye clinic the heating crashes in the winter and belts out in the summer 😁

How do you complain to the health board?

The CQC. And the GMC is regulating the Doctors employed.

You can contact both organisations.

I don’t feel it’s an issue with the actual doctors though or do they take part in running the practice?

That's not good. Yes, very wise to give them that amount of notice. You're anxious enough around ensuring you don't miss a dosage.

I don't think the GP surgery can order a bowel cancer screening kit. You have to contact the bowel cancer screening service on 0800 707 6060.

This is just it isn't it. I ended up at the walk in for an infected bite. They had nothing online so I went in, and the receptionist told me it wasn't infected 🙃. I was a nurse at the time so I knew it was ... but she was like "yes dear but you're a patient here not a nurse". One look at my bright red, quadrupled hand and the walk in gave me antibiotics.