Person starts having symptoms, does a wait and see, maybe ups their vitamins, eats a bit healthier.
A bit more time passes and things aren’t improving. Person thinks I need to see a doctor, I must make an appointment. The I must make an appointment becomes more apparent.
Person finally does the waiting to log an e-consult or phone call competition. They weigh up the odds of getting an appointment to missing train / being late for work / not getting kids to school on time and give up. They try later in day - maybe as it’s non-urgent, they can pre-book something? It’s not really an option.
Person calls the next day, phone is answered as she’s walking the final few yards to school, guilty for not saying goodbye and cringing at lack of privacy. There are no appointments.
She leaves extra early for work the next day so she can be in the office before she needs to get on phone. Of course she’s not the only one in. She doesn’t get an appointment. It’s left another few days. She finally gets an appointment.
It’s tiring with young children / you’re getting older / stress can make you feel ill / do you feel depressed / have you tried a routine. Patient says it’s different, lists symptoms. Doctor agrees to some blood tests.
Person books blood tests and awaits results. She receives a call or text from surgery saying they’re normal. Maybe it is stress. She’s certainly starting to feel down. She eventually goes onto Dr Google or social media and realises that maybe she should see the results.
She calls surgery and eventually gets a copy. She looks at Nice guidelines, she realises she has textbook symptoms, goes back to doctor who notes her low mood and offers her anti-depressants. He also concedes that she may benefit from e.g. iron tablets with a ferritin level of 12.
How often are patients having to determine their own blood results, even with textbook symptoms?