AIBU to think getting a GP appointment has basically become impossible?

[KelvinWayne]

For the last 3 weeks I’ve been trying to get a GP appointment for something that isn’t an emergency but also isn’t “leave it forever” either.
Phone lines constantly engaged.
Online form opens at 8am and is full by 8:03.
Told to “try again tomorrow” every single time.
I’m not blaming the staff — they’re clearly overwhelmed — but I honestly don’t understand how this is meant to work anymore. What are people supposed to do if they need follow-up, reassurance, or just… to actually be seen?
I keep thinking surely it’s not just me? But then everyone I speak to seems to be in the same boat.
So… AIBU to think the system just isn’t working anymore?
Or am I missing some secret trick that everyone else knows?

I can generally get a GP appointment at our surgery, but I know we're very lucky and this is one of the reasons why I'm adamant we won't be moving out of their catchment area, particularly as we get older.

Surgeries still operating by phone have the ‘8am scramble’. Mine has an online system and it works really well.

Completely agree but I don’t know what the solution is. That said, our local practice will eventually fit you in if you do an online consultation for a non urgent thing and then the dr will book a follow up. But it’s likely weeks til the first appointment.

Urgent issues are hit or miss. If you call and the list is filled for the day you have to call 111 instead.

Same here. I have a folate level of 2.5 according to a recent blood test which nothing seems to be helping and I’ve been waiting three weeks for someone from my surgery to call me back for an appointment to discuss. I’m not dying, no but I do feel like death!

We have the ridiculous 8am scramble. Usually takes 30-40 minutes to get through but there have always been appointments available once I'm actually at the head of the queue.

Unless your surgery has 50 people answering the phones or one GP only working an hour a day, I don't see how all appointments can be gone in three minutes?

Edit: Sorry, just realised you're booking online. No suggestions but sympathy.

The three minutes in the OP was online forms so I guess once a certain amount get submitted they close it, easy done in three minutes I would think.

Unfortunately there are more people wanting an appointment than there are available.

I'm very lucky to be registered with a surgery where I can generally get a same day appointment as long as I'm on the phone at 8am to book, usually a queue of about 6-7.

My husband has been trying to register to our local GP for nearly a year so I'm not hopeful he'll be as lucky as I am. Most of my pals are in a similar boat to you, it's impossible.

The surgery should have its phone lines and online options operating from 8 to 6:30. That’s part of their contract from 1 October 2025. If they don’t, complain to them not to MN.

We have an 8am scramble but cab usually get an appointment that day when you get through. If there are no appointments they cannot put you in for the next day, you have to play 8 am scramble again the next day. It’s an odd system which doesn’t prioritise any particular issues, and if you cannot get to the phone at 8 you’d never see anyone.

I think poorly of any surgery still operating this system. Our GP has an online form and phone option and triages, so you either get an urgent appointment, a future appointment or an appointment with the surgery nurse or another visiting HCP. You still have to wait for your appointment but it's a civilised system that seems to work.

I'm very lucky in that no matter when I phone, I can always get a same / next day appointment or a phone call if I prefer. There is no scramble and it's all very chill. I have absolutely no idea how they do this - it seems really unfair when my parents (and many others) literally cannot get an appointment no matter what they do.
Saying all that, I am currently stuck in the black hole of our local Trust - the system is not working well for anyone.

Do you have a link to this contract? My practice definitely doesn't have that so it would be interesting to ask them why.

Ours has the online form. You have to get on and do it as soon as surgery opens at 8, but mine are really quick at getting back to you. Not sure how easy it is for people who can’t navigate the online system.

I understand your frustration if you can’t get an appt for weeks but we can always get an appt within a few days.

I can only vouch for our local surgery. Request for appt with short description of issue, by online form.

Get an allocated appt depending on urgency.

I've waited three weeks for a phone consultation or been seen face to face in three hours. But at least it works.

Never Any problems getting through. Our go has never had the 8.00 am scramble.

Can get a phone appt same day or next day. F2f a bit longer.

Its always in the local paper as one of the best in the city.

Oh sorry have just seen online form. That’s outrageous. Mine is fine - they triage and respond to every single request and I always feel like ours are dealt with in an entirely appropriate timeframe. (Kid with yellow throat and temp same day, me with HRT not quite working out three weeks)

Same here. DH has cancer and still can't get GP appointments. Our surgery don't do online requests so it's got to be the 8am scramble and all appointments are gone by 8.10am. The receptionists aren't remotely interested in "special" cases like someone with cancer, and refuse to "ping" messages to the GP for anything. Really annoying because his oncologist is constantly fobbing him off and telling him to "ask his gp" for all his side effects from the chemotherapy and all the adverse blood test markers for things like iron, potassium, etc that need strong vitamin supplements (too strong for over the counter!), also constantly being referred back for limb pains, etc that the oncologist claims aren't directly due to the cancer/chemotherapy. The NHS is a complete shambles.

Our NHS GP is reasonable for urgent/emergency issues, but we wait weeks for routine appointments.

The NHS for anything further than GP appts is beyond awful.

We've bitten the bullet and taken private insurance out. Can have in person, same day GP appts for 'free' through this now. Worth every penny.

Is if area dependent? I usually do e consults but have usually been able to get a GP appointmentx However, if monw urgent, it has been difficult to plan around my inflexible schedule

My Mum tried very hard to get a GP appointment as she had a pain in her chest that wouldn’t go away and she kept getting breathless. The GP got cross with her, told her on the phone that she had “obviously pulled a muscle.” And refused to see her in person. This went on for the best part of a year.

She tripped down the steps in the garden and was taken to A & E by ambulance. The doctors were concerned about her chest pains and breathlessness and did an X ray. Terminal lung cancer. She died a few weeks later. I’m not saying the outcome wouldn’t have been the same, but at least they could have done something about the pain.

I put in a form at 8.10 am Monday morning, having started it at 8.04

i had a telephone call to ask me to go in for an appointment by 8.22am for later that morning.

I was seen at 10am and sent to hospital
bloods at 11.30
Results 90 minutes later
CT scan at 2.30

i had emergency surgery that evening

but on other occasions I’ve put in a form and got telephone appoint or text to make blood test

the forms shouldn’t be closing as surely they need to be triaged? If it’s later in the morning then I’ve rung up and got in if urgent or do firm in afternoon

i find it much easier having online forms to fill in and get trisged

move surgeries if they are shutting down forms after 3 minutes each morning

DH and I both have chronic health conditions and neither of us have ever had any issues getting appointments. Even before diagnosis, we could get a same-day appointment whenever needed.

I really wonder what is going on. Is it surgery specific or area specific or what…

We have never had any problems getting appointments. Admittedly, these are often with Nurse Practitioners, but that’s absolutely fine since neither of us have any serious issues. Our NP is really proactive in ordering tests and folllowing up, and she has more time than any GP we’ve ever seen, and I’m sure she’d make us a GP appointment if it were warranted.

Whats more, our surgery keeps texting us with requests to come in for yearly check-ups and blood/urine tests, or get hearing tests, flu shots, etc.