To think there should be a way of reporting GP surgeries that don’t have online booking available from 8.00-6.30

[BurtsB33]

We were told by Wes Streeting that online booking would negate the morning rush, facilitate being able to get GP appointments and more importantly make booking easier. We were told all GP surgeries would now have this.

In reality like many our GP shuts online booking down early in the day. There is no other way to book. It’s far harder to contact our GP surgeries and to see a GP particularly if you work full time.

So if surgeries aren’t keeping to government promises and declaration of what is/ should be happening surely there should be a quick way of reporting them so the situation can be rectified.

And if you did that what would you expect the outcome to be?

We want them to employ more staff and reduce profits -GP surgeries are businesses.

this is from google
GP surgeries operate as small businesses, with average gross incomes around £1.6 million and expenses near £975,000, leaving an average pre-tax income of about £625,000 for the practice, though this varies significantly by size and services, with
partner profits often ranging from £80,000 to over £120,000+ after paying staff, premises, and overheads from NHS funding per patient.

Do people really not know they are businesses funded by tax payers!!

Yep that was me but they took your name and you got something eventually. Now you don’t because you aren’t on a list.

How would that help, if they can’t get enough GPs to be able to provide more appointments?

Exactly this. They have too much autonomy.

And GP’s are leaving in droves with practices closing.

I see. Yes money on systems that dont work is a waste. But I do wonder if this is one of those winners and losers situations. So you have lost, but others might have won?

I actually find the online window easier than our old phone system The phone one required me sitting for a hour making repeated calls until I got through. Then I could still be told no to a routune appointment as they could still only be booked 6 weeks in advance and had to do the same the next day. Now I know it takes 5 mins to do the form, I just have to hit the form before 9.30 when it tends to close. So now i have an hour window to find 5 mins, wheras before i had an hour set aside and no guarantee of succes.

Do they now. Really shocking that such unprofessional attitudes exist and are encouraged in the NHS. Patient care my arse.

Ah this is just another GP bashing thread rather than someone interested in solving their problem. I’m out. Enjoy your 3:15 finish and the long holidays off!

OP I think you’re being deliberately obtuse. Do you not understand supply and demand? When popular sporting event tickets go on sale, they’re all sold within minutes. If the stadium has a 60,000 capacity, only 60,000 people can go. They can’t magically fit more people in. They could maybe enlarge the stadium, but only if they’ve got builders to do it, and money to pay them.

If your GP surgery isn’t working for you move to another one. That is what you would do if you were repeatedly getting bad service from a supermarket, garage, hairdresser or almost any other service. I do not have any issues getting appointments at my current GP surgery so there are good surgeries out there and you don’t have to go with your nearest surgery.

Would like to add the booking services our very big local hospital is a gazillion times better whichever department you deal with. . Slick, fast and with kind informed staff. They must be inundated too.

@Egglio
’You may want to complain, but it's the NHS, not Amazon. Customer services aren't going to sort it out for you.’
Actually, GPs are not part of the NHS.
They are small businesses who have contracts with the NHS and are allocated a certain amount per patient.
I would advise the OP to contact the practice manager and ask them to advise.

But this one clearly doesn’t work best for your life does it?
Most of us pay tax - you don’t have a monopoly on that. Is the appointment important? Or is there somewhere else you could seek help or advice?

Maybe Wes Streeting shouldn't have said that all GP surgeries would have online access all day but he is too busy crowing about how he has improved the NHS.

Already have and I think PMs dealing with complaints isn’t really helpful for the patient. They will be a big reason why the system is so shit.

That's because they can say 'we only have space for 12 patients in our respiratory clinic today' and see those 12 patients, while the waiting list grows to >12 months. GPs deal with unlimited demand and aren't allowed to have a waiting list.

But with the current system some have people needing urgent care that day still couldnt get it unless they won the lottery of the 8am surge.

Our surgery seem to have a decent balance. Morning/early afternoon appointments are saved for urgent issues. Late afternoon slots are kept for routine or appointments that have been requested days earlier.

They also seem to have a contingency now as there have been times when one of the DC has gone downhill rapidly and theyve been able to fit them in later, assume they factor in some of the routine/non urgents will cancel or be no shows too which frees them up in the afternoon.

They've managed to sort it and in the past they have been absolutely diabolical, one of the worst GPs in the area. Who nearly suceeded in having a part in offing my mum 😬 Still the same staff so it must be doable for other GPs if they could manage the new hours for bookings.

Also I imagine most Gps are paying far more tax than teachers OP, so they are funding the NHS more than you are. You aren't the only taxpayer and probably contribute very little, far far less than you take out.

Contact your local MP. And pester them regularly. It’s the government that needs to make the changes higher up (more money into the NHS) to enable more doctors/nurses/appointments.
Alternatively change GP surgery if you can. Ask about locally for surgeries that don’t have the problems you are facing.

I think complaining can actually be good feedback. Nothing will get done if people don’t voice their concerns. Our GP was dire - regularly over 50 people in the phone queue when calling first thing in a morning for an appointment. Lots of complaints which has ultimately resulted in a change in the process. Still not perfect, but better than it was..

be careful what you wish for - various practices I know of in Scotland have been taken into direct health board control as they couldn't continue as independent operators anymore - I imagine due to staffing issues. Health board is now putting them out to tender so likely to be taken over by private consortiums. The ones near me that are already run by private consortiums are even worse - don't respond to contact from secondary care and patients hate them.

This analogy only works if the GP only does tours of the area once every couple of years so there's no opportunity to see them thecday after, day after, day after that etc.

Although I do like the idea of a group of hot GPs going on tour. Id go.

Wow, that sounds like a good theory to base the running of the NHS on- not!

Turns out the OP is Borat 🤣