To just not know how to access the NHS

[SEmyarse]

I've not tried very often tbf, is there something I'm missing?

I started feeling unwell 4 weeks ago, just a standard cold. So I let it work through, but at the end was left with a nasty cough and completely blocked ears. Tried some home remedies, which didn't work, and then 2 weeks ago started feeling fluey, shivery achey etc. And my ears started leaking muck.

So clearly something infected, prob need antibiotics. I went to the chemist, who gave me a full list of questions, and then said they couldn't look at ear infections unless I was under 17. At the age of 49, I reckon she could have informed me of this before asking all the questions.

She advised me to go to the GP (next door) and ask for an urgent appointment. I knew it was going to be too late in the day for that, but went in to ask. They confirmed that I couldn't have an appointment, but looking at me thought I should be seen by out of hours, which I should phone after 6.15.

I phoned as requested, and after a triage I was told the Dr would phone back within 2 hours. They said it was likely I'd have to go to a location 30 miles away, which DH would have to take me to because although I drive ,I'm only insured on the work van for work purposes (yes this is ludicrous, but I've been quoted 4k minimum on the family car because I once ASKED whether I could do some deliveries in the car, and they decided to cancel my insurance!)

So we sat up till midnight waiting for the call, both of us had work in the morning so gave up then. I eventually got a call at 4.30 am, which of course I missed. So the following morning, I actually felt a little better, but the pain and itching in my ears was extreme. I attempted to phone the GP, the recorded message informed me I could hold, or make an appointment in person. The surgery is roughly on the way to work, so that seemed the better option. I went in, to be told that no I couldn't make an appointment in person, I should go and phone. I tried to phone from outside, where it said I was number 45 in the queue, but they could call me back.

They inevitably called me back when I was driving, and when I phoned again all appointments were gone. The following day I tried again. Work can in theory be a little flexible, they don't mind me picking up the parcels an hour late, but of course if I do so I need to work late. And of course the later I start, the further from my home town I'm likely to be at a time I might be offered an appointment. I've never had a day sick, and I accept it'll have to happen sometime, but I really can't afford to take a day off just to attempt to make an appointment, costing a day's wages and risking my job (self employed gig economy, they just give your round away). Again I missed the call back while driving.

So I googled the antibiotic ear drops I'd had a few years ago. I was surprised that I could buy them and pay 24 hour delivery. I purchased them, and nothing turned up. So I rang the chemist, who said there was a hold on my order because of a tech issue which hadn't confirmed my email. She sorted it out on the phone, and sent me an email so I could confirm details. It didn't arrive again. I phoned again to be told there was a note on my file that they were out of stock, would I accept a different brand? Yes, of course I will, why haven't you emailed/texted/called? What use is a note on a file I can't see?? I receive the eardrops 4 days late, my ears are agony...

The eardrops work a treat, after a week all itching/pain/discharge has gone. But I still can't hear, and there's quite a bit of swelling in my neck and jaw which is uncomfortable. I still think I should see a doctor. This should be easier now because it's not urgent? I can just book an advance appointment I can get to? No apparently not, I've got to do the 8.30 call back thing, and hope that a) they don't phone when I'm driving and b) they can offer a late enough appointment that I won't be miles away and can get to it.

I just don't understand how I'm supposed to make this work.

Wow to someone totally jumping on me.

I have FRIENDS on benefits, who can more easily use the service. I'm not criticising them, they are FRIENDS. But by virtue of their life structure they can more easily do stuff in the working day.

Of course I'm not a high earner, I work for evri!!! You seem to think you know what I want, all I want is a way of getting a non-urgent appointment without risking my meagre earning job. Why can't I leave a message saying I'd like an appointment late afternoon one day, please text me when one is available within the month?

I think it’s unfair to attack those on benefits. Just because someone is on benefits doesn’t mean they’re also not working!!

we all have to access benefits as some time in our life.

if you’ve not had a day off in 24years then now might be the time. You might have to before you get even more ill and end up in hospital for a week.

I think it may be worth looking at your job and employer OP as well as this is not sustainable for you.

Do you have kids? How do you do pick ups and take kids to GP or pick them up when poorly. A lot of people have to navigate this kinda stuff all the time. Working/non working.

it’s annoying yes but I’m not sure what the system is. It’s unfortunate you missed so many calls - can you wear earphone and turn phone on loud?

speak to employer and explain situation?

do you have life insurance? We have access to some private GP through that. It’s only 1-2 per year but we save them for emergencies. Could you look into your insurance and see if there’s anything in there??

im sorry it’s so bad and hope you get help soon

I needed antibiotics, which I managed to get privately, but was initially told had to come from a doctor.

Now I'm well (ish), I'd like to get a non-urgent appointment to discuss issues that I think are thyroid related. I've not seen a doctor for about 15 years, this seems reasonable.

Because I have mentioned benefits, people seem to think I'm attacking them. Before I worked for evri I was on benefits myself, I have many friends on benefits, mainly for reasons of disability, of course they need full access to the welfare and healthcare. But I also need healthcare, and it seems mad that working (for complete shitheads) makes this almost impossible.

Presumably you have looked on your GPs website to check the referral process.

I thought that all practices had to have online referral forms now to avoid the ‘8am rush’. Ours just has an online from that you fill in and they call you back and arrange an appt if required.

Why cant you wait in the queue whilst carrying on with your work day - blue tooth buds etc?

That's totally reasonable and I agree you absolutely deserve that service.

A change is needed to make sure you get that service, but let's not bash the health service as a paid service that you are entitled to because of your tax contributions. It's a slippery slope to do that because if we think of it as you get what you pay for, you would be screwed if you need more expensive treatment.

Let's not bash those on benefits, especially if they are your friends. They deserve free healthcare too. Many of them might be our if work due to poor health, but that's not the point. They might not pay tax but they are people who deserve free health care too.

Why is this important? At the moment healthcare is paid for by tax. The top 10% of earners pay 60% of taxes. Which means a large part of the NHS is funded by the top 10% of earners. So, as far as the health service goes, you are also in benefits and are not really paying for it. If those top 10% also decided they wanted to get only what they paid for, what would happen to you?

Please let's not turn out free healthcare system in to you get what you pay for. You and your friends will suffer if you achieve that.

You deserve an appointment if you need one because you are a human being. Not because of your taxes.

Separating the two is important politically, as your narrative could lead to privatisation of a service you then can't afford.

It’s a nightmare. I have been trying to sort out two things for my adult learning disabled son. Have submitted multiple enconsults, phoned, sent complaints reminding them of the excess deaths of people with learning disabilities because they can’t access medical care. Eventually have an appointment for one issue and still haven’t sorted the other (it’s a repeat prescription - just a repeat prescription - have been trying since December).

A&E has sometimes been great, but also absolutely awful. One time he hit his head really hard, had a seizure, had a right palaver where we had to leave because they would not make reasonable adjustments - ones which they have made on many occasions for him - I suggested others that might work but those were refused. Then they told us he couldn’t leave because he needed a CT scan - but he’d been eating all day as it was the only way I had any chance of him staying in the building. So they found an anaesthetist who suggested a DNR. For a perfectly healthy man in his twenties. That did get a complaint. And I was actually cheered to see a stranger make a post on Facebook about how appalled she was to observe his treatment from the staff there and how great his care team were (takes 3-4 of us to get him into a hospital).

On another occasion they gave him a ride around the car park in an ambulance to help him cope with a second heart rate reading as the one they had was through the roof and he was refusing further ones- which I thought was amazing. They were absolutely brilliant that day - have really seen the best and worst of it with him.

Anyway I have come to the conclusion it depends if you hit a protocol. So I’ve been bitten twice - great service in A&E. Middle sons tonsils went black and swollen twice - excellent service - quick admittance and treatment. Both of those have protocols.

Eldest son - cannot follow protocols (not even the repeat prescription one because he can’t have a blood test) and it makes it very difficult for him to have any treatment or service at all. Protocols don’t need a doctor. Decisions do - which is where it all goes wrong. Anyway the appointment I have after throwing a tantrum is a phone one. On a working day. They will call once so I cannot miss it!

When I had an ear infection which means I couldn’t hear very well I put in an e consult.

i got back an email with a link to a bbc news article saying pharmacies can treat this - but as others have said and I found out in England this is only for children under 17.

so I put in another e-consult the next day saying this. They just ignored that one.

gp surgeries vary massively by what they have. Some don’t have e-consult at all. Some like mine open it for two hours in the morning. Some have it open all the time.

Can't your surgery book you a non-urgent appoint? perhaps with a nurse etc if not a GP.
Might be worth seeing if your surgery has a video GP service.

Aside, this country has seen very high population growth in recent years and we have an aging population but not increases in GPs and other healthcare workers.

Yes of course, people who don't work can access services more easily as they are able to answer the phone.
My elderly in-laws have no problem getting GP appointments, take phone calls, Hospital appointments - as they can accept anything that comes up.
I'm not saying they shouldn't have all of this, of course they should but the costs they are incurring are huge, just few years ago, they'd have died, yet we keep demanding lower taxes.

Just because you are well enough to work, doesn't mean you don't need to see a medical professional.

I saw a prescribing pharmacist yesterday for an ear infection ( in Wales so they can treat ear infection on adults). I was working before my appointment and after, and will be working today. I am fortunate that the infection is causing more discomfort than pain, and the pain can be managed with paracetamol.

However, based on the other symptoms that the poster has referred to, they do need to see a GP to get the more complex issues looked at ( and diagnosed if appropriate).

I am dating this as someone with underactive thyroid, and celiac disease. They are lifelong auto immune conditions. Both were diagnosed from going to the GP when I had no idea thos3 conditions were the issue.

Our GP has gone ftom everyone phoning at 8am - for urgent same day/routine 2 week appointments, to a system where you call and if routine are added to a list. They then determine who best to allocate to, and allocate accordingly. I think most of my appointments have ended up between 2 and 3 weeks. They either text an appointment time, or more often call to arrange.

So far the system appears to be working well.

It's not about being time rich, it's about Evri being rubbish and you unwilling to take time off work to get your health sorted. Do you have a manager you can talk to about this?

There are some jobs where it genuinely is impossible to get in the 8am queue, but yours isn't one of them. Also, your issue seems to be that if you get offered an appointment, you want to be able to control when it is - even fixed time workers like teachers can leave work for a necessary doctors appointment.

If you're hearing is impaired to the extent you say, you need an appointment now, ideally same day. Better lose a day's work than your hearing for life. And yes, I'm self employed too.

eConsult tends to only be open for triage certain times of the day. Check the hours.

Otherwise, change GPs. Ours has an online form and you get a text or call back within 5-20 minutes. I often get same or next day appointments. Once it was 45 minutes after I submitted the form that they wanted to see me. It’s very efficient. I haven’t rung the GP in probably 6 years and never have trouble getting an appointment.

The thing is the GP has already tried phoning op back multiple times but she is either driving or sleeping (maybe a car with Bluetooth would be an idea in future) I'm not sure what the solution is other than you take some time off work. The GP can't work to your schedule

Ring 111. They can usually sort out an appointment somewhere local.

People saying "just call up at 8am and you'll get an appointment" like it's that easy!
I've rang consistently from 7.59am, so basically just keep ringing and ringing until the line opens at 8 on the dot. I've thought "surely, I'm the first caller?". Nope, I'm the 4th. OK, surely being the 4th caller I'll definitely get an appointment? Wrong again! No appointments left!
I actually (politely) asked the receptionist how I could be 4th in the queue and not get an appointment and she just stuttered and had no answer.
It's horrendously shocking and it seems to only get worse.

Oh, and not every GP does the online appointment thing. Mine doesn't! Only way to book is by phoning.

For those saying 'go about your day while in the queue.'.plenty of jobs where you cannot do that. Would you be ok with your child's teacher doing that? The person on the checkout.

It differs so wildly I think depending on your surgery, I can ring mine at 8.30 and get a same day appt always. I need to ring bang on but I always get one. Sorry that you’ve been fobbed off so much.

Exactly! I can’t have my phone out at work and it has to be on silent anyway.

Can you do an online consult and they’ll arrange a future appointment.

There's no reason the OP can't though, through a hands free setup. The problem is that she's mostly lost her hearing so can't hear the phone properly either. She needs to talk to her boss.

Yes they do, but they don't have to permit you to book appointments that way. All they have to provide is a means for you to explain your situation and then they decide if they want to see you, call you, refer you, send a prescription or brush you off to a pharmacist.

And of course you should be able to make an appointment in advance without having to see a private GP! People act as if the NHS does us a favour. It does not, we spend billions in taxes on it. If we need to see a doctor we should be able to.

For future, are there other GPs in the area you could try to change to?

Mine allows you to book a future appointment for in person or video through an online service which works well, but I know they don't all offer this.

They all do have the process of calling at 8am to get a same day appointment which isn’t always practical.

So I set my alarm to when the NHS GP surgery phones open at 08:30 am
and I have their number on speed dial so I get straight through.
I get placed in the queue, and I just put my phone on speakerphone and go about my business as usual until someone answers.
If I’m booked I for a callback I just keep my phone with me all day. I have my car set up so my calls come through on the speakers when I’m driving. It’s not that hard.
it’s a small price to pay for primary care that is free at the point of delivery

if you’re in the surgery in person though surely they can add you to the call back list without you having to phone again ? Or offer you a non-urgent appointment ? Or direct you to the online GP consultations ?