NHS directive to close all GP surgeries to non emergencies!

[CherieBabySpliffUp]

After spending 40 minutes on hold waiting to make an appointment with my GP the receptionist told me that NHS over the weekend has sent a directive out to all GP surgeries to only hold phone consultations unless it's an emergency.
Also that they have to screen anyone wanting to enter the building (if they wanted to avoid the queue on the phone and book in person.)
Surely this would be all over the news?!?
AIBU to think this is a load of bollocks and not the case?
Can I ask if anyone else has had the same experience this morning?

nothing on our GPs website

Could it be that your surgery has had a case of corona virus? The receptionist might have the wrong end of the stick.

Nothing from my surgery and this is the sort of thing they’d send a blanket text about.

No. I went to my doctors this morning to pick up a prescription, every thing was fine. There’s no recorded cases in my area though, sounds like there’s probably a few in your area.

It maybe depends on the area. Some practices have introduced this as part of their contingency plans. Unfortunately some patients have been telling lies about their travel history and booking appointments, then admitting the truth once they are in the building. A practice in England had to be closed for deep cleaning last week when this happened.

In NI we now have the highest rates per population of Covid-19 yet no GP practices or Out of Hours providers have been provided with masks or other personal protection equipment.

Highest rates in the UK I mean

Do GPs even do "emergencies"??

Their usual advice for anything that sounds urgent, such as a heart attack, etc is to phone 999.

I was once in the GP waiting room when there was a road accident right outside - people came in asking for help, but the GPs refused to go and insisted it was left to the ambulance which took about 20 minutes to arrive.

Nothing on ours either and nothing on the one where we order prescriptions and book appointments. They have been putting announcements on there about the Corona virus but nothing about this. There are plenty appointments listed for booking.

I hope not, I’ve got a routine appointment tomorrow that I’ve waited weeks for!!!

I tried to book an emergency appointment with my GP this morning (nothing related to Corona virus) and was told they'll call me back in about an hour to schedule an appointment.
This hasn't happened before, but they did say one of their GPs had called in sick that day so maybe it's because of that?
It'll be interesting to see if they give me an appoint or hold a phone consultation.

Do GPs even do "emergencies"??

Not life threatening ones, no. Would you really want to wait for a GP appointment if you were having a heart attack?

Sometimes the term emergency is used to refer to urgent cases, such as those that can’t wait for a routine appointment. Examples would include moderate infections, mental health crises, exacerbations of respiratory conditions, etc.

@Kazzyhoward ours calls it an emergency appointment if you need to phone at 8.30 or 12 for a same day one rather than waiting for a routine one, maybe it's that.

I have heard something about the possibility of this happening to limit any exposure to GPs but first have seen in practice. They prescribed antibiotics to us last week on the phone which they would not do normally as well.

As an aside phone consultations can sometimes be OK - based on what you have of course

Ok, to test this just went online to see if could book apt at (large inner city) practice and it says no!

No appointments from now until 23rd March!

23rd of March seems about the norm for a non-urgent appointment though , its usually 2-3 weeks here. Can you normally book same day appointments through your online system Orangeblossom78 ?

I got a text at the weekend from my GP's surgery - "If you have travelled abroad w/in last 14 days or been in close contact with confirmed Coronavirus ... contact NHS 111 before making or attending appts". I took that to be a blanket reminder of the Gvt advice and nothing to worry about (yet).

I've just got an appointment at mine for later today. I do have a condition classed as chronic though - maybe that's why.

I've got an appointment for blood tests booked for Thursday, no news of that being cancelled as of yet and I'm in Devon where there have been 12 cases so far.

Booked a nurse appointment for this week this morning with no problems

I'm sitting in my GP waiting room now. She's seeing people as normal

Our surgery have cancelled the walk in clinic so I guess that's so they can triage over the phone before offering an appointment.

Hi Ok that is just the range they look at for online booking, it gives a two week frame - yes there are some available from 24th on but nothing at all next two weeks which is unusual

Mine has cancelled the daily walk-in clinic

Yep I was in a meeting with a GP practice on Friday (I'm a nurse specialist) and this was on the cards, they were having meetings in the afternoon about it.

Thank you for all your replies.
I have to go past another surgery (it's linked to my practice) later today so will see if they have any notices up.