Is it easy to get doctors appointment/emergency hospital treatment

[starfish4]

How easy is it to get an appointment/emergency surgery at the moment?

DD had a problem earlier in the year (had two lots ABs and then emergency referral for operation within five hours). She's just phoned to say she think it's reoccurring and will phone doctor as soon as she gets home from work, so I'm a little concerned as she was in agony last time. She's a student and said the local doctors won't see her friends as they're not registered with them. If they won't see her I guess it'll be 111.

Hang on, let me just phone the doctor for you....

OR, crazy thought, do it yourself.

OR, do what you're going to actually do - spend all day worrying about it, posting on here, getting wound up by doom merchants who tell you it's impossible, the world is ending etc.

If emergency surgery is needed then it will be done. How much of an emergency can it be though if your DD can manage to wait until she comes home from work before contacting a doctor?

If it is not an emergency then phone GP for an appointment, if it is an emergency (doesn't sound like it) then dial 999.

Perhaps, I didn't explain well enough. Firstly I wanted to know how easy it is to get a doctors appointment as I'm sure they will go down the ABs route first. As ABs didn't work last time, they probably won't this time, by which time it'll be worse and then surgery

DD is 18, so I can't phone. I was just generally asking as I know there's a lot of strain on the NHS, but as the same time it's only natural to be worried about a member of your family.

How easy was it to get a doctor's appointment before the pandemic?

If you could get one even with a struggle e.g. phone at right time of day, then you can get one now.

It is then up to your adult child to explain to the GP that she already has had two courses of the antibiotics, they haven't worked and can she try something else.

Should have added had to contact my GP's surgery twice during lockdown and I had no issues.

Obviously I can only speak for my own doctors but I've contacted them twice since lockdown began:

1. Urgent issue. Spoke to receptionist as soon as they opened and doctor phoned me back within 30 mins. Arranged for me to attend the surgery 2 hours later. Referred to hospital and had an appointment a week later (it is standard for the turnaround time on this issue to be that quick btw)

1. Needed a routine review before any more repeat prescriptions could be issued. Was given a video consultation within half an hour of phoning reception.

So both times I have been dealt with very quickly.