Really struggling to access my GP - is anyone else struggling, how are you getting appointments?

[HappyThursdays]

I started getting ill around 3-4 weeks ago. I am mildly asthmatic , had Covid last year. Started with cold symptoms so I had it pegged as viral but it v quickly turned into croup/ laryngitis with a horrific cough. It wasn't getting better, couldn't speak in full sentences, getting intermittent temperatures and have had to take reflux medication in the past so thought it was maybe silent reflux back making the cough not go away so tried the GP. Couldn't get an appointment 3 days in a row (have that system where you call at 830). Was told with a cough I couldn't be seen anyway and it would be a phone appointment so had a coronavirus test which came back negative (I knew it would) but still missed out on being allocated a slot.

By now getting desperate so pay £50 to access a private GP by phone who gave me more ventolin and omeprazole and a prescription for amoxicillin to take in case of underlying chest infection. The omeprazole worked v quickly and the croup/laryngitis went away within 2 days and I've stopped vomiting when I cough but what is clear is that underneath all of this was some horrible chest infection as I can now hear the rattle and wheeze in my cough.

The amoxicillin (on day 3 now) appears to be kicking in - can speak in full sentences - however usually if I had a chesty cough I would get prednisone (steroid).

I still haven't managed to get an appointment with the sodding GP. I think I'm improving but I'm slightly nervous that I'm making calls about my chest without anyone listening to it.

Is anyone else struggling to get access to a GP? How else are people getting appointments and is anyone actually being seen?

Our local surgery several times over a couple of days, didn’t even pick up the phone, just showed as busy. We ended up in A&E after calling 111, then a local GP telephone consult (not ours as we still couldn’t get through) over something that tbh could have been dealt with by the GP

So I suppose no luck - have you tried 111?

I'm getting appointments fine either by ringing or by filling in an online form. Have had to have a couple of appointments since xmas and both been same day, but my surgery is very good.

Ours is pretty impossible to see anyone in person. E consult results in a reply and prescription within 48 hours and a telephone appointment offered 5 days later for urgent but not likely to deteriorate conditions.

At the moment they are overwhelmed coping with covid infections, really urgent stuff, self isolating staff and seconded to vaccination centre staff. Overwhelm can mean needing to take time off as leave/sick days.

i feel awful for them and for those of us who are struggling as a result.

I really hope you feel better soon and that you can kick the infections arse pronto.

Sorry you ended up in A and E @pitterpatterrain how scary and sorry to hear you had trouble getting an appointment

Yes I called 111 but because it's a cough, they immediately think coronavirus so I waited all day for a nurse to finally call and all they told me was to get a test which I did and it came back negative

My concern is with a dodgy chest I was desperate not to end up in hospital in case I picked up coronavirus and made it worse!

Sorry you’ve been through that Op.

Mine has been really good. Booked a phone appointment, picked up medication 30 minutes later.

I hope they stuck with phone appointments after Covid. Obviously lots of people need a face to face appointment but plenty of things can be dealt with over the phone.

Hell here, 4-5 weeks to strike luck and get an appointment. I have been in A&E four times due to the situation getting to the point of becoming an emergency because my GP would run of appointments by 9am and asking everyone to try tomorrow again... for weeks.

NHS 111 is your friend in this case. I had to get urgent attention for a foot infection last week and phoned 111, spoke to a doctor within 20 mins who took all the details and diagnosed me with cellulitis, and prescribed antibiotics. The prescription went straight to my local pharmacy and I had the pills the next day. So glad I did this!

Don't even try
I've had letters from screening saying smear overdue tried ringing for appt, not doing them, covid
My repeat prescription used to take them day half to process now you send t in and within 5 mins its approved on system so guessing they are not busy. It's a bit of a local joke you see shutters down but some lights on so wtf they are doing is anyone's guess

GPs should be performing their normal work. It's worth talking to your local CCG if not as this is what they should be there for. Some routine stuff has been paused currently to speed up the vaccine roll-out, but I would expect to be seen for something like that.

To give some context, I have a permanent cough due to my asthma, rang my surgery worrying because my chest felt really tight for hours and they called me back for telephone triage within 15 mins and I saw someone within 50 minutes.

I've been trying to get an appointment about a lump that's growing rapidly. When I finally got through after dozens of calls that nobody answered I was told the GP would phone me that afternoon. They didnt, nor the next day. Seems so pointless since they can't look at it over the phone so it's a total waste of time but I cant go straight in for a face to face because Covid. It's now the weekend so they are closed, so il have to battle to get through again tomorrow. I'm trying to be understanding but it's difficult when you're concerned for your health!

DH has had a couple of GP appointments either side of Christmas. Once he phoned at 8.30 (had to call repeatedly) and was told he'd have a phone consultation that morning. They called back within the hour, and asked him to come in at a specific time.

The other time he called in the afternoon, not expecting success, but again, got a call back that day.

But our GP has always been very good - it's not our closest, but we aren't moving!

Oh btw tried the e consult form sent it in 3 wk ago. No response.

Ours has been completely amazing and helpful. I'm sorry that you haven't been able to access an appointment and would try 111 again.

Ours have been working really brilliantly. I had texts on a Sunday from one GP arranging an implant change and when children have been needed to be seen they've been seen the next working day.

I agree that if you can't see a GP you need to speak to your local CCG.

Also struggling to get an appointment. We are part of the awful Lakeside Healthcare group where I am who are utterly utterly shit.

How are GPs overwhelmed with covid cases? They taking extreme care to ensure they don't have to deal with any?

My surgery are very good at replying to econsult enquiries but do not answer the phone. When I managed to get through after spending 3 hours on hold over the course of a day they told me it was because their staff are working from home (so am I, but our phone system diverts calls?).

The issue is they don't accept econsult enquiries about babies and I have 2 under 3. When I needed to talk to someone about my newborn and I'd been on hold all day with no luck, I managed to find the surgery's unpublished email address that they'd given me a couple of years ago to send a referral form to. I emailed in a complaint and got a callback straight away. In response to my complaint they text all their patients with a "priority" phone number for parents of babies which is still not answered, but they call you back if they get a missed call on it.

It's terrible but there's not much we can do.

Sorry not what you asked.. but can you get someone to get you a Oximeter? It might be worth having with you having asthma to check your oxygen levels incase they drop and then you'd definitely need to be seen.

Mine hasn't been busy at all, I've been several times for regular blood tests and it's always empty. I've had a couple of telephone appointments too. The only difference is they are asking people to book online rather than call.

@redsquirrelfan

How are GPs overwhelmed with covid cases? They taking extreme care to ensure they don't have to deal with any?

They are dealing with them, certainly over the phone in my area, with cases they are worried about either being seen in red zone gps or being sent on into hospital.

I work in a GP surgery in the South East. I'm amazed at what different surgeries are doing depending on the area.
We're still doing smears, baby/child imms, B12/Depo injections, dressings, BP checks etc. The patient gets a call in the morning of their appointment to be screened for Covid.
We are so much busier with phone calls as we're calling patients every day for the vaccine, lots of people calling in about the vaccine, symptoms of long Covid and also reactions to the vaccine. This is on top of our normal every day to day workload. Like others have suggested, have you tried Econsult? You're meant to get a response by the end of the next working day. @Beaniecats, that's disgusting that you have had no response after 3 weeks .
We're also seeing patients face to face after an initial telephone appointment if the GP needs to physically examine you. Also video calls, patients can send photos of any rash etc via email or through the econsult system.
It's sad so many people are having problems accessing basic medical care

you ring at half 8, they asj if you have a prefrence for which doctor someone rings back the same morning. They can swich to video call and if you need to be seen face to face they book you in.

They do have an online form but I've tried it twice and had to give up and ring anyway. Once because I was trying for dd and even though it had an option for a child it wouldn't let me do it because she was under 18 and once because it kept saying I had to ring 111 with chest pain, but I knew I had a chest infection and just needed antibiotics and steroids from my gp.

@redsquirrelfan

How are GPs overwhelmed with covid cases? They taking extreme care to ensure they don't have to deal with any?

They arent the first point of call for covid eg they aren't testing but are still dealing with all of the issues that come with that: worried patients, unwell patients, ongoing issues. When I had covid I had a lot of appointments as needed multiple courses of steroids, antibiotics, additional asthma medications, I was referred for a chest xray, and bloods. Mostly via phone and video but they also saw me in person when they needed to listen to my heart and chest.