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Original poster

GP's please why are you not back to seeing us face to face

657 replies

whenwillthemadnessend · 30/03/2021 22:46

Just that really ?

Please can any GP's explain the reasoning

If dentists physios and accident and emergency doctors can see people why can't GP doctors?

OP posts:
Mindfullness · 01/04/2021 19:17

@Parker231

The number of patients registered to each GP practice has multiplied over the years as the population increases, less doctors training as GP’s and as in the case of my DH, GP’s leaving and the practice closing. New housing developments are built but additional GP practices aren’t. Receptionists aren’t answering the phone to you as quickly as you would like because they are on the phone to another patient. GP’s can’t give you an appointment when you want because the appointments have already been given out. GP’s have worked more hours during the pandemic not less. If you aren’t happy with your GP you can always try transferring to another practice.
Totally agree with you here. People are so demanding and ungrateful. For some reason people forget we have been in the middle of a national crisis. Where I work we have worked harder than ever due to Covid but for some that is obviously not good enough Hmm
Elliemayclampett · 01/04/2021 19:20

My GP insists you do an e-consult before anyone will consider ringing you back.
I'm still waiting for a reply to my e-consult from last May...
phoned them this week and was told to do e-consult.. I explained how I have no faith in that system as I've been waiting nearly a year for a reply from my last one. Receptionist said someone will phone me 'to explain how to fill in the form'

I am capable of filling in the form. I did so and it flagged up in red 'you need to contact your GP for urgent treatment'

I phoned back.. someone phoned me today. Amazingly I need to be seen
In person so a face to face appointment has been made for 2 weeks time...

The system is flawed. It worries me that this is how things are going to be managed in the future. Serious illnesses will be missed with tragic consequences.

PaperMonster · 01/04/2021 19:22

My sibling is extremely ill because of the situation with their GP and not being able to see them. Had to go private in the end and have tests - the results of which made the GP hopefully have a major panic and do necessary referrals- only those they’d been referred to had been transferred away to Covid duties. Thankfully treatment has just commenced and hopefully it will work.

Kazzyhoward · 01/04/2021 19:22

@Parker231

The number of patients registered to each GP practice has multiplied over the years as the population increases, less doctors training as GP’s and as in the case of my DH, GP’s leaving and the practice closing. New housing developments are built but additional GP practices aren’t. Receptionists aren’t answering the phone to you as quickly as you would like because they are on the phone to another patient. GP’s can’t give you an appointment when you want because the appointments have already been given out. GP’s have worked more hours during the pandemic not less. If you aren’t happy with your GP you can always try transferring to another practice.
Perhaps the BMA now realise that they made a grave error when they refused to increase the number training places circa 20 years ago.
picknmix1984 · 01/04/2021 19:24

I can't get to see a go face to face yet when my daughter was summoned after suffering from agoraphobia and tried to overdose they wanted to see her face to face!

She's fucking agoraphobic- why do you request a face to face appointment with a person that is too anxious to leave the house?!?

Kazzyhoward · 01/04/2021 19:25

Totally agree with you here. People are so demanding and ungrateful. For some reason people forget we have been in the middle of a national crisis. Where I work we have worked harder than ever due to Covid but for some that is obviously not good enough

And there we have it. People should be "grateful" for what scraps of healthcare they can get. That's a classic example of the attitude problem within the NHS which is because you're getting it "free" you have to put up with crap service.

MrsPerfect12 · 01/04/2021 19:26

I prefer the online or telephone consultations, it saves so much time and would prefer this going forward. I can make a physical appt if required and I'm sure if the doctor thought it was necessary they would invite you in.

LadyWithLapdog · 01/04/2021 19:33

www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/pressures-in-general-practice Here’s the state of play regarding numbers. I’m just reading through it but first thing I saw was the promise or wish for 2000 international GPs by 2020 which only produced 140 by 2019. 2020 has been and gone and the target is obviously not met but, even without corona, it’s wasn’t on course to be met.

Shirls22 · 01/04/2021 19:34

My surgery does a phone consultation first and if you need to be seen they book you in. I ve seen the practice nurse, hca and dr a few times during lockdown and after disaster with teeth have have 9 appts with the dentist during lockdown

LadyWithLapdog · 01/04/2021 19:36

PS I wouldn’t think it’s the BMA (a trade organisation, a union) deciding training numbers.

janj2301 · 01/04/2021 19:40

My GP had six sick note extensions this afternoon, far better use of her time to do that over the phone, the doctor will see F2F if necessary, she also sees new mums/baby. The nurse is nearly full every day, immunisations, injections, wound dressing asthma and diabetes reviews etc all F2F

Tomasinabombadil · 01/04/2021 20:10

I’ve been having telephone consultations with my Doctor for a few years now. I much prefer that to having to go into the surgery. I can’t remember the last time I saw my Doctor face to face. I’ve been at my current surgery for over 30 years. He trusts me to explain any symptoms correctly and will then will advise the appropriate treatment or send a prescription to my local independent pharmacy for me to collect at my convenience.
I do visit the practise nurses occasionally for routine things, I’ve got a tetanus booster jab booked for later in April, exactly 10 years to the day of my last one. (It is recommended to have a tetanus booster every 10 years especially if you work with animals).🙂

LemonRoses · 01/04/2021 20:14

@LadyWithLapdog

www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/pressures-in-general-practice Here’s the state of play regarding numbers. I’m just reading through it but first thing I saw was the promise or wish for 2000 international GPs by 2020 which only produced 140 by 2019. 2020 has been and gone and the target is obviously not met but, even without corona, it’s wasn’t on course to be met.
Absolutely- an effect of Brexit as much as the pandemic.
Punxsutawney · 01/04/2021 20:19

Roses nobody seems to want to take responsibility or help. They don't think the eating disorders team will accept a referral, as it is suspected Ds has ARFID and they don't deal with that. I've been told it's the GP that has to deal with this....in 12 days time.

Ds finally ate some food but I took until 7pm. I guess if he gets too unwell, I will have to take him to A and E.

winniestone37 · 01/04/2021 20:27

All of them will be offering both. It’s logical.

VoyageInTheDark · 01/04/2021 20:30

Phone triage has been the norm since before covid but now not only is it extremely difficult to get a face to face appointment with a GP here, if you do have to see someone in person ie for a blood test then you have to go to the smaller surgery in the next town because our practice hasn't been letting people in at all since covid. This was supposedly because they were a 'covid hub' but you can't go in if you have covid and they aren't doing vaccinations there Confused I have to do a 50 min round trip for every midwife appointment and DH has to take time off work to drive me as I can't drive.

RosesAndHellebores · 01/04/2021 20:46

@Punxsutawney it is awful I know. They all blame each other. May I suggest that after every interaction you confirm what has been agreed in writing and send it by registered post. You may also find your MP will be able to intervene on your behalf.

Note carefully who says who is responsible for what and confirm what you have been told in writing to the Chair of your local CCG.

MH care for young people in the UK is an absolute disgrace and you have to be the squeaky wheel but the squeak is only heard if you lay an audit trail otherwise they deny x said y and tell you you must have misunderstood. Part of it is funding but a very big part is cultural and a culture threaded with disingenuity.

Good luck and I recall how awful it was Flowers

LemonRoses · 01/04/2021 21:08

@Punxsutawney

Roses nobody seems to want to take responsibility or help. They don't think the eating disorders team will accept a referral, as it is suspected Ds has ARFID and they don't deal with that. I've been told it's the GP that has to deal with this....in 12 days time.

Ds finally ate some food but I took until 7pm. I guess if he gets too unwell, I will have to take him to A and E.

How old? He needs a paediatric referral if under sixteen and possibly a CAMHS referral, but they’re rather like gold dust due to lack of paediatric psychiatrists.

Who is ‘they’ in terms of not thinking eating disorders tea, not seeing him? Go via GP to paediatrician as first port. If he’s young and failing to thrive rather than just not eating much, they need to assess and address physical health and impact first.

Original poster
whenwillthemadnessend · 01/04/2021 21:15

I'm really glad I started this thread now. I'm am hoping a journo picks it up and runs a story. This needs highlighting and urgently

Some stories on here are awful.

OP posts:
BG2015 · 01/04/2021 21:41

My GP surgery is also like Fort Knox! It's better guarded than a prison

SchnitzelVonCrummsTum · 01/04/2021 21:43

Solidarity to the GPs and other primary care staff on this thread. Hang in there Flowers

SchnitzelVonCrummsTum · 01/04/2021 21:44

@Punxsutawney - ARFID is an eating disorder. The ED team has to be able to do something even if it is onward referral. The GP will not be able to diagnose ARFID or indeed offer any treatment; they can only refer on.

AllDoneIn · 01/04/2021 21:48

I wish they had a really good IT system for managing bookings and queries. Getting through to our GP is almost impossible and that's even to speak to the gatekeepers I mean receptionist.

Sirzy · 01/04/2021 21:50

Punx slightly off topic but if your on fb look for the arfid parent/carer support group on Facebook.

Sadly it is exceptionally misunderstood so I wouldn’t expect anything from a GP anyway. We where lucky that the gastro consultant he was referred to for something else saw the issues and got him a feeding tube as a matter of urgency

Good luck

Parker231 · 01/04/2021 21:50

Schnitzel - DH is on a countdown to leaving. Would have already happened if it hadn’t been for Covid. Instead he volunteered to go back to working in a hospital for eight weeks at the worse of Covid. Now back at the practice working too many hours a day.
Hopefully soon the borders will open and we can move. No one to take over DH’s GP surgery so it will close, locums have new jobs in Australia and South Africa. Patients will need to find a new GP.