GP surgery - no face 2 face appointments - phone/video for urgent problems only until further notice

[Geminijust]

That's basically the message our surgery sent out yesterday. They say it's because they've been told to prioritise vaccines but, afaik, they don't do vaccinations there, we have several local hubs.

AiBU to find this really concerning? My worry is that people will avoid contacting them for what they consider non urgent ailments, which turn out to be a warning sign of a serious illness! Even when they were doing face to face, you had to wait for several weeks, phone appointment slots weren't much earlier either.When you did go, there would be like 3 people waiting in a huge waiting room which explained the huge delays.

I get that, like other workplaces, they are likely short staffed with people off sick/isolating but still?!?!

Anyone else have this with their GP? This is a big practice btw.

Even if they don't do vaccines there, their staff may well be involved in the whole process eg. Phoning people to book patients, providing staff to the hub etc.

The staff are working at the hubs.

Isn't that what they've been told to do?

Staff will be redeployed to vaccine centres.
This means less appointments provided by the advanced practitioners.
Appointments are not just given by GPs.

Yes we had that message too
Personally when they refuse face to face unless you have a phone appt first and its down to the receptionist to decide who gets them I find it hilarious you can now just walk in if you're having a vaccine.
What GP surgeries have been getting away with for nearly two years is a national scandal.

I think the staff are going to the hubs... Video consults can be done by clinical staff who are stuck isolating so can't give vaccines, probably not a bad use of resources given how many people are getting positives!

And staff off with Covid. It's grim at my DD's surgery, no leave allowed.

Everything’s been set to prioritise vacs until end of Jan, you can even self cert for 28 days at the mo. Staff everywhere are being pulled into getting it done.

And now the GP surgery have sent texts to book my booster. Well I had it on the 16 November and its on my records so someone is wasting their time this morning
what I would really like you to do GP surgery is my medication reviews and smear - smear 1 year overdue "not doing them" and my med review is 2 years old (should have blood tests every 3 months)

@pinkcattydude

Everything’s been set to prioritise vacs until end of Jan, you can even self cert for 28 days at the mo. Staff everywhere are being pulled into getting it done.

The Amazing Booster with waning immunity after what is it 10 weeks?

It was mentioned in my local newspaper the other day that all medical centres in the area have been told to not make routine appointments at all, as the booster vaccines are being pushed. GPs apparently get £15 for each jab they administer. That should boost their already £80-100k nicely.

F2F will still be offered if there is a need after phone or video call.

GPs will know what needs to be eyeballed.

And yes, they will be staffing the hubs (our GP practice shares a hub with a group of other GP practices, and although they have voulunteers for a lot of the marshalling and on the day admin checks, it's staffed in terms of jab delivery, safe governance and clinical admin entirely from the practices)

I love video appointments , they’re really efficient, you can write down all your symptoms first, so the doctor is prepared in advance. You don’t have to spend ages hanging around in a waiting room. I think since of us need to unpick why we need to be in the same room as the Doc.

I was told at a hospital check-up in September that I need to have a brain CT, to investigate a tumour. Not even had a letter yet

@RoseAndRose

F2F will still be offered if there is a need after phone or video call.

GPs will know what needs to be eyeballed.

And yes, they will be staffing the hubs (our GP practice shares a hub with a group of other GP practices, and although they have voulunteers for a lot of the marshalling and on the day admin checks, it's staffed in terms of jab delivery, safe governance and clinical admin entirely from the practices)

Should be offering f2f without a phone or video call!!!! its ridiculous. They need to stop hiding!

Most of the staff at our local hub are non-medical volunteers. I know a couple of them personally.

@TheCreamCaker

It was mentioned in my local newspaper the other day that all medical centres in the area have been told to not make routine appointments at all, as the booster vaccines are being pushed. GPs apparently get £15 for each jab they administer. That should boost their already £80-100k nicely.

Must be the nice little incentive to let patients in! Maybe if we offer to pay for F2F appts they will see us?

@milly74 why should they?
What actual medical reason is there to not weed out time wasters e.g. you must see my fungal nail infection in person (real story).

[quote CottonSock]@milly74 why should they?
What actual medical reason is there to not weed out time wasters e.g. you must see my fungal nail infection in person (real story).[/quote]
Hardly the receptionists job to decide who is a time waster and who isn't
After nearly 2 years when the rest of the country is working normally and offices open GPs should be open and SEEING THEIR PATIENTS

yep, the sitution with gp surgeries has been absolutely horrendous over the past 2 years.
I have a friend who sadly just passed away with cancer, only 61. She had tried for months to get a gP appointment earlier this year with no luck. By the time the cancer was diagnosed it was very advnaced and sadly she deteriorated and passed away very rapidly.
And yet this week I am getting bombarded with texts from my GP surgery to book a medicaiton review with a pharmacist - for a very safe medication I have been on for may years, and to send them a BP recording ( I dont have high bp, and never have done and not on any meds that would effect my BP?)
Totally crazy. I've given up with gps now and go private if I need any health care

I had a Stroke 3 weeks ago, luckily not serious, only had to stay overnight in hospital. Was also diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure…both of which were news to me. Am in my 60s, around a stone overweight but very fit (or so I thought!) and active.

Despite many attempts to get appointment or phone call I have had no contact from the Practice at all. Thank heavens for Dr Google 🤷🏻‍♀️

What you need to understand, @Geminijust, is that covid is the only thing that matters or is really important.

Child protection issues, or those relating to diseases that aren’t not covid - not important.

And how do you know how they triage patients if you are not there?
It's not done by receptionists I can tell you that.
Maybe get yourself a job as a GP if they have it so easy.

You do know that the gp doesn't personally get the money for administering vaccines? Same as the flu jab. It's not a bonus.

The only "work" the gps surgery has had to do regarding my family's jabs was to send, presumably automated, texts telling me they're due. First two I booked online at the hub, booster was a walk in at the hub. Jabbed by volunteers (one of them a friend who has no previous medical experience).