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.

@TheCreamCaker

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

Wouldn't that be for the hospital team to book?

It might be worth getting on to the unit to find out what is meant to be happening. If it has been passed to the GP, then calling the practice manager to find out what the booking admin is (and budgeting them to get the ball rolling if it isn't already) might be the useful way ahead

I think GPs are being pulled in 10 different directions at the moment with vaccines, delays in hospital appointments (therefore patients seeking further advice from the GP which they can’t give), dealing with staff illness/isolation and trying to play catch up for the past 2 years of missed reviews. I don’t envy them at all and it’s not what we have come to expect in this country, but sadly I don’t think it will be what it was for a long time, if ever. There is an extreme shortage of staff and I’m not sure the government have come up with a solution. Certainly the last people to point the finger at are the remaining/current staff who are working overtime (not suggesting you were, I read your OP as being frustrated at the system rather than the staff).

@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.

We haven’t had face to face since the pandemic began. It’s video consultations which are booked online or phone. Face to face is only for urgent conditions, such as symptoms pointing at cancer or heart conditions etc

Surely nobody is naive enough to think that GP services will ever return to F2F being the norm?

@StopGo

Surely nobody is naive enough to think that GP services will ever return to F2F being the norm?

not if they think they can get away with it

It does seem to depend on the practice. I haven't had a F2F with my GP for 2 years but my mum, who goes to a different GP practice sees her GP F2F regularly.

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.*

Yup. Certainly seems that way. Not blaming the staff at all, they're only doing what they're told with the resources they have. The NHS has been woefully underfunded for years and now we're paying the price.

@greenweepingwillow I'm sorry to hear about your friend. That's the very scenario I'm concerned about. Sadly she won't be an isolated case

This is what mine day but will ask you to go in for a folliw up face to face that day if the phone consult leads then to think it's needed. I've five it twice recently, once for stomach issues and once for suspect blood clot. I just think they will decide if necessary rather than offer us to book face to face.

@milly74

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)

That's awful that they aren't doing smears, my surgery has done then throughout in fact I spent a morning calling our overdue ladies the other day and inviting them in! We are also still doing F2f where needed, but usually a triage call first the GPs have slots at the end of each session to see F2f. However, we have not sent any staff to the vaccination hub, we offered but were turned down!