GP wait times

[user1471526265]

I see complaints on mumsnet on a regular basis about how difficult it is to get a GP appointment and wondered how people in Ireland were finding it.

A few years ago I could easily get a next day appointment, maybe even same day, but now you have to ring before you're sick!

This was spurred on by me phoning the GP practice early this morning and the next appointment is Thursday week, and that's with a locum. If I want to see my regular GP I would have to wait another week.

Is it this insane everywhere? I'm in the reasonable sized town in Co. Cork.

I'm in rural Meath and I'm very lucky with my GP, although if I don't want to wait a few days I have to get the other GP, not the main one, that's usually fine I don't mind going to him for an antibiotic etc but I like my GP for maternity appointments. On a FB group in the next town in Cavan I see people complaining the whole time. My mam down in Munster is constantly complaining she can't get an appointment - mid size town.

I went to UCC trying to get an appointment with the GP there was absolutely impossible. Also actually another town near by, their GP has retired but they are struggling to attract a new GP to take over at all

Thanks for your reply. I was speaking with a girl I work with just now and she said she never has a problem. She lives about 20 minutes from me. I wonder if her practice are taking new patients as it would nearly suit me to travel the 20 minutes.

I guess recruitment is an issue. And retaining them. We did have 1 GP in the practice retire during covid and a stream of locums since then. But there are 4 regular gps for years still. They are also now charging €70 a go too, which is a bit steep!!!

I'm in the burbs in Dublin. I can usually get a next day appointment for something acute if I call the surgery and don't mind who I see. They'll fit in children and something urgent same day if at all possible. Those accommodations often mean delays to scheduled appointment though.

For a scheduled appointment with their online booking, I'd probably wait a week or so. My preferred doctor only works 2 days (most in the clinic seem to be part time) so it's harder to see her.

If it’s for my toddlers they will get squeezed in if it’s acute. Routine things you definitely need to be booking a few weeks in advance. The receptionist is definitely screening nowadays.
The nurse can be booked out 2-3 weeks in advance for taking bloods or vaccinations.
I am not in same GP practice as the kids and it could be two or three days sometimes for an appointment whereas before it would be that day or the next.

We are in the Midwest.

Hmmm, I wonder if I should be more explicit when I phone for an appointment. It's not a routine appointment I don't think. But when asked if it was urgent I said no. There were no other questions asked, but maybe I should have said "no, not urgent but......"

I'm in the suburbs in Galway and generally get same day if I ring early. They're very good tbh. Best GP I have ever had.

I'm in rural Midwest and can usually get seen on the day for an acute problem, certainly by next day. We might have to wait a couple of weeks for a routine appointment with a specific GP so need to remember to book in advance. I really like the online booking request system they've had since covid.

What does the online booking system look like? Can you see availability and book yourself in or is it more a case of you fill a questionnaire in and they allocate appointments based on what they consider priority?

We just have to phone in for our appointment and, as I said, they ask is it urgent, if you say no, you'll get an appointment in 10 days or something. If yes, a nurse usually rings you back and asks you a few more questions before deciding if you need to be seen today / tomorrow etc.

Last time I rang up I had chest pain. That was a Monday. I was still only offered an appointment for the Thursday.

I'm in co. cork,
And I rang the start of march for an appointment and had to wait 2 weeks, I rang every morning for a week and finally got a cancellation,
Ita painful, but so far everytime I ring for an appointment with a sick kid they always squeeze us in, haven't needed one for the kids in a year so that might have changed!
It's ridiculous 😒

Did they tell you to go a&e?

No. A nurse rang me back and asked me a few questions about the type of pain it was. She concluded that it wasn't heart related and could probably wait.

How are you feeling now? Did it improve at all? At least you spoke to a nurse I suppose.

Dublin suburbs here and can always get a same day appointment for my toddler and a same day or next day appointment for myself if it’s urgent.

It was late November and I still have almost daily pain. I saw the GP at the time (on the Thursday) & had an ecg which was normal and was told it was likely a muscle strain, tho I don't know how. I wasn't doing anything strenuous.

So I guess it's not urgent but it hasn't improved. I've done the exercises and applied the anti-inflammatory gel I was prescribed, which has long run out. I guess after 4 months of pain I'd like at least an xray or something.

Meath - my kids get seen on the day of needed as they are both asthmatic, I can be seen in a few days usually.

They seem to have a policy of if you really need to be seen you will be seen even if there are no appts. They've been very good with my son (he can end up in hospital with his asthma).

The local hospital though, now that's a shit show of all shit shows.

You don't suffer from anxiety at all do you? I know when I was at my worst I totally felt like I was having a heart attack. I eventually ended up in hospital and they did ECG and nothing. It's just very strange that the doctor is so unconcerned.

It's funny you mention anxiety. I didn't think I did. Not prior to this. But I do wonder if I do. As in, if there's no physical reason, maybe it is a physical response to anxiety. But I think the chest pain came first?!?! I honestly don't know now.

I'm nearly 50, very obviously in perimenopause and couldn't tolerate hrt so maybe this is just another one of the things I will have to endure as a result.

We'll get it checked and don't be fobbed off with that. But one of the first symptoms of my anxiety/panic attacks was a serious tightness in my chest. To the point where I'd have to wrap my arm around my torso just under my boobs while I was walking home from work. I know it sounds crazy, but the physical symptoms of the anxiety/panic were very real. But don't be fobbed off in getting checked. Hopefully it's something and nothing.

Also, I had no idea I had anxiety/ was suffering from panic attacks until I ended up in an ambulance and they did the few tests in the hospital. I really felt physically sick. It just goes to show your mind really can play tricks on you. All that said, do push to get any physical problems looked into.

Thank you. I hope you are feeling better now. That sounds pretty scary. I haven't been feeling anywhere near as bad as that. I thought mine might be acid reflux related but was also prescribed meds for that and it has done nothing.

I don't know too much about anxiety. I had tried some mindfulness and meditation in the past but imagine antidepressants are a popular course of action.

I had anti ds and counselling (childhood trauma had essentially caught up with me). I've always been an anxious person, but I've gone beyond the panic attacks for the moment at least. No harm for you to look into it, but do try and push for the physical assessment first, just to rule out anything pressing/urgent. If it does happen to relate to anxiety, you have lots of time to work on it. Unpleasant as it is, it won't kill you 🙂

Just wondering if those who are on this thread have medical cards or have to pay for the GP ?
I can get a next day appointment at my GP. But it's €70.

I'm in cork and for a routine appointment maybe a week to 10 days, same with a nurses appointment. If I rang this morning for an urgent appointment then I'd have a good chance of getting one but they won't squeeze anyone in , once they are gone they are gone so you have to call the minute they open

No medical card here. €70 for an appointment with the GP. €30 for the nurse. Then extra for bloods, ecg, if you call for a repeat prescription, to extend a sick note etc. I have been known to drop a couple of hundred euro there in a month as I have high blood pressure for years (it's in the family) and frequently get the 24 hour monitor to check if my meds are still OK (that's another €60).

I am private and the smallies have the GP visit card.
I know people who don’t even have a GP and are relying on the walk in clinics.