Difficulty getting appointment at GP surgery

[TheMemSaab]

How bad are things generally these days? I have had a few delicate health problems recently and have had great trouble getting to see a female GP. I can book up to 2 weeks ahead using an online system, but any appointments with a female GP are usually a 2 week wait away. I was supposed to see a nurse today to have a swab taken. I booked the appointment over a week ago, but got a text this morning to say that the appointment is cancelled (the nurse had rung in sick). I rang to book another appointment but the soonest was next Monday! Is this normal? Is it worth trying to change surgery or making a complaint? I am generally quite healthy so not sure if this is the norm. Thanks

it is really difficult to get an appointment everywhere I believe. Lack of GPs I think. Cut backs are to blame.

It's no problem getting a same day urgent appt at my gp surgery. However booking a routine appt in advance requires dedication and good knowledge of when batches of appointments are released.

Ok thanks, sounds like it's the norm then, not just my surgery.

I wanted an appointment yesterday. The online booking system could offer me several slots - but the first one was in two weeks time.

So I phoned - 18 times! In the first 17 calls all I got was an engaged sound. I eventually got through and was held in a computerized phone queue. It kept telling me how many people were in the queue ahead of me. After 32 minutes of listening to the recorded message, I was able to speak to a real person who gave me an appointment with a prescribing nurse today (who was very good and was able to prescribe what was needed).

Luckily I had the time and energy to do all the phoning and waiting. Not everyone can. It's a poor system.

My surgery is quite good. I can usually get an appointment within a few days and most of the GP's are female. It's a bit trickier if you want a specific GP because most them work part time. That can take a week. My practice only ever release appointments one week in advance which helps.

However I think my practice is unusual. It's also a training practice so you may see a GP registrar - they get allocated longer appointment slots so they aren't in such a rush.

My GP practice is useless for appointments. They advise that appointments are booked using an on line system and the last couple of times I've sought an appointment, the earliest available was in 3.5 or 4 week's time. I've also recently booked a smear test (5 week wait!) Only to be contacted the week before to be told that it needs to be moved back-by another 3 weeks. If a same day appointment is needed, you have to start ringing from 8am and from experience, wait in a queue of 15-20, get cut off 3 times to call back and go back to the end of the queue, eventually getting through at 11:40-attempting to get a same day appointment effectively means having to call in sick to spend the morning trying to get through. Can you tell I'm a teeny bit frustrated?!