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Original poster

Still no face to face GP appointments, why??

86 replies

Emma2021 · 13/08/2021 09:28

It is still very rare to get a face to face appt with our GP's. I've spoke to a friend who live in another London area and same for them.

Why is this? GP's appear to be around at the surgery, people are having parieties, going to football matches, eating and drinking in pubs and clubs and next door is having a pre-wedding party for about 150 people in a small tent tomorrow (i wont be going to it as it will be high risk Covid) so why are gP's still avoiding face to face appointments?

I've asked our surgery manager and she cites, "Covid." Pathetic or what?

OP posts:
rslsys · 13/08/2021 13:54

My Doctor has not seen a patient in person since March 2020. The best you can get is an appointment with the Nurse/Practitioner and she keeps going down the corridor to consult him!
Change to seeing patients is obviously permanent as they have converted to the patient waiting area, which could previously seat 50 patients, to the receptionist's area. There are never more than 2 receptionists present but there are 5 workstations.
The patients now sit in the 3 seat former receptionists office, or have to wait in the car park if things are running behind!

Orf1abc · 13/08/2021 14:01

For those gleefully posting that they're receiving care as normal, are you not concerned about all the people that are not?

countrygirl99 · 13/08/2021 14:18

@SupermanWithTheGreyHair

countrygirl99

That’s so sad. I hope he’s getting good care now in hospital. x

Not sure he will ever come home.
beautifulgirls · 13/08/2021 14:26

Please don’t bash the medics. I am a vet and we still aren’t doing face to face appointments, animals allowed in, clients not. We are trying to ensure we can continue to stay open and provide a service to our patients by having staff able to work.

If your GP gets covid they can’t do any appointments, they can’t sort out telephone calls, letters, or help you in any way. There is a risk multiple staff in the clinic will be affected too meaning no support staff potentially too. It isn’t the same as going shopping and the impact on the public for shop staff being off is completely different to a GP surgery having to reduce their service or even close. Obviously I wish covid on nobody and actually we all need to be doing our part to keep levels down. Then and only then can services like these start to return to a more normal way of working.

SupermanWithTheGreyHair · 13/08/2021 14:28

Not sure he will ever come home.

I’m really sorry to hear that. Hopefully he’ll be made comfortable. Are you able to visit him?

lazylinguist · 13/08/2021 14:41

Please don’t bash the medics.

I think people are mainly questioning why it's so different from area to area or practice to practice. It was possible to get phone appointments pretty easily throughout at my gp's surgery (often sane day, or at least next day), and they've been open for face-to-face appointments for a good while now. I pick up my prescription there and you can just walk in. Whereas at my parents' surgery the doors are locked, no face-to-face appointments and it takes weeks to even get a telephone appointment.

countrygirl99 · 13/08/2021 15:07

@SupermanWithTheGreyHair

Not sure he will ever come home.

I’m really sorry to hear that. Hopefully he’ll be made comfortable. Are you able to visit him?

Only one visitor allowed and that has tobe the same one every day. Obviously that's mum. If they decide he is dying he will be allowed 2 so 1 of his 3 children will be allowed in.
grey12 · 13/08/2021 15:12

@countrygirl99 only the same person allowed???!!!! That's terrible! How does that make sense at all??!!! Shock

SupermanWithTheGreyHair · 13/08/2021 15:16

Only one visitor allowed and that has tobe the same one every day. Obviously that's mum. If they decide he is dying he will be allowed 2 so 1 of his 3 children will be allowed in.

That must be very hard. But he has your mum, although it must be very difficult for her too I imagine. I’m really sorry, there are no words, it’s a horrible situation. Flowers I hope that you’re all coping ok. x

Footballschmootball · 13/08/2021 15:24

Ours are brilliant , I had a phone call Monday and she slotted me in face to face first thing Tuesday. I think it’s great that ours are doing phone calls when they can and only seeing people that need to be seen, hopefully that will save them (and patients) a lot of time.

balernobetty · 13/08/2021 15:35

@pianolessons1

Gosh, I must have hallucinated the 8 patients I saw F2F yesterday on top of about 40 phone calls, trainees supervised, practice meeting and over 100 documents/results/prescriptions reviewed.
No need for this response unless you are the op's gp It clearly says its rare to get a face to face appt with OUR gp. Just because your surgery is doing things different to hers there is no need to mock the op's question
privateandnhsgp · 13/08/2021 16:35

It's a perfectly legitimate response.

The OP generalises his/her comments to GPs generally. And besides, you're not the thread police.

FWIW, NHS England data extracted from GP IT systems show that F2F consultations in primary care are at over 50pc. Whilst they're still somewhat off the baseline of around 70pc it's nonsense to say that, in general, there's little F2F.

You can verify the data yourself at

digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/appointments-in-general-practice/may-2021#summary

(Open the spreadsheet, Table 1, Appointment Mode)

lazylinguist · 13/08/2021 17:04

The OP generalises his/her comments to GPs generally.

I didn't read it that way at all. OP is clearly talking about her local gps throughout. Even when she just says 'gps' later in her post, she's clearly referring to the fact that they aren't seeing patients in spite of being at local events to her.

lazylinguist · 13/08/2021 17:05

Sorry - I didn't mean she said gps specifically were at local events, but she was referring to local events iyswim.

cptartapp · 13/08/2021 17:13

We've been seeing patients f2f all the way through. Including suspect Covid ones in a hot hub with a plastic apron and paper mask.
Plus hundreds and hundreds of phone calls. Plus mopping up the patients hospital clinics won't see.
Never been as busy,

bluebellinthewood · 13/08/2021 17:18

Our Gp has said that through school
Holidays it's phone on the day appts only - can't see why that makes a difference. Feel like we shouldn't bother them

aerosocks · 13/08/2021 17:20

Our surgery is still like Fort Knox as well.

Original poster
Emma2021 · 15/08/2021 13:43

I totally agree with @MrsArchchancellorRidcully

I'm happy that some are seeingbtheir gp's f2f.
Ours i have noted will se a few but can't when wfh.
The doors are open but inside is is almost empty as opposed to pre-covid.

why are gp's and many hospital consultants still not seeing patients f2f??

OP posts:
Original poster
Emma2021 · 15/08/2021 13:48

@lazylinguist many thanks.

As you cleary stated I was talking about my experiences, that of family and people we know. From what I know re GP's and hosptial consultants/docs, it is maily phone calls but more are being seen at the hospitals.

I appreciate the gp's and hospital people are doing phone appts but with the GP's it is very important to see people and one example givine her is the posters chest infection. We've had similar with one of our family fobbed off with steriods then it got more serious and anitbiotics were needed and thankfully all is good now.

our gp surgery will see toddlers and babies after a phone appoint if required but imo that is not good enough and I have posted an example about re chest infection.

I have a lot of respect for all gp's etc but i need to say this.

OP posts:
Original poster
Emma2021 · 15/08/2021 13:50

@Footballschmootball

Ours are brilliant , I had a phone call Monday and she slotted me in face to face first thing Tuesday. I think it’s great that ours are doing phone calls when they can and only seeing people that need to be seen, hopefully that will save them (and patients) a lot of time.
Good for you, I just wish others were like that. Having said that, this surgery of ours is much better on the whole the one i was with before but they really need to see almost everyone f2f.
OP posts:
Quincesorbet · 15/08/2021 13:55

@bluebellinthewood

Our Gp has said that through school Holidays it's phone on the day appts only - can't see why that makes a difference. Feel like we shouldn't bother them
Because your surgery will have GPs and other clinical staff on holiday too, so less appointments to offer. And patient demand has increased massively compared to pre-COVID , we cannot have a day full from pre booked appointments and deal with the urgent calls on the day as well, there are just not enough hours to do it all.
Becca19962014 · 15/08/2021 14:14

It varies hugely.

My local practices recently took to social media to explain why they're still closed - it's still far too dangerous due to covid.

Which would have had more impact if I didn't live in a very small place where the staff are weekly seen going into the local pub en mass. Not to mention them refusing to wear face masks outside of the surgery, because "it's unfair", and, staff having put in their social media profiles about their holidays abroad. Video since taken down.

A GP took to social media to complain about the huge mental health crisis amongst the elderly and disabled who "feel a bother, due to minor depression from lockdown", no, that'd be because that's what they were told March 2020 they were and are still treated the same now, instead of actually packing that in (yep STILL on their website, no appointments for long term ill/disabled and on the surgeries Windows as well along with "DANGER!" and tape everywhere) they're saying they want funding to refer these people, who don't actually need to see anyone for such minor depression to group support. Three hours away, only for those under 30 with no other needs than minor depression and looking for work - so how's that going to help the elderly and those with complex needs? It's not. Just making them feel even worse! A comment for which I got blocked.

Becca19962014 · 15/08/2021 14:22

Just to add I don't begrudge staff holidays BUT when they're claiming they can't see anyone who doesn't drive themselves to the surgery e.g. Need taxi/relatives to give a lift because it's the risk is too dangerous, then it's a problem. As is the gong to the pub "to relax".

They're very clearly not bothered about covid so should just say that instead of lying.

My family member is dying of womb cancer after being told it was just uti for months. No examination, no samples, no bloods. Nothing, just the practice nurse. She was bleeding daily for months. When she was seen she was rushed into surgery and very anaemic. The response to the complaint? She didn't explain properly.

I'm sure there are good GPs, but the fact is there are some GPs AND practices that are just taking the piss.

danadas · 15/08/2021 14:50

In our surgery you can get an appt to see the nurse face to face, you then leave the room while she discusses with the doctor and go back in to find out what was said. Means you can still get a prescription but not that useful for follow up questions which still remain unanswered....

DwangelaForever · 15/08/2021 16:53

My GP surgery has a telephone triage where the dr calls you back to discuss and if a face to face appointment is needed then they ask you in. It has been like this the whole way through through pandemic, I've seen my gp twice in the past month and a half.