Getting a GP appointment - something I don't understand

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I've lived abroad for over 25 years so don't have much experience about how the NHS and GPs work these days. But DS and DD have just moved to the UK to study at uni and one of the things they are trying to get a grip on is what to do if they are ill.

They are both registered with a GP surgery but seem to have been told that it takes about 2 weeks to get an appointment to see a doctor. I've heard this elsewhere too, not just from them. I seem to be completely missing something - if they are ill enough to want to see a doctor, surely they want to see him/her today, maybe tomorrow, not in 2 weeks time. How the hell does this work? Idiot's guide needed!

Also DS was eventually registered at the surgery and it became visible in his NHS App - where it seems to be possible (in principle, subject to above issue) to make an appointment through the app. But as DS showed me, the only appointment types available to him were bloods and cervical smear! Is this for real??? Again, how the hell does this work?

Most GPs hold back a set of appointments each day for urgent issues. So you can phone up on the day and be held in a queue, and if you are lucky you can speak to a receptionist. They will then do a basic triage on the issue and if needed will book you in for a GP appointment that day. Sometimes they will arrange a GP to call you back that day.

Usually ring first thing in morning to get a same day appointment if it's urgent.

At our surgery you have to call at 8 am. I rang at 8am last week and was 16th in the call queue. Whilst you’re hanging on, you get various messages about using other services, 111 or pharmacy etc. At some point a message cuts in to tell you that all that days’s appointments have gone. If you are one of the lucky ones, you have to give the receptionist a brief idea of your problem, you know a very swollen inflamed vulva from too much sex, or similar. Just the thing to talk about to a male non medical receptionist, 😂. A GP will then call you at some point during the morning. If you need to be seen, you are invited down to the surgery.

Every GP surgery I’ve ever worked in has a duty doctor system where one GP each day will be responsible for triaging requests for appointments that are urgent and, if necessary, seeing those patients the same day. Lots of things can wait a few days to a couple of weeks, for example if someone’s having on and off constipation that’s been going on a while or a request to change contraception or whatever - but some things can’t and the duty doctor can advise those patients and see them if needed.

Ring them, usually get offered a telephone consultation at first and then go from there. I was very ill with swollen throat, so sore couldn't eat and hat hot and cold shakes etc, explained to receptionist and they got me a same day telephone appointment with the GP. GP sent me a link on my mobile during the call where I could send a photo of my throat, then sent a prescription for XYZ to chemist for me

It may be easier to get a Advanced Nurse Practitioner appointment, who can triage, identify and treat common ailments, including prescribing or referring to gp if needs be .

I work as a Dr's receptionist, all patients must complete a form online, (help those who needs assistance) that form goes directly to the duty Dr who either books you an appointment for same or next day. If the issue isn't deemed as urgent they advise us to make a routine appointment, which are usually in 2-3weeks time. Receptionist can not make ANY appointments for the Dr's without their say so

The Gp that your children are registered with should explain their appointment system on their websites, as you can see it varies a bit between GPs.

That's not true of all practices. I don't have to complete a form online to get an appointment. I have to call on the day at 8am to join a queue. The receptionist asks for a brief description of the problem and directs it to either a nurse practitioner or doctor. They do not have to get a doctor to approve who gets an appointment.

There will likely also be a walk in clinic somewhere where they can just sit and wait to see a GP. They can also call 111 for access to medical advice and treatment. It is open 24/7.

1. Phone, join a queue, ask to see health care professional, practice nurse, pharmacist. You need an 'in'. Once you are through the door it's easier for something to be escalated and you see a Dr.
2. Our practice runs a triage and a call back system , so you don't see anyone, just speak to a hcp and then bumped as high up as required - usually same day.
3. Phone 111 , describe symptoms , depending on what they say around us they either offer ring back from surgery (which then leads to appointment) or out of office Dr at local minor injuries.

Same surgery - I never have a problem being seen within a couple of days max. Relative can never get an appointment .

I think you have to be fairly flexible about who you see/speak to.

where it seems to be possible (in principle, subject to above issue) to make an appointment through the app. But as DS showed me, the only appointment types available to him were bloods and cervical smear!

Those are obviously the only types of appointment for which the practice operates an online booking system.

Either speak to the practice or go on the website and it will tell you the triage process for same day / urgent / emergency appointments.

I have had two separate appointments over the past 5 weeks for two different problems.

The first time, I had been advised by a pharmacist to contacts my GPS. As it was urgent and I assumed that there were no appointments available, I emailed them for advice. They advised me to call the surgery and I got a telephone appointment that afternoon.

The second time I phoned in the afternoon and was told that I could only phone at 8 or 12 for an appointment. As I also knew that you could fill in a questionnaire and seek advice, I did this on the following day and got telephone appointment on the same day and was seen face to face the next day.

I think that it is important to look at the website for the surgery and see what their arrangements are - as they will all vary.

They need to speak to their surgery.

I need to complete an online request between 8 and 9.30am via Askmygp and then it is triaged and directed to the appropriate person e.g. nurse, gp, advanced nurse practitioner, etc. They then contact you with what to do e.g. attend an appointment, phone consultation, etc

My surgery's online system opened at 0800. I sent a request off (my daughter was ill) at 0802. At 0804 the receptionist telephoned me and asked if I could bring her in for
0900. Outstanding service.

As others have said, ringing first thing in the am is usually the answer.

Or my surgery has an e consult which is great because it gets seen that day and you have an appointment (or sometimes even medication) on that day/next day.

The ones you can book online are for routine non-urgent things..if you're ill and need a doctor you usually ring up or do online econsult depending on your surgery

My GP surgery has appointments available a maximum of 2 weeks in advance.

You can call after 1pm for appointments the day after next. If its more urgent though you can call any time during the day & get an appointment with the duty doctor. They call back & triage you, they either deal with you on the phone, ask you to come up to the surgery or In some cases a house visit.

I had 3 duty doctor appointments this week because they were needed. Thankfully in most cases getting an appointment isn't as daunting as it seems

The whole system is ridiculous, but I have found phoning NHS 111 gets you an appointment via the back door!

GP surgeries all seem to have their own systems for getting appointments same day. At ours, you call at 8am and in theory, they should give you an appointment if necessary.

The reality at our surgery is you can never get an appointment. We pay privately when we go need an appointment. I don't know what people go who can't afford that, although I have heard some end up at a&e, which obviously isn't right.

Call in the morning or at 2pm. Be extreme in your description.
Use 111 or 111 online if over 18, they call you back and give you an out of hours appointment if needed.
Go to minor injuries for anything serious / an xray etc.