Why can we not book GP apps in advance anymore?

[NotSoSure1234]

Genuine question I would like to try to understand.

I would like to be seen but its not urgent. An appointment in a few weeks would be ideal but I have to call back at 8am for an appointment for next week.

Why can clinics not be booked in advance now?

I assume this way they see more people within the target waiting times, even though it is counterintuitive that you can’t now book in advance.

I'll guess that 95% of people want to ring in the morning for a same day appointment. That means there's barely anything left to set aside for non urgent book in advance appointments.

I can at my GP surgery, so it depends where you are, I guess?

Lack of capacity. It's really difficult and stressful trying to get an appointment.

I can , I just fill out the triage form and say I want a f2f appt with x dr to discuss x and they send me a link for what he has available .

I would love to know the answer to this as well. It's very difficult if you work full time and really need to be seen but it's not so urgent it needs you to take time off.

My surgery in south Suffolk will happily tell you the e-consult form will come to nothing, they only seem to operate the whole 8am call in, like no one works.

My parents in north Essex moan that their gp surgery strictly adhere to an e-consult system and they resent getting help this way, where as a working professional I’d welcome it.

I would love to know why primary care can differ.

I can't get any face to face appointments anymore. Our surgery just won't see you. It's all e-consult form and then a text message, or a phone call if you are especially at death's door. If chatgpt could prescribe medications then it would be more useful than our GP by a long way.

Mine is the same . E consult and thenf2 f if you need or want it . And I called today about 10 am and had a smear appt booked within minutes . Our large village practice works really well.

You can but it’s up to the individual surgery whether they offer this.

I just wonder why it all changed. So for instance I have ongoing perimeno symptoms its not urgent but i would like to be seen and perhaps have bloods to check folate etc as previously low.

i cant phone at 8am every day I work in the NHS myself so I am at work and those daily apps will be for urgents. When you call they are all gone by 08:30 so we are left calling daily for an unknowm amount of time or in a queue of 50

i cant make sense of WHY i cant just be offered an appt even if its 6 weeks away so be it - first available new routine appt!?

i would love to know x

Think its because too many dna's from those who do book in advance.

Because the system is for their convenience, not yours 😫
It needs a huge shake up
I am lucky in that we have an hrt nurse at our's that is allowed to prescribe. Maybe yours has the same? I honestly trust her a lot more than half the GPs at my practice

I tried again today- no apps. Suggested I come
to surgery 8am every day to try or call 8am daily- i work I cant always do this. They said someonelse can call for me or come to surgery for me but some of it is quite personal!!

so frustrating. Private is £200+ then GPs usuallly wont accept the recommendations. X

I would email the practice manager and state what you would like and complain that you are constantly calling and unable to get an appointment. Ask why they have no prebookable appointments.

It honestly baffles me why so many gp surgeries can't figure this out... at mine you either use econsult for anything non-urgent or call at 8:30 for a same day. When I've called at 8:30 I've never waited more than a couple of minutes to get through and generally get given a same day or following day appt. Econsult I usually get a response within a couple of hours (though they say it can take up to 36 hours), with either a future appointment, phone appointment or a same day appointment. Occasionally the dr calls on the back of the econsult to say a prescription has been sent to the pharmacy. It works really well.

Mine does econsult up till lunchtime and usually we are seen that day.
I imagine it’s to stop people missing appointments if you have to attend the same day.

I agree. There are occasions where it's not urgent and you don't need to be seen the same day. I wish they'd have a few prebookable ones for these situations. They could still triage to make sure they're being used appropriately before booking you one.

I'm surprised by that. We can't do that here unless they have written authority from the patient that person is allowed to make appts etc for you.

My surgery is the same but does have 2 times you can ring (morning and afternoon) which helps slightly, although like you I am in a people facing job and it is pretty much impossible to call at those times!
My surgery said it was to stop the number of people booking appts in advance and then not turning up.

At ours it all has to be done online. Fill in a form. For non emergency appointments they send a link with available appointments to book. They only really take phone calls for people who can't go online. I am so glad they changed it from ringing up at 8am

Can at mine. I think different surgeries have different processes. Ours seems to have a number of appointments reserved for 'on the day' and others can be booked ahead of time. Much better for dealing with non urgent conditions I think. I agree with others - contact the practice manager. Unless there's pressure to change - there will be no change

It happens because it suits them and they have forgotten that the NHS isnfree onlynat the point of delivery. If money changed hands they'd soon shape up.

it’s never worked like that in my surgery. My doctors changed the system though in September. Now if I want an appointment I have to fill out an online form saying what my problem is. A doctor then looks it and decides whether you need an urgent appointment or a non urgent appointment. If it is the former, a receptionist phones up and books you in. If it is the latter the doctor sends a message with a link to choose an appointment. The link only offers appointments in a week’s time and the link is functional for a week so if the are only available on certain days, you will be able to choose the right day. If the triage doctor thinks you need a phone call from a doctor, they will give you a link that only allows you to book phone appointments. Presumably they can also advise you to pop into a local pharmacy or speak to one of their nurses.