How can I access a GP for bronchitis symptoms in the UK?

[AndSomeForFancyDress]

DH and I (British passport) have recently moved to the UK. Every year or two, I come down with a bout of Bronchitis which requires a dose of antibiotics to deal with the infection. In Canada, I'd go to my doctor, be given a Rx, and Bob's your uncle. I came down with a heavy cold 2 weeks ago and by last week was coughing up green (sorry, tmi). So I dutifully trotted off to my GP's surgery and asked about making an appointment. I was told to go on the surgery's website and do it that way.
Well, apparantly if you're not actually dead, it's not possible to be seen by a doctor (and yes, I did try the pharmacy first just in case that was the route to go). Obviously, I won't be going to a&e so is there such a thing as a drop in clinic? How should I have handled this?

Did you fill out the online form? Unfortunately that’s what we all have to do now - gone are the days of ringing on the morning and speaking to a receptionist.

If you did complete the form, did you put down your symptoms in detail? How long you’ve had the cough, wheezing, temperature? Because you really should get seen if you feel like it’s an infection.

If all else fails I would give 111 a call who should be able to point you in the right direction.

All GP surgeries should be using an online triage system now. Some exclusively (total triage) and some in addition to being able to phone up & book (hybrid triage). What happened when you completed the triage?

If your issue is being offered an Advanced Nurse Practitioner instead of a GP that’s totally standard and, in my experience, the ANPs are very good for acute issues.

You need to use the website

You will get murdered on here for saying anything other than being already dead is entitlement to see a doctor. But for anyone else in the world, is hilarious that people sacrifice their health to support the dead horse the NHS is. I have friends whose daughter is studying at Bristol. She travels home to Sudan to get medical and dental treatment 😀

To be fair, Sudan may well be the closest affordable dentist to Bristol.

At my surgery I would phone up, say I had an infection (give details of fever etc). and thought I needed antibiotics urgently, and a triage nurse would ring me back the same day. The nurse could then prescribe antibiotics if they thought it was necessary, or arrange an in-person consultation that day or the next day.

I would visit your local pharmacy and see if you can access anti biotics via the common ailments scheme. I had a prescription this week for a UTI and DH a few weeks ago for tonsillitis. So much quicker and easier then battling the GP surgery plus get the prescription at the same time

You have to complete the online form and make sure you specify what you need. If you have previous form for chest infections, put it is a suspected chest infection requiring antibiotics.

Alternatively call 111 out of hours.

How strange that you found this. Your area must have a very poor service.

I had a lower respiratory infection so I did a 111 online questionnaire, it then said a doctor would phone me. They did so a few mins later and issued a script for antibiotics. They text you the script code for the 'spine' (the virtual place where prescriptions go) which any pharmacy can pull and fill for you. So try that?

You can also get a script from some pharmacies directly if they're part of the pharmacy first scheme.

Pharmacies don't listen for chest infections, pharmacies can do nothing but the simplest things.

Well you complete the form as suggested and give all available information. Then a decision is made as to who is the correct person to respond to the query. The last time I was ill I sent the form in when they opened at 08.00 and they offered me an in person appointment at 09.30. On other occasions I have had telephone conversations for UTIs and they send the prescription to my nominated chemist. In fact I’ve been away from home and they’ve sent me a QR code to take to a chemist for my prescription ( I haven’t had to find a local GP to see me ). There are also out of hours GP appointments for matters that don’t need A&E. I’ve been to one on the middle of the night for a horrible tooth pain combined with kidney infection. That was quite a night I can tell you.

Thank you for all your helpful responses! You guys are great 😍
I tried to navigate the online system but was a bit put off by "if your infection hasn't cleared in 3 weeks, contact us again". Anyway, I think I'm probably on the mend now but will keep 111 in mind for next time.
Thanks again.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2278319/

Up to 95% of bronchitis is viral. We should all be limiting the use of antibiotics as much as possible.

Call 111 for an assessment of symptoms.

Pharmacy 1st doesn't cover respiratory other than hay fever/rhinitis.

As @AIiswatchingyou has just pointed out, chances are it was viral if you’re improving without antibiotics.

antibiotic resistance is a big problem so you won’t get them on request.

Then you didn't need antibiotics. The answer will be the same next time, unless you show some sign of bacterial infection there is nothing to do but stay home and take paracetamol until it goes away.

Green sputum suggests bacterial though tbf.

If they don't have a telephone system then you complete the online form. It will then be triaged and if they think it's urgent you'll be seen.
You are unlikely to be given antibiotics for a cold though unless you have a diagnosed lung condition or suppressed immune system

It's really dangerous to put an arbitrary time limit on seeing a doctor for chest infections - some situations need antibiotics quickly, some it would never be helpful to take antibiotics.

That's why people need to see doctors, to have the chest listened to and other checks made.

That's not true. You get green sputum with viral infections. It's just the white cells fighting infection that have an enzyme in them that makes the sputum green.