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How easy is it for you to get a doctors appointment?

77 replies

Anxiousmums · 13/02/2025 11:39

mum of two here and i really have been struggling to get an appointment i call and im in a que of 23 and by the time i get to 1 the appointments for that day have been taken up and i have to try again tomorrow if i go to Ane its a 12 hour wait, i was wondering how other mums were finding there GP service , i am relieved that now you can get NHS GP appointments on the weekend but these are limited

OP posts:
dizzydizzydizzy · 13/02/2025 17:17

I'm always number 1 in the queue. I have worked out at what point in the script where you can press the number for the appointment booking option - it is on a particular word and it is 24 seconds into the call. I dial 30 secs before the phone line opens.

HelpMeGetThrough · 13/02/2025 17:24

'm always number 1 in the queue. I have worked out at what point in the script where you can press the number for the appointment booking option

Same here, with mine you don't need to listen to the endless message. Call bang on 8am and hit 1. Job done. Most I've been is number 3 since doing that.

They changed phone systems recently and on the old one you couldn't do it.

MajorCarolDanvers · 13/02/2025 17:26

I never have a problem and can always get an appt but I know I’m lucky.

TheFairyCaravan · 13/02/2025 17:29

I phoned yesterday morning and got a telephone appointment for yesterday afternoon. The doctor decided he needed to see me face to face so I had to go in this morning. I was grateful for the appointment, obviously, but if they were doing face to face appointments like before Covid, I’d have only used one appointment not two.

3rdtimeidiot · 13/02/2025 17:32

Almost impossible! I kept my daughter off school yesterday in hopes of getting her a doctors appointment, called the second the phone lines went live, called 134 times (not kidding) before I was finally connected I was then 45th in the queue, an hour later someone answered and I explained her symptoms (a uti in a non verbal autistic 4 year old) I was told I would receive details of my appointment by text shortly, an hour later I got a text saying I'd be getting a telephone appointment in the morning (nice and vague). 🙄 finally got the call, at 1:30 so not morning at all, only to be told that they'd need to see her in person for a urine sample (duh!) and unfortunately they were closed for training that afternoon and to take her to the urgent care centre which we sat in for 3 hours. I did that and she did indeed have a uti. Its ridiculous! They moan that a&e and urgent cares are clogged but offer people no actual gp appointments

May09Bump · 13/02/2025 17:33

Quite easy, especially for children. We request online (need to do it asap after opening) and then a GP calls to triage, if needed they will then book you in same day. We are in Surrey. I don't think you have much chance of an appointment if you book online in the afternoon as all the appointments are allocated fully in the morning from my experience. The website then refers you to calling 111.

Papyrophile · 13/02/2025 22:03

The range and strength of medication available after talking face to face with a pharmacist needs to be reconsidered. In France and Spain, pharmacists take on a lot more of the low level diagnostic work and can sell stronger anti-histamines (for example) or painkillers, after asking the patient's weight rather than age. My DH is 6'5" and 105kg so the correct dose of anything for hime would be different to mine at 5'5" / 60kg.

Papyrophile · 13/02/2025 22:07

Also, I know the UK has an aversion to rectal drug delivery, but infant paracetamol supos are splendid when you have a small child asleep who needs another dose. Change nappy, pop in the suppositary. They cost pennies in France and Spain, but Boots wanted £24 for 8 -- 20 years ago.

MotherOfCatBoy · 14/02/2025 06:48

Very frustrating. My surgery has the call at 8:30 system. The other day I called at about 8:55, was number 25 in the queue and got through after 30 mins of waiting. Appointment in a fortnight (back pain, so not urgent but it would be nice if it were quicker).

thenewaveragebear1983 · 14/02/2025 06:58

Either I call at 8.30 on the dot and then will probably get a call back or maybe face to face, or fill in an online form for a routine appointment. I did this this week as I want my HRT reviewed, my appointment is 6th March. So 3 weeks wait.

The dr has different numbers of appointments for different categories each day- all 'daily' appointment slots might be used up but routine/bookable ones are a few weeks away to be booked.

If like in your op, your alternative is 'go to a&e' then the dr would either see me urgently or I would get refered to a&e. Recently I had a facial paralysis, I was referred to a&e and was seen immediately, as it was an actual emergency. Surely part of the problem is that people are using a&e like a doctors surgery?!

MaltipooMama · 14/02/2025 07:44

I always feel so lucky in this regard because my GP is so good for this, I just fill in an online appointment request form and they respond to you within one working day and book an appointment based on the level of severity. I've needed a couple of appointments for my little boy recently and they've been able to book them on the same day. I also booked a general check up for myself and they've offered me an appointment for a couple of weeks time which made sense. My last GP was awful, always waiting weeks on end for an appointment!

salsmum · 14/02/2025 14:20

I need a blood test ( underactive thyroid) and I'm just so tired all the time but have to wait two weeks! 😐

Shushquite · 14/02/2025 14:28

As long as the illness I have effects my blood sugar, I either get same day or the following day appointment. I have only gone to hospital for routine diabetes appointments and pregnancy + birth.

Other appointment I try to avoid seeing a doctor as the nurses and gp pharmacist have better availability.

It is harder getting dc appointments.

Shushquite · 14/02/2025 14:28

They have an online appointment booking

TheRealTina · 14/02/2025 14:33

Surrey, no problem here
Have heard we have the best services in the country

PiastriThePastry · 14/02/2025 14:34

I really can’t complain about mine to be honest! For me, I tend to do e-consults and they come back offering an appointment same day if they deem it necessary or within a week or so if it’s routine. Phone calls tend to be sooner, but face to face appointments are readily available too. For my son, the last few times I’ve had to contact the doctor about his health, they’ve seen him same day, normally within a couple of hours.

MotherOfCatBoy · 14/02/2025 18:31

It’s dispiriting observing the variation in these responses. I wish all surgeries had to use the same tech and methods. Some of the examples here are great and work well for everyone, why can’t they all catch up to best practice? How hard can it be?

Okayornot · 15/02/2025 21:42

Not at all. I have to ring at 8:30 on the dot and hope they have appointments left by the time I get through.
Very often they don't, so then I have to ring again.
I work FT and often in the office so I have to do all this- including giving details of why we need an appointment- on the train with zero privacy.

Last time one of my children needed an appointment I tried for 2 weeks without success and in the end went private.
The time before that I got an appointment by calling 111. Unfortunately it was with a paramedic rather than a GP so they were only able to confirm my DD wasn't dying, which I already knew or we would have been at A&E.

I wish my surgery would get that e-consult thing set up as it sounds like it would fix some of the issues.

LavenderBlue19 · 15/02/2025 21:49

Actually pretty good. Our GP switched to an online triage form a couple of years ago and it works well - if you submit your request when the surgery opens you'll usually hear back by lunchtime with either an appointment or notification that you'll receive a phonecall that day. If you submit later in the day they do occasionally ask you to try again tomorrow. I've always been able to get an appointment for my child same day though.

Previously it was the 'call at 8am and sit on hold for an hour until all the appointments are gone ' shitshow, so this is much better.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 15/02/2025 21:50

Mine are fantastic.

Phone anytime. Usually offered phone appt within 2 days. Gp will see you on the same day if they need to .

A face to face within a week. Will squeeze in any emergencies. They are always in the local paper as one if the top 10 easiest surgeries to get appointments.

They are all lovely too, including receptionists. I ❤️ them

Elliejane · 15/02/2025 22:12

If can get one same day but they ask what it is and receptionist decides . If not urgent then about 2 weeks longer if you want a certain gp then up to a month

Fuckthecamelyourodeinon · 15/02/2025 22:30

Econsult system opens at 6am. Sometimes they close it by 10am if they have had too many emails. Despite asking for an email reply they always ring but if they don't manage to get through to you on the day they close the call and you start over the next day.

The good news is that you can ask for blood tests etc and the results go on the NHS app so you don't have to go through the econsult again. For some things (eg HRT) it's better to pay for a private clinic consult.

UltraHorse · 15/02/2025 22:41

It's so difficult I don't even try anymore It's
the phone at 8 system where you join a huge queue I really wish it was like it used to be and you could make an appointment for in a weeks time if you need an appointment but it doesn't need to be the same day

mycatsanutter · 15/02/2025 22:42

I'm a GP receptionist it's so hard some days , well most days tbh especially Monday mornings! On Friday we had 17 on the day appointments available in the afternoon yet we have 19,000 patients 😩

hattie43 · 15/02/2025 22:48

It isn't easy at all which is why I now go private . Seen at a time / date of my choosing