Doctor appointments

[questionsconfusion]

Anyone else finding it frustrating seeing a doctor for your child? My child was mis diagnosed on the phone. Then I managed to get them seen face to face finally. What is happening that a child can't be seen when unwell? Seems crazy?

Our GP has recently moved to a form rather than phoning in the morning.

Before you had to be dialing by 8.35 to get an appointment with phone lines open at 8.30 which was marginally better than our old surgery where you had to be dialing before 8.31

We have only had to use the form twice once for my partner and he got an appointment with a physio in the afternoon having filed out the form mid morning.

I used it a second time this week for my daughter with a query UTI. I filled in the form at 9.30 and at 10 I was given a GP appointment mid afternoon with the GP who triaged the appointment and I collected a sample pot at half 10 so it was ready for the appointment.

It's still early days but so far the form system is much better than desperately trying to get through to secretaries and persuading them to give you an appointment

I’ve never had an issues getting an emergency appointment but it’s a 4 week wait for a routine appointment.

Yes , haven’t tried for my child but I think I have a uti and they have sent me through the pharmacy and given me antibiotic without even doing a urine test , which seems shocking to me - it’s become a joke .

My child is still quite young (18 months) but I haven’t had any problem getting a same day appointment. My GP has an online form where I have described the symptoms and it works really well. For the last 3 times she’s been ill one was a chest infection needing antibiotics and the other two just yucky viruses but I couldn’t tell the difference without her being seen in person and her chest listened to.

I assume it's pressure to treat in certain timescales. I imagine it works sometimes and other times it doesn't. I remember having to complete if my child's glands were swollen etc etc. I know it sounds silly but it's the assumption that we know where glands are. I do and can answer questions on forms they text me. I still think seeing the patient face to face is needed especially when it's children in most cases.

With regards to UTI's I'm surprised they didn't get a sample as they normally dip it to check and then send off to see what the best treatment is. Often giving a common treatment and then changing if it's not the best antibiotic. I hope you feel better soon.

My GP we need to submit an econsult form. The past two times I've done this I have had a call from the surgery within minutes arranging a face to face appointment. Unfortunately on both instances it wasn't an appointment at my actual surgery, rather at another surgery a few towns over which was quite inconvenient as I don't drive but I was happy my children were seen by a doctor that day

A lot of them seem to have a hub of several surgeries now don't they. I did find it interesting the last time I was in hospital how I overheard others say they were in A & E because they couldn't see a doctor for days. I guess the service is so overrun now. Thankfully I normally get seen because of being high risk. My children I have found are a mix of treatment on the phone and face to face. The phone triage can easily miss or miss diagnose I feel.