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Scotsnet

Welcome to Scotsnet - discuss all aspects of life in Scotland, including relocating, schools and local areas.

Original poster

How long to get a GP appointment in your part of Scotland?

96 replies

Stroopwaffels · 12/09/2023 09:32

Just phoned the GP, need an appointment to discuss my HRT which is not working any more, I am not sleeping, anxious and just feel awful. No it's not a life and death emergency, but the first routine appointment I could get was 27 September. 15 days.

Large suburban Glasgow practice. (And before anyone asks - no, there is no e-consult, no online, no video calling. You phone in the morning and sit in the queue). This isn't sustainable, is it?

OP posts:
Ineedaholiday23 · 12/09/2023 17:30

Children / more urgent same day.

Not so urgent , a few days later.

Are you NL? We noticed a huge difference when we moved - our old doctor Vs new is like chalk and cheese.

ToxicPositivity · 12/09/2023 17:34

It really depends. Sometimes it's same day, others in two weeks or like I've just found out today, 6 blimming weeks! An appointment for blood tests etc is 2+ weeks so potentially 8+ weeks wait.

Mrsjayy · 12/09/2023 17:37

Depends I guess. You phone and are triaged someone phones you back to be given appointment can be same day or 2 weeks for non emergency. Im in forth valley .I think 15 days for a non emergency appointment is usual although not great.

Volpina · 12/09/2023 17:38

North East Scotland where we are living at the moment. It's possible to get telephone triage where just prescription is handed out. Actual appointments with a GP about three weeks or more? I spend some time in our London place and use a temporary GP there, in fact I go there for anything serious. The NHS waiting list to be seen here for one particular clinic was 147 weeks. We love it here in many ways but the NHS is not working and you have to be quite pushy to get any attention at all.

Mrsjayy · 12/09/2023 17:39

Ours do phone appointments as well as face to face.

Amortentia · 12/09/2023 17:41

Im in Glasgow and have no problem getting either a same day phone call back or face to face if urgent. Less urgent takes a couple of days. I can self-refer for other services too such as physio through my gp surgery and there’s not usually much of a wait. Pretty good service and have had the same gp for about 20 years.

OllyBJolly · 12/09/2023 17:49

I've been lucky enough not to have to visit the doctor until recently. Pre covid my surgery had a drop in surgery twice a week where you would be seen same day if you waited.

Having read all the reports of waiting times, I was shocked to be offered a next day appointment for my GP. She took some bloods and I was called back to see her within a week. She wanted more procedures done and I haven't waited longer than three weeks for any of them. I'm quite sure I could call the surgery now and see my GP within the next two days.

I had to have blood tests last week, but the GP hadn't specified which ones. The nurse was so apologetic I had to wait 15 minutes!

Results have been fed back very quickly. Honestly, my GP surgery is amazing.

Gingerkittykat · 12/09/2023 20:06

It used to be 2 days for a standard appointment at my village surgery but it is now 5 weeks and it's going to be worse when the GP who currently works part time retires properly.

They are really good at urgent appointments, you phone and they send you a triage form to fill in and get a callback.

RaraRachael · 12/09/2023 20:15

North East and our local one is about 3 weeks for a face to face appointment. I've usually filled in an econsult form and have had an email or phone call the same day suggesting an appointment or giving me a prescription. This has worked really well for me.
My sister is in the same council area 8 miles away and their surgery doesn't let you see a doctor unless it's extremely urgent or you've seen a nurse and the issue hasn't been resolved. Makes we wonder what her surgery's doctors are doing all day.

GrouchyKiwi · 12/09/2023 20:33

East Lothian. Allegedly if you phone there are appointments on the day, or you can book up to two weeks in advance.

In reality you cannot get through when you call. If, by some miracle, they answer you they tell you all appointments are gone, try again tomorrow, and the advance book will be open next week.

No phone consults, no e-booking, no emails at all, don't even think about showing up in person.

Spottyhousecoat · 12/09/2023 20:40

You have to phone between 9-11 & 2-4pm to get a telephone consultation the doctor will decide if you need an appointment.
It can take 3-4 days to get through on the phone.
Last time I got through after 55 call attempts and 1 hour 35 wait. Got appointment for the next day.

CoffeeBeansGalore · 12/09/2023 20:49

Rural Aberdeenshire. No e consult/online. Ring up & gp will call you back. If need face to face will be seen later same day or next day. Can book appt if need regular injection, blood test etc.

My GP has been brilliant. Unfortunately we have recently moved & now have to change GP. Not sure what we'll get now.

Also under hospital consultant for rare condition. Regular appointments & if I have a problem inbetween just have to ring or email & he calls me back. If needed arranges a f2f appointment within days.

I've had brilliant treatment by the NHS but think I have been very lucky.

NosnowontheScottishhills · 12/09/2023 21:05

Very rural south west Scotland urgent appointment within hours more routine within 48 hours. I know I’m very lucky.

freetheunicorn1 · 12/09/2023 21:05

I was over a month in Aberdeen.

In that time I managed to get a virtual GP appointment, referral and the all clear privately through my work.

Seeingadistance · 12/09/2023 21:14

I'm in Ayrshire and can't book an appointment in advance. Was the same at the last practice I was registered with, also Ayrshire. When I asked the first one why they wouldn't let me make an appointment in advance for a non-urgent issue they said it was because I might "forget" I had an appointment. I did explain that I had a diary and knew how to use it, but to no avail.

Phone at 8.30am with everyone else, keep dialling till you get through and if you're lucky you win an appointment. If not, try again tomorrow - same time, same place. Unless, of course, you're dead or better by then.

mybrainisbusybeingawesome · 12/09/2023 21:20

East Lothian. phoned Monday morning to request an appointment (not urgent). GP phoned by 12.30 to discuss symptoms and booked routine app plus blood test for this Thursday. In the past I have needed same day emergency app (asthmatic) and have been called back and see within the hour. Very lucky to have such a fantastic surgery. I work in RIE and the GP trainees who come through my dept always say they would love to work there once qualified

RagesOnForAges · 12/09/2023 21:31

Call back from GP same day if you call at 8 in the morning. If they want to see you it's normally the same day.
I much prefer not having to go in if I don't have to (medication reviews, uti's etc)

Nowanextraone · 12/09/2023 21:40

Have you seen the recent excess deaths? Really shocking but as the media aren't shouting about them, no one cares.

SoulCaptain · 12/09/2023 21:44

It's emergency only appts at our GP. I've not been able to get an appointment since covid. I use private GP service now

Lecc · 12/09/2023 21:49

I am in Lanark which has only one available doctors' surgery. I believe it has been voted the worst practice in Scotland and could, I imagine, be the worst in Britain.
You have to phone from 8am and are usually cut off. If you are 'lucky' enough to get through, you will be spoken to like dirt by the receptionist and told to go to the pharmacy or A and E. Whenever you walk past the surgery, the place is completely deserted. I have zero faith in them to help you at all - if you were at death's door.

Throwawayme · 12/09/2023 21:51

Bishopbriggs near Glasgow. Can get one same day if needed otherwise he does it over the phone if he can

EddieVeddersfoxymop · 12/09/2023 21:52

Rural aberdeenshire. No econsult here, just run the phone gauntlet. Can usually get a call back that day, but trying to get something routine booked is a joke. I was asked to come back in 2 weeks for an issue. No appointments are booked that fat away, said the receptionist. Phone back in a week. Which I did, and they were now fully booked. But wouldn't let me book an appointment in the future. Needless to say, I've not been seen.

DinnaeFashYersel · 12/09/2023 21:54

Urgent appointments I have no trouble getting same day.

I haven't tried for anything routine recently so don't know about that.

I'm in Fife.

museumum · 12/09/2023 21:57

Edinburgh. Called yesterday to make a non urgent re hrt and got a phone appt next Tuesday.
urgent appts on the day need to be booked at 8am. Pretty sure everyone gets a phone appt first unless there’s a good reason for in-person.

medianewbie · 18/09/2023 01:14

2 weeks+ for either a f2f or a phone appt. A recent referral then took another 7 weeks ('a week to type up, then GP went on hols & it wasn't actioned' then no available clinic at the local hospital (plus I was scanned in a mobile unit in the car park as inside scanner 'still broken'). GP had referred me us 'urgent, suspected cancer'. Fortunately it wasn't. A more recent appt/ referral has been a similar cock-up. Not reassuring.