[Misc] Any recent GP surgery experiences

Dick Swiveller · Sep 21, 2021

Interested to know if my current experience is the norm or unique to my practice. Went to make an appointment last Thursday and had to phone as they won't let you in without an appointment. I wanted to see a nurse or pharmacist about my blood pressure and a possible issue with my existing medication. This morning, I am waiting for a telephone triage call from a nurse who will then decide if I am worthy to go and talk to someone. Just tried phoning to find out how they will contact me as I don't want to sit by the home phone all day - 3 minutes of recorded message later, I am queue position 13.

This isn't a discussion about pressures on the NHS. Just interested if this is a problem across the board on just my practice. Had a few issues over the last few years and never seen a doctor - you get a nurse or a paramedic - so probably is just them. But I did get a face to face appointment with a nurse back in April when everything was more locked down.

Springal · Sep 21, 2021

Yes pretty much. My father is going through some health checks, and given 'potentially' it could be very seriously, it is still taking 2 months to get the relevant checks, visits etc arranged.

I do think GP Surgerys are using COVID as a very convenient excuse to not see people

METALMICKY · Sep 21, 2021

Springal said:
I do think GP Surgerys are using COVID as a very convenient excuse to not see people

This with bells on if Eastbourne is representative of other areas. They seem to have hijacked the covid crisis as a means to avoid actually seeing people in the flesh.

"My tale of difficulty getting medical advice in Eastbourne | Eastbourne Herald" https://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/...ting-medical-advice-in-eastbourne-3385754?amp

Dick Swiveller · Sep 21, 2021

Springal said:
Yes pretty much. My father is going through some health checks, and given 'potentially' it could be very seriously, it is still taking 2 months to get the relevant checks, visits etc arranged.

I do think GP Surgerys are using COVID as a very convenient excuse to not see people

One of the multiple recorded messages says that all appointments will be dealt with by an initial telephone triage call. Whilst my concern is important to me, I get it is an ongoing condition and not urgent. But all appointments being triaged? The strange thing is, that after starting vaccinations late, they absolutely blitzed through them with an excellent, well organised system. Even more strange is that after her being my doctor for 6 years, my first jab was the first time I met her as she did the jab.

1066familyman · Sep 21, 2021

In the past week or so I have never progressed beyond position number 18 in the queue. That's when I even get to that stage. Often the message just says they are busy at the moment and to call back later. Then it hangs up.

I phoned the pharmacist instead for my particular request and got a result there after just a few attempts.

I suspect your 3 minutes and queue number 13 will be pretty easily outbid on here in no time unfortunately. Reminds me a bit of this:

Top tip. Only ever give them your mobile number to ring back on and make sure you have it with you at all times as you go about your day as normal. I've waited all day for calls back before now and not been called back until early evening.

Good luck.

Neville's Breakfast · Sep 21, 2021

Could this be one of those issues where we are most likely to hear from people who have had bad experiences ? For what its worth I have called my surgery several times recently and was no lower than 2 in the queue so was dealt with pretty quickly. I have also filled out an online form twice and both times received a call from the doctor the next day and was given plenty of time to discuss the issues and medication. I do think there has been a problem with people being discharged from hospital without all the necessary follow up checks because of Covid. Has certainly happened to me as I left hospital around 20th April last year into a GP service that was overwhelmed. In more normal times I wouldn’t have been sent home so quickly but given what was going on I was just relieved to be back with my family.

Dick Swiveller · Sep 21, 2021

1066familyman said:
In the past week or so I have never progressed beyond position number 18 in the queue. That's when I even get to that stage. Often the message just says they are busy at the moment and to call back later. Then it hangs up.

I phoned the pharmacist instead for my particular request and got a result there after just a few attempts.

I suspect your 3 minutes and queue number 13 will be pretty easily outbid on here in no time unfortunately. Reminds me a bit of this:

Top tip. Only ever give them your mobile number to ring back on and make sure you have it with you at all times as you go about your day as normal. I've waited all day for calls back before now and not been called back until early evening.

Good luck.

Thanks - giving it another go and I started at position 12 so I will persevere for a while. Although being told how important my call is every 10 seconds (I am not exaggerating) is not doing my blood pressure much good. And the 3 minute recording is basically a telling off. It starts with a very severe lady saying all calls are recorded - this is before they say who they are. It then moans about misleading news reports about booster jabs and has a rant about that. Then tells me I will be triaged and any face to face appointments will be at the clinicians discretion. Also suggests 999 or the pharmacy.

In the time it has taken to type this, I have moved to 11 so I will try and hold on and make them use my mobile so I can go and do chores at the MiL this afternoon. Whilst that is not my first choice for using an afternoon off, it will earn brownie points.

hans kraay fan club · Sep 21, 2021

Surgery performance (or likely the pressures on them, and available resources) seem to vary wildly at the moment.

My own experience is drastically different from those above.

I rang about a chest complaint, got through on the phone first try, and had a face to face doctor's appointment the same day.

Six months ago, they texted me to invite me for a health check (I'd just turned 50). Booked in the following week for blood tests, and the week after that for a face to face appointment with a nurse.

I also called them a few months' back about a long-standing issue with my wrist, and was given an initial appointment two weeks later, with their in-house physiotherapist.

My wife and son are at a different surgery, and both have had same day face to face doctor's appointments in the last couple of months, after phoning in the morning.

The issues people seem to be having seem widespread, but they are certainly not universal.

Chicken Run · Sep 21, 2021

I get the impression that many essential public services including banks, dentists and vets are loving the control they apparently have over herding customers….

My vet still won’t let people into waiting room, you stand outside and wait for a vet nurse to come outside in their hazmat suits and collect your dog!!!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Cheeky Monkey · Sep 21, 2021

If you haven’t already do it online with your surgery, I gave up on the phone this morning, logged in online and instantly grabbed a phone appointment for today with my doctor, the appointments that people were queuing on the phone for.

MJsGhost · Sep 21, 2021

I recently bypassed the whole waiting in a phone queue thing by filling out an eConsult form. I think most (all?) GP surgeries use them - they can be filled out online using a PC, or using a smartphone app. https://econsult.net/nhs-patients/how-to-use-econsult

It's essentially a series of questions to answer & fields to fill out that replace the questions you'd have to go through on the phone before you get to speak to your GP or someone else anyway.

When I did mine, I got a text back saying that they have reviewed my concern and that I would get a call from a physiotherapist the next day.

Very quick & easy. If you try it, ignore the bit about logging in with an NHS account (unless you have one already) as it takes WAY longer to create an NHS account than to complete the eConsult form

Neville's Breakfast · Sep 21, 2021

MJsGhost said:
I recently bypassed the whole waiting in a phone queue thing by filling out an eConsult form. I think most (all?) GP surgeries use them - they can be filled out online using a PC, or using a smartphone app. https://econsult.net/nhs-patients/how-to-use-econsult

It's essentially a series of questions to answer & fields to fill out that replace the questions you'd have to go through on the phone before you get to speak to your GP or someone else anyway.

When I did mine, I got a text back saying that they have reviewed my concern and that I would get a call from a physiotherapist the next day.

Very quick & easy. If you try it, ignore the bit about logging in with an NHS account (unless you have one already) as it takes WAY longer to create an NHS account than to complete the eConsult form

Yep, econsult was what I meant when I mentioned filling out a form online. Makes life a lot easier as does ordering repeat prescriptions on the NHS phone app.

beorhthelm · Sep 21, 2021

i dont use the GP because they wont accept they provide an on demand service. forward appointments are restricted and hidden behind a secret ritual to pass the GP receptionist. otherwise its phone on the day to see if they have a slot, which they dont because they're all booked.

so minor health ailments are lived with, i dont have the patients or time to faff around with them. if i have a serious issue i've gone to drop in services, where they do understand the premise we get ill without planning.

the GP is an archaic relic of pre-national health system that needs to be binned off.

Dick Swiveller · Sep 21, 2021

Finally got through and managed to get them to put a note to call my mobile. Although I did get a telling off as it is a triage call and they won't give me a time.

Dick Swiveller · Sep 21, 2021

MJsGhost said:
I recently bypassed the whole waiting in a phone queue thing by filling out an eConsult form. I think most (all?) GP surgeries use them - they can be filled out online using a PC, or using a smartphone app. https://econsult.net/nhs-patients/how-to-use-econsult

It's essentially a series of questions to answer & fields to fill out that replace the questions you'd have to go through on the phone before you get to speak to your GP or someone else anyway.

When I did mine, I got a text back saying that they have reviewed my concern and that I would get a call from a physiotherapist the next day.

Very quick & easy. If you try it, ignore the bit about logging in with an NHS account (unless you have one already) as it takes WAY longer to create an NHS account than to complete the eConsult form

Think when I signed up for the NHS app for the Covid pass wotsit, it mentioned online booking and then told me it wasn't available at my surgery. Probably could find another way around it but not massively urgent for me - thought I would address it whilst I was off. More concerned about how people with more pressing conditions were getting on elsewhere. Always been a disparity as my boss could phone at 10am and get a same day appointment with a doctor whereas I had to queue outside before opening to get an appointment to see a paramedic or nurse. Obviously a lot more strain now but it does sound like the disparity is getting wider.

sydney · Sep 21, 2021

Springal said:
Yes pretty much. My father is going through some health checks, and given 'potentially' it could be very seriously, it is still taking 2 months to get the relevant checks, visits etc arranged.

I do think GP Surgerys are using COVID as a very convenient excuse to not see people

my brother in worthing contacted his gp last autumn to get the regular flu jab , before his covid jab which he had to get at the chemist, he was told that as he had not had an appointment for over 4 years he had been "deregistered" at that particular surgery ....well , if you guys are itk then you will know how easy it is for a 66 year old with copd to find a new doctor , they just don't want to know. pricks.

1066familyman · Sep 21, 2021

hans kraay fan club said:
Surgery performance (or likely the pressures on them, and available resources) seem to vary wildly at the moment.

My own experience is drastically different from those above.

I rang about a chest complaint, got through on the phone first try, and had a face to face doctor's appointment the same day.

Six months ago, they texted me to invite me for a health check (I'd just turned 50). Booked in the following week for blood tests, and the week after that for a face to face appointment with a nurse.

I also called them a few months' back about a long-standing issue with my wrist, and was given an initial appointment two weeks later, with their in-house physiotherapist.

My wife and son are at a different surgery, and both have had same day face to face doctor's appointments in the last couple of months, after phoning in the morning.

The issues people seem to be having seem widespread, but they are certainly not universal.

Tend to agree. Have to say, my experiences have been very mixed this past year or so. Had a pretty crap year of it and probably more doctor and hospital appointments in one year than in my entire life I think. Very bad timing too, right in the middle of a pandemic.

Lots of frustration on waiting times for appointments and getting through on the phone, but also some really quick results too. Often not been ideal, but certainly hasn't been all bad either.

I know others that have had lots of trouble getting to see their doctor though.

Neville's Breakfast · Sep 21, 2021

Dick Swiveller said:
Think when I signed up for the NHS app for the Covid pass wotsit, it mentioned online booking and then told me it wasn't available at my surgery. Probably could find another way around it but not massively urgent for me - thought I would address it whilst I was off. More concerned about how people with more pressing conditions were getting on elsewhere. Always been a disparity as my boss could phone at 10am and get a same day appointment with a doctor whereas I had to queue outside before opening to get an appointment to see a paramedic or nurse. Obviously a lot more strain now but it does sound like the disparity is getting wider.

Check your surgery’s website. On the front page should be a link to econsult mentioned on this thread. Even if you can’t book an appointment at least you can get a call from a doctor within 24 hours and you can take it from there.

1066familyman · Sep 21, 2021

Dick Swiveller said:
Finally got through and managed to get them to put a note to call my mobile. Although I did get a telling off as it is a triage call and they won't give me a time.

Good stuff.

Just think of it as like having a parcel delivered. Only now they've got your mobile number, you won't have to wait in all day for it to arrive at the last knockings :thumbsup:

portslade seagull · Sep 21, 2021

3-4 weeks for an appointment with ours and that's remotely over the phone.

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[Misc] Any recent GP surgery experiences

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