Trying to contact a GP

[SuziElley]

Well I’ve just tried to contact my surgery this morning. The online contact told me no more spaces available until tomorrow to even lodge my symptoms for someone to read. This was at 8:30am. I tried phoning the surgery, no luck there. A recorded message saying no more phone calls being taken! So I’ve been unable to contact my GP surgery at all today! What are we coming to? I don’t want to go to A&E as that would mean a wait of many hours sitting among all the other germs! If they would only let me keep an emergency supply of steroids I could manage my asthma myself!!

[Poobah]

Have you tried the 111 service? I believe they can assess your case and if they think you need an urgent GP appointment they will override any system your GP surgery has to prevent you accessing an appointment. I would explain what treatment you usually have to tackle this asthma flare up but you're being blocked by the GP surgery system. Good luck.

[Buffafly]

Hi Suzi, phone 111 with details of symptoms, peak flow and treatment already used. If they think you should attend A&E they will make an appointment for you so you’re taken straight in by a nurse. Or they will pass your call to a doctor. (Note to anyone else reading, this advice is for Musgrove Park hospital only!)

Sorry to hear this, ‘life gets teejus, don’t it?’

[Buffafly in reply to Buffafly]

PS If you don’t get the reference a search online should help!

[SuziElley in reply to Buffafly]

Many thanks. Hope you’re alright now, I know you’ve been struggling. I’m just so disappointed because I’ve never had an issue with my GP practice before.

Must get together again after Christmas. Take care xx

[Slidingdoors99]

I’m so sorry to hear that Suzi. 😔

[SuziElley in reply to Slidingdoors99]

😢

[Patk1]

It's a disgraceful situation.mine just cuts u off if the queue is full- no msg.id ring 111

[SilverWillow]

Oh Suzi - had a similar experience in February. At least my surgery answered at 8.30am. The unhelpful (I would use stronger words but I had better not!) receptionist told me that there were no appointments that day and no appointments with the asthma nurse for a week! I have Cough Variant Asthma.

Like you I didn’t want to go to A&E as the nurses were on strike back then, it is 25 miles from me and I didn’t want to sit I for hours surrounded by germs.

The next day I got an appointment with a nurse (not an asthma specialist). My peak flow was 200 and I had a chest infection and reaction to tree pollens. I was put on steroids and a machine to help my breathing.

I did get to speak to a doctor about a month later. I told him about the problems with his receptionist. He asked me why I didn’t ask to see the Duty Doctor. Until then I didn’t know there was such a thing.

I was completely polite to the receptionist but I told the doctor that in my opinion she was making medical decisions that she was not qualified to make. It was not the first time I had had difficulties with this lady and I had heard her being equally unhelpful to other patients when I was sitting in the waiting room one day.

I told the doctor that I didn’t want to make a formal complaint but I would like him to investigate.

I wish I had known that 111 might help but having given up on one call when they didn’t answer after 45 minutes a while ago, I couldn’t face that again.

I am not sure if the receptionist is still at my practice but if she is, she doesn’t seem to be on the phones. I now have a comment on my medical records about a complaint about “lack of care”.

Like you, Suzi, I have had no problems with my surgery before. In fact, one doctor used to see me twenty minutes after I rang when I had Double Pneumonia in 2016. These “gatekeeper” receptionists are causing immense distress to patients in genuine need of treatment.

Suzi, I hope you are feeling much better now and have had an appointment.

[SuziElley in reply to SilverWillow]

🤗😢