GPs - like days of old

Just got use to arranging appointments with GP through E-Consult and logged on today only to get an email from GPs reception saying that I would need to ring at 8am tomorrow to arrange a telephone appointment! So back to spending ages on the phone just trying to get through this technology thing didn't last long.

[Hidden]

Our go surgery has e consult as well , you type in what is wrong and the go will get back to you in two business days . Yeah that’s not gona work for anyone .

[RufusScamp]

The e-consult system we have is a right pain. You can't just post a simple request. For some matters, a phone consultation is better for me than getting to the surgery though. Swings and roundabouts.

[Hidden in reply to RufusScamp]

Frustrating when you enter all the info on E-Consult and are told your GP will be in touch before 6:30pm tomorrow and then emailed to inform you to ring first thing in the morning to obtain a telephone appointment. More like a Merry Go Round then swings and roundabouts

😀

[RufusScamp in reply to Hidden]

I've had that too, but overall, they have been very good under the circumstances! It's quite a palaver getting to my surgery.

[Qualipop in reply to Hidden]

Sometimes it pays to be like my husband- a complete dinosaur. He doesn't have a smart phone; just an ancient flip phone; he doesn't use a computer; he doesn't even know how to send or read a text. The GPs have no choice to but let him phone them for appointments or prescriptions.

[Hidden]

The same thing exactly happened to me today. Spent quite a bit of time doing it Online and explaining why I wanted to see the Doctor only to get a Text about half hour later to tell me to ring between 8 and 10am in the morning as they are short staffed. The chances of getting through are like Winning the Lottery. God, give me strength!!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Yes and when they ring you the first thing they ask is ' what seems to be the problem?' so not sure why we need to enter so much detail in to E-Consult!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

You are spot on. Also, you've got to tell them what's the matter with you as though they ARE the Doctors. That really bugs me, I can tell you!! Why have we got to explain to them??? Sorry for moaning, I think the Heat is getting to me ha ha!!

[Isobel1]

My GP hasn't listening to my chest , taken my BP or checked for swollen ankles since I came out of hospital 9 weeks ago .

Just told to ring up at 8 am🙄

[Cat04]

I filled in econsult last week only for it to tell me to ring 111. I only wanted to up date the gp with details of my symptoms. I gave up and rang the receptionist who said the doctor would ring me on Tuesday (yesterday) which he did, went through it all and then asked me to go in and see him in the afternoon so he could listen to my heart.Afternoon appt resulted in change of medicines dosage but he asked me to fill in e consult in a month's to update him with my symptoms. I said that it tells me to ring 111 and he replied - oh if that happens just ring the receptionist!!

[Ninjanoo]

I phoned my GP surgery at the end of June to get an appointment to speak to GP that I've been under the care of at the end of June - earliest I can speak to her is 10th August!!!! And that's a telephone appt!Only 3 more weeks to wait!

[JennyRx]

I’m a community pharmacist and one of our local GP practices has closed to everything except emergencies as they can’t get locums. With a combination of self isolating, school holidays and release from lockdown the level of staffing is unsafe. I’m not sure what will happen in the future. I did 111 during lockdown and half our callers couldn’t get through to GP. We now get referrals from GPs to triage patients and can refer them back as needed. Which helps a bit but means that prescriptions don’t get done as I’m in the consultation room with a patient. It just pushes the problem down the line

Meanwhile I’ve been waiting for an MRI stress since end of Feb and my 3 month follow up from my CTO PCI from last July is being done on the phone at the end of Aug only 10 months late. Hmmmm

[Alison_L]

During this year's lockdown, our surgery gave an email address on their call holding message. They've now taken that down and the address is invalid!

[Bluemoon47]

Oh I am so glad I'm not the only one. Spent ages finding econsult on my GP website, filled in all the necessary details and my query only to be told to ring 111 or my GP and when I did ring the GP the message told me I was in a queue and to try econsult. Back to square 1. You have to laugh don't you. Good luck.