GP availability in England

[cathie]

I'm interested in what's happening to GP services in England, following a conversation yesterday, which I wrote about here. How long do you have to wait to see a GP, can you see the one you want in a group practice? Just wondering

[medway-lady]

Our GP's rank by the CQC as in top 10 in the UK. And if you want to see a chosen doctor then you might have to wait a couple of weeks, but you can see any doctor as a same day appointment. They are all really nice have a good complaints procedure (I used it over 1 receptionist) and invariably do talk to you not at you. They do have a ringing appointment system as well if you just want to ask a question but don't need to see anyone.

Recently a doctor left to work in Africa and it has caused the delay in appointments which was a bit better. They have a patients group and it is friendly and most of the doctors also are also very kind. The senior partner has been there with his wife for over 30 years so I suspect he knows most of the patients literally as it used to be from cradle to grave. I think if your ill you'll see any doctor and honestly it can be pot luck as in an emergency you might see them anyway. Best of all as I've had Pulmonary Embolisms is the GP link to the local A&E when you see the GP and then bypass A&E and go straight to the ward for tests.

In conclusion our practice is very good indeed it even has addressed the issue of records access and although I don't use it an internet booking system.

[cathie in reply to medway-lady]

I'm glad to hear this, it sounds excellent

[nomoreheels]

Ours operates a same day appointments system with any GP, bookable in advance if a specific GP is requested. There are several early morning appointments held back for those who have to get children to school & we're also able to book appointments online. The only downside is you can be held in a queue from 8.30am when the phone appointment booking lines open. We can request a same day telephone consultation with any GP or Practice Nurse.

Our Practice received a good overall CQC rating & good for all areas except "People whose circumstances may make them vulnerable" for which they received an outstanding rating. It serves 5480 patients if that's at all helpful?!

[cathie]

Good examples so far, thanks. We have something similar with the on the day appointment.

[Barrister]

If I need to see a doctor I can usually see one on the same day/next day but if I want to see a particular one then it can be a week. I live in a village where the surgery only opens in the morning but can always go to the main surgery in the next village if necessary. Clemmie

[cathie]

Thanks, Clemmie. So far its quite a good picture.

[Jora]

My surgery is a very small practice in West London. Two GPs. 2 nurses and various visiting therapists, and probably far too many patients. Every morning from 8.am, one can ring for a same day urgent appointment. That would be with either doctor. If I specifically want to see one doctor ( which I usually do) , one can wait for over a week. Interestingly, it's much easier to get an appointment with the other doctor! If all the appointments are booked, then one can opt for a ring back by the GP of one's choice. This has never failed to happen.

My GP is also very good at ringing on her own initiative . When I was in the middle of a very bad flare, she phoned every day! There was nothing she could except ring rheumatology, which she did. The hospital then rang me and gave me an emergency appointment.

It is so gratifying when there is good communication between members of one''s care team . J

[cathie]

Thanks, I'm glad to see so many positive experiences!

[helixhelix]

Mine is an immense practice in North London, with around 20 GPs as well as practice nurses and so on. Heaven knows how many patients they have! Generally they're fine, and you can get appointments pretty quickly by 'phoning or book ahead online. I've never actually seen my named GP, as since I only transferred to the practice a year or so ago I'm happy to see any of them so I can slowly work out if I do have any preferences. But I've yet to make any real demands on them as GPs, so only time will tell. My last surgery were fantastic, and I was sorry to have to leave when I moved house.

My only gripe is with the receptionist and practice manager who are both very rude and seem to think they're qualified to make medical statements which I object to hugely, so have already had to complain about them twice.

[benjijen]

We can book some appointments on line (if registered). To see a specific doctor you can wait up to 2 weeks. You ring at 8.30 to book same day emergency appointments and can usually get one. You can also ring and ask for a call back from a doctor but can't specify a call back time.

[Sunflower62]

It depends on which GP you want to see my GP is extremely popular so if I which to see him the wait is three weeks. Others the waiting time is much less. You can always call up on the day and day an emergency appointment. They are a small practice and now have nearly 10,000 trouble is they keep building more houses but don't increase the Dr surgery.. Also we have a service to leave a message on the RA helpline at the hospital they get back to you the same day with advise.

[Fra22-57]

My niece needed an appointment for her poorly little boy.She got on phone at 8am and waited then told all appointments gone.So next day she went to practice and waited til they opened and was told all appointments gone for morning and to go home and ri ng for an afternoon one. She finally got one but what a system

[Jewels94]

My GP practice uses the doctor direct service. This means you have to phone up on the day you wish to see a doctor and wait for the doctor to call you back. The doctor then decides if they need to see you. This system is not very convenient if you work and want to make a routine appointment, and if you want to see a specific doctor you have to be sure that that doctor is in on the day you phone. In theory you can also book an appointment online, but these are very few and far between.

[frranny]

We can book on line or through the receptionist. If I want to see a specific doctor there can be a wait of up to three weeks, but I can be seen for an emergency If I phone in at 8.30 or again at 12.30, in which case I see who ever is on duty. Our practice covers 2 areas amd I think most of the doctors in the practice visit both places - I have also had telephonic consultancy (?) with my own doctor. The recptionists are very helpful and I'm pretty sure appointments are kept free for specifics as I once had to have a lot of appointments over a short period, and with a word from the D/N I ahad no probs

[flow4]

GP practices has been self-managing - run like small businesses - for a few years now, so it varies a lot, depending on what kind of business the partners want to run.

I can see a specific GP if I choose (and I do), but I may have to wait a week or so; usually it's more like 3-4 days. If it's urgent, I will be given an appointment within a day or two, but I may not get my choice of GP. If it's VERY urgent - like when my eye inflamed a couple of weeks ago - I was seen within 5 minutes of turning up at the surgery!

All appointments can be booked online or by phone, but it's usually best to phone if you want to be seen quickly. Urgent same-day appointments are allocated early - from 8am.

They operate a call-back telephone consultation service too; usually you'll get a call-back around lunchtime if you call in the morning.

[TerrilouiseS]

Mine are same day and are very good indeed.

I recently was in Dublin for work and had back pain, new to me, I was able to have an email consultation, how wonderful!

As a side note my rheumy will also let me email him if I have an issue, which I did on this occasion so was able to relay info from both Drs and get a resolution fairly quickly. All in all avert good service. If only the surgery was Miller I wouldn't have to 'shuffle' shofar to see a dr. One of those airport style conveyer belts may be needed, suggestion box is calling I think

[Matilda7]

We can book online. It generally takes about 2 weeks to see my normal GP, but I can talk to her within a few hours if she's working that day, and when I needed urgent advice I have had a same day appointment with her. So a pretty good service.

[cathie]

Thanks everyone again. Its hard to know from this distance how things are, and I'm grateful for your experiences. There's a bit of a row around here because of a shortage of GPs, my (posh bit of Edinburgh) GP is wonderful, there are mainly women GPs all of whom are great and some very competent nurses. You can book ahead for a GP of your choice, but I tend to use the 8am phone in for an on the day appointment. I find out when my main doctor is in, and then phone on that day.

Over the summer I've become increasingly immobile and have had three visits from GPs at home, the last to do my asthma check and give me a flu jab. I cant fault them. I do know that in other areas of the city they do have more of a problem because of GP shortage. But I've been told by junior hospital doctors that they prefer to be working here because of easier hours and less pressure.

It is useful to know isnt it.

[nomoreheels in reply to cathie]

Sounds like you're fortunate too Cathie, though area does seem to play a part. Maybe there aren't as many committed GP's there once we're, those who chose the more deprived areas to do their good work?

My GP also does evening A&E shifts at our local hospital which she says she'd find difficult to give up as she finds it exhilarating. I suppose she means the urgency of it all as opposed to the day to day norm of GP'ing. She likes the team she works alongside too, says they're fun!