GP Appointments

[Tillie20]

Hi just a question has any one had problems getting in touch with there GP, I have been ringing my surgery for a few days as I had a UTI my bloods were very high my rhumy nurse called me told me to get In touch with GP so I rang after all the talking before you get through was no 18 waiting on line this happened everytime I called the I got through all the talking and was then told they cannot take your call this happened 3 times I have been on antibiotics for 3 weeks and waiting for test results and bloods last Monday told to make appointmen which is on 26th and still have the same problem I just would like to know when GP's are going back to normal sorry about moan

[LoneEra]

On your GP’s website there should be an email address somewhere. Try that instead of the phone. Or write a note and go to the surgery and post it through their door. Hopefully they will then call you back with your results.

If you need to see someone you can also call NHS 111 and they can arrange for you to see an out of hours GP or a doctor based at the local hospital. Good luck! x

[Tillie20 in reply to LoneEra]

Hi I have done this already and they do reply within 48hrs, I am annoyed for the people that have not got the use of the internet also cannot afford to hang on a phone for 1/2 hr and then get cut off.

[LoneEra in reply to Tillie20]

Then perhaps a polite complaint to your Practice Manager would be a good idea. And your local MP and even local newspaper if you feel you want to.

I know it’s frustrating and it isn’t the service you expect. But we’re living in unprecedented times unfortunately.

[allanah]

Thats so frustrating, mine are the opposite, I rang and spoke to a gp within an hour and antibiotics sorted. Sorry yours is different

[hatshepsut]

I think if you read previous posts on this topic, there is a universal puzzlement as to what a lot of these GPS are actually doing. One theory was that in fact there was no one actually inside the surgeries........and there were no actual sightings of them in many weeks.!! However, I know this does not solve your problem. My pla n of campaign has been to start ringing 5 mins before the time given out for the telephone requests. Hopefully by the time you are through the inane babbling at the start, it can bring you to the start of received calls, and you can proceed.

If that fails, just constantly redial leaving no time in between until connected.

If that fails and you don't have you Dr's email address to be able to send emails every 5 minutes, there is nothing else but the personal appearance, early enough to bypassthe telephone queue and jump in ahead.

If all fails find a new gp

[Clokii]

I’ve been trying since the 11th March to get an appointment to review symptoms/ pain relief and still have had no such luck! If you call 111 after 18:30 you can see an out of hours GP which I had to do for my tonsillitis last week... they were really good and gave me antibiotics at the appointment from their little drug trolley! I hope you manage to get in touch with someone soon!

[Tillie20 in reply to Clokii]

Than you for reply

[Clokii in reply to Tillie20]

I’ve finally got an appointment for the 7th April.... better late than never I guess! I hope your appointment went well today x

[Madmusiclover]

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again. Consider changing doctors. The reviews by QCC and patients are out there. We changed doctors 2 years ago. The new doctors could not be more different from the old.

[Tillie20 in reply to Madmusiclover]

Thank you for the reply

[Madmusiclover in reply to Tillie20]

Good luck either way.

[Lizard28]

It must be so frustrating, I called mine last week I was in queue number two and that took a long time to get through, then I had to explain what was wrong with me to the receptionist, that is the bit I did not like. I’m in agony just now and have no idea how the doctor will be able to examine me through the phone. I was told a doctor would call me Thursday morning, one more day to go. Hubby had to call for a repeat prescription yesterday, only to find out the surgery closed on a Tuesday half day. I need medication as well, I hope they let him order mine as it takes a while to get through. I used to do it online but their system doesn’t work, it’s hopeless. I’m way overdue to see my Rheumy as well, where are the doctors when you really need one. I have resisted throughout the whole pandemic calling for a doctor. I have a small GP practice and before I’d get an appointment that same day or next day. Changed days, will we ever be the same again 🤷‍♀️

[Tillie20 in reply to Lizard28]

Thank you for the reply

[Gladders]

Exactly the same with my GP if and when I do manage to get through the next 'challenge' is to actually book a telephone appointment as the receptionist from hell appears to have taken on the role of triage nurse before she'll even book you in that's if all the appointments haven't already been allocated and you have to go through the whole process again the next day. The doctor is actually very good it's just the problem getting through hope you have some luck today.

[Tillie20 in reply to Gladders]

ThNk you for the reply

[Tillie20 in reply to Gladders]

Thank you for the reply

[CagneysMum]

My own GP surgery is almost impossible to reach by phone at the moment. As you’ve said, you hang on for ages listening to a whole brain dump on what to do if you think you have Covid .... then either get cut off or end up waiting another 15-20 minutes to reach a frazzled receptionist. They do have an email contact though and I have used this successfully once. Your practice should have one, get attention in the subject heading by marking it Urgent? I know GPs are incredibly busy at the moment but it’s important you are seen soon.

[Tillie20 in reply to CagneysMum]

Hi yes you can send an email to my surgery but it does take 48 hrs for them to reply, as I have said before I just feel for the older people that have not got access to a computer and cannot really afford to hang on the phone I am in a very expensive area in London but there are still people with low income,All I say is they should update there telephone system in some way I know how hard it is for the receptionists as I was one a few years ago

[CagneysMum in reply to Tillie20]

I understand your frustration but these aren’t ‘normal’ times. Hopefully more normality will return as/when the pandemic subsides. Meanwhile hang on and just do what you can.

[nomoreheels]

It can be frustrating I know. I don't have a pearls of wisdom I'm afraid, you don't need me to say that these are odd times. Practices are still needing to heed helping patients distantly where possible which can only result in such backlogs. I always say if complaining doesn’t help try asking others locally, see if anyone is content with another GP Practice in your catchment area & enquire if they are taking on new patients. Not so easy just now so not as useful I'm afraid.

One little trick you could try when phoning to avoid the info babble is to press a number, any one will do. That should skip it & take you through to your waiting number.

[Tillie20 in reply to nomoreheels]

I just feel sorry for the patients that do not have access to the Internet and cannot afford to wait on the telephone.

[Angels54]

I have tried for over 20 mins this morning, I also have a UTI , I was told no appointments left , however , if I ring 111 they will book me through GP how do you work that out? . I am not a one for bothering GP but when I do need appointment can’t get one , not happy as I have lo back pain and feel unwell.

[Tillie20 in reply to Angels54]

I hope you have got sorted and are feeling better

[Angels54 in reply to Angels54]

Today I rang for appointment again , phone was blocked, after 15 mins I was 18 th I list finally got through to be told no appointments again. I asked if the appointment start at 8am and I’m on the phone, how do I get through? I was told they take the 1st 30 patients. Give up 🤦‍♀️

[Tillie20 in reply to Angels54]

i feel for you it seems it is all over the country God for it anyone is having a heart attack take care

[Mmrr]

It makes me both sad and infuriated to hear of poor care, my care from both the rheumatology team and my GP have been excellent throughout the pandemic. The rheumatology team have been more responsive than in more normal times.

As others have said if you are not able to get a response from your GP, then a complaint to the practice manager or call 111 might move things along.

[Tillie20 in reply to Mmrr]

I must point out I do not get poor care from my GP I was just moaning about the amount of time you have to spend waiting on the telephone and then being told your call cannot be taken.

[cropredy]

Hi LoneEra,You are not alone I have the same problem(with the GP that is) Its like fort Knox and its very frustrating. Out of hours doctors are ok but you normally have to go to an hospital to see them.

Good luck and stay safe.

[Hidden]

It seems to me that these days we have to use other means of looking after ourselves because we can't get the care we need. Like others say, it can be embarrassing to have to explain in detail what is wrong before they will even give you an appointment. Last year, I had a very embarrassing problem but the receptionist insisted that I told her what it was before I could get an appointment with a doctor.

I am completely deaf in one ear and was told some years ago that if and when I have any problems with my other ear that I need to get it seen to straight away at my GPs surgery or at a hospital ENT dept. I have been having a feeling of fullness in my ear for over a month now and have been given antibiotic tablets (different types) and also some ear spays but neither have made any difference.

I am supposed to be seen at the ENT dept every four to six months and I realised that I hadn't had an appointment for over nine months, so I rang the dept up. First of all I got messages saying that the number was no longer in use. Then I rang the hospital's number and asked for the ENT dept instead of ringing the number I had been given. I spoke to a man who told me that the ENT dept is closed because of Covid and won't be open for some months again. I explained what what happening with me and what I had been told to do in this case. He just said, that it was unfortunate but there was nothing that could be done for me and when they did open again, there would be a huge backlog of people waiting for appointments. He didn't suggest anything I should do.

I was upset and had a think about it and then rang another hospital a bit further away from us to ask if their ENT dept was open and they said yet it was. I explained my position and they agreed that I should be seen sooner rather than later. I now have an appointment for next month. I think it is disgusting that we are left to sort things out for ourselves like that.

Like others, I really feel for people who don't have access to the internet, older people and people with dementia. For example I have an older friend who just doesn't cope with computers. Her surgery told her that her doctor would do an appointment over the computer with her. When she said she didn't have one, they told her she would have to get one and fast because that is how the doctor wanted to give appointments now.

I hope you get sorted soon Tilly and just to say that I have in the past written with a complaint to my doctors and I thought that they now have to reply within 48 hours and that was what I was told by them.

[Tillie20 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply so glad you are sorted take care

[vwtopaz]

I would contact Rheumatology explain the difficulties, ask them to contact your GP on your behalf, my team work jointly, sad this is not the case for you, wishing you well.

[Tillie20 in reply to vwtopaz]

Thank you for youe reply

[oldtimer]

Quite the opposite with the GP surgery here. Short wait (1st or 2nd in queue).

Spoke to receptionist (sorry, called patient assistants now!). Sorted out, blood test, or extra medication, or telephone appointment, or face to face as needed.

Perhaps change your surgery?

[Tillie20 in reply to oldtimer]

Thank you for your reply

[LinaM]

Yes yes yes ... it’s an absolute disgrace! How they think it’s acceptable for sick people to hold on for up to an hour to get a reply just to request a call from gp which if you miss you have to call again ( cause they don’t) I really don’t know.

I believe this can’t continue . I send emails constantly complaining and showing a screen shot of my phone after holding on without a reply . That used to get a response but they’ve started sending auto replies saying email only in use for prescription requests.

The last time I actually drove down there as it rang out and it was still engaged as I walked into the surgery . The phone wasn’t ringing there so I can only guess the person supposed to answer was “ working” from home.

Certainly in Scotland there needs to be a shake up of this system. If someone needs a GP on a regular basis , I would say this is likely to damage their mental health. It’s incredibly stressful .

[Tillie20 in reply to LinaM]

Thank you for your reply take care