I’m about to explode!!! 3 days I’ve been trying to get through to my Gp.
My pregablin is not on repeat and only given 4 weeks at a time. Was told last week need an appointment but have nothing available until end of August but if I ring at 8 am or 1pm an emergency appointment will be given . Rang yesterday on hold 1 and half hours by the time they answered no appointments left. I rang this morning 8 am call answered 10.20 no appointments left rang bang on 1pm this afternoon I’m still in thequeue …, this is just not working. I’m on holiday at the moment but if I was working what then ??? Beyond frustrated 🤯🤯🤯
Does your GP insist you speak to them before they will issue a new prescription? I had a new painkiller recently which worked wonders and I rang my GP and asked reception staff if they could ask my doctor to issue a repeat because I didn't want to take up an appointment. They rang me back within the hour to say it was now on my repeats. Not sure if your GP's is as good as mine but it's just a suggestion.
I do need to speak to a Gp for a new prescription. I just spent another 1 1/2 hours on the phone no appt and told I won’t get one as I need a routine appointment now September… went round and round in circles . Asked to speak to the practice manager to be told not in and won’t be next week. Asked for the senior GPs email address refused but given practice managers . Will send email but I’m going to the surgery Monday morning and ask to see him even if I have to and knock on his door. I’m so so angry.
I'd be furious too. I suggest you go in and make one hell of a fuss. With any luck they may allow you to speak to or see a GP there and then just to keep the peace! Worth a try??
The problem is Bootoo that some of the drugs we take are controlled drugs and cannot be on a repeat prescription, it's the same with Methotrexate, or so I've been told in the past.
I don't have Methotrexate on my repeats list...it's issued six weekly by the hospital pharmacy or four weekly by my GP. In my case, I get a lot of side affects and my drugs have to be changed accordingly, so I assume that is why. What I find difficult is that I have a little box on my repeat form online, but anything I write in it isn't read! When having my bloods done I asked the receptionist who assured me it was looked at, so I asked to ensure that the med I had asked for by way of the little 'box' had been actioned...bless her, she looked on the screen and came back with ..Oh I don't think they could have read it on this occasion!
I'm lucky in the fact that I don't have to order most of mine as my order is sent electronically to the he chemist and they just bring it every four weeks. But my metho has gone out of sync now and I'm having to phone and query it every time.
I take various controlled drugs, my daughter had the same drug as J1707 and hers was on repeat, that's why I asked maybe she could ring reception. It was only a suggestion 🤷♀️
I spent two days being pushed from pillar to post by my GPS and a health care primary, trying to order compression stockings! I was exhausted and in tears on the phone. Its not as if they don't have them on my records! They made somehing so simple, so difficult and made me feel as if I was in the wrong! Just for ordering.
I really feel for you. Beggars belief doesn't it. It's got ridiculous now.I was hoping that with restrictions being lifted things might have started to get back to some sort of normality. The nurses at my practice did f2f all the way through, and my dentist/ hygienist have been seeing patients for routine work since July last year.
Ring 111 and explain and they can perhaps issue script too. And/or make an appointment with the GP too or at least here they can or refer you to your emergency doctor service, here its MEDOC. You're lucky we have Econsult and it's awful. I think it's a national policy and the GP surgery won't let you in so a waste of time going in person. But send email and perhaps copy into the local CQC ?
No surgery isn’t linked to a pharmacy. I’ve even emailed the secretaries for help . Got a standard text reply . Can’t issue prescription make appointment with the Gp. It’s like a circus act … or that old sketch.. the computer says No! Except it’s not funny. X
Ps. I wouldn’t mind but my Barcitnib arrived today 3 months worth and I have 2 months any way . Over £800 a box no one seems to find that a problem.🤷♀️
So so frustrating. Keep at em. Not fair to do this to you. I’ve just had to suffer Fentanyl patch withdrawal for 3 days as the pharmqcy lost/never ordered/weren’t interested in letting me have them. Eventually someone decent did a re-order for me. 😑🤨🤬 Took five attempts. Hope you get your meds very soon. x
Thank you I just know in a few weeks time we’ll be back to this scenario again. I’m sure my patches were given to someone else. I was even told it was the weather (too hot!) why the patches were delayed. 😳 I’d definitely not let this go what’s happened to you. I hope you’ve managed to get the med. As Medway said I would phone 111 and see what they can do. I’m fuming for you especially as I’ve just had a fob off although not as long a wait for you but the withdrawal was awful and I’ve felt yuk all week. X
The situation you are in is unacceptable, I have just spoken to one of the GP’s at my practice about my pain and been given a face to face appointment for Monday. I was ready to beg for one so was surprised when it was offered. I can understand your exasperation and hope someone listens to you.
Do you have EConsult with your practice or you can use nhs app. I always fill one out in the evening and get a call first thing the following morning. Then your not hanging on the phone, and you can put all concerns in writing and no one to interrupt
I tried the new nhs app but it’s not working and practice said they are inundated with emails with the app related problems and not to expect a reply for weeks. The practice has an old separate app for prescriptions . I tried that and left message in a comment box reply was can’t issue make an appointment with Gp.x
Regarding all the things you have mentioned above, my Patient Access just says 'your surgery does not participate in this'. My son can get everything onlind, blood results, hospital letters etc, where he lives in London, but down here by the coast not so! The individuals in our GP practice are super, but seem to be protected from the patients in pretty much the same way as the crown jewels!
Have you tried to see if you can do it via NHS app. My GP one asks if I’m on immunosuppressants and when I say yes it tells me to ring 111 and won’t let me continue. I don’t have that issue when filling in out via the app
Oh the bloody app !!!’ . I’m registered can log on but need to contact the surgery 😂😂😂. I have but the are inundated and I’m in a queue.I do have access to a local app which works great for repeat prescriptions and has a request box for non repeat prescriptions and comment box but they just send a text saying no issue book appointment with gp.
Maureen, how very un helpful of your GP. all these issues push up the stress levels which in turn increase our symptoms, pain etc. I'll try the NHS app again, and if I get muddled up, I'll get my son to sort it for me. I'm only 76, I know, and don't feel anywhere near that age normally, apart from my body feeling as if it belongs to a ninety year old a lot of the time, but when it comes to technology my grandchildren knock spots of me.
This might make you smile...I hope it does. Three years ago, my young grandson who was five asked me to play a computer game with him. I tried remonstrating but he assured me he would help me. Needless to say, he got so entrenched in what he was doing that the offer went out of the window, so I asked my almost three year old granddaughter if she knew what I had to do...'I will show you grandma' so she took the controller and played away. When I asked her if I could have it back I was stunned by her reply, 'No grandma, I don't think so, because after all, I am the better one!' That made me smile big time because she was absolutely right!
Kids are so funny with their responses to watching older adults using technology, she sounds way beyond her years.
I did raise the issue re not letting immunosuppressed use the Econsult and she said I could tick a box saying it was an admin issue, as they go to the same staff to process. I haven’t as I’d be worried it would be filed as a low priority if they thought it was admin. I don’t mind using the NHS app, as I get to say everything I want without interruptions.
My AS is currently in a dreadful flare since early June, so I feel 86 instead of 56. I’m on prednisolone for adrenal insufficiency and have been lowering my dose, but it clearly was helping my AS too. Unfortunately I’m not using pred for my AS and rheumy would never agree to me taking a little more, and endocrinologist pushing me to try and lower the dose. I had a massive stroke at 52 due to an adrenal crisis and was diagnosed 3 weeks later with the adrenal insufficiency. However it means I can’t use nsaids since the stroke. I have intense spasms in my left thigh, hip, bum and lower back, and can’t even seem to get in a position that’s comfy.
Hope you manage to get the app set up, and free you from sitting on the phone. Take care 🤗
Crumbs Maureen, you really have been through the mill...and still are by the sounds of it. My younger brother had Addison's Disease and Type 1 diabetes. It was difficult whenever he had an adrenal crisis because it was hard to tell which was to blame. Apparently the two together are very rare. Those pain spasms must be pretty unbearable. I really feel for you. God bless, take care and I hope they find a painkiller which will give you relief soon. x
Thanks, sorry re your brother having addisons. Even Drs don’t get it as most never see adrenal insufficiency in their career. Good or bad stress can get me on a downward spiral, in the last year I’ve had to use my emergency injection 7 times.
I only found out in March that they discovered I had an enlarged heart at the time of the stroke. I’ve felt everything was a struggle a d assumed it was due to the stroke, started meds in March for the heart and feeling quite a bit better. However I also had shortness of breath, initially blamed my asthma, then I had a CT scan which showed pulmonary fibrosis and Atelectasis. The Atelectasis is due to the rib fusion and being unable to expand chest. I’m having lung funytests on Fri then I need referring to a specialist ILD clinic. Unfortunately the PF is progressive and because it’s caused by my AS I don’t meet the.criteria for treatment, which costs £2000 a month for the tablets, but is only available to idiopathic PF. Could write a book on my saga. They’ve told me life expectancy is 2-5yr and even if Biologics control my inflammation it may still progress quickly, they have no way of knowing. So meantime I plan to make the most of each day. You take care 🤗
Maureen, I am so sorry to hear all the above, especially at your young age. It's really heart-breaking that you can't have treatment because you fit into the wrong category of great need. Once you are under Pulmonary Care, perhaps one of your consultants could see if there are any trials that you could take part it in. I suppose that even then, some folk would be given a placebo. I have never heard of the the fused ribs before but can see why it would have affected your breathing so badly and hidden the heart failure. Whenever I feel a bit down in the future, or start feeling a bit sorry for myself, I shall think of you, Maureen, and remember just how lucky I am. Take hold of life with both hands Maureen, and make the most of it whilst you can. I just pray that some new treatment will come to light in the very near future that will help you. May God Bless you sweetheart, I will hold you in my prayers. ❤️
Thank you for your kind words. My 27 yr old daughter gets married in September after it being postponed twice due to Covid, so definitely going to enjoy that. I’m more fortunate than many, a young 32yr old with an 18 month old baby died of PF, I can’t imagine what that feels like. I hope to be around to see a grandchild, so plenty pushing me on. Both my hubby and daughter are very supportive. My fit & healthy mum treats it like I have a cold, even after training her how to use my emergency injection if I’m with her and need it. Life is for living and I’m grateful for each day, need to start a bucket list 🤪❤️🤗
Around here immune suppression never comes up on Econsult a load of other rubbish does and it takes 30 minutes to fill the form in. Dreadful system all round.
I agree it’s not perfect, so many questions to answer before you can say why your getting in touch. It also asks about chest tightness which I have due to rib fusion. The NHS app I can complete, but there always seems to be repetitive questions. Hopefully if this is here to stay they will work on improving it
My husband gets indigestion try inputting that. lol Its Ring 111 or A&E. No I just want Lansprazole. Round and round etc. All it's all an emergency now. That is so silly before we had to have blood pressure checks now no checks at all. I don't mind the cutting down on F2F but now the promise 24/7 for 7 days a week is 7.30 to 1.30 every weekday. Just means more go to A&E. And the nurses are working as normal plus doing the covid clinics. They deserve medals. xx
Wow it sounds like we have the same GP! If not very similar! My GP refused to even run bloods or entertain a diagnosis so I went private, and rheum wanted me to have gabapentin, so wrote to the Gp and asked them to prescribe. Over a week it took with me constantly hassling on the phone to get medication! Just isn’t good enough. Also had to phone to ask for an appointment to discuss my ongoing health to be told no appointments. Possibly appointments in august but the receptionist couldn’t guarantee they wouldn’t all be taken by the time I called. I said ok so when should I call to get an appointment if they’re going to go quickly? Response was “oh I don’t know”.I work in healthcare and would hate for one of my patients to feel so lost in the system. But I digress, I can wholly empathise with your frustrations and really hope it’s sorted ASAP for you.
Does your Gp have a clinical pharmacist? Often a quick chat with them and they are happy to issue meds based on reviewing your clinical history etc. The one I spoke to was by far the best clinician I’ve ever seen at my practice.
No clinical pharmacist that would require forward thinking on the part of the surgery.. it use to be a brilliant surgery some GPs a bit dicey but the reception staff/ secretaries second to none and wouldn’t be afraid to knock on a GPS door to help you out . Completely new staff who just say no or ring back on repeat. 🥊🥊boxing gloves at the ready.. I may just book appointments with all senior GPs in September and have a little chat with them individually as I’ve a feeling emails will be vetted. .. a cunning plan me thinks 😉
Yes I was surprised that my GP had one to be honest! We used to have a really good few doctors who I’d go to and trust without doubt but then they left and instead replaced with doctors who would rather rush through appointments as they’re conscious of the time, and use the forever hated line “come back if symptoms persist” well I’ve been going downhill for 15 years so yeah I’d say that’s persistent! I really understand where you’re coming from. You just expend energy that you don’t have trying to fight them. Like you my emails went unanswered, my formal complaint got a lacklustre “I’m sorry you feel like that” even though I took the practice to the CQC and they said the care wasn’t good enough and they felt they had grounds to look in to it further.
I really hope you get somewhere with them. Please let us know how you get on.. my gabapentin also isn’t on a repeat yet so I’m fearful that I won’t be able to get an appointment to get it issued in good time.
Grrrrrrr. You have my sympathy. Had a similar issue this week. My right hand swelled up like a boxing glove and the pain was excruciating. Co-codamol didn't touch it. Rang the surgery to be told no appointments, no help to be had just a prescription for tramadol. In three days time! Ended up in Urgent care which was relatively quick, diagnosed with cellulitis and given a prescription for clarithromycin. I hope you get a resolution soon
Sorry to hear this. This is exactly what I was thinking would happen re being ignored and then ending up in A&E and not one really wants to do that but when it’s something like your hand swelling, you don’t know how serious. I hope your doc is made aware of what you had to do as no appointments.
What frightened me most was seeing the redness of inflammation spreading up my arm. I'm considering writing to GPs complaining of that stupid receptionist's lack of common sense or sensitivity
That's very kind of you to say. Yes, the antibiotics are working, the hand is functioning again and just a little tender. Unfortunately, antibiotics don't suit my insides so feeling slightly wobbly and nauseous but all will be well soon xxx 🙂
You're welcome. Glad to hear the hand is settling - just a shame about the antibiotic side effects.😕 They do seem to have a habit of upsetting things, don't they. Hope you haven't got to take them for too long and that all is definitely well soon! Xx😊🤞
Can you get a camp chair, a hot flask of tea and a good book and go and sit behind your doctors car towards the end of the afternoon? 😂 I think this would work! Good luck 👍🏻
This is my kind of thinking! I’d sit on the little wall (On a cushion .. don’t want piles!) outside at my practice’s car parking area near the docs’ cars and wait for them to come out. 🤨.
This happened to me and I then went to the surgery just before opening and stood there and got an appointment before the reception staff started answering the phone. I think someone needs to do something as so many people unhappy with the system and when you’re dependent on seeing the dr frequently it’s not acceptable . Drs need to concentrate on the patients rather than running a it as a business
You have two options as I see it. When my doctors drag their feet over three months not signing the joint care package. I contacted my consultant and they issued the drugs, followed by a letter to my doctor. the other option is to go to your doctors, talk to receptionist and ask why they won’t help you. You don’t need to lose your temper, I asked mine are you go to the shops you see friends even go out to restaurants but you won’t see patients please explain that to me. I had my phone on record when she was talking to me, when she finished and said I was a low priority.
I lifted my phone up I’ve been recording the conversation I’m sure the quality care commission would be interested. Odd thing total change of attitude. Don’t get angry and upset put you big girl kickers on and hold them to account.
Send an email to the practice.I always get a response to that.It is dangerous to be without for me as I collapse after missing two doses and ended up in hospital a month
I’ve done that . Practice manager not in . No one is picking up emails. Contacted secretaries/ prescription secretaries just get a standard text response no issue contact Gp. Still no entry to surgery unless you have an appointment can’t even get past the door without one. I’ve exhausted every avenue. Ask the receptionist what do I do next . Answer make an appointment which will be beginning of September. Consultant said last time I had a problem with a different issue and got no where . I’m not a Gp this not my job . He’s right. I’ve asked fir the senior Gp email address but they refused.
Sounds like my doctors. You’re not on Coventry are you. I’ve emailed no end of times. Not one has been acknowledged. I found out a GP nhs email address and emailed her. Guess what half an hour later she rang me...she wasn’t happy but I got that call!
What a state! Pregabalin is not something that you should miss doses of or go off of cold turkey. So, maybe that can be your next tactic. If they have chosen to not put you on refill repeats and the system cannot accommodate you in timely appointments even when you attempt to make appointments during _____window of time as designated, what tapering schedule would Dr. X like you to follow to avoid ____ (pick your favorite: heart arrhythmia, seizures, mood problems &/or suicidal ideation). I’m not saying these withdrawal symptoms WILL happen, only that they are listed in the literature as possibilities, and why you should always be supervised by a medical professional (I.e. the one who prescribed the drug because they are legally liable). The question remains, how are they going to be responsible: will they supervise a new plan by tapering and substitution or by actually writing a new script until you can get a new appointment?🤔🧠✌🏾
I became so frustrated for the same reason 6 months ago. Found it impossible to make contact with rheumi nurse and GP. Eventually I installed Auto Redial. Set it up to redial every 30 seconds..then just got on with my work till it was answered.
It seems to be the same in every industry…..although I would have expected better from health workers.I was on hold for 40 minutes to a utility company yesterday….only to find the next recorded message told me I was now “No 17 in the queue to speak to a Coordinator “!At only 5 minutes each…,that would be over an hour.
Whoever issues all these “What to do now” edicts should issue GP practices …...in fact all companies a “Get back to doing your job edict” NOW!
If many shop workers managed not to be struck down by Covid19 over the last 18 months….surely other industries including GP’s could now manage to
do just that?
I bet all the people who won’t see their clients/patients…..are quite happy to go to the pub.
I had a similar situation last year when I couldn't get my methotrexate without my blood tests which had been pushed back a month because of covid. It put them out of sinc but my surgery wouldn't listen. They said the gp could only prescribe them a month at a time after blood tests. I rang my wonderful rheumatology department who asked me to call round and they gave me a prescription for 3 months of tablets. I wonder if you could do the same. Good luck.
I am in the same boat as you exactly. I have been in telephone queues , long long queues yesterday . Nothing. In the middle of the week I was actually told someone would call me and they didn’t. At the beginning of the month I was given an appointment . Actually got an appointment!! Then the phone call promised from GP never came. I waited two days for the call . When I rang up to complain I was told they literally have hundreds and hundreds of calls to make. It’s awful so , know exactly how your feeling. 😞
Morning it's terrible that we can't get medication that's prescribed for us I get them at the pharmacy to do pill pouches for me that way they take over doing my medication they just ring me to ask what external I need & I get them delivered it's much better I had a few teething problems at first but nothing too bad why don't you try that it will save all the hassle for you good luck love xx
Right there with you J1707 I am having so many problems with my surgery too, I've got to the stage where I'm going to put an official complaint in. Even a gp at the hospital I'd finally got into said, Just because we are in the middle of a pandemic does not mean that you should expect shoddy health care. ". It is wholly unacceptable.
I know it won’t solve this immediate problem but we were at a surgery that had been brilliant and became truly awful. We moved practice. Never looked back. Chalk and cheese.
I’m so tempted but I’m between a rock and a hard place. I moved out the area 18 years ago but they kept me on due to family history of cancer. I wanted to stay as they are linked to the best hospitals so all test results or test requirements etc are passed on immediately . If I’m move GPS it would be to another health authority and the hospitals are appalling and from what my friends and neighbours say their gps are as bad … I’m turning into a right old moaning mini. 🙄
I told my GPS practice I was moving and would be transferring to another surgery …..within minutes of leaving the letter in reception …couldn’t email because I couldn’t find an email address for the practice manager ….I got an email from “ no reply at your healthcare provider.co.uk“Saying ….”Your online services account has been locked. To access your account again, please visit the practice to confirm your identity”.
So they can get back to you quickly enough if you’re going to get out of their hair…… but woe betide you if you need any answers or to see a doctor.
Very sad how this Pandemic has affected GP’s. My surgery was never great….but the behaviour of most GPs does seem bizarre for so called caring professionals.
If you are in a lot of pain and need a prescription, ring 111 they will get you an appt with a gp or nurse who is able to prescribe them for you.Good luck
I would call 111, I had a similar experience. An out of hours GP issued the prescription and also arranged for my own GP to see me within the week. Good luck
Yes this happened to me more than once no matter how many times requested, begged or frustrated infront of my surgery,s receptionists but eventually I came to know better to call and leave your message for nurse helpline and wait for next three days to reply to arrange the prescription which I normally have to get from the hospital personally.
Was told the same when I asked if I could have two months’ supply of Durogesic (Fentanyl) patches last weekend as they messed up again at the pharmacy with my script and either lost the Fentanyl/never ordered it or couldn’t be assed to do so. Third time now. I was left to withdraw for 3 days whilst they made excuses and ignored me, resulting in a lot of pain and two sleepless nights. So, I understand the protocol around these high spec meds but not to leave someone in the lurch like this or like J1707 who can’t even get anyone to speak to properly for another month. 🤨🤨🤨
🤬😤😡 I know exactly how you feel . I’m changing my GP after they “ lost” letters I delivered by hand over a month ago from rheumatologist re me starting a new drug , ( no apology) ,ignored my email 2 weeks later asking them about it, then practice manager called me all proud of herself when she’d managed to pass me back to the hospital because “ we no longer do starts on new dmards” ( then took great pride explaining to me what DMARDS stood for! 😂🤦♀️) Honestly think these GPS are in the business of patient avoidance ( just like insurance companies that don’t pay out)Also, I once drove to the surgery whilst hanging on the phone … there were no ringing phones in the reception even though I was still on the line🤬
Oh that would have caused volcanic eruptions from me … I think we need to bombard our MPs or all organisations who represent groups like ours t could formally petition.
I just think they should get rid of GPs , I’d much rather deal with the hospital myself . In Scotland we don’t have access to online GP apps but they can’t be any worse than my GP and im sure they’ll be a lot cheaper for the NHS
Frustrated would be a mild word if I were in this situation. I would don a mask and go to the surgery in person and insist to be seen. Done it before and it worked. I hope you get your medication soon.
In that case I’m going to ask my GP for two months of patches and say hoe come other people can get two months’ Fentanyl patches? I’ve been on them for long enough. I’ve been messed around three times now in a year. The pharmacy saying they can’t give more than one month is a fob off. I keep with this pharmacy as it’s attached to the GPs and the script goes direct to the pharmacy and also as it’s near to me. They have a window hatch to open so no admittance needed for safety and night scripts as they open to 1030pm which is also a plus to go around 8pm when it’s quiet.
Try ringing your pharmacist and ask him to put a request through on your behalf. He will be aware of what you normally have and when. I for some reason he won't then I would ring the receptionist about 11.30am or so, when they are less busy, and ask her very nicely if she could send a message through to the GP because you need the medication urgently. Explain that you have been trying to get a triage appointment without success. I have done this before and met with kindness.
Thanks for your reply . My pharmacist won’t as it’s a relatively new prescription and I have rang at quieter times explained everything but we go round in circles with them saying there is nothing they can do make an appointment. I’ve burst into tears and asked where I go from here .. reply make an appointment.. I’m not a crying person it was shear frustration.. makes me laugh when they say keep stress to a minimum with this disease wonder 🤔if I can this on prescription 😂
Write a letter to your gp or send an email to the practice manager. Then contact local primary care trust, gmc, and health ombudsman to complain! This works!
I sent an email to practice manager but not in apparently. They won’t give me email address for gp. Can only contact them via secretaries ….. going to contact primary care but that will take time . Going to have to be a nuisance at the surgery door .. probably be evicted 😂
That's really bad. You know, I am finding this site so valuable...it's like popping in for a morning cuppa with friends for a chat about what's on our minds. Invaluable! It's a great way to get a bit of the stress out of our systems too! ❣️
Do they not do an econsult system ? I use it to get udated scripts or to speak to the GP/nurse. At my surgery they respond to my requests within 24 hours.
Otherwise sounds as if you've an impossible situation.
It's Monday and as I eased out of bed at 8.00 a.m. I wondered if you were already at the surgery door, ready to do battle! How did it go? I very much hope you got the prescription which you needed without spilling any blood!
You wouldn’t Adam and believe it.. flippin flat tyre this morning ..🤯battle cry at the ready for tomorrow . So much stress for a bloody prescription.. blood is well and truly up. A scene from faulty towers this morning on the drive ..,
Your GP works the exact same way as mine. It's nigh on impossible to get an appointment because by the time you get through they've all gone. I've taken to emailing the practice manager and complaining each time this happens and asking her for what I need and saying I have no alternative but to do this. I've got what I wanted the last 2 times by doing this but don't suppose I will get away with it forever. It's infuriating.
Hi J1707 you can go onto Nhs inform online complaints, your complaining about a primary care facility, this is what service GP’s come under, this neglect needs highlighted.
As Mmrr said it is a shambles. My gp under their care due to negligence allowed my health to get so bad by not listening when I would tell them I was ill which ended up with me in hospital nearly dying (on the day when I got to the gp as they refused to come out, the gp actually apologised to me for this then he called an ambulance where I was immediately put into a coma to stabilise me...I was told 2 weeks later when I came around they didn't expect me to live)...fortunately, it wasn't my time. When I first got home the gp couldn't do enough for me....for three months then back to the old them. This was just months before covid...since then they hold onto scripts from outside Drs & when I ring discover that in a lot of cases they have been sitting there for weeks. They constantly refuse meds with the excuse of my heart & how complicated it is. The last straw was my meds for my daily migraines being taken away without explanation & other neurological issues ignored & put down to my heart when it has been confirmed my heart is good (had endocarditis) so finally took the plunge & changed GPs this last week....hoping my internal tremors, numbness in my hands for the last month amongst other symptoms are finally looked at. My gp when googling is 1.7 out of 5 & are the worst in my town....the new one reviews are 2.7 obviously still not great but have to be a lot better than the way I have been treated. I know it is a big thing to change GPs but if you can I would seriously look at where they score in your area & how others have reviewed them you may be surprised....btw I have been with them for approximately 8 years so think I have given them a long enough chance to treat me as a human being & not on a conveyer belt....good luck...oh by the way I was able to change to new gp online which took a total of 5 days....much quicker than getting an appt with my old gp!
I use e-consult and say it’s an admin issue. If not you go round and round in circles and scream a lot. Good luck!! I did that the other wk as I couldn’t get through for a much needed blood appt.; received a phone call the same day.
Yeah I had the same problem with fentanyl the doc insisted it was reviewed every month which caused delays plenty of times. In the end I made an appointment took my husband with me and came to an agreement that it was wasting their precious time and mine and it was about time we came to a sensible agreement. Talking it though with the GP face to face made all the difference I asked him to check my records whilst I was there and make sure I wasn’t ordering too many and abusing them. He totally agreed it was time to put them on repeat and was necessary to have them. If you can’t get an appointment put it in writing they usually respond to a written request sooner than a verbal one.
Yes, definitely a strange going on with J1707’s scripts/practice. The repeat script can be done online but it had a glitch and didn’t register a few times so ended up phoning the scripts admin who is a great lady actually. She had it organised in two hours as soon as the doc showed up. So now I prefer to stop the note in the letterbox as I got an acknowledgment even though it hadn’t gone through to them online! Yes the standard practice at my GPS is fill in a slip to repeat scripts and put through the letterbox or drop a note through it. Normally I get my meds 48 hours later but the patches are definitely a problem. I am expecting to have some old stock ones pushed onto me again soon to which I am allergic (soya bean oil in the adhesive) even though there is a note on my screen to say Durogesic only.
That’s awful re the Preg abuse but understand the abuse happens even if it’s awful. People do these things sadly. It happens re Fentanyl too but I think they don’t keep any extra anymore in the locked safe. It is now ordered in for each person. I get they do that but when they had had the script several days and hadn’t seen fit to order the patches .....
Your surgery sounds just like the one we left last month. They just didn’t seem to want to answer the phone - even when I got desperate and pressed option 1 - press 1 for emergency and urgent help! At that point my hisband really was needing help. I moved his car, got in mine, drove to the surgery and rang the intercom on the door three tim
😡😡🤬&@#$%&*😡😡🤬 (please insert swear words of your choice - the more the better)😅😅
Sorry you've been going through this appalling hassle J. It really is disgusting and happening to so many it seems. I can't offer any other better words of advice than you have already been given, but just thought I'd send you a whole load of free swears to use as you wish. Enjoy. Xxx😉
If you have made all reasonable efforts to raise your complaint/problem with your practice (it certainly sound like you have!) you can escalate the problem to NHS England. Usually puts a rocket up them. I hope you get your meds sorted soon.
This is absolutely ridiculous, and that’s the very polite version of what I am thinking.🤬. Time to get masked up and go into the surgery and refuse to leave until they sort out your prescription for you. Honestly it is ridiculous that you are being denied a medication that you need.
I have been so very lucky with my GP surgery mostly. I have had a couple of incidents where I have had some major issues and had to get my rheumatologist involved. Mostly over getting my B12 injections reinstated.
I am very grateful to my GP in recent months with my kidney infections. They have sorted out a lot of the mess that the hospital made when I was an inpatient with them.
Never had an issues with new meds which I have recently started too.
It really is disgraceful what is happening to you. I was speaking to one of my patients the other week who had a chest infection and her GP surgery wouldn’t see her until she had had a covid test. Honestly it is awful what is happening to the health care systems and the impact it is having. xx
Our surgery the same terrible and now chemist as bad ques an hour long and then they don't get your prescription right or tell you its not ready when you've had a message to say it is I could cry most days trying to get throught to surgery for appointment they never have or a doctor that wants to change medication sat up by pain clinic
Yesterday my GP left me waiting 40 minutes before she called me in, there were no other patients and she didn’t apologise. She was going to send a prescription to the pharmacist (I recently changed pharmacists) as I left. I went straight to the pharmacy (5 minutes away) to collect some other medications, but didn’t mention the ones the GP was in the process of requesting, because I’ve always been told that I should allow 3 working days before collecting them. 10 minutes after I got home the pharmacist arrived with the latest medications, he thought he had made a mistake by not including them with those I’d just collected. So within 25 minutes of me leaving the surgery, the GP had sent the prescription to the pharmacist, the pharmacist had made it up and delivered it to me. To say that I was amazed would be an understatement. If only we all had that level of service every time.
I’m sorry you’re experiencing such terrible service, would you consider changing your GP and/or pharmacist and getting your medications delivered? 🙂
I know it doesn't help you me saying this, but this is wanted... its called making the NHS look so bad people except privatization. it wasn't working anyway..... its a very old trick but an effective one.To think that they had people applauding them while all the time it was planned to destroy what's left of the NHS.
if you can't get an appointment with your doctor, try phoning the NHS help line.
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Change biological drugs
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Phone consult- mTX & sulphasalazine
