GP appointments.

[Daisyfield]

Just a post about GP services. I see a number of posts here about access to GPs. Our surgery changed a year or so ago to a different system. I can only comment on my experience, but it has been positive.

You can't book an appointment in advance. But you ring the surgery that morning and a doctor will ring back usually within the hour and have a chat and assess if you need to be seen and you can be seen that day. This has held out to be true with me. The other day I rang to say I had a headache and worried about GCA and the GP said to come straight down for bloods and check. Then the other day I had a chat about my symptoms but feel I didn't need to be seen.

For me this has worked each time.

The downside, if you ring later in the day, you can't be seen unless you are very worried, and will have to ring again in the morning for an appointment.

It seems to work for the doctors too.

[piglette]

Our doctors have set up a new system where you fill in a questionnaire there are four main headings. I have tried it once and it sort of worked. I suppose it is a good idea as you can tell them the problem from your own home and they need not talk to you but just read the answers. Mind you none of our doctors work full time now. I discovered one is working at a Botox clinic and another works with the 111 call centre. Also they do locum work at the local hospital and get eye watering pay for weekends.

[Daisyfield in reply to piglette]

I think we have an online system.

There are a lot of people who would struggle w questionnaires and forms I think.

[piglette in reply to Daisyfield]

Totally agree. Perhaps if they get us filling in forms we won’t clog up the waiting room and they can do their Botox clinics and sidelines instead.

[Hidden]

I haven't done the morning dash that used to happen at my surgery for ages and think it may have been replaced by a call back system and an appointment booking service online. That's OK at the moment as only a few of us book online so far. It's a good job as I have had to see them a lot the past 12 to 18mths.

[Blearyeyed]

Daisyfield , could you contact my GP Surgery and let them know this sensible approach to filling half a daily batch of appointments , it would make Life easier for All.

We can get an Emergency appointment in a day or two if we are lucky.

We have to book for bloods and tests which can take upto a week to be taken after seeing the GP. No tests after 10 am because they aren't willing to pay twice a day for the Blood Van.

Phone appointments take upto 72 hours , so upto 3 days waiting by the phone.

Normal appointments three weeks unless you go and wait for a cancellation.

No functioning online service for looking at test results or repeating prescriptions , it's go in or forget .

'S ' does not stand for Service in my GPs version of the NHS.

[Daisyfield in reply to Blearyeyed]

Sorry to hear that. I think that was the problem with ours. As I say, with the new system I can only say my experience and maybe it doesn’t work for others. But it is good to know you can speak w a doctor on the same day. Also when I did see her she sent me straight to the nurse for bloods.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Daisyfield]

I'm really happy that some surgeries are creating services that work for Chronic Illness Patients , let's hope we can get GPs like Yours to spread the word about how successful it is and get other GPs to start it too xx

[Daisyfield in reply to Blearyeyed]

Yes services for chronic illness would be good. It’s interesting to see different GP approaches.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

We, on the other hand, turn up and wait. When we are seen we get all the time we need - I've been in for an hour or more. Bloods can be done next morning - at the phlebotomy clinic at the hospital, again, turn up and wait. or there are local nurse-led clinics if the hospital is too far. Also up to 10am when they shut the door. If you ask for a phone call - by phoning during surgery hours and speaking to the GP - she calls back after surgery or during the afternoon. You can have an access code to look at results online if you want - or pick them up in person or send a friend ...

[Louisepenygraig]

Our GPs you can ring from 8.30 am a d be seen that day, although not necessarily by the doctor of your choice. There is also a duty doctor who will phone back that day if needed. My favourite doctor is very popular and also only works part time now. To see him I have to find out which days he's on then ring as soon as possible after 8 30 because he gets booked up very quickly. A booked phone appt usually takes a few days. Pre-booked face to face appts seem to be almost impossible. It works for me though. The receptionists are generally very friendly and helpful too.

[Hellyowl]

We have online booking and cancellations pop up through the day so I find if I keep checking I can usually get an appointment quickly. But it is random which doctor which I don't mind

[Thomas45]

My medical centre works similarly to Daisyfield's. In addition there are appointments available on line.

21 months ago I went to the pharmacy which is below the medical centre to pick up monthly medicationsand had a reaction to a beta blocker I was taking. It was five minutes before both the medical centre and pharmacy closed.

The reaction felt as if my lungs were closing down and i had chest pains. I've suffered with asthma for 44 years but it was not like a normal asthma attack, which is always caused by infection. This was when my lungs were free of infection.

The pharmacist's assistant went up to the doctor's with me walking there slowly.

He saw me and he called for an ambulance. I spent two nights in hospital.

I no longer take beta blockers because of that and another side effect.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Thomas45]

And they encourage us to consult a pharmacist rather than go to the surgery - and they allowed someone to walk you upstairs with chest pain???

[Rosbud]

My surgery has A booking system that means you see Nurse Practitioner and if they think you need to see A GP they book you in , or phone apt’s with GP normally within A couple of days c