Trying to book an appointment with doctor - not easy!
Discussion
When did getting to see a doctor become so hard?
I have just got off the phone with my doctor's surgery, smallish group practice with 4 doctors. Been registered with them for over 20 years, been there less than a dozen times, usually when they call me in for a health check (I'm 61).
I had a bit of a melt down at work yesterday, called in sick this morning. I need some time off to get my head together and consider my options, so I need a sick note. Maybe a referral for some talking therapy.
No appointments available today. Not a problem, as long as I can get a sick note before the end of this week.
Can I book an appointment for tomorrow - "no, you'll have to phone up tomorrow".
What about Wednesday? - "no, you'll have to phone up Wednesday".
Do you do walk-in sessions? - "no, we don't do those"
Is it possible to pre-book at all? - "you can book for Friday afternoon"
I assume that this is down to targets and waiting times, rather than workload? I've been to the practice 3 times in the last 3 months, because the doctor wanted to put me on statins. 1 doctor visit, 2 with the nurse. Each time the waiting room was very quiet.
No wonder so many people end up going to A&E
I have just got off the phone with my doctor's surgery, smallish group practice with 4 doctors. Been registered with them for over 20 years, been there less than a dozen times, usually when they call me in for a health check (I'm 61).
I had a bit of a melt down at work yesterday, called in sick this morning. I need some time off to get my head together and consider my options, so I need a sick note. Maybe a referral for some talking therapy.
No appointments available today. Not a problem, as long as I can get a sick note before the end of this week.
Can I book an appointment for tomorrow - "no, you'll have to phone up tomorrow".
What about Wednesday? - "no, you'll have to phone up Wednesday".
Do you do walk-in sessions? - "no, we don't do those"
Is it possible to pre-book at all? - "you can book for Friday afternoon"
I assume that this is down to targets and waiting times, rather than workload? I've been to the practice 3 times in the last 3 months, because the doctor wanted to put me on statins. 1 doctor visit, 2 with the nurse. Each time the waiting room was very quiet.
No wonder so many people end up going to A&E
OP, I feel your pain. Trying to get an appointment at my Medical Centre is hard work.. appointment slots are like gold dust. Several times I have rang up at 8am (when they open), to be told "sorry, we have no appointments for today". When asked if I can make one for the next day, or in a couple days time, I always get the response "You have to book on the morning". Pointless, as each day there isn't any room. The cancellation list must be a mile long too.
My GP serves 3 communities, so i'm not surprised it is busy. Nonetheless, the staff are very good when you do manage to get an appointment, and it's not their fault - but nothing seems to get done about it. With several new housing developments due to be started shortly, and no plans for a new surgery on the cards, I can only see it getting worse!
My GP serves 3 communities, so i'm not surprised it is busy. Nonetheless, the staff are very good when you do manage to get an appointment, and it's not their fault - but nothing seems to get done about it. With several new housing developments due to be started shortly, and no plans for a new surgery on the cards, I can only see it getting worse!
Our Doctors surgery is the same, luckily I don't need them very often.
They also seem to have a different concept of time to the rest of us. I managed to book an advance appointment once and they apologised that they only had an early morning one, I said that would be great as I start work 25 miles away at 8:30.
What time did they class as early? 9:30. From looking round the waiting room I can only imagine that for the majority of their clients dragging themselves out of bed to collect this weeks "sick note", 9:30 *is* early.
They also seem to have a different concept of time to the rest of us. I managed to book an advance appointment once and they apologised that they only had an early morning one, I said that would be great as I start work 25 miles away at 8:30.
What time did they class as early? 9:30. From looking round the waiting room I can only imagine that for the majority of their clients dragging themselves out of bed to collect this weeks "sick note", 9:30 *is* early.
The local surgery I'm signed up to has been like this for years.
They run an 'open surgery' fro 8:30 until 10 - however there are usually people queuing outside from around 8:15 or so.
And then you get to sit in an overheated waiting room surrounded by people - some of whom have coughs colds etc. - a perfect way to spread germs.
You can book an appointment, however there is usually a 2 week delay.
In more recent years they have started to take appointments for visits to an out of hours NHS surgery* nearby.
Last time I looked, I think there were 5 or 6 doctors registered with the surgery, however there only ever seems to be two on duty at any one time.
They run an 'open surgery' fro 8:30 until 10 - however there are usually people queuing outside from around 8:15 or so.
And then you get to sit in an overheated waiting room surrounded by people - some of whom have coughs colds etc. - a perfect way to spread germs.
You can book an appointment, however there is usually a 2 week delay.
In more recent years they have started to take appointments for visits to an out of hours NHS surgery* nearby.
Last time I looked, I think there were 5 or 6 doctors registered with the surgery, however there only ever seems to be two on duty at any one time.
- NHS surgery is actually a large multi story building that covers dental treatment etc.
I don’t even bother trying with the NHS nowadays. The last time I did they called me before to ask if I could come in an hour early to help their scheduling then kept me waiting for an hour and a half. I don’t want to take the time off work, and don’t want to deal with a patronising half-wit whose English is simply not up to the job, and who doesn’t understand that some people only come in when genuinely sick and worried and won’t and shoukdn’t go home and come back in a week if they feel no better.
I now have an excellent private GP who will generally see me within a couple of hours, who knows that if I have called in (and paid a lot of money) then there is something that actually needs to be dealt with, and who will discuss treatment options with me in an appropriate fashion for an educated adult professional who is able to deal with polysyllabic words and compound sentences.
I now have an excellent private GP who will generally see me within a couple of hours, who knows that if I have called in (and paid a lot of money) then there is something that actually needs to be dealt with, and who will discuss treatment options with me in an appropriate fashion for an educated adult professional who is able to deal with polysyllabic words and compound sentences.
James_B said:
I don’t even bother trying with the NHS nowadays. The last time I did they called me before to ask if I could come in an hour early to help their scheduling then kept me waiting for an hour and a half. I don’t want to take the time off work, and don’t want to deal with a patronising half-wit whose English is simply not up to the job, and who doesn’t understand that some people only come in when genuinely sick and worried and won’t and shoukdn’t go home and come back in a week if they feel no better.
I now have an excellent private GP who will generally see me within a couple of hours, who knows that if I have called in (and paid a lot of money) then there is something that actually needs to be dealt with, and who will discuss treatment options with me in an appropriate fashion for an educated adult professional who is able to deal with polysyllabic words and compound sentences.
Move to a nicer area, I have the same GP experience of you on the NHS. Mind you, it prevents me from boasting so would rob you of a hobby. I now have an excellent private GP who will generally see me within a couple of hours, who knows that if I have called in (and paid a lot of money) then there is something that actually needs to be dealt with, and who will discuss treatment options with me in an appropriate fashion for an educated adult professional who is able to deal with polysyllabic words and compound sentences.
Same here in rural Norfolk, our GP surgery has gone from an on-line appointment system (permanently 'none available') to 'make an appointment only on the day' (opens 08.30, no appointments by 08.31) to 'explain your problem to Doris the receptionist and the doctor will call you back sometime later'
But ……. if you need a vet appointment for the dog, phone up anytime 'how about 2pm today'
If you want an optician appointment, phone up anytime, 'how about 10am tomorrow'
If you want a hearing aid appointment, phone up anytime 'how about 4pm tomorrow'
Something wrong somewhere.
But ……. if you need a vet appointment for the dog, phone up anytime 'how about 2pm today'
If you want an optician appointment, phone up anytime, 'how about 10am tomorrow'
If you want a hearing aid appointment, phone up anytime 'how about 4pm tomorrow'
Something wrong somewhere.
Does the surgery do online bookings? If so then that is well worth looking at. My surgery only does on the day appointments and the phones are rammed for the first 1/2 hour of the working day but the website opens bookings a midnight so I just jump on then and get the choice of the day. YMMV but my surgery is very OAP heavy so none of them knows how to use the online facility which is a bonus!
My local practice has a load of nurses on the staff, who you can usually get a same or next day appointment with. For many things you can just go and see them and if they need to get a GP opinion or get something signed by a GP like a prescription they go off and get it. They also seem to have access to a couple of GP slots later in the afternoon that they can book for you and call you back to later, if it is something serious enough. Seems to work well.
There is also an online booking system (can also do repeat prescriptions through it), when I use that the available appointments are maybe a week away if you aren't too fussy which GP you see, or two weeks away if you want a particular one that you always see (helps for recurring or long term conditions). My GP tells me very few people use it, don't know why, seems very good to me.
I've read that you need to be careful with some of the online GP services, or the ones that are NHS anyway. You can't be registered at two NHS GP practices, so if you use one of the online NHS GP services that have appeared recently, you find that you are then registered with that online practice, and binned off from the one near home.
There is also an online booking system (can also do repeat prescriptions through it), when I use that the available appointments are maybe a week away if you aren't too fussy which GP you see, or two weeks away if you want a particular one that you always see (helps for recurring or long term conditions). My GP tells me very few people use it, don't know why, seems very good to me.
I've read that you need to be careful with some of the online GP services, or the ones that are NHS anyway. You can't be registered at two NHS GP practices, so if you use one of the online NHS GP services that have appeared recently, you find that you are then registered with that online practice, and binned off from the one near home.
I had an accident and did my back in and had to visit A&E, i asked for a doctors not but was told i had to get it from the doctors . Phone the doctor the next day and told 3 weeks, I needed the note asap to get ssp (no sick pay) so the receptionist got s
ty and informed me to phone 8am for an emergency appointment. When i went into see the Dr I said ive done my back in to which he said i know i have all your details from the hospital here's a note for a month. I had to go through this a month later again to.
What a waste of GPs time plus i used up a slot someone else could have used.
ty and informed me to phone 8am for an emergency appointment. When i went into see the Dr I said ive done my back in to which he said i know i have all your details from the hospital here's a note for a month. I had to go through this a month later again to. What a waste of GPs time plus i used up a slot someone else could have used.
clockworks said:
When did getting to see a doctor become so hard?
I have just got off the phone with my doctor's surgery, smallish group practice with 4 doctors. Been registered with them for over 20 years, been there less than a dozen times, usually when they call me in for a health check (I'm 61).
I had a bit of a melt down at work yesterday, called in sick this morning. I need some time off to get my head together and consider my options, so I need a sick note. Maybe a referral for some talking therapy.
No appointments available today. Not a problem, as long as I can get a sick note before the end of this week.
Can I book an appointment for tomorrow - "no, you'll have to phone up tomorrow".
What about Wednesday? - "no, you'll have to phone up Wednesday".
Do you do walk-in sessions? - "no, we don't do those"
Is it possible to pre-book at all? - "you can book for Friday afternoon"
I assume that this is down to targets and waiting times, rather than workload? I've been to the practice 3 times in the last 3 months, because the doctor wanted to put me on statins. 1 doctor visit, 2 with the nurse. Each time the waiting room was very quiet.
No wonder so many people end up going to A&E
Pretty much standard practice, triage by proxy. If you do need attention today, tell the receptionist you must be seen - or at least speak to a doctor - today. That should happen.I have just got off the phone with my doctor's surgery, smallish group practice with 4 doctors. Been registered with them for over 20 years, been there less than a dozen times, usually when they call me in for a health check (I'm 61).
I had a bit of a melt down at work yesterday, called in sick this morning. I need some time off to get my head together and consider my options, so I need a sick note. Maybe a referral for some talking therapy.
No appointments available today. Not a problem, as long as I can get a sick note before the end of this week.
Can I book an appointment for tomorrow - "no, you'll have to phone up tomorrow".
What about Wednesday? - "no, you'll have to phone up Wednesday".
Do you do walk-in sessions? - "no, we don't do those"
Is it possible to pre-book at all? - "you can book for Friday afternoon"
I assume that this is down to targets and waiting times, rather than workload? I've been to the practice 3 times in the last 3 months, because the doctor wanted to put me on statins. 1 doctor visit, 2 with the nurse. Each time the waiting room was very quiet.
No wonder so many people end up going to A&E
Gave up with my one after repeated integration by receptionist "Is it urgent?". WelI I am ill, so I guess so. if not, then 2 week wait at least.
Found a private GP now, pay and have my time with him and I can have "multiple questions" without the standard "One appointment, one problem" response. He doesn't clock watch either. I can also ring up at anytime and I can speak to him or he will call me back, Referral letters done no problem. It really is a great service. I do appreciate that not everyone can pay, but if you can do so, then its worth considering.
Found a private GP now, pay and have my time with him and I can have "multiple questions" without the standard "One appointment, one problem" response. He doesn't clock watch either. I can also ring up at anytime and I can speak to him or he will call me back, Referral letters done no problem. It really is a great service. I do appreciate that not everyone can pay, but if you can do so, then its worth considering.
Actual doctors are rarer than hens' teeth in my surgery. I'm not convinced there are any there any more. Can usually see a nurse within a week but was told it was a 4 week wait for an actual doctor.
Given that the nurse can assess an issue and issue a prescription, I'm not actually sure why we need doctors? Serious question - what can a doc do at a surgery that a nurse can't?
Last time I went to the surgery it was coincidentally a few hours after my wife had been, and we saw the same nurse.
Nurse (to me): Ah Mr W, I had a lovely chat with your wife earlier today.
Me: Excuse me?
Nurse: Your wife. She's a lovely lady and your daughter is very cute. You must be so proud!
Me: Should you be discussing another patient with me...?
I found out from my wife later that day that the nurse's first recommended treatment for her was "to open your heart to God".
I believe my complaint was filed in the waste paper bin though as I never heard anything about it...
Not a fan of my local surgery!
Given that the nurse can assess an issue and issue a prescription, I'm not actually sure why we need doctors? Serious question - what can a doc do at a surgery that a nurse can't?
Last time I went to the surgery it was coincidentally a few hours after my wife had been, and we saw the same nurse.
Nurse (to me): Ah Mr W, I had a lovely chat with your wife earlier today.
Me: Excuse me?
Nurse: Your wife. She's a lovely lady and your daughter is very cute. You must be so proud!
Me: Should you be discussing another patient with me...?
I found out from my wife later that day that the nurse's first recommended treatment for her was "to open your heart to God".
I believe my complaint was filed in the waste paper bin though as I never heard anything about it...
Not a fan of my local surgery!
wiggy001 said:
Actual doctors are rarer than hens' teeth in my surgery. I'm not convinced there are any there any more. Can usually see a nurse within a week but was told it was a 4 week wait for an actual doctor.
Given that the nurse can assess an issue and issue a prescription, I'm not actually sure why we need doctors? Serious question - what can a doc do at a surgery that a nurse can't?
Last time I went to the surgery it was coincidentally a few hours after my wife had been, and we saw the same nurse.
Nurse (to me): Ah Mr W, I had a lovely chat with your wife earlier today.
Me: Excuse me?
Nurse: Your wife. She's a lovely lady and your daughter is very cute. You must be so proud!
Me: Should you be discussing another patient with me...?
I found out from my wife later that day that the nurse's first recommended treatment for her was "to open your heart to God".
I believe my complaint was filed in the waste paper bin though as I never heard anything about it...
Not a fan of my local surgery!
GPs to seem to be pretty pointless a lot of the time. Each time I've been for an actual physical medical issue, doctor has pulled a page on the NHS website or similar to show me. I'd already done that. All I really got out of the visit was a prescription, and the usual "you really should stop smoking" talk.Given that the nurse can assess an issue and issue a prescription, I'm not actually sure why we need doctors? Serious question - what can a doc do at a surgery that a nurse can't?
Last time I went to the surgery it was coincidentally a few hours after my wife had been, and we saw the same nurse.
Nurse (to me): Ah Mr W, I had a lovely chat with your wife earlier today.
Me: Excuse me?
Nurse: Your wife. She's a lovely lady and your daughter is very cute. You must be so proud!
Me: Should you be discussing another patient with me...?
I found out from my wife later that day that the nurse's first recommended treatment for her was "to open your heart to God".
I believe my complaint was filed in the waste paper bin though as I never heard anything about it...
Not a fan of my local surgery!
In fact, you'd think the NHS would be having an easy time of it, given that giving up the fags seems to be the stock cure for everything.
The only reason I need to see a GP is because no-one else can issue a sick note. I don't have a medical problem, it's a mental health issue. My GP doesn't have a clue about mental health. All he can do is sign me off work. I'd go and see the mental health team, but the waiting list is at least a couple of months if I want more than a quick chat on the phone, and they can't give me a sick note anyway.
The only other thing the doc can do is dish out some antidepressants, and I don't want those. When I'm not at work, or due at work the next day, I'm fine.
The real answer, for me, is to pack in the job. I will probably end up doing that, but take some sick pay while I decide. Quite a few colleagues are doing this. Maybe the company will figure it out, and make some changes? Be cheaper for them in the long run to take on a few extra staff, and get some IT that works properly, rather than spending so much on sick pay and overtime to cover sickness.
wiggy001 said:
Actual doctors are rarer than hens' teeth in my surgery. I'm not convinced there are any there any more. Can usually see a nurse within a week but was told it was a 4 week wait for an actual doctor.
Given that the nurse can assess an issue and issue a prescription, I'm not actually sure why we need doctors? Serious question - what can a doc do at a surgery that a nurse can't?
I believe the nurses can write up some of the simpler prescriptions but they can't actually issue them themselves, they have to take them to a GP to get signed. That's how it seems to work in the practice I go to.Given that the nurse can assess an issue and issue a prescription, I'm not actually sure why we need doctors? Serious question - what can a doc do at a surgery that a nurse can't?
wiggy001 said:
Last time I went to the surgery it was coincidentally a few hours after my wife had been, and we saw the same nurse.
Nurse (to me): Ah Mr W, I had a lovely chat with your wife earlier today.
Me: Excuse me?
Nurse: Your wife. She's a lovely lady and your daughter is very cute. You must be so proud!
Me: Should you be discussing another patient with me...?
That just sounds like polite and friendly smalltalk to me, since she knew you were the husband and father of someone she saw earlier.Nurse (to me): Ah Mr W, I had a lovely chat with your wife earlier today.
Me: Excuse me?
Nurse: Your wife. She's a lovely lady and your daughter is very cute. You must be so proud!
Me: Should you be discussing another patient with me...?
Discussing medical details of another patient would be a no-no but she hasn't done that has she? Based on those four lines of conversation I would say complaining about it is an overreaction.
yellowtr said:
Gave up with my one after repeated integration by receptionist "Is it urgent?". WelI I am ill, so I guess so. if not, then 2 week wait at least.
Found a private GP now, pay and have my time with him and I can have "multiple questions" without the standard "One appointment, one problem" response. He doesn't clock watch either. I can also ring up at anytime and I can speak to him or he will call me back, Referral letters done no problem. It really is a great service. I do appreciate that not everyone can pay, but if you can do so, then its worth considering.
If you don't mind me asking, how much does something like that cost and where about in the country are you?Found a private GP now, pay and have my time with him and I can have "multiple questions" without the standard "One appointment, one problem" response. He doesn't clock watch either. I can also ring up at anytime and I can speak to him or he will call me back, Referral letters done no problem. It really is a great service. I do appreciate that not everyone can pay, but if you can do so, then its worth considering.
My doctors are pretty good. The same "appointment in 2 weeks" if you want to book in advance, but if you roll up on the day as they open you'll get seen pretty quickly. most people ring as soon as they open, so you can often duck in while the first guy is driving there. Only downside is you don't necessarily know, when it will be so you can't tell your boss in advance you'll be out in the morning/afternoon only. You might walk straight in, you might have to come back at 3. We also have a walk-in centre in the nearest city.
My doctors have all been good whenever I've had to see them.
My doctors have all been good whenever I've had to see them.
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