Doctors appointments
Discussion
Is it always such a mission to get a doctors appointment?
My foot has been playing up for over a week, thought I would pop to the doctors to see whats wrong.
Phoned up trying to get one in the evening after work, but they close before I finish work. Asked to get one tomorrow morning, and was told that I needed to phone up at 0830 to get one, but told I can have one at 1700. Sadly I'm at work then. Asked for Thursday afternoon/evening, and told I can only book them for Thursday morning.
Finally got one for Friday morning. Still going to try and get one tomorrow morning, but christ its a nightmare to get one!
Please say its not just me that has this problem?
My foot has been playing up for over a week, thought I would pop to the doctors to see whats wrong.
Phoned up trying to get one in the evening after work, but they close before I finish work. Asked to get one tomorrow morning, and was told that I needed to phone up at 0830 to get one, but told I can have one at 1700. Sadly I'm at work then. Asked for Thursday afternoon/evening, and told I can only book them for Thursday morning.
Finally got one for Friday morning. Still going to try and get one tomorrow morning, but christ its a nightmare to get one!
Please say its not just me that has this problem?
Same at mine, ring at 0830 and hope to beat all the fakers, oldies and snotty nose kids. Then sit in waiting room for at least 30mins past your appointment time as they are running late. I don't envy the poor GPs at my surgery, ageing population and fakers with colds. I just treat everything with fresh air, chicken bones and brufen 
PumpkinSteve said:
Mine ran about an hour and a half late once. Imagine If I'd turned up that late for the appointment (well, I would've been on time in this case) I'd have been told where to go!
I've had that with getting my eyes checked. Appointment was at 0930, I turned up at 0933. Was told that as I was late I would have to make another one. Had a bit of a moan to myself about it and overheard someone say he was still seeing the person at 0915, so even if I was on time, I would still have to wait! I wasn't impressed to say the least.
king problem 
Change to a different GP?
They're private businesses at the end of the day, so you're free to choose another which has an appointment system which suits you better. Increasingly, market forces will dictate which practices survive and which lose patients and close.
Just make sure you let them know why you're leaving.
They're private businesses at the end of the day, so you're free to choose another which has an appointment system which suits you better. Increasingly, market forces will dictate which practices survive and which lose patients and close.
Just make sure you let them know why you're leaving.
N Dentressangle said:
Change to a different GP?
They're private businesses at the end of the day, so you're free to choose another which has an appointment system which suits you better. Increasingly, market forces will dictate which practices survive and which lose patients and close.
Just make sure you let them know why you're leaving.
I was thinking of it, but never got round to it, and wouldn't have a clue how to do it! Been at this place for 23 years.They're private businesses at the end of the day, so you're free to choose another which has an appointment system which suits you better. Increasingly, market forces will dictate which practices survive and which lose patients and close.
Just make sure you let them know why you're leaving.
Friend phoned up at around midday, got an appointment for 1530 that day, no problems at all.
N Dentressangle said:
Change to a different GP?
They're private businesses at the end of the day, so you're free to choose another which has an appointment system which suits you better. Increasingly, market forces will dictate which practices survive and which lose patients and close.
Just make sure you let them know why you're leaving.
This.They're private businesses at the end of the day, so you're free to choose another which has an appointment system which suits you better. Increasingly, market forces will dictate which practices survive and which lose patients and close.
Just make sure you let them know why you're leaving.
Look on the nhs choices website and simply search for GP surgeries near your postcode.
The site has details about each practice including the following key things:
- whether they are accepting new patients
- Number and names of GPs
- Opening times
I chose a surgery that is further from my home, but has regular evening and Saturday morning sessions and has more nurses than any other surgery in the area.
They also have an online appointments management system, so I can log in and book an appointment whenever I like.
I think its the same no matter where you are.
Ive never been to the doctors from my teens right upto 2 years ago other than injections to travel.
2 years ago I crush 2 discs in my back and needed to visit my drs and continue to as I have to have my medicine reviewed. I do feel the reviews are a waste of time as nothing has changed in 2 years.
The amount of times Ive phoned at 8am and and the phone is still redirected to NHS direct and the second its switched over its constantly busy. 44 times it took me to get through last time, theyre always busy.
I wonder if a 'pay as you go' system would weed out all the fakers??
Ive never been to the doctors from my teens right upto 2 years ago other than injections to travel.
2 years ago I crush 2 discs in my back and needed to visit my drs and continue to as I have to have my medicine reviewed. I do feel the reviews are a waste of time as nothing has changed in 2 years.
The amount of times Ive phoned at 8am and and the phone is still redirected to NHS direct and the second its switched over its constantly busy. 44 times it took me to get through last time, theyre always busy.
I wonder if a 'pay as you go' system would weed out all the fakers??
No problems at my local GP's. They don't do appointments, it's first come first served.
If I need to see my GP I try to turn up about 3.50pm, wait ten mins for them to open and usually get one of the first three numbers.
Or if get there after 4pm and get given a double digit number I go home for a bit (it's walking distance) and pop back around the time I've guessed my number will be due up.
The no appointments system seems to work so much better than one that is apparently operated by most surgeries.
If I need to see my GP I try to turn up about 3.50pm, wait ten mins for them to open and usually get one of the first three numbers.
Or if get there after 4pm and get given a double digit number I go home for a bit (it's walking distance) and pop back around the time I've guessed my number will be due up.
The no appointments system seems to work so much better than one that is apparently operated by most surgeries.
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