GP Surgeries - Covid
Discussion
We had an excellent local surgery but it’s all changed. The doors are locked so you have to try to phone to make an appointment. That can take forever to get through then the receptionist wants to know what’s wrong before she ‘may’ ask a doctor to do a phone consultation.
Are all surgeries like this now. If so why are our GP’s in hiding when hospital doctors, dentists, shop workers and many others are still in the front line?
Are all surgeries like this now. If so why are our GP’s in hiding when hospital doctors, dentists, shop workers and many others are still in the front line?
bad company said:
We had an excellent local surgery but it’s all changed. The doors are locked so you have to try to phone to make an appointment. That can take forever to get through then the receptionist wants to know what’s wrong before she ‘may’ ask a doctor to do a phone consultation.
Are all surgeries like this now. If so why are our GP’s in hiding when hospital doctors, dentists, shop workers and many others are still in the front line?
fAre all surgeries like this now. If so why are our GP’s in hiding when hospital doctors, dentists, shop workers and many others are still in the front line?
k knows. It's a joke.My private GP was absolutely humming with activity on Monday when I had to pop in. Never seen another person in there in the past.
£60. Worth every penny if you're actually unwell.
Be interesting to see if private GPs have been dropping like flies over the last 4 months...my gut feeling is, of course not.
bad company said:
We had an excellent local surgery but it’s all changed. The doors are locked so you have to try to phone to make an appointment. That can take forever to get through then the receptionist wants to know what’s wrong before she ‘may’ ask a doctor to do a phone consultation.
Are all surgeries like this now. If so why are our GP’s in hiding when hospital doctors, dentists, shop workers and many others are still in the front line?
Ours has always been like this, you can't go down in person for an appointment, the receptionist will ask what is wrong before deciding when/if you'll get an appointment etc. On the plus side if someone rings up with a case of the sniffles they are told to go and see a pharmacist (well they were pre-covid). Again our GP has been doing a majority of appointments by phone pre-covid so we have been used to this. When you do need to go and see them at the moment its all hand sanitizer, masks, gloves and perspex screensAre all surgeries like this now. If so why are our GP’s in hiding when hospital doctors, dentists, shop workers and many others are still in the front line?
Jamescrs said:
Phoned mine on Monday and got a.telephone call at 9;30 this morning from a doctor. Long story short he has said he needs to examine my knee so im going for an appointment at 15:50.
Can't get a face to face consultation without a telephone consultation first
Actually thats a point I forgot, if they do decide they need to examine you then they will call you down that day at least.Can't get a face to face consultation without a telephone consultation first
Contacted my local surgery online on Monday, completed questioner and submitted the same online, received telephone consultation with Doctor on Tuesday afternoon, collecting prescription medicine prescribed the next day, Wednesday morning.
Much prefer the above, to driving to surgery and sat in crowded waiting room with unwell people.
Much prefer the above, to driving to surgery and sat in crowded waiting room with unwell people.
GP here.
We are running a full telephone triage service, with a full complement of doctors and nurses. This means everybody who asks for an appointment is spoken to over the phone (or email, or e-consultation via the website) in the first instance. I’m pretty sure every GP surgery in the country is working this way because our current working conditions are mandated by NHS England. We couldn’t open for normal running if we wanted to. It’s pretty inconceivable to imagine a waiting room full of people with coughs and colds spluttering all over each other.
Everybody who asks to speak to a GP will be made an appointment to speak to one and anybody who it is subsequently decided needs to be seen, will be seen. You’d be surprised how much can be done remotely. I’m pretty soft (i.e, I’ll pretty much see anybody who insists on being seen) and I’m only seeing about 20% of the people that I speak to. I enjoy my job and am grateful for the living it gives me so I’m not moaning, but doing telephone consultations is not in any way easier than working normally - my hours are the same as they always were. In fact in certain ways it’s more challenging since one has to accept a greater degree of uncertainty - and therefore risk - when assessing people. Plus phone consultations tend to take longer because the increased uncertainty leads to more questions being asked. The lack of visual cues as to what might be going on has a similar effect.
Of course, like everything else, some GP’s are better than others but generally speaking if you have an issue that needs to be dealt with, it can and should be dealt with.
Edited to add: GP receptionists have a well earned reputation for being bulldog like gatekeepers to the GP’s in their distant ivory towers. However they have a bloody tough job that frankly most people would walk away from after a few weeks. If they’re asking what’s wrong it’s because we’ve asked them to do that. Your GP would rather know when you make the appointment that you have central crushing chest pain, or that your arse just fell out along with some blood, rather than find that information out 8 hours later at the end of the day. A sense of humour with them goes a long way!
We are running a full telephone triage service, with a full complement of doctors and nurses. This means everybody who asks for an appointment is spoken to over the phone (or email, or e-consultation via the website) in the first instance. I’m pretty sure every GP surgery in the country is working this way because our current working conditions are mandated by NHS England. We couldn’t open for normal running if we wanted to. It’s pretty inconceivable to imagine a waiting room full of people with coughs and colds spluttering all over each other.
Everybody who asks to speak to a GP will be made an appointment to speak to one and anybody who it is subsequently decided needs to be seen, will be seen. You’d be surprised how much can be done remotely. I’m pretty soft (i.e, I’ll pretty much see anybody who insists on being seen) and I’m only seeing about 20% of the people that I speak to. I enjoy my job and am grateful for the living it gives me so I’m not moaning, but doing telephone consultations is not in any way easier than working normally - my hours are the same as they always were. In fact in certain ways it’s more challenging since one has to accept a greater degree of uncertainty - and therefore risk - when assessing people. Plus phone consultations tend to take longer because the increased uncertainty leads to more questions being asked. The lack of visual cues as to what might be going on has a similar effect.
Of course, like everything else, some GP’s are better than others but generally speaking if you have an issue that needs to be dealt with, it can and should be dealt with.
Edited to add: GP receptionists have a well earned reputation for being bulldog like gatekeepers to the GP’s in their distant ivory towers. However they have a bloody tough job that frankly most people would walk away from after a few weeks. If they’re asking what’s wrong it’s because we’ve asked them to do that. Your GP would rather know when you make the appointment that you have central crushing chest pain, or that your arse just fell out along with some blood, rather than find that information out 8 hours later at the end of the day. A sense of humour with them goes a long way!
Edited by DeWar on Wednesday 29th July 13:51
DeWar said:
GP here.
We are running a full telephone triage service, with a full complement of doctors and nurses. This means everybody who asks for an appointment is spoken to over the phone (or email, or e-consultation via the website) in the first instance. I’m pretty sure every GP surgery in the country is working this way because our current working conditions are mandated by NHS England. We couldn’t open for normal running if we wanted to. It’s pretty inconceivable to imagine a waiting room full of people with coughs and colds spluttering all over each other.
Everybody who asks to speak to a GP will be made an appointment to speak to one and anybody who it is subsequently decided needs to be seen, will be seen. You’d be surprised how much can be done remotely. I’m pretty soft (i.e, I’ll pretty much see anybody who insists on being seen) and I’m only seeing about 20% of the people that I speak to. I enjoy my job and am grateful for the living it gives me so I’m not moaning, but doing telephone consultations is not in any way easier than working normally - my hours are the same as they always were. In fact in certain ways it’s more challenging since one has to accept a greater degree of uncertainty - and therefore risk - when assessing people. Plus phone consultations tend to take longer because the increased uncertainty leads to more questions being asked. The lack of visual cues as to what might be going on has a similar effect.
Of course, like everything else, some GP’s are better than others but generally speaking if you have an issue that needs to be dealt with, it can and should be dealt with.
Edited to add: GP receptionists have a well earned reputation for being bulldog like gatekeepers to the GP’s in their distant ivory towers. However they have a bloody tough job that frankly most people would walk away from after a few weeks. If they’re asking what’s wrong it’s because we’ve asked them to do that. Your GP would rather know when you make the appointment that you have central crushing chest pain, or that your arse just fell out along with some blood, rather than find that information out 8 hours later at the end of the day. A sense of humour with them goes a long way!
Thanks, that’s a really useful insight.We are running a full telephone triage service, with a full complement of doctors and nurses. This means everybody who asks for an appointment is spoken to over the phone (or email, or e-consultation via the website) in the first instance. I’m pretty sure every GP surgery in the country is working this way because our current working conditions are mandated by NHS England. We couldn’t open for normal running if we wanted to. It’s pretty inconceivable to imagine a waiting room full of people with coughs and colds spluttering all over each other.
Everybody who asks to speak to a GP will be made an appointment to speak to one and anybody who it is subsequently decided needs to be seen, will be seen. You’d be surprised how much can be done remotely. I’m pretty soft (i.e, I’ll pretty much see anybody who insists on being seen) and I’m only seeing about 20% of the people that I speak to. I enjoy my job and am grateful for the living it gives me so I’m not moaning, but doing telephone consultations is not in any way easier than working normally - my hours are the same as they always were. In fact in certain ways it’s more challenging since one has to accept a greater degree of uncertainty - and therefore risk - when assessing people. Plus phone consultations tend to take longer because the increased uncertainty leads to more questions being asked. The lack of visual cues as to what might be going on has a similar effect.
Of course, like everything else, some GP’s are better than others but generally speaking if you have an issue that needs to be dealt with, it can and should be dealt with.
Edited to add: GP receptionists have a well earned reputation for being bulldog like gatekeepers to the GP’s in their distant ivory towers. However they have a bloody tough job that frankly most people would walk away from after a few weeks. If they’re asking what’s wrong it’s because we’ve asked them to do that. Your GP would rather know when you make the appointment that you have central crushing chest pain, or that your arse just fell out along with some blood, rather than find that information out 8 hours later at the end of the day. A sense of humour with them goes a long way!
Edited by DeWar on Wednesday 29th July 13:51
Our GP Surgery was really good but now it’s very difficult to get through on the phone and I really hate being asked the reason I want an appointment by a non qualified receptionist.
I called this afternoon for the codes required to set up the NHS app for repeat prescriptions etc. The line was engaged for the first 15 minutes, then I had to listen to a pre recorded message for what seemed like ages. When I eventually spoke with someone she was clearly stressed, said the app wasn’t working yet and couldn’t wait to get me off the line.
I’m not blaming the staff but they’re clearly under a lot of stress.
bad company said:
Thanks, that’s a really useful insight.
Our GP Surgery was really good but now it’s very difficult to get through on the phone and I really hate being asked the reason I want an appointment by a non qualified receptionist.
I called this afternoon for the codes required to set up the NHS app for repeat prescriptions etc. The line was engaged for the first 15 minutes, then I had to listen to a pre recorded message for what seemed like ages. When I eventually spoke with someone she was clearly stressed, said the app wasn’t working yet and couldn’t wait to get me off the line.
I’m not blaming the staff but they’re clearly under a lot of stress.
Yeah the phones are annoying I agree I’ve nearly smashed my own mobile in frustration on hold to the surgery I’m a partner in. There’s not a great deal that can be done about that - there’s only so many people answering the phones. Our GP Surgery was really good but now it’s very difficult to get through on the phone and I really hate being asked the reason I want an appointment by a non qualified receptionist.
I called this afternoon for the codes required to set up the NHS app for repeat prescriptions etc. The line was engaged for the first 15 minutes, then I had to listen to a pre recorded message for what seemed like ages. When I eventually spoke with someone she was clearly stressed, said the app wasn’t working yet and couldn’t wait to get me off the line.
I’m not blaming the staff but they’re clearly under a lot of stress.
As I said the receptionist doesn’t need to know your problem but she does need to know if it’s something she should bring to the attention of a GP immediately. The thing to say if you prefer not to divulge is simply “it’s a personal matter which I’d prefer to discuss with the doctor.” Receptionists are used to hearing that and only the most hard headed would fail to take the hint.
My local GP experience.
Ring at 8 and no answer, keep ringing back constantly until about 8.30 still no one picks up.
Sometimes the phone gets picked up but then no one speaks and puts the phone down.
Finally get through at about 9 to be told no appointments, call back tomorrow or line up at the surgery at about 7.30 with everyone else trying to get an appointment.
This was before Covid smh.
I hate to think what it's like now.
Now I have a digital GP as part of my PMI cover.
Log in to the app and pick a available GP out of a number of them and all of them have their bios on the app.
Pick a time slot to be called back within a couple of hours.
Have a video call and get diagnosed and then a prescription is sent to the app or referral if needed.
Go to chemist and pick up medicine.
So quick and simple I was amazed the first time I used it.
I'm not sure what happens if you need to be diagnosed via contact but for any occasions where you can be diagnosed without being touched it's brilliant.
Ring at 8 and no answer, keep ringing back constantly until about 8.30 still no one picks up.
Sometimes the phone gets picked up but then no one speaks and puts the phone down.
Finally get through at about 9 to be told no appointments, call back tomorrow or line up at the surgery at about 7.30 with everyone else trying to get an appointment.
This was before Covid smh.
I hate to think what it's like now.
Now I have a digital GP as part of my PMI cover.
Log in to the app and pick a available GP out of a number of them and all of them have their bios on the app.
Pick a time slot to be called back within a couple of hours.
Have a video call and get diagnosed and then a prescription is sent to the app or referral if needed.
Go to chemist and pick up medicine.
So quick and simple I was amazed the first time I used it.
I'm not sure what happens if you need to be diagnosed via contact but for any occasions where you can be diagnosed without being touched it's brilliant.
Radec said:
My local GP experience.
Ring at 8 and no answer, keep ringing back constantly until about 8.30 still no one picks up.
Sometimes the phone gets picked up but then no one speaks and puts the phone down.
Finally get through at about 9 to be told no appointments, call back tomorrow or line up at the surgery at about 7.30 with everyone else trying to get an appointment.
This was before Covid smh.
I hate to think what it's like now.
Ours was like that - but without the ability to line up, once the appts were gone that was it. We live near a satellite surgery and I've no idea who gets appts there as we never can.Ring at 8 and no answer, keep ringing back constantly until about 8.30 still no one picks up.
Sometimes the phone gets picked up but then no one speaks and puts the phone down.
Finally get through at about 9 to be told no appointments, call back tomorrow or line up at the surgery at about 7.30 with everyone else trying to get an appointment.
This was before Covid smh.
I hate to think what it's like now.
However since Covid it's worked like a dream - wife did eConsult, and it went to the wrong practice at the shared health centre. They redirected it, receptionist called and said the quack would call. 30 mins later he called, very detailed, unrushed chat, decided what was wrong and sent a prescription to our chemist. An hour later they dropped it through the door.
She's since had a f2f appt - in a tent in the car park. But even so no problem parking (place is usually rammed) and no waiting.
I don't know it's like now, but early on in Covid we met a local doctor at the house of someone who was end of life and he said they were all sitting around with not much to do.
I used to hold a surgery twice a week at one of our local Health Centres (I'm a Recovery Coordinator) but since Covid we have been forbidden from face to face meetings. It makes my job incredibly difficult but I totally understand the reasons behind the closures.
A question for any GP's - Do you have any idea if things will change in the near future or are we set to stay this way for some time?
A question for any GP's - Do you have any idea if things will change in the near future or are we set to stay this way for some time?
DeWar said:
GP here.
We are running a full telephone triage service, with a full complement of doctors and nurses. This means everybody who asks for an appointment is spoken to over the phone (or email, or e-consultation via the website) in the first instance. I’m pretty sure every GP surgery in the country is working this way because our current working conditions are mandated by NHS England. We couldn’t open for normal running if we wanted to. It’s pretty inconceivable to imagine a waiting room full of people with coughs and colds spluttering all over each other.
Everybody who asks to speak to a GP will be made an appointment to speak to one and anybody who it is subsequently decided needs to be seen, will be seen. You’d be surprised how much can be done remotely. I’m pretty soft (i.e, I’ll pretty much see anybody who insists on being seen) and I’m only seeing about 20% of the people that I speak to. I enjoy my job and am grateful for the living it gives me so I’m not moaning, but doing telephone consultations is not in any way easier than working normally - my hours are the same as they always were. In fact in certain ways it’s more challenging since one has to accept a greater degree of uncertainty - and therefore risk - when assessing people. Plus phone consultations tend to take longer because the increased uncertainty leads to more questions being asked. The lack of visual cues as to what might be going on has a similar effect.
Of course, like everything else, some GP’s are better than others but generally speaking if you have an issue that needs to be dealt with, it can and should be dealt with.
Edited to add: GP receptionists have a well earned reputation for being bulldog like gatekeepers to the GP’s in their distant ivory towers. However they have a bloody tough job that frankly most people would walk away from after a few weeks. If they’re asking what’s wrong it’s because we’ve asked them to do that. Your GP would rather know when you make the appointment that you have central crushing chest pain, or that your arse just fell out along with some blood, rather than find that information out 8 hours later at the end of the day. A sense of humour with them goes a long way!
Good to hear the other side of it. My wife (actually on holiday until tomorrow) is a pharmacy dispenser in the local surgery, that and receptionist and heaven knows what else at times. The amount of abuse from self important people is enough to make many give up. Believe one of her colleagues was reduced to tears a short while ago. Some folk still turn up expecting to be in and see a Doctor, others turn up fully kitted out like a deep sea diver. We are running a full telephone triage service, with a full complement of doctors and nurses. This means everybody who asks for an appointment is spoken to over the phone (or email, or e-consultation via the website) in the first instance. I’m pretty sure every GP surgery in the country is working this way because our current working conditions are mandated by NHS England. We couldn’t open for normal running if we wanted to. It’s pretty inconceivable to imagine a waiting room full of people with coughs and colds spluttering all over each other.
Everybody who asks to speak to a GP will be made an appointment to speak to one and anybody who it is subsequently decided needs to be seen, will be seen. You’d be surprised how much can be done remotely. I’m pretty soft (i.e, I’ll pretty much see anybody who insists on being seen) and I’m only seeing about 20% of the people that I speak to. I enjoy my job and am grateful for the living it gives me so I’m not moaning, but doing telephone consultations is not in any way easier than working normally - my hours are the same as they always were. In fact in certain ways it’s more challenging since one has to accept a greater degree of uncertainty - and therefore risk - when assessing people. Plus phone consultations tend to take longer because the increased uncertainty leads to more questions being asked. The lack of visual cues as to what might be going on has a similar effect.
Of course, like everything else, some GP’s are better than others but generally speaking if you have an issue that needs to be dealt with, it can and should be dealt with.
Edited to add: GP receptionists have a well earned reputation for being bulldog like gatekeepers to the GP’s in their distant ivory towers. However they have a bloody tough job that frankly most people would walk away from after a few weeks. If they’re asking what’s wrong it’s because we’ve asked them to do that. Your GP would rather know when you make the appointment that you have central crushing chest pain, or that your arse just fell out along with some blood, rather than find that information out 8 hours later at the end of the day. A sense of humour with them goes a long way!
Edited by DeWar on Wednesday 29th July 13:51
One of the problems the surgery does suffer is folk ringing for appointments or whatever and then not turning up wasting a slot for others.
1602Mark said:
A question for any GP's - Do you have any idea if things will change in the near future or are we set to stay this way for some time?
Officially no idea: AFAIK we’ve been given no indication of what is to come, because I suspect NHSE and the CCG’s don’t really have a clue. Logically, it is very difficult to envisage a scenario in which we go back to packed waiting rooms and majority F2F appointments whilst the Covid threat looms. I would therefore guess (and it is only a guess) that we will remain doing remote triage until there’s a vaccine at the earliest. Having said that some provision will have to be made for seeing and managing those living with chronic diseases.
Longer term - remote consultations work: the private models like Babylon and the app mentioned by a poster above suggested it and the way we’re working now proves it. I suspect we may never go back to how things were, rather we’ll likely adopt a hybrid model consisting roughly equal parts telephone, electronic and F2F consults.
DeWar said:
1602Mark said:
A question for any GP's - Do you have any idea if things will change in the near future or are we set to stay this way for some time?
Officially no idea: AFAIK we’ve been given no indication of what is to come, because I suspect NHSE and the CCG’s don’t really have a clue. Logically, it is very difficult to envisage a scenario in which we go back to packed waiting rooms and majority F2F appointments whilst the Covid threat looms. I would therefore guess (and it is only a guess) that we will remain doing remote triage until there’s a vaccine at the earliest. Having said that some provision will have to be made for seeing and managing those living with chronic diseases.
Longer term - remote consultations work: the private models like Babylon and the app mentioned by a poster above suggested it and the way we’re working now proves it. I suspect we may never go back to how things were, rather we’ll likely adopt a hybrid model consisting roughly equal parts telephone, electronic and F2F consults.
I must admit I'm finding it really difficult to work with some people that are already incredibly complex in their needs around substance abuse. I've seen some people outside but finding suitable locations, where confidentiality can be respected, is proving difficult and the weather is also a factor.
We've been offering telephone support but I'm not sure that it has been effective. Unfortunately, the whole Covid thing appears to have exacerbated the use of alcohol in my area and referrals have certainly increased. Is that something you've seen yourself?
1602Mark said:
We've been offering telephone support but I'm not sure that it has been effective. Unfortunately, the whole Covid thing appears to have exacerbated the use of alcohol in my area and referrals have certainly increased. Is that something you've seen yourself?
Actually no. This is probably very area dependent but also, as you know, a lot of problematic alcohol consumption is generally under the radar, especially amongst older people. I know statistically that working in a large surgery in suburbia I talk to a lot of problem drinkers. I just don’t know who very many of them are. Depression and anxiety OTOH? Definitely.
DeWar said:
Actually no. This is probably very area dependent but also, as you know, a lot of problematic alcohol consumption is generally under the radar, especially amongst older people. I know statistically that working in a large surgery in suburbia I talk to a lot of problem drinkers. I just don’t know who very many of them are.
Depression and anxiety OTOH? Definitely.
I work in a pretty poor area of Cornwall and depression and anxiety appear to be common here also. There's a significant drinking culture too and the boredom of lockdown appears to have justified people drinking more. There's a shortage of experience Recovery Workers also and our caseloads are bordering on being unmanageable. I've recently closed a few cases but am still at 57 with lots more waiting to be allocated. Add the ridiculous amount of admin' and it's easy to see why staff turnover is so high. I imagine the past 4 months have been incredibly tough on you and your colleagues?Depression and anxiety OTOH? Definitely.
I saw my GP for the 1st time in years today.
I phoned yesterday morning and got straight through, explained to the receptionist I knew I had "tennis elbow" and wanted an injection for it. The GP called me back in the afternoon and after a 2 min chat confirming that I was aware of my condition and that my request was reasonable I got an apt for this afternoon and was asked to turn up no earlier than 5 mins before the apt. Went along, had the waiting room to myself, seen by the GP for the jab and back in the car 5 mins later.
No complaints here.
I phoned yesterday morning and got straight through, explained to the receptionist I knew I had "tennis elbow" and wanted an injection for it. The GP called me back in the afternoon and after a 2 min chat confirming that I was aware of my condition and that my request was reasonable I got an apt for this afternoon and was asked to turn up no earlier than 5 mins before the apt. Went along, had the waiting room to myself, seen by the GP for the jab and back in the car 5 mins later.
No complaints here.
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