It's a good job I don't get sick often.

Dreamnine

I waited 10 days for a doctor's appointment. That in itself seemed a long time to me, but it was the best my surgery could do.

My appointment was today at 4:10, so I turned up and was asked to take a seat. The waiting room was packed, and quite a few screaming kids, too. Still not called by 4:50 so I spoke to the receptionist.

'Sorry, the doctor is a little behind today', she said. I couldn't wait any longer as I was picking my daughter up at 5. Was offered another appointment for Thursday next week.

I'm hardly ever ill, which is good, so maybe I just haven't noticed a sharp decline in standards or the fact that the surgery has doubled the number of patients it takes on.

tessie_bear

id change doctors if i was u that is rubbish

Dreamnine

tessie_bear wrote: »

id change doctors if i was u that is rubbish

It's a pretty poor service tbh, but changing would just mean more hassle I could live without. I congratulated myself on not getting angry and causing a scene.

hollydays

Our surgery usually tells you if they are running behind when you go in.You could suggest this to the practice Manager

Kavanne

You can get an appointment same day, next day or the day after only (unless you have extenuating circumstances) at my surgery which I think is quite good

Dreamnine

Kavanne wrote: »

You can get an appointment same day, next day or the day after only (unless you have extenuating circumstances) at my surgery which I think is quite good

At my surgery they just seem to stack them up. If it had been anything urgent I could have phoned at 8am and said it's urgent.
Otherwise it's 'Have you tried NHS Direct?' Like I'd want to phone them...

VfM4meplse

GPs actually have a 48-hour access target. This effectively means that if your practice isn't sufficiently organised, you have to call the same day / next day for an appointment but is not helpful if you have a busy diary,
don't think you require urgent care and would just like a regular appointment, eg for managing a long-term condition. The way the whole system is applied by some practices effectively discriminates against workers (ironically those that fund the NHS through taxation!) who don't have time to wait in the middle of the day although this was never the intention behind the access target. I hate having my time wasted and would be particularly annoyed if I had to wait in line behind people that could be triaged out of the system by NHS Direct, such as those with minor ailments who could easily treated by their pharmacist. :mad:

Good practices hold a number of slots for chronic disease management so booking in advance is easier in these practices. My own practice offer a really good service, I am always offered convenient slots and with the new extended hours GPs are providing it means I can book an appointment for 7am, ie still get to work in time. Am delighted to report that my dentist is equally flexible! :j

The government is trying to drive quality into all of it's services through patient choice. If you don't like the practice, find another one - if enough people have the same opinion of the practice and move, competition will kick in and standards will be raised. Or so the theory goes!!!:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

moonrakerz

VfM4meplse wrote: »

GPs actually have a 48-hour access target.

The trouble is with targets is that there are so many ways to meet them.

Did you not see that wonderful moment on live TV when a lady pointed out to Tony B-liar that her local GPs were meeting the 72 hr target by not letting anyone make any appointments for more than 72 hours in advance. Therefore no-one waited more than 72hrs for appointment. I have to say it was the only time I ever saw that man truly lost for words !!

VfM4meplse

moonrakerz wrote: »

The trouble is with targets is that there are so many ways to meet them.

Did you not see that wonderful moment on live TV when a lady pointed out to Tony B-liar that her local GPs were meeting the 72 hr target by not letting anyone make any appointments for more than 72 hours in advance. Therefore no-one waited more than 72hrs for appointment. I have to say it was the only time I ever saw that man truly lost for words !!

Exactly what I alluded to. Poor practices play the system badly. Let market forces reign.

sillyvixen

i find dr's appointments alwas run late (even 9 am) this has always winded me up - untll i was really ill and needed treatment immediatly. i had a serious post op problem (tmi but bowel obstruction) my mum phoned the dr (nurse phoned back - then a dr phoned back and said come in in next 1/2 hour) waited to see dr (fitted in) and the dr reffered me to A&E took 45 mins on the phone to get through to them then had to write a refferal letter - i was in surgery within 3 hours - yes sometimes the dr's get behind as they have to spend so long dealing with medical emergencies.

Dreamnine

I'm not sure how they work it at my practise - just that they're a lot busier than they used to be and they've taken on a lot more patients. I don't mind waiting, and I've yet to be seriously ill with anything, but waiting 10 days, then 50 minutes I couldn.t afford is a bit much.