How long to get an appointment

davyl

Hi,
Not exactly a financial query, but....
I haven't been to see a doctor for a few years, for which I'm grateful!
I rang today to see if I could see a doctor and was told there was nothing this week as it's all booked up. (I am registered at this clinic)
I was told to ring each morning in case someone cancelled.
This was mount oriel.

I'd like to know if this is normal?

Many thanks.

Contemplates

Sorry to hear ur in need of the doc.... I'm afraid to say that it seems the norm recently. I'm with a surgery in county down and have been quite a regular visitor recently. Each time I've made an appointment , it's always been about 6-8 days later. Guess cutbacks have got to these guys already?

donnac2558

Yes it is.

Now they do keep a few emergency appointments open each morning in most surgeries. They tell you to come in an just sit and wait and then the doctor tries to fit you in. You tell the receptionist what is wrong with you and they decided if you need to come in that morning.

A friend's GP is Mount Oriel and they are really rubbish for appointments. She had tests done and still waiting for results 2 weeks later.

jjd

Sadly this seems to be the case with a number of people I know too. The NHS guidance says you should be seen within two days but this is only a guide and not a target that must be met!
I am lucky as I moved from a surgery with poor people skills and long waiting times to a lovely little small country surgery where I can get an appointment any day I wish. There has only been one time when I couldn't get the day I wanted and that was because I wanted a specific doctor.... I could have had an appointment that day or the following day with another doctor.

One of the main reasons for leaving my old surgery was to do with my objection to be triaged by a receptionist who has no medical qualifications and has no medical training. I don't doubt there may be some cases where medical professionals triage patients but this was not the case in my surgery.
I also think it is wrong to give personal medical information over the phone to someone who is not bound by confidentiality. I understand people in doctors should not disclose information but really they have no nursing or medical registration so are not legally obliged.
I think people doing triage is very dangerous as someone who is very unwell could be easily missed as they don't want to discose their intimate details to a stranger.

You should write and complain about the waiting times in your surgery.

Well that's my rant...... and no offence to medical receptionists, I don't think they should be put in the position of having to triage in the first place so it's not their fault.

It didn't do Gayle Platt any favours!

Old_Git

my surgery has 5 doctors .I phone and take pot luck on which doctor I see but never wait more that 2 days .I also ask if there are any cancellations ,sometimes this works and I get seen that day .

absoluteutopia

My Mrs phoned on Friday to see her Dr, she got an app for 21st April. If youre happy with one of the bad drs at our practice you can normally see one of those within 2 days, but the good ones at least 2 weeks is average

davyl

Thanks for the replies.
Looks like I need to learn some patience!
I guess most practices are the same in Belfast?

gallery

This is relatively standard I'm afraid - the only way forward is continual harassment, or if it's urgent you could request a telephone call so at least you could speak to a medic the same day.

Just to say that regardless if someone is a nurse or doctor or clerical staff they are still bound by laws of confidentiality while working in the health service - it is part of the contract. You are perfectly within your rights to refuse to disclose any information to receptionists or clerical staff - but they hold the ultimate power, annoy them at your peril!

irishjohn

In my surgery in North Down its possible to have a doctor call you the same day if you ring in the morning. They call after morning surgery and determine if you can be handled by phone and perhaps call in for a prescription later that day, or if they need to see you they book an appointment usually for that afternoon or the following day but not necessarily with your named doctor.

Worked well for me last year when i had an inner ear problem giving me vertigo.

MummyOfTwins

I appear to be quite lucky with my surgery as I can always get an appointment within a couple of days depending on why I'm needing one and with one of the Doctors I'd like to see, I never have to wait for as long as some of you have.

happy_gardener

I have only good reports for our Dr surgery. i can ring at 8.30am on a Monday and have an appointment the same day or at the latest the next day. I realise this is not the case for all Dr's...as i know in Carrickfergus you get 'vetted' by a nurse before you can make a Dr's appointment and this is usually in 2 weeks!! The Ballymena Health centre has 5 practices in the one building and they all seem to be consistent with their good service. In the case of a referral needed with the hospital, our Dr will type the letter before you , both ensureing that it is done, but also they are very efficient. If you need to ask the Dr urgent over the phone, you can talk vertually immediately, or they will phone you back. I only have good things to say about our 2 Dr's in one of the practices.