GP Surgery opening hours - official guidelines?

usignuolo

As previously explained, our local OOH GP service is rated among the very worst in the country, despite being GP led in a relatively prosperous urban area.

The problem seems to be that many of our local GPs now earn enough to work part time during the week and are really not interested in what happens OOH.

There is a walk in centre not far away and I went there once, when I fell and banged my knee badly on a wet pavement one afternoon, as it still hurt badly the next morning and I was worried I might have cracked it. I went the next morning and they told me the Xray machine was not being used as the operator was off sick (strange that it coincided with the school holidays).

Also that there were only nurses on duty so they could not make diagnoses (nor dispense prescriptions either although there was an on site pharmacy) as budget cuts meant that they could no longer afford to employ any doctors.

They advised me to go to the A & E instead.

kazmc

Its an absolute nightmare trying to get an appointment at my surgery. You cant book in advance and have to call at 8am to get an appointment for that morning or 1.30 to get an appt for the afternoon. I am doing the school run at 8am and dont have a spare 15 minutes to be on hold and equally I work so its a nightmare ringing at 1.30 as well.
They deal with the walk-ins before answering the phones.
I managed to get through at 8.12 on Tuesday only to be told all appointments for the morning were already gone!!
They have been closed Tuesday AND Thursday afternoon this week.
So if I get pregnant after not being able to get an appointment for a week I will bomb the surgery!!!!!:)

Yorkie1

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hngrymummy

Amanda65 wrote: »

Ours still has half day closing on Wednesdays :eek::eek::eek:

One near us does half day closing every day

http://www.nhs.uk/Services/gp/Overview/DefaultView.aspx?id=35286

When I've been really ill, I've called NHS direct, and seen a GP at the out of hours centre, sometimes within the hour.

usignuolo

There are four walk in centres in our PCT and they are all officially "nurse-led" ie no doctors. On the PCT web site it says, "If you have a minor ailment and aren’t near your GP, Walk-in centres offer fast access to health advice, emergency contraception and treatment for minor ailments, infections, or injuries such as cuts, strains, sprains. They are not designed for treating long-term conditions or immediately life-threatening problems and are not suitable for those under two years old."

In fact they are not designed for anything that requires diagnosis by a doctor or a prescription or other medication. There is quite a wide range of things which might go wrong with you overnight which fall somewhere between minor sprains and life threatening problems but not apparently recognised by our PCT.

There is a four 4 queue hour wait on NHS direct, and, in my experience, they are hopeless when you do get through. The only alternative is A & E.

Our OOH service one of the worst in the country (officially). Getting an appointment with GP is a nightmare (our practice rated less than 3% satisfaction for appointments on their NHS survey last year). Not easy to register with another surgery, either you have to be in their catchment area for a start and the ones near me are all full.

Meanwhile GPs are taking home 6 figure salaries for working part-time.

eyelinerprincess

The one I'm currently registered in is the pits. The opening hours are as following:

Monday 8.40-10.30 3.30-5.00
Tuesday 9.00-11.00 3.30-5.00
Wednesday 8.40-10.30 2.30-3.30
Thursday 8.40-10.30
Friday 8.40-10.30 3.30-5.00

globetraveller

It really annoys me that I am stuck with the surgery I have as there is not another one in the area. Why can't I have freedom of choice? Is it different in England?

lisawood78

I can see why this is so frustrating, and it doesn't seem to make any sense either.
I live in a town, nothing grand, not massive, far from anything special yet my surgery has good hours, late night opening and if you ring when they open at 8am (ok not ideal but still) you will get an appointment that day. There are at least 10 GPS and nurse appointments are easy to come by also. They also offer online booking, but the system is a bit temperamental. I've rang at 10/11am before and been offered a choice in appointments that day!
I'm not bragging though, merely surprised at the disparity across different areas. Bonkers

dondo

We are very lucky and have a great doctors surgery- they are open until 6pm Monday to Friday and do 1 night a week until 9pm.

They are good when it comes to getting appointments too- especially when it's our kids- they always seem to be able to fit you in quickly

maman

Someone replied to original post saying that individual surgeries can offer whatever they want. Mine seems to keep chopping and changing but always say that they have to do it because of some rules or other.


Basic hours are 9 to 5.30 ish but they do now have some surgeries at 8.30 although the door is locked and you have to hope that receptionist sees you waiting outside. Certainly makes you feel they're doing you a favour. Similarly a monthly Saturday morning and a fortnightly 7.30 finish.


I did take it up with my GP once (when they just did 9-5). They had a 'suggestion box' in the surgery. After having to ask for some paper and a pen(!) I wrote that I'd like more flexible hours as often ailments weren't bad enough to take time of work and caught early enough could prevent many of the 'sick' days and help the economy. My doctor took me to task at my next appointment! I think he was being deliberately obtuse, telling me that he worked long hours doing paperwork etc. My point was that he could work the same hours but at different times. We have 5 doctors in the practice so staggering their hours is entirely workable.


What does irritate me is that they say you can get an appointment that day (limited number available) if you call in the morning at 8.00 a.m. Of course, switchboard is completely jammed! Fortunately I only live a 2 minute walk away so find it better to go to surgery in person and look receptionist in the eye and assertively ask for an appointment. It usually works but it's hard being assertive when you're feeling under the weather!


Another bugbear is not being able to book ahead particularly when GP has told you to do so. I love commenting in a loud voice that I can book ahead at my dentist or even my hairdresser but not at GP.:mad:


It's the funding mechanism that's at fault which allows them to be doctor centred rather than patient centred in the hours they offer. Sadly last government made a huge error giving them such lucrative contracts that they don't need to put themselves out. That's why Sainsbury's is open all hours and they're not!