doctors surgeries

Fire_Fox

My surgery (and the one I moved from!) are the opposite, most appointments are same day and it's a nightmare trying to get an advance appointment because there are very very few. If you can get one, they are all in the mornings, even tho they do see patients afternoons and evenings!

You have to ring at 8am for same day: bad luck if you are commuting on public transport/ in a team meeting/ sat operating a checkout/ in a supervisory with students/ leading a fitness class/ with a client/ sleeping because you work shifts. Loads of people have jobs where you do specific tasks at specific times and it's hugely disruptive to the business not to be there, and have bosses that expect you to organise and attend appointments out of work time unless in an emergency.

Since there is no guarantee you will get a same day appointment even if you hang on the telephone for twenty minutes, you aren't really going to want to wake up specially, stay home instead of travelling to work, or explain to your boss why you cannot do your job. Last time I was in the surgery someone was complaining they'd tried three mornings in a row to get an appointment and the receptionist didn't seem at all surprised.

There are plenty of times you need a doctor's appointment without being unwell enough not to work - blood pressure check, medication review, minor infection and so on. These may be less urgent than more serious health problems but they are not less important. :mad:

Lou67

That's awful Fire Fox. And the last surgery *I* was at was like this. You had to ring really early to get in,'that' day, and the doctors only had about 10 prebooked appointments a week. Monday to Friday 8.35, 8.45 and 8.55, (OK so about 12 appointments!) And it would have been easier to spot Kate Middleton in Llandudno shopping than it was to get one of those!

When you tried to explain that you actually have a JOB that you are at from 8.30am til 5pm, and you can't just fanny around 'hoping' to get in that day, they got all arsey with you! Moreover, like you stated; many people are travelling at that time (7.30 to 8.30am,) and it's only been the last 7 to 10 years that people have had a mobile phone.

Glad we moved areas LOL.

Stormchaser_2

Wow this is weird. The receptionists at my surgery are witches too! :rotfl:

Torry_Quine

I needed to make an appointment to see my doctor for a review and the first appointment I could get with any doctor is five weeks away!

peter_the_piper

Torry_Quine wrote: »

I needed to make an appointment to see my doctor for a review and the first appointment I could get with any doctor is five weeks away!

We have the same, MIL is due for a review but first one is in April. Normal appointments are the same day or next to be fair.

cockaleekee

sillygoose wrote: »

Yup will be going later when wife is home. Its just me, indirectly I work in A&E's (I look after some of their stuff) and I know how pushed it is in there so hate taking their time but no choice.

Why are you going on the busiest night of the week? This is pretty poor judgment on your part - you could have gone in an afternoon or on a week night when they would be far quieter.

Fire_Fox

Lou67 wrote: »

That's awful Fire Fox. And the last surgery *I* was at was like this. You had to ring really early to get in,'that' day, and the doctors only had about 10 prebooked appointments a week. Monday to Friday 8.35, 8.45 and 8.55, (OK so about 12 appointments!) And it would have been easier to spot Kate Middleton in Llandudno shopping than it was to get one of those!

When you tried to explain that you actually have a JOB that you are at from 8.30am til 5pm, and you can't just fanny around 'hoping' to get in that day, they got all arsey with you! Moreover, like you stated; many people are travelling at that time (7.30 to 8.30am,) and it's only been the last 7 to 10 years that people have had a mobile phone.

Glad we moved areas LOL.

Thank you for replying. I'm glad it's not just me, sometimes I wonder if I am being unreasonable! Even if you have a mobile you can be in and out of tunnels on trains, or not want to discuss personal things in front of other commuters. And you know you can't get past the dragon receptionist without giving your entire medical history. :rotfl:

I've tried to explain, in fact I put a comments form in last time (tried to word it not as a complaint) but the practice manager has not bothered to reply even tho I had specifically asked how to contact them.

My last surgery - the main junkie/ alkie one - claimed to have made the changes after consulting patients ..... by a survey conducted within the surgery itself. It's pretty obvious that those who are unable to work and have chronic health complaints are more likely to see the survey and respond than those who work full time and attend with minor issues less often.

The final straw with that surgery was only being able to collect your prescription on the day you ran out of meds, in the afternoon after surgery ended or in the evening from the adjacent junkie/ alkie pharmacy IF they had actually remembered to get the script signed. Mine happened to fall on a Friday and I worked in another town until 10pm. :wall: Really, am I the only patient who works in another town so can't collect a repeat prescription?

And breathe.

sillygoose

cockaleekee wrote: »

Why are you going on the busiest night of the week? This is pretty poor judgment on your part - you could have gone in an afternoon or on a week night when they would be far quieter.

Half Term, are you volunteering to babysit? or perhaps take them with me for a fun family outing.

sillygoose

Well doctors service is poor but hospital is great, ironically they want to close the A&E because Labour signed up to Managed Service Contracts that the NHS couldn't actually afford, made Labour look good for a while but its unsustainable.

In, assessed, seen by a proper doctor (not one with a certificate off Iraq Ebay) and on my way in just over an hour with a note. Wonderful.

Froglet

Well,i have nothing but praise for my health centre.If it is a sudden and urgent need ,then i ring up and either get an appointment for sometime that day,or get asked to come at a certain time and wait to be seen by one of the emergency doctors(that happens twice a day) .

Otherwise i can book online,up to 3 weeks ahead! That is only with my own doctor,who i have had for years and is very good,has always sent me to a specialist when the need arises,and is always very thorough.

I can also order my repeat prescription online.The health centre can do a lot of things that saves having to go to the hospital for,minor ops,scans etc.

In fact the only moan i ever have is the lack of parking because it is so popular!!