Long wait for doctor's appointment

zaksmum

I phoned my doctor to make an appointment this morning and the earliest appointment they can offer is 21st May.:eek:

They used to have open surgery but have now scrapped this. The practice has 7 GPs and I think it's ridiculous to have to wait so long for an appointment.

I asked what would I have to do if it was urgent, and the receptionist said "Go to hospital".

Are there any guidelines in the NHS about unacceptable GP waiting times?

mazza111

Dunno but ours is similar. Although not quite so long time scales. Usually about 2-3 weeks. However, if it's something that needs seeing on the day, infection or such they will always squeeze you in either same day or on the very rare occasion, next day, but for routine appointments 2-3 weeks

paddyrg

Wow, I walked down at 8:30 this morning and was given a 10am appointment - went home for porridge and then back to be seen, walking to chemists by 10:15. I guess each surgery is different, perhaps it's time to change?

Tigsteroonie

Sounds standard to me, Zaksmum - you can wait two weeks for an appointment at our local surgery if you're willing to take any day/time/GP, or four weeks if you want to specify time (eg around work) or GP (eg the one who's seen your problem before).

Fortunately they offer same day appointments for the little one, he's deemed a more urgent case!

iammumtoone

Have you tried asking to see nurse? I normally find you can see them the same day and if they can't help a doctor magically appears.

pulliptears

Some surgeries have a nurse practitioner, she can prescribe so can deal with a lot of things the Doctor can. I've found when seeing the Nurse if she's unsure she'll fetch the Doctor in anyway.

Does your surgery not offer emergency appointments? There is always a block of free appointments with ours through the day and if you call at 8am with an emergency you can usually be fitted in the same day.

gregg1

zaksmum wrote: »

I phoned my doctor to make an appointment this morning and the earliest appointment they can offer is 21st May.:eek:

They used to have open surgery but have now scrapped this. The practice has 7 GPs and I think it's ridiculous to have to wait so long for an appointment.

I asked what would I have to do if it was urgent, and the receptionist said "Go to hospital".

Are there any guidelines in the NHS about unacceptable GP waiting times?

That is awful. I called our docs this morning at 10am and got an appointment for 3.50 today.

zaksmum

gregg1 wrote: »

That is awful. I called our docs this morning at 10am and got an appointment for 3.50 today.

Our surgery has always been difficult to get appointments in, but has gone really bad in the last year or so. I would be amazed if I could get an appointment the same day like this!

They do have some emergency appointments on Wednesdays and Fridays only, when they used to hold the open surgeries, and you have to call at 8am to try for one, but can never get through as the line's constantly engaged. If you do manage to get through, invariably all the appointments have gone.

They have nurse appointments but you can't get one of those less than a couple of weeks ahead.

I would change to another surgery but mine is the only local one and I have been on their books since 1975.

oldagetraveller

There is a link to the NHS Constitution here - http://www.nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/NHSConstitution/Pages/Overview.aspx
Can't see anything re GP waiting time. Didn't Blair try to instigate a 48 hour rule some years ago?
Obviously not being practised by a lot of GPs.
I must be lucky that I can arrange an emergency appointment for the same day and if I 'm prepared to see any of the GPs at my practice then it's usually the following day or at the latest the day after (working days).
To see a Practice Nurse usually takes a couple of days longer.
An advantage of a rural location?

zaksmum

oldagetraveller wrote: »

There is a link to the NHS Constitution here - http://www.nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/NHSConstitution/Pages/Overview.aspx
Can't see anything re GP waiting time. Didn't Blair try to instigate a 48 hour rule some years ago?
Obviously not being practised by a lot of GPs.
I must be lucky that I can arrange an emergency appointment for the same day and if I 'm prepared to see any of the GPs at my practice then it's usually the following day or at the latest the day after (working days).
To see a Practice Nurse usually takes a couple of days longer.
An advantage of a rural location?

May well be an advantage of a rural location. I'm in the inner city and there do seem to be a lot of patients on the list - although the surgery has had a notice up for a long time that the surgery cannot take any new patients as they are full.

Jox

I called up to get an appointment for my dad at 8.30am this morning, was offered a cancellation at 9.10am which was too short notice, and so the next appointment was at 11.30am. Imagine having to wait a month!

How about NHS walk in centre, do you have one of those nearby?