Long wait for doctor's appointment

Sponge

I've never been able to book an appointment in advance with my GP. They always tell me I need to call first thing in the morning, it's either 0800 or 0830, I can't recall which, and get one assigned then. 9/10 it's same day.

I've always assumed it's down to stats and if they give an appointment too far in the future it's regarded as too long a wait and they get marked down in some way.

And the way the receptionists talk to you - talk about patronising and rude! I don't think I've heard one friend, family member, or colleague compliment their GP/Receptionist.

Tenyearstogo

For those of you that have problems getting appointments, do you complain in writing to the practice manager?

david39

Our doctor moved over from a system where you rang in the morning and ALWAYS got an appointment that day or, at worst, next day. They introduced the triage system of vetting by a nurse and then a telephone consultation later that day or face to face the next week or even later.

Senseless - how can a surgery jump from same day consultations to next week consultations? Where is the improvement in this? Obviously not for the patient - can only be for the doctor's benefit.

A notice in the waiting room tells us, after 12 months of this farce, that they are changing the system shortly. I bet it will not revert to the old ways that the patients were happy with..

ThumbRemote

doughnutmachine wrote: »

most countries don't have a health system like the nhs (it's either private or insurance), yet their public health seems ok....

people should be able to budget for things that are important to them. if the "poor" would rather spend money on fags and sky telly rather than visit the doctor it's really their decision.

It's not the poor, it's generally men (of all social classes) who need encouragment to see a doctor.

The less accessible you make it, the greater problems there are down the line.

pmduk

Humphrey10 wrote: »

My current GP has a system where if you ring up on the day and say you need an appointment that day, you will be booked a telephone appointment with a doctor who will assess you over the phone and then if needed will make you a face to face appointment with a doctor or nurse, or if you know what is wrong with you will leave a prescription at the counter for you to pick up. It works well I think.

That's what my practice does now, I hated it at first, but I'm coming round to it. I needed an item yesterday not on my repeat list, one quick call from the doctor and the script was waiting for me, and we were able to discuss a hospital referral she'd made for me at the same time. It took 2 minutes as opposed to a full appointment. The problem will be for those people unable/unwilling to receive calls.

derrick

doughnutmachine wrote: »

but if something is free at point of use they are more likely to abuse it. if there was a fee (like a tenner) people would be less likely to go to the doctor because they had a cold.

The NHS is "free at the piont of use" for a reason, we have already paid for it via taxes, why should we pay again? Where do we end, would we have to pay for the fire brigade to put out a fire that we have already paid for via taxes, the police to investigate a crime etc, stop giving the government ideas to "tax" us more than we already are.

The abusers should be fined, but until legislation enacts this it will not happen.

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Herongull

I was with one practice for nearly 20 years. It went downhill a few years ago in terms of getting appointments - most of the time when I phoned up, the earliest appointment was in 2 weeks time.

So I went to nhs walk-in centres instead, but now most of them within travelling distance have closed.

Assuming that the problem was caused by my practice having taken on too many patients, the only solution was to transfer to a different GP.

I checked out the feedback on local GP practices http://www.nhs.uk/Pages/HomePage.aspx

I found another local practice got rave reviews from their patients who never seemed to have any trouble getting timely appointments.

I transferred across and yes, my new GP practice is amazing. I always get appointments either the same day or the next day. The receptionists are helpful and the doctors are very good.

Jox

Slightly off topic, but has anyone heard of InHealth?

My hubby went to the doctor 2 weeks ago who referred him for ultrasound scan, he had a call from InHealth yesterday to arrange it and had the ultrasound at 9am this morning!

I thought he would have to wait months for the letter to arrive informing him of his ultrasound date...

colin13

our doctors,packed in ,she was single doctor with limited patients,now it is 2 doctors still one room and 300 more patients,it has went to bits,now you cant fone for repeat script,have to put request in box,and get it 2 days later,getting an appointment,is nightmare,but a new health centre is getting built,and they want 3 rooms,so if still alive in 2015,i may get appointment quicker ,,lol

fluffnutter

zaksmum wrote: »

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

That's really worrying. A GP appointment probably costs the tax payer a few tens of quid. I expect a hospital appointment costs ten times that.