Getting a doctors appointment

pigpen

j.e.j. wrote: »

From what I can gather I don't think it's official policy, more that the ethnic minorities say they don't understand when they are told there are no pre-bookable appointments and the surgery can't be ar5ed with hiring a translator to tell them! So they just let them have the appointments.

That is pretty much it.. translators are expensive and if you are needing several a day it takes a lot of money out of the surgery budget.

Savvy_Sue

pigpen wrote: »

That is pretty much it.. translators are expensive and if you are needing several a day it takes a lot of money out of the surgery budget.

You'd have thought they'd have produced a script in multiple languages which they would just hand over: "You must phone at 8 am to make an appointment. We have very few pre-bookable appointments."

(The letter DS2 got about where he lives had an extra sheet with it saying it was an important letter which he must respond to, in several different languages. It does say it in English as well, which is how I know.)

Although then, I guess, they'd have the people who don't speak English very well phoning up at 8 am, when it could be difficult to get them to understand - as with deaf people, it's much easier to understand what's being said in a strange language when you can SEE the person you're speaking to!

Sneezy

alwaysskint96 wrote: »

My doctors like many others it seems have got this daft system of having to ring at 8am for an appointment. How do people manage this for non emergency cases ? And what about people who have difficulty using the phone?

I popped into the surgery today as need an appointment- quite happy to wait a week or so, to be told that 17th july at 9am was the ONLY prebookable one available. That seems ridiculous but took it. as no other choice but also asked the receptionist how it works. Apparently there is a limited ( obv very) amount of pre bookable appts the rest you have to phone at 8am for one that day.

I am partially deaf and find phone difficult. I used to call in surgery at 8am to make appt - this is no longer allowed, get told to go home and phone ( no good to me need to SEE peoples lips move when they talking to me

And I live in a commuter town- most people are on the train/tube into London at 8am, And even if they did get through its only same day appointments available, no good if you need to book time off work. Also majority of parents are doing school runs around that time- not easy to be ringing to be constantly getting engaged tone


The receptionist tells me the system works- yes for the elderly perhaps ( surgery was full of elderly people) but it seems very difficult for anyone else to see the doc

So how does everyone else get round this system- must be some way Ive not thought of

Our doctors is exactly the same - except you can't prebook appointments.

I haven't been to the doctors for 18 months (not through choice as I've needed to go a couple of times but haven't been able to get an appointment).

I've given up trying - the doctor at our surgery is fantastic and very overworked and I think the practice manager is trying to reduce his workload.

Sparkles87

My old doctor's surgery had one of the ridiculous phone at a certain time systems, no afternoon clinic unless emergency and hardly any advance appointments.

I changed to the local walk-in clinic when it opened and haven't had any problems since. Anything ongoing, I can generally get seen same day if it's a working day and I phone before 10am, if not, it's next couple of days with usual doctor. Weekends they don't do appointments or if it's a one off issue, then I can use the walk-in 8am-8pm 365 days a year, the same as anyone else.

Savvy_Sue

I discovered recently that our 'Walk-In' clinic is now appointment only ...

Loz01

Our doctors is a NIGHTMARE on the phone trying to get an appointment but they do online booking now which I do. Wake up, log in at 8am, have it booked by 8.01 - no more hanging off the phone to talk to a snobby receptionist they've asked me before that the 'issue' is - I refused to tell :j nosey witches.

Mojisola

Loz01 wrote: »

they've asked me before that the 'issue' is - I refused to tell :j nosey witches.

That's unfair. The receptionists don't decide to ask you about your health problems - they are told to do it by the practice manager. The idea is that some people may be better off seeing a nurse rather than a GP or even told to go to A&E if the problem is urgent.

Torry_Quine

Loz01 wrote: »

Our doctors is a NIGHTMARE on the phone trying to get an appointment but they do online booking now which I do. Wake up, log in at 8am, have it booked by 8.01 - no more hanging off the phone to talk to a snobby receptionist they've asked me before that the 'issue' is - I refused to tell :j nosey witches.

Wish my surgery would do that. So much easier.

Loz01

Mojisola wrote: »

That's unfair. The receptionists don't decide to ask you about your health problems - they are told to do it by the practice manager. The idea is that some people may be better off seeing a nurse rather than a GP or even told to go to A&E if the problem is urgent.

Yes good point, I think I was just on an anti-receptionist rant before I know some people time waste but I only ever go if i REALLY need to.

mgdavid

Nothing but praise for my local practice; non-urgent by phone, within the week. Urgent by phone, within 2 days. Very urgent, drop in at the end of normal hours and they will fit you in. Or send to A&E. Also just started doing online appointment bookings. They open a couple of mornings a week at 0700 for early commuters.
The service got even better since someone we know started as a receptionist there :-)