Nice People Thread No. 14, all Nice and Proper

Wheezy_2

This is a very nice thread and Nikkster has very nice feet.

GDB2222

Wheezy wrote: »

This is a very nice thread and Nikkster has very nice feet.

I thought so, too.

LydiaJ

Running_On_Empty wrote: »

Can I be on the front page, too, please?:)

Welcome Running on Empty. :hello:

Have you posted on the NPT before? If so, please forgive me for not remembering you. If not, then pull up a chair and join in.

lir, your GP practice's appointment system is not fit for purpose. In your position I would either move to a different one, or write to the practice manager detailing the conversation just as you've detailed it for us. Not all GP practices are like that. I've posted before about the system at mine.

GDB2222

lostinrates wrote: »

That's ok, its useful ivy leaf!

I did get through just now. . Bizarre conversation.

Lir: hi, I'd like to see a GP this week if possible not bothered which.
Receptionist: is it possible you could give me an idea of nature of the problem?

lir: yeah, I don't mind in THIS instance. I've had some thing going on with my lips, took advice from pharmacist, been taking antihistamines, two types, for some time, problem changing, more uncomfortable.

Reception: yes, that's a priority issue, and would qualify for a same day appt. I have an appointment on Thursday you can have or we release new appointments at one o'clock you could try calling back to get.

Lir. Hmm. Its taken me nearly two hours to get through and you say its important, why cannot I have a this afternoon appointment now?

Reception: they aren't released until one o'clock. Its very busy today because of Easter, but there is the Thursday appt or, the afternoon ones.

Lir: I'll take Thursday please

Reception: I think because of what you have described you should be seen this afternoon really...

Lir: but I have to gamble and call back at one? And try and egg through?

Reception: well, yes.

Lir: I'll take Thursday.

Reception. Ok, but our advice for symptoms you have described is same day appointment.




You gotta smile right? ( if your lips don't hurt? ). I can of course call back at one and if there is an appt cancel the Thursday one, but after nearly two hours to get through this morning I doubt it will be possible.

You did the right thing to bank the Thursday appointment. The question is whether you have the mental strength to ring back again at 1 to try for an afternoon appointment? I'm sure they're happy for you to cancel the other one if you can be seen today.

GDB2222

Compared to others here, I feel a bit of a fraud, but I am almost totally disabled today. I tripped over a bollard yesterday and fell quite heavily. I thought it was just a grazed knee and walked home. Then I got dragged round shopping. Today, I can't put any weight on my knee or even bend it. I tried going downstairs but gave up. It gets really, really, really painful if I bend it more than about 60 degrees. I guess that I have bruised something inside.

lostinrates

Lu, GDb. tin truth, I got what I wanted, a this week appointment, So I am quite content. I just think the conversation is hilarious and is such a good example of the situation I face, not just at my GP ( where this sort of thing happens often, and I agree with you Lj, this place is pants....) but in other areas of health service. Luckily today I am laughing not tearing my hair out over it.

I'm debating the one o clock thing. I've coped fine and there probably are people who have sat on things over Easter who want that appoint ment more. I might take the phone gamble, I might not. I will see how I feel at one. If I do try and do not get through I will not feel too hard done by, and that makes me feel that maybe I should be content with Thursday, an appointment I consider satisfactory anyway. Its mainly because Thursday leaves be a little pushed for something else I might try this afternoon. Selfishly. Anyway, I'll see.

lostinrates

GDB2222 wrote: »

Compared to others here, I feel a bit of a fraud, but I am almost totally disabled today. I tripped over a bollard yesterday and fell quite heavily. I thought it was just a grazed knee and walked home. Then I got dragged round shopping. Today, I can't put any weight on my knee or even bend it. I tried going downstairs but gave up. It gets really, really, really painful if I bend it more than about 60 degrees. I guess that I have bruised something inside.

Why fraud?

Take care of it. Temporary things can become serious if not taken care of properly. .

michaels

lostinrates wrote: »

Lu, GDb. tin truth, I got what I wanted, a this week appointment, So I am quite content. I just think the conversation is hilarious and is such a good example of the situation I face, not just at my GP ( where this sort of thing happens often, and I agree with you Lj, this place is pants....) but in other areas of health service. Luckily today I am laughing not tearing my hair out over it.

Our doctor operates exactly the same scheme which results in the phone lines being jammed at 8am and 1pm. Work arounds I have found are:
If calling in the morning and not getting an appointment slot asking for a phone appointment where the docotr than then decide to see you when they call you and then somehow find a way to fit you in.

Calling in the afternoon even if all the slots are full, if you convince the receptionist that it is 'urgent for today' then somehow they make more appointments to fit you in - I guess they have targets of seeing all urgent apointments same day.

Whilst it is not a great system I don't see what else they can do, they have limited staff members so how else to meet the surge in demand after weekends and especially bank holiday ones. I guess they could not book any regular appointments at all in advance for these days but then run the risk of having doctors doing nothing if emergency demand is less than forecast or might still not have enough doctors to cover the 'surge'.

lostinrates

michaels wrote: »

Our doctor operates exactly the same scheme which results in the phone lines being jammed at 8am and 1pm. Work arounds I have found are:
If calling in the morning and not getting an appointment slot asking for a phone appointment where the docotr than then decide to see you when they call you and then somehow find a way to fit you in.

I am a HUGE fan of phone appts. I usually opt for them. Most of what I need to do can be discussed over the phone. You cannot really see a brain. in a surgery setting. . Otoh, if I have a rash or similar it seems silly to take two appts for one issue. If I could email photos, as as I do to my consultants I'd go for the phone appt to discuss photos certainly.

I think an issue here is that gp's cannot rely on patients to be sensible. So e one could be running in with 'symptoms like these' for a cold sore, without having tried any home care, or whatever. Or it could be more serious. Usually I have a fairly good idea of what's going on, and tbh this time I have not got a clue. .

silvercar

Our doctors will fit you in to a sit and wait appointment after 12.30 if you feel you need to be seen the same day, otherwise you need to book far ahead. Apparently some proper length appointments are released each day at the receptionist discretion.

Hope you get sorted lir.

GDB, suggest RICE (rest, ice, compress, elevate) Sounds painful, hope mrs GDB is sympathetic to you having trawled the shops.