No appointments available at GP online booking system for 3 weeks?

littlerock

My GP is part of a Group Practice with 5 doctors: 3 GP partners and 2 salaried doctors. They recently introduced an online booking system for routine appointments, so I decided to try and use it for a routine appointment, now due.

I registered and logged in. The system offered me the option to book up to three weeks in advance, by name of doctor. I ticked the name of my own GP and asked for any available date in the next 3 weeks. "No available appointments". So I tried all the other doctors on same basis. Same thing. "No available appointments". (The system does work because when I selected Blood Tests, it offered me two available dates.)

I let it roll over for a couple of days and tried again. Same response: "No Available Appointments"

I assume that either the doctors are all being fully booked out for routine appointments, on a rolling 3 week basis, or they have not in fact made their names available for on-line bookings. The irony is that the practice is actively canvassing for new patients.

Anyone else have the same sort of GP access problem for routine appointments? I should add you can get an emergency appointment within 24 hours, once you have got through, but not a routine one.

sheramber

It may be that only a few online appointments are available so as not to disadvantage those who cannot book online.

Try phoning for an appointment and see what you are offered.

I know our online booking for a week ahead sometimes shows only one or two appointments available but being in an area where we can often get an appointment for the same day, sometimes within an hour, it is unlikely that a week ahead all but one appointments have been taken.

k3lvc

sheramber wrote: »

It may be that only a few online appointments are available so as not to disadvantage those who cannot book online.

The whole system stinks for many - what about those workers who can't join the queue on the phones at 8am whilst Ethel/Doris etc phone up to make their appointment for a weekly chat with the doc of their choice.


The person/company who can come up with an aligned solution that provides a nationally adhered to process for appointments should be guaranteed freedom of the country/knighthood etc

Robin9

Similar story from me - even telephone appointments are 2 weeks away.

Any good news stories out there about appointments systems ?

comeandgo

I can usually see a doctor same day, a specific requested doctor may have a week or so wait. My husband is in a different practice and to see his preferred doctor is two weeks normally though there is always an on call doctor to deal with emergencies.

Sea_Shell

Our system's not too bad if you want to see a GP, but it doesn't include appointments for the Nurse Practitioners etc. which seems a bit daft, as they can deal with a lot of minor ailments and/or regular checkups.

[Deleted User]

Only 3 weeks? The record here is 6-7 weeks.

newatc

Only some appointment slots are online and they may get cancelled by the patient.

So when trying to get an appointment I telephone to see what they have available while having the online system loaded. Whichever is going to give me the first appointment (telephone or online) I take.

I agree with those who say the appointment system needs a rethink.. While they keep a good number of appointments for the 8am crowd, our practice opens the doors an hour earlier on two days a week and make it known that those wanted an appointment can arrive in person before 8am on those days and get an appointment. You probably need to return home because the appointment time is much later before returning later.
Nonsense imo.

KxMx

The online booking (SytM online) for my Surgery used to be like that.

Recently alongside more GPs joining, they now offer numerous appointments online with all the GPs.

I did have to phone for a Nurse appointment recently though as they are not online.

Pennywise

littlerock wrote: »

The irony is that the practice is actively canvassing for new patients.

Hardly surprising when they get paid "per patient" rather than "per appointment". More patients on their books means more profit for the partners!

littlerock

Well what actually happened was that I got a letter from the practice last weekend, advising me I needed a routine appointment with my GP. . So I phoned them in the morning on 17th May to make it and was told by receptionist that there was one single appointment left, with a male locum I have never met, on 7th June.

I explained that due to the nature of my condition, I should like to see a lady doctor. I was told that that the male locum was the only available non-urgent appointment in the next three week period and if I wanted to see a practice doctor, I should try phoning again next Tuesday (Monday is bank holiday.)

So on Wednesday just gone I registered to book online for non urgent appointments. The system offered me the option of booking up to 3 weeks in advance with a chosen GP. Turned out to be no appointments available with any of the GPs, salaried doctors or locums in the 3 week window from then. I tried again on Friday, same thing.

So I tried to book again on line this morning, as soon as I woke up, at around 6:30am, in case the 3 week period started again on a Sunday. Still no appointments available with any of the doctors. Are they really all booked out by 6:30am on the first day of a three week window.?

It seems you cannot book a routine appointment on line, for up to three weeks ahead, no matter how early you get up at start of the booking window. I am wondering if the system is there to pretend you can book online but actually has not been activated for the GPs (it works for blood tests.) You can get an emergency appointment within 24 hours but not a routine one.

They can't be super busy or the practice would not be inviting applications from new patients. They only offer appointments from 08:30 to 17:30 on weekdays, none at weekends. There is one late night a week when they stay open until 18:30, and that it is it.

Now thinking of changing my GP. Anyone done this?