Ding! Ding! All change, please... (now replaced with new diary on MFW)

EssexHebridean

Ahh but the scrum is usually for same day or next day appointments I believe, and they have to leave a certain number of further ahead ones available - so hopefully, at some stage within the current availability window, there will be one suitable! I can be at least moderately flexible as I can do late afternoon appointments a couple of days a week, or Fridays of course, so it all helps. Well - that's the theory anyway! Certainly pre covid it used to be that if you could actually get through at the 8am time that the scrum was then set for, they got quite disgruntled if you didn't actually want a same day appointment!  

themadvix

That makes more sense. And always better to speak to someone- they have more flexibility than trying to book online or through the app. Although I know our receptionists had a real problem comprehending that Mr MV didn’t need an urgent appointment when he rang them… 🙄

EssexHebridean

I've always found our surgery's app excellent in the past in fairness - it's just that now although it says you can book GP appointments through it, it seems that in practise you really can't! 

Sunshine_girl2

You book our doctors appointments through the NHS app. 

themadvix

EssexHebridean said:

I've always found our surgery's app excellent in the past in fairness - it's just that now although it says you can book GP appointments through it, it seems that in practise you really can't! 

This has definitely been our experience recently - while in theory it works, in practice there’s never anything there!

milann

I can’t complain- I phoned yesterday afternoon for an appointment and they had non left for yesterday - unsurprisingly. They said a 2 1/2 week wait or ring out of hours if was an emergency. It wasn’t an emergency so I decided to try again today….I rang  at half nine this morning and saw a GP at 11.15. It all works very differently than pre covid.

beanielou

I was  in the Gp's surgery today.
Tried to make an appointment but have to do it online!!

rtandon27

Oh Beanie - that is horrid! - what an unprofessional response!

RelievedSheff

beanielou said:

I was  in the Gp's surgery today.
Tried to make an appointment but have to do it online!!

Ours is exactly the same yet whenever you try and book online it says that there are no appointments available.

They threatened to stop my other half's repeat prescription because the GP wanted a face to face appointment with him but he couldn't get one. This went on for months!

Suffolk_lass

RelievedSheff said:

beanielou said:

I was  in the Gp's surgery today.
Tried to make an appointment but have to do it online!!

Ours is exactly the same yet whenever you try and book online it says that there are no appointments available.

They threatened to stop my other half's repeat prescription because the GP wanted a face to face appointment with him but he couldn't get one. This went on for months!

That is a coincidence. I have just messaged my Doctor's surgery (mis)using the custom medications request as it is free text, to ask them to turn off the "you must see a clinician before we let you have this again" message. I have phoned three times and the last time, I agreed with the receptionist that I would leave it until after our April holiday before phoning again for my annual Asthma check that was due in Feb/March. She took the hold off the preventive inhaler but obviously did not realise there was a second (reactive) one too. At least they are pragmatic and mostly pleasant and helpful. I know they take a load of rudeness from calls (because our DS worked there until it got too much for him) but I find them generally very helpful, and having walked in their shoes, indirectly, I am happy to wait