Hung on 28 mins to book an appointment

I just think I am so lucky with my surgery. We have online bookings, telephone or face to face bookings. A certain amount are released on the day and there is always one or maybe two emergency appointment available and they are also open on Saturday. Trouble is its hard to get an appointment with the Dr of your choice but on the positive side if you see a Dr and he wants to see you again he can book it himself there and then or ask reception to do so. I realise how lucky we are and this was one of the reasons we decided not to move as you hear such horror stories. If I hadn't got an appointment yesterday I would have gone straight to A&E and just waited.

The reason you can't book appointments online with a nurse is because some nurses specialise in certain topics ie asthma, diabetes, high bp, and patients ts being patients will book into these clinics for routine appointments. Some practices do offer nurse appointments others don't. Can I suggest that you ask your practice about online triage services and if they are using it. Its a really good service

You get through and it’s a case of
Press 1 if you have cystitis
Press 2 if you have piles
Press 3 if you have headache
Press 4 if you have sore throat
Etc etc etc

I tried our new computerised system today. To begin with I went online around 10.00am to find that when I pressed 'appointments' I got a message saying 'sorry, no appointments available today'. Nothing anywhere about the new systeme that says a GP will ring me.

So I ring the surgery. The phone is answered and I ask the receptionist how I make an appointment using the new computerised sysytem. She says that only so many appointments are available through the online system so once they have been allocatted I will get the message I got and I have to ring anyway

I then have to give the receptionist a summary of my problem again. To be fair I get a call from the GP within minutes and I am offered an appoinment for this afternoon, which I understand is with the GP.

I turn up, sign in through the automated system which logs me as having a GP appointment. but when I get to the consultation room, I am met by a nurse practioner. I have no objection to that but, why did the GP and the system not tell me that?

I must say that she was very good, very thorough and had plenty of time to check everything. No prescription but she diagnosed the problem and at least I now know what it is, that I needn't worry that it could be something more serious, and that at the end of the day, one half should resolve itself eventually and the other half I just have to live with.

Overall a B+ experience. Satisfactory outcome but the process was rather laboured and at times as clear as mud and I felt like I was walking through it as well, slow and labourious.