Doctors appointment

I live in Northern Ireland where the A&E situation is critical, an ED consultant admitted on the local news last night that people are dying as a result of the conditions in A&E and a spokesman for GP's said this morning that elderly people are now too afraid to go to A&E as they would rather die at home than in A&E. The departments are so overcrowded an ED nurse admitted that the risk of cross infection is high making sick people even sicker. In NI we don't have 111, walk in centres, NHS app or econsult service. GP appointments are extremely difficult to access with a 3 week wait for a call back. What are people supposed to do?

My surgery has improved a lot in the last year or so. I fill in the econsult form and always get a call back the same day. It's not always a doctor who calls back. When I was having problems with a prescription I spoke to the pharmacist, who was able to sort things out.

Last week I filled in the form in the morning for something I consider minor and not urgent. I got a call from a receptionist asking me to come at 2pm to see the doctor. I assume they had a cancellation, but I was happy not to have to wait.

Luckygirl3

netflixfan - can I join your realm?!

It certainly seems like a different world where unicorns prance around in the sunlit uplands!

netflixfan - can I join your realm?!

I seem to live in mythical realm! I phone my doctor, speak to a lovely triage person who puts me on the list for a call. Before 10.00 am usually, a doctor rings me and we’re comer to a way forward together - maybe a prescription, maybe I need to see a doctor or nurse. I set the doctor or nurse the same day. I’m very grateful for this service as you can imagine!

Econsult works very well with our surgery. We have always had a callback from a GP within a couple of hours, and where necessary a face to face appointment the same morning.

I belong to a brilliant surgery. I put in my request online explaining the problem and have been offered an appointment within an hour. I can’t praise them enough.

I have a variety of problems, and have never asked to see a doctor unless I considered it very important. Having done 10 years of hospital car service, I am aware of the situation. With my previous doctor we definitely worked together. If I had a consultation but by the time I saw her I had improved I would ask if it was ok to have the prescription but not take it to the chemist for24 hours as I was feeling better, and the doctor would tell me yes or no . I moved and had never met the doctors at this surgery because of the covid situation. suddenly my leg swelled ou a great deal, very red swollen and itchy. in 12 hours could only wear one pair of trousers as it was too swollen to use any of the others. It was friday, and I rang to ask to see someone that day as I did not think it was wise or sensible to do nothing and risk it getting worse over the weekend and did not want to be calling an ambulance in the middle of the night , (I am a widow and live alone) The receptionist was quite awkward and kept saying I should leave it until monday. I suggested she looked at my records whee she would see that I only got in touch when there was a problem. Despite her attitude I did manage to get an appointment to sit and wait etf. Got a friend to take me there as did not think I was safe driving. Was told to sit in the blue carridor, to which I replied this is my first time here , can you point out where I should go. My back is always painful but was even worse than usual, and when the doctor called me it took me some time to walk down thecorridors, Slightly off hand doctor, but I said let me show you first and pulled up the legs of the trousers and the leg looked even worse, red shiny and swollen. His face changed and he asked had I got anyone to bring me, Then went away and returned shortly to say, he had seen that I had my covid jabs and that he wanted my friend to take me immediately to the hospital for intraveneous injections (which I had for 16 days!) It was cellulitis, which I had never heard about and did not know the systems. It took quite a long time but eventually I was ok, BUT the doctor said it was quite bad and a good job that I hadnt waiting until monday. If I had let mself be fobbed off, I could have been in serious trouble and as I live alone if I had fained or collapsed I could have died without any intervention, so the situation now is a very similar one, and have seen a nurse practioner, and she has taken measurements etc, but they have booked me to see a doctor next monday, but had said if it swells further to go immediately to the hospital.

We must be exceptionally lucky here. We can usually get a same day appointment if we call in at the surgery. I saw a doctor 30th December. I was called next day by the appointment department for the area trust. I was given an appointment for 3rd January. Due to the snow I had to change it to today but as we are still snowed in I have had to change it to next week, The lady on the phone was very sympathetic and helpful. OH had to defer his appt from 10th to 22nd.. Hopefully the snow will have gone by next week to allow us to get out.

I'm in Wales and our surgery is excellent, you can ring at 8, rarely more than 3 or 4 in the queue, have always got an appointment on the day

I think our GP surgery should teach others how it's done. We never have any problems getting an appointment, usually same day. They have a triage system which works really well. I can ring any time and get a call back within a couple of hours, next day if I call late afternoon. If appropriate, an appointment is offered the same day. I wanted a non-urgent appointment and still saw the doctor within 24 hours of calling. It works well as they have a great team, all working together.

Borrheid55

Grammaretto I just called the surgery for an update to be told that the doctor isn’t in until Friday! No one has access to the photos I sent but him. Why didn’t he say something when we spoke last Friday? I’m really ticked off by this laissez faire attitude. If it turns out to be serious, I may have to get Marydoll in my corner!

Borrheid, I am so sorry, that you have to wait so long.

My husband thinks I have a big red mark on my file, saying This woman is trouble, give her an appointment!

Recently, I was talking to one of the receptionists, when I was particularly unwell and said that I was embarrassed to be such a nuisance.
She replied with, We know you are a very unwell patient, you are certainly not a nuisance.

My dear friend, I would fight your corner anytime.💐

grandMattie

It’s easier to get an audience with the Pope than get through tithe surgery.
You call at 8am, there are at least 2 minutes of stuff, basically telling you not to call unless you are dead. If you are, go to A&E or call 111.
If you survive the “advice” you are told you are #472 in the queue. By the time you reach #41, you are unceremoniously cut off.
It isn’t possible to book online.
If you go in person, you are told to telephone.
I’m so very glad that I am in good health 🙏🤞

You had me laughing out loud there. Thank you.

Where do you live Babs? Thats terrible

4 weeks?! That's no time compared to our dr where there are no routine appointments available until early March!! I have to say though that if ever I've needed an appointment on the day for a UTI or something else nasty, I've been given an emergency appointment. Unfortunately our surgery is being squeezed well beyond its limits with masses of new housing but no new drs or schools.

Not so long ago, I rang my Dr's surgery - requesting an appointment as my leg was infected (having been scrached by a dog with long claws) - I was told the first appointment available was 10 days away! I asked the receptionist if she had listened to what my problem was...........she wouldn't budge. Ended up at my local chemist, who works with a private gp. He sent a photo to the gp and within seconds I'd been given a prescription for anti-biotic cream. Leg got worse after a few weeks, so ended up having identical conversation with gp receptionist - and had go through same procedure with local chemist. Yes - I had to pay for the prescriptions, but at least I got instant result. I could have risked calling the gp surgery for emergency appointment early in the morning - but as there was no guarantee I'd get an appointment for that day, I didn't want to do that...infections can get worse very quickly.

Do you suppose the doctor is sick? Borrheid otherwise there is no excuse.
Dickens that is appalling!

It's usually about a week, or just over, to see any of the different staff at my gp surgery.

It's more annoying having to wait half an hour every day on the phone to be told its that long.

GPs are seriously overworked at the moment. But my surgery does have options, phoning 111, you can speak to a duty doctor twice a day, doctor's visit. Some people want to see their own doctor, which doesn't help the situation. There are plenty of other doctors available. If you have to see your own GP, be prepared to wait.

NannyC1

fidelity2
It's because of gp/ receptionist attitudes of * go to A&E" that my local hospital has a 50 hour wait in their department!

... mine - Gloucestershire Royal, last week had a 'critical incident' with, I think, around 22 ambulances queuing outside, and a plea not to attend unless the situation was serious or life-threatening.

... but a clinician at 111 still told me to go to A&E...

Even when the winter months are over, I can't see much will improve. Anytime I or anyone I know has had reason to attend A&E it's always the same, "due to unprecedented demand, etc, etc..." It doesn't matter which month, day, or what time you call - they are always working under duress.

A friend's elderly relative had to wait 6 hours for an ambulance after being hit by a car... lying on the side of the road with concerned shop-keepers, etc, trying to keep him warm and comfortable.

My OH months ago fell in the shower and had to wait nearly 7 hours for an ambulance. He was face down, couldn't move and his ribs were cracked because he fell over the rim of the shower-tray. He was graded as a Level 2 Emergency. Only when his breathing became shallow and I called again, did they come anyway - and that was another 40 minute's wait.

How many years are we going to have to wait for things to improve?

Grammaretto I just called the surgery for an update to be told that the doctor isn’t in until Friday! No one has access to the photos I sent but him. Why didn’t he say something when we spoke last Friday? I’m really ticked off by this laissez faire attitude. If it turns out to be serious, I may have to get Marydoll in my corner!

Usually I can get a gp appointment within a week or so and I don't have to wait too long in the office. Seeing a specialist is another story. I waited 5 months to see an endo dr. although I called every one in the area.

ayse

I’ve used e-consult now at least 3 times. Twice I’ve been issued with a prescription and on one occasion I was sent for an X-ray and blood tests. My doctor received the results, called me and suggested I contacted our local physiotherapy NHS hub, which I did. I received and appointment 3weeks hence but was later offered a cancellation.

I like e-consult as a reply or appointment us arranged within 24 hours. However, I feel great concern for those who are unable to go down this route or who do not know about it. It isn’t good enough to have to wait 4 weeks or to go to A&E. We’re fortunate here that we already have drop in centres and I’m hoping we will have minor injuries clinics as well in the not too distant future.

I definitely support the government’s new plans for the NHS, especially back to the future when you see your GP, not just any GP.

I always use e-consult because I think once it’s actually in writing the doctor can’t ignore, so I always use it, and always get a satisfactory result.
As to the “new plans for NHS” they can propose but it’s another thing carrying it out. It’s unrealistic at the moment. Insufficient staff for one thing.

We can only access services via econsult or the website for routine checks ( asthma nurse, blood tests, vaccines, routine ECGs etc) . If whoever triages the econsult form thinks it’s urgent they telephone or request you to attend - usually same or next day. It might be slower at the moment!

I desperately need an appointment in 2 weeks time for a blood test which is specialised in Cardiff. The result has to be with my Haematology Consultant by 25 January but was told by the receptionist that the dates for booking the appointment’had not been released yet’. Bring back the diary system and bin the calendar on the screen