Waiting.....

You can genrally speak to a doctor either on the day or the next day - might not be the one you want, though.
Yes, I have to make an appointment for some order to be put into my birds nest.
Need to have my hearing aid adjusted.
We have been waiting most of this year for Virgin to come to improve the pathetic signal we have in this house - still waiting.
The list is endless for "normal" living.

Watermelon Think yourself lucky you are in a position to complain about the past 13 mths many people have lost loved ones and some that have survived will have life long health problems.
You obviously live in an area where the medical centre is used by such a lot of people,here I can speak to my Doctor mostly on the same day,I made appointment for opticion's on Thursday last and was seen today.
Be grateful you have survived these past 13 mths many haven't.

But the pandemic didn’t start in India did it? And they were doing ok until the U.K. variant arrived there on top of people becoming complacent.

Im lucky to have never felt unsafe in the past 13 months
Same here Watermeadow

I am totally shocked by the images coming out from India. It is a tragedy. But I am not surprised.
Having spent quite a lot of time in the country and my wife has spent time working all over SE Asia, including New Delhi which has, I believe a population of over 30 million.
I have seen first hand the poverty and housing conditions that many live in I am really not surprised that this has happened. In the cities and towns there is no room to socially distance. Many live hand to mouth and have no option but to continue to work in crowded and unsafe (in every sense) conditions. Uneducated and illiterate workers of the lower castes migrate to follow the work across the country. Millions attend religious festivals.
Human beings were never intended to live like this crowded into small spaces. I am actually quite surprised that we haven’t experienced a pandemic of this magnitude in the period since the Spanish flu.

Doesn’t seeing the footage from India worry you water meadow? Part of their problem was complacency.

Of course I know some people are seriously ill and can’t risk going out but many others seem to have embraced isolation and will still not go out or meet family in their garden.
I’m lucky to have never felt unsafe in the past 13 months.
I’m unlucky to live somewhere with one medical practice, which is appallingly useless.

Yes life is very different but we are now becoming familiar with the changes. The vaccine roll out has been amazing in this country - we have much to be thankful for! We can an secure a phone appointment with GP, in fact I have done that recently. Within 10 days I had blood tests , cardiograph and MRI head scan !! Had a message asking me to contact GP asap for results of blood tests and cardiograph, will do the in the morning. Head scan was done yesterday so will have to wait for results of that. So I have had a speedy and efficient response from my GP. fingers crossed for positive results. We all miss our previous lives, friends and family but remaining positive is so important!!! Sending good wishes to everyone, keep smiling ? things are getting better!

Notice OP has not returned.....

Write a letter to the practice manager telling them what you have told us, surgeries are very busy, at one point I was getting the engaged tone when I rang mine! However, life is slowly getting better, we went out last night for a meal in a pub garden.

You can write toyour GP and request a phone call off them.
I did and my GP phoned me within 3 days.

On the upside - our surgery has many more appointments over the phone and are easily contactable.

It took half the time to register my Mum's death than my Dad's as everything is done over the phone. I could also apply for Probate without any hassle online.

My DC have 4 extra hours in their days as they are not commuting to work.

The roads are much quieter and the people around here much friendlier when we meet on walks.

Yes Savvy thank you for reminding that we are all in diverse situations, and the pandemic has affected us differently.

I feel so grateful that I don’t need to worry about work or money, or housing, or how to get medical help or groceries.

I agree 2020convert about a new normal. I don’t believe anything will be the same again, and we just have to move on and do our best to sensibly adapt, instead of wishing for how things used to be.

2020convert: Well said.

Savvy yes! This is life for many disabled people ?

Personally I want a new normal. Haven’t we learned anything? I hope we have. I’m going out again now, but very cautiously and am conscientiously choosing what I feel safe and happy with. I just hope idiots don’t spoil things for the few. I feel tremendously sorry for those people who have had to give up a year off their lif when they haven’t got that year to live again (ie the elderly or ill - who through no fault of their own have not been able to fulfil their dreams. I have a son and grandchildren abroad, have missed his wedding, and don’t know if I’ll ever get to visit them again, but at least I know they are safe and have their lives to live and enjoy. That’s what matters to me.

Jaxjacky

Suggest you change surgery OP
At least we’re getting Covid jabs
Spec savers/Asda/Boots for an opticians appointments, readily available
Buy a cooker elsewhere, or secondhand (greener)
Nature takes its course in the garden and with the weather
Never sprayed shopping and not total isolation here as we have friends and family to phone/FaceTime/zoom
Chin up, others are far worse off.

Agree wholeheartedly

Gingster

E mails are not being delivered

What do you mean?

As a disabled person, lockdown life was as my life has been for over 5 years now. I can't get out most of the year due to mobility and health issues and I can't see my life changing much once the restrictions are lifted.

But in some ways it has been easier, telephone consultations are a Godsend for people in my position and weren't readily available before.

I know it's been awful for a lot of people, but for some, it's business as normal.

It can be frustrating and 3 weeks does seem to be a long time to speak to a GP. Ours will respond same day if urgent. I have come to the conclusion that so much is out of my control and I don’t want to spend much of what is left of life wishing for it to be different, so I have resolved to enjoy things as they are. Life is so short.

Suggest you change surgery OP
At least we’re getting Covid jabs
Spec savers/Asda/Boots for an opticians appointments, readily available
Buy a cooker elsewhere, or secondhand (greener)
Nature takes its course in the garden and with the weather
Never sprayed shopping and not total isolation here as we have friends and family to phone/FaceTime/zoom
Chin up, others are far worse off.

watermeadow, Is life as frustrating for everyone, apart from those who have enjoyed 13 months of total isolation,, I do hope that remark is meant to be tongue in cheek, otherwise it is very insensitive.
I certainly have NOT enjoyed over thirteen months of shielding. All treatment, scans and face to face hospital appointments cancelled.

As for waiting, of course I have been waiting:
A two year wait for an orthopaedic appointment for a new hip.
Thirteen month wait for regular, monthly blood monitoring.
Alendronic acid infusion now nineteen months overdue.
Dexa scan now 21 months overdue.
Six month delay for urgent RA treatment
RA hospital appointment eighteen months overdue
..etc...etc...etc.

Can I ask if the OP is anti lockdown?

E mails are not being delivered

Same here trying to get through to doctors. DH needs an appointment to see a doctor. Can’t get through on the phone , gave up after 40 mins two days running.
He had a blood test 4 weeks ago and still has not got the results.