In praise of my GP surgery.

I have a ring pessary that needs changing twice a year. When I phone to make an appointment I am given a timeslot when the doctor will call which is either a.m. or p.m. no more precise than that. This is despite my explaining that I obviously need a face to face appointment. The time wasting this involves is insane!

You're lucky. My surgery is like gaining admittance to Fort Knox. Took me two weeks to get an appointment because I was concerned about a breast problem.

Why did it take two weeks? Was it because you couldn’t get through on the phone or because that was the first available appointment?

Bigirl57
My local surgery is run by reception/ists.
Don't see /hear from a doctor .Thankful to have a 'spot on' local chemist who together with reception deal with my meds.

Ours used to be very good (the G.P s themselves) Their chief receptionist not so much, a real dragon) then she was not seen for a bit & a new young lady joined the other 2, so i thought maybe she's retired-(thank goodness!) but in pandemic, back she came! And now they've practically fallen apart there- they are only just now seeing the very occasional patient face to face, and even then thats mostly just the nurses.

Just a thought Foxie48 - you say your GP is excellent but wouldn't it have been better for her to actually see your skin problem rather than you sending a photo? Not everyone would know how to do this, and photos don't always tell the full story. Before covid, you would probably have been given an appointment to see the GP in person.

And other drs are all a fair distance away! Its a shame because the drs themselves are good, and nice and welcoming.

I too have a skin condition (on top of a few other medical problems) but our nearest hospital has a very good dermatology dept, so can get referred there if need be, but i imagine the waiting list for it quite long at the moment?

Sadly, my Drs is dreadful. I am on a drug they disapprove of which was prescribed before moving here and backed by a London Consultant. They regularly make me jump through hoops to 'try out an idea'. They seem to think I take it for fun, not to make my life survivable ?

That's awful Treetops. Is their attitude because the drug is expensive? Years ago I moved house and had to change doctors. The new GP told me off for an expensive medication I'd been prescribed by the previous practice, as if I had written the prescription.

I was so taken aback that I didn't think of a retort until I got home.

Watermeadow - our's is rubbish too. One of the better young GPs moved to a practice about 10 miles away and we seriously thought about moving to follow her. I pity the male patients, as we have 6 mostly p/t GPs all female with the occasional male locum or registrar, who seem to do the only face to face appointments.

Autumn rose, you are lucky our telephone appointments are for any time during the day. The Dr will ring you sometime today response, so you either have to wait around all day or take it on your mobile and discuss your problem while walking along the High St or in the library.
My surgery is useless, not had a face to face since 2019 but often meet my Dr in Waitrose shopping. My daughter on the other hand has an excellent surgery and the nurse and feet people all come to her at least once a week, even had blood tests done at home.

Most of you sound lucky..... I rang my surgery to ask for a phone call re :my husbands worsening mental condition .... I have a phone call back listed for the 19th august..... that’s good cos it takes about 3-4 weeks to get a face to face appointment. Absolute useless ! A two week wait for a phone call.

I have phoned my GP’s surgery 3 times during lockdown. I have incurable cancer and 2 calls were related to side effects of chemo. I had to get my son to photograph my nails which were the problem (infections). The 3rd time was about a rash on my back. I was told to send a photo!!! I am quite dexterous but failed miserably with this. Both husband and son at work so I had to wait for one to come home. I had a call from a doctor whose grasp of English was tenuous and told me I had Scabies. I was horrified, she then told me to get a tube or two of a cream £13.50 per tube and also to ask the pharmacist to have a look at my rash. I was so shocked at this dismissive advice that I couldn’t think of a retort, many have come to mind since.
Pharmacist just raised his eyebrows at my request for him to look at my back. He just told me to use the cream. My husband took me to a different Pharmacy, lovely lady who had never seen Scabies so didn’t know whether I had it or not. I’ve now used 4 tubes of cream and yes, you’ve guessed it, I still have the rash. It looks nothing like any of the photos on line btw.

My experience of GP surgery once consultation is arranged is that they are carrying on providing a caring service. I feel the complaints are mainly (a) the change from face to face to telephone consultation and (b) the length of time waiting for an appointment- 3 weeks generally at my medical practice.

I understand that there are some poor GP surgeries but the title of this thread is 'In praise of my GP surgery'.
Couldn't we at least give doctors a break from criticism?

I recently contacted my surgery (by email using the 'Patient Access' pro forma) at 6.20 pm and received a telephone call from the GP within five minutes. A script was then whizzed to my pharmacy which I was able to collect half an hour later and thus commence antibiotics immediately.

Some of you will know that I am 'pro GP' as I see the hours, stress and general toil of these individuals (my daughter is a GP). Yesterday I looked after my granddaughter, who was with us from 7.00 a.m. (after a half hour journey) until 8.00 pm whilst her mother worked. A long working day, making constant judgements and decisions ..

At my daughter's surgery, they have now been able to safely open up to seeing patients face to face - if they would like to be seen this way. You may be interested to know that the split between patients choosing between telephone appointments and face to face appointments is 50 : 50.

My surgery is dreadful. We only get phone consultations and then we have to beg for them. I lie and exaggerate my symptoms in order to get a phone call. They are obstructive and difficult. Asked them for a copy of vaccine report and they told me that the GP's required everyone to have the NHS app which I will NOT install. Eventually I persuaded her to give me a copy and was then told the GP's expect everyone to have lateral flow testing twice a week. I told them that the GP's can pay the wages of people who are pinged. No I am far from satisfied with my GPs since the pandemic.

We either go on line to ask for a consultation or phone for it. Either way, the GP will ring to triage you and make a face to face appointment if necessary. Mine gave me an appointment because when I asked for a consultation I stipulated I needed to see a particular GP who specialises in skin. I saw him - had a very good conversation, a prescription and another appointment. As far as I know other patients are satisfied with the response from all the GPs in the practice.

We used to sing the praises of our GP surgery but not anymore. When I had a problem last year I had phone calls with one GP followed by a variety of trainee doctors . Each of them had to refer back to a GP before giving me an answer. One told me I might have cancer and he would make an urgent oncology referral only to phone again at the end of the day to tell me he'd discussed with a GP who said that wasn't the case. I was prescribed the same meds 3 times and each time told to ring back if no improvement. When I did as requested `I spoke to a different trainee each time after having waited approx 2 weeks each time for a phone appt. The very last time I spoke to another trainee who spoke very poor English, he couldn't understand me and I couldn't understand him. Again he wanted to discuss with a real GP and phone me back. When he called back he said I had to read something he was forwarding on to me and that there wasn't a problem at all. I duly read what I was sent and it stressed that if the symptoms I had lasted for more that 10 days I should consult my GP. I had emphasised over and over to this man that this had been going on for around 3 months. In the end I just gave up, still have the problem but manage with it!

Most of the GPs at my surgery are lovely if you finally get to talk to them but it is generally a 2 week wait even for a telephone appointment, after which if it is deemed you need a face to face appointment another few days wait. In fairness if it is something considered urgent you will be called sooner, and it seems it’s fine for the nurse to see you but harder to see a GP. I can see that telephone appointments are really useful for some things but my worry is that a lot of things will be missed as it’s much easier to pick up signs face to face. Are GPs generally happy with how things are do you think? It must be a very difficult job but do they feel they are doing their best right now? A friend living in Wiltshire has a much better service in that she gets a call back the same day. Maybe that’s to do with the number of patients on their list but seems there is a huge contrast in the way surgeries are being run across the country.

Guess we’re lucky here
Phone early - give Reception an outline of your problem and you will be given a time when (usually) your Doctor of choice will phone. Then if your Doctor will either arrange a face to face appointment that day or the next, blood tests, X-rays, referral to physio’ and or whatever.
Couldn’t ask for much more - definitely not a second class service.
Further - following a routine Eye Test SWMBO was tentatively diagnosed with bilateral cataracts - within 2 weeks she was contacted by a private clinic (which also does NHS work) - 10 days later we went for her assessment - she’s now doing 10 days self isolation prior to the “worst” eye being done in a weeks time, then, with good luck and a following wind t’other will be fixed a month or so later! BRILLIANT!!!??Don’t knock the NHS - there’s much more good news than bad - sadly the good is usually taken for granted.

Yes, also been lucky as had the prickly heat rash that as I get in very hot sun..Doctor wanted pictures via mobile + all good. But with breasts as someone mentioned you get a referral from you doctor + you are seen within 2 weeks at hospital for scan/mammogram. Guess the lockdowns have a lot to answer for !!

My surgery is brilliant. I had a painful eye yesterday and finally called surgery at 3pm. By 5pm I’d been seen by a Dr, picked up a prescription, got lots of advice and was home again. So grateful