GP surgery

Just checked local surgery and face to face appt available on 9 May so a couple of weeks better than the last time I checked and this appt would be with a 'real' doctor and not one of the trainees who are often there. Fingers crossed local surgery might be improving although pre Covid I would have thought this was abominable.

I have no axe to grind as I am not in UK at present.I am interested in the great variation among the replies. Some of you find it almost impossible to contact the surgery or to see a doctor. As there seems to be quite a few grans who have children who are GPs could these gransbask their children the reasons for the current situation. It seems to have changed dramatically since COVID and there has to be a reason.
I did hear many older GPs retired because of a tax decision made by the govt. Then in recent years more women are training to be GPs ( a good thing) However, women have children and GPs in my surgery often worked part time so the chance of having a doctor you saw more than once was no longer possible. Doctors can earn high salaries and so working part time is an attractive option. Has anyone any knowledge of why things have changed so much?

Do any of you have access to an online doctor? My annual travel insurance includes an app for access by phone or video link to a gp at any time wherever I am - either at home or travelling. I know that it’s not the same as a face to face gp appointment but I appreciate being able to speak to someone if I need to. I think Simply Health do the same and many workplaces offer it as part of an HR package.

I agree with everything you have said, our GP practice is very good, we are in Staffordshire

What is ‘ Ask My GP’ Calendargirl?

I do not understand waiting 7 weeks to see a Doctor, unless you want a particular person. You can always see a Dr. very quickly at our Practice.

Sadly I hsve hsve just moved surgeries after 50 years . They were excellent till Covid then never really reopened properly , all doctors part time and most are new . I did manage to get to see my doctor about my mental health and he stood the other side of the room. When I asked why he said he didn’t want to catch anything so was doing it with all his patients !!! He is now leaving as I am .

Haven’t been able to ‘bag ‘an appointment in two years.. are doctors elsewhere still seeing folk …every time I walk past the surgery 4/5 times per week….the ‘waiting room ‘ is empty. Go in on the off-chance and they say “sorry, no appointments” I’m actually wondering what our 9 docs are being paid for. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Our GP surgery is pretty good with call backs and quick prescription renewals but messed up badly over a breast screening referral causing unnecessary delay. Too many locums perhaps and lacking a senior partner.

My surgery has definitely improved since the pandemic. I've rung the surgery four times in the past month asking for an appointment. On each occasion I've got through at eight o'clock then 10 minutes on hold and seen a GP the same day.

Prescriptions ordred on line by Patient Access .The next day the Pharmacy messages me to say items readyfor collection.
I'm hoping the sevice stays the same.

Thank you so much calendergirl it all came out of the blue (to me anyway) and thank God for a diligent GP (not even my own) who said I m not sure, so I want someone more qualified in this area to examine you
I sent her a thank you card I think doctors and more importantly receptionists can get very little thanks , a few weeks ago I thanked the receptionist for being so kind and helpful
Her reply was
“I could cry we rarely get anyone say anything nice to us I m going now to tell all the other receptionists”

You have to play the system as it is now.

You really need to phone if you want see a Doctor once the practice opens.. DH did that the other week, phoned on the dot of 8am, seen by 9.45 result!

I put in a online referral, for a skin problem it was not urgent but needed sorting. Within 2 hrs I got a message to ask if I could send a photo, I did got a reply I was told I had a telephone interview in 7 day, OK.
Phone call came, Doctor said he needed to really see it for himself (obviously? bonkers sending a photo but...?) on chatting to him, he asked any chance could I pop in Now! Or later that afternoon? Yep now.. I jumped in the car, seen straight away all sorted in less than 30 mins from the original phone call.

Tbh it's all a ridiculous but it worked for me this time but I can't see how this system would work for some elderly folk.
If I had been asked to come and see the Practice Nurse or one of the Paramedic they all employ now, I would have taken that as its a gateway in, they get the Doctor on site in for issues they can't sort.

My practice has a terrible reputation they are a big group, on this occasion we both gave it the thumbs up.

I did an e-consult with my surgery about an ongoing ear problem and now a nose problem. Received a text asking me to make an appointment. I rang late afternoon and didn't have to wait to long. Reception had no idea what I was talking about. I explained and said I think I need antibiotics as I think infection in ear again which has spread to inside my nose. She said I need face to face but can't fit you in till Monday. That is quick I suppose but when you need antibiotics it isn't!!! I have a constant discharge from o e ear and a pai full swelling inside my nose which is leaking pus and blood. It is very very painful too. I have a cold as well and can't blow my nose properly as touching my nose is excruciating. Not very happy at the moment 😔🤧🤒

Our surgery is pretty awful. 8 am scramble, you see who you see, if there's anything left by the time you get through. The GPs come and go, have no idea who my husband is, despite his chronic illness, multiple hospital admissions. Nurse telephone appointments can be booked online, 1 - 3 week wait.

I find Ask My GP so much better than having to phone, you seem to get a response same day, then some sort of appointment offered, maybe not immediate, but thankfully we haven’t had anything serious, touch wood.

Glad to see you are doing ok BlueBelle, must have been very worrying for you.

Im one of the lucky ones my gp surgery has greatly improved recently I’m no longer in need much about seeing a gp but when I did he would either phone and talk to me or he would call in
How’s that for an excellent service

I'm afraid it's a total post code lottery as regards the efficiency of GP surgeries. We moved house around 12 years ago now, and I have to say that our previous surgery left a lot to be desired. However, our present one provides excellent care for both DH and I, who both have long-term ongoing health issues. This is despite the pressures from both Covid and NHS underfunding. I appreciate that we are among the lucky ones, as others have had a very different experience.

Juliet27

No wonder Fanny you wondered what Serendipity was on about when you are lucky enough to have an amazing surgery.

The really are brilliant.
A few weeks back the GP really wanted to see DH in the flesh.
But he was reluctant to go because he is extremely vulnerable and if he catches anything he would or have to be hospitalised.
Anyway, the lovely GP said that he’s see him at the end of the surgery time and that he could go in the back door and not have to sit in the surgery.
He met him in the car park.

I ve got to be with the praising posts.
My big, busy surgery seems to be excellent compared to stories on here but it definitely works best if you do it the ‘email questionnaire way’ and not a 25 th in the queue telephone way

So I fill in a small questionnaire asking me what I want, how I want it, and if it’s urgent or routine. I then get a phone call back or a text back (as that’s my choice of communication) usually within 2 hours although it says within 7 days for non urgent cases
My doctor (who I d never seen before) saved my life, literally, when I saw her just before Christmas about a problem I found annoying but wasn’t overly concerned about however she was cautious and sent me on the 2 week pathway for biopsies which resulted in a pre cancerous operation in January which highlighted cancer cells stage 1, so a further operation in February and now hopefully cancer free with regular check ups
I can’t say a word against that doctor, my surgery, or the local hospital (who were kind, caring and efficient although run off their feet) in the middle of all this I kept my second cataract op, and this is someone who rarely saw a doctor or hospital.

Does anyone else find that if you are fortunate to get to see a GP the most important thing is that they prescribe statins and blood pressure pills.

No wonder Fanny you wondered what Serendipity was on about when you are lucky enough to have an amazing surgery.

We have lived here for six years and have never once seen a doctor. Nerves been called in for a medication review, diabetic blood test or anything we were used to with our previous GP. Here it seems a little diy. Luckily I have never had to request an appointment. No idea how that would go.

However, the Rheumatology Department at the Royal Derby is an entirely different kettle of fish, but I’ve ranted about that on another thread!

Our surgery is absolutely amazing.
It is officially the best one in the county, and it’s in an absolutely awful catchment area.
So it’s proof that it can be done.

You can always get same day appointments and also the choice of phone or in the practice.
Both my DH and I have even had home visits.

I hope that you get sorted soon Serendipity, and my sympathies to everyone who is having a rough deal

Don’t know why it’s now got this way, after the pandemic our surgery has never gone back like it used to be, even the pharmacy inside has stayed closed and you have to queue up in the wind and rain outside while they dole prescriptions out of a window.All requests for a face to face have to be done online, filling in reams of stuff even when you feel really ill.