I am fuming

DH needs to see a doctor. He has symptoms that suggest that he could be developing pneumomia and as he has a damaged lung this is worrying.

He went on line to find that our usual surgery site has been replaced by a standard NHS surgery site. This new site is all smart technology and AI and it has taken him the better part of 15 minutes to make an appointment. He had to answer endless questions about whether he had had a fall, suffered a blow to the chest, had he recently had chemotherapy, organ transplant, cancer diagnosis, did he have inherited interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis, had he ever smoked(now theres a question that can mean anything or nothing).

All this had to be completed and answerd by someone feeling far from well. If I hadn't been with him, he would have given up long before he reached the end of the form and just had another swig of benylin (non-drowsy version, of course) and hoped for the best.

Anyway he has an appointment, but I am left wondering how many people faced with this form, feeling ill, or with a small but worrying symptom, will just give up and not bother. Not to mention those whos truggle with IT anyway.

M0nica I sometimes wonder if the IT whizzes who develop these questionnaires and algorithms ever actually works with people who are unwell. I hope your DH is much better soon.

Aveline He has just returned from the doctor with a prescription for heavy duty antibiotics. He needed that appointment and if left he could have become very seriously ill.

How many people will end up in A&E because they are not up to dealing with these long forms and give up and just get worse, until an emergency is reached.

MOnica wishing your husband a speedy recovery. Best wishes.

Gwylt. The e consult form is regularly used by patients at the surgery I use. I have used the form successfully myself. I'm in Oxfordshire.