End to hated '8am scramble' for doctors' appointments after GPs sign new deal

I will believe it when I see it.

I agree with you Barleyfields. I’m afraid I’ve become more sceptical about so many things the older I’ve become. So many times promises made either come to nought or have provisos attached.

I think our GP Practice has this in mind when this week we received new instructions on how to book an appointment. They will have a triage system where you fill in an online form to see a medical practitioner and they will decide who you see (Doc. or Nurse) for an appointment. No phone calls or 'drop-in' Surgery visits unless you are 'one of the few' , their words, who cannot use a computer.
I can see this cutting down visits (more trouble then it is worth for minor complaints) and some worried, upset elderly people.
No wonder people are self-medicating via websites.

Our surgery has been like that for a while Boz and it works much better than it did when there was a queue of people at 8am and people turning it up wanting to see a doctor now. I'm not sure all minor complaints need to be seen by a GP anyway. Surely that's the point of a triage system.

I call it being a realist with the wisdom of experience, Ziplock.

One of the things I noticed in the proposed improvements is the re-introduction being able to make an appointment with a specific doctor.

When I was working, the 8am appointments drove me bonkers because I was in the car on the way to work. People would queue up at 8am and take all the appointments, so by the time I had a moment to ring, there weren't any available. Now I can send an e-consult request and specify a time for a phone call or appointment if one is considered necessary.

growstuff

Our surgery has been like that for a while Boz and it works much better than it did when there was a queue of people at 8am and people turning it up wanting to see a doctor now. I'm not sure all minor complaints need to be seen by a GP anyway. Surely that's the point of a triage system.

Yes you are right. Our Surgery has had a monster-size list of things they do not treat for years.
i wonder if there is any provision for seeing a Doc. of choice?

I've heard ducks fart before!

Our surgery’s also used an online booking system for a couple of years now. I’d assumed all GPs did. It’s great. Take a few minutes to describe your symptoms, whether it’s a new problem or if you’ve seen someone already, add a photo if you want. The surgery staff then have time to look at your request and allocate the right person to see or speak to you. I’ve only had to use it three times, but have had a call within two hours each time, twice with a same day appointment, the other time from a nurse putting my mind at rest. And of course the phone lines are freed up for those who can’t use the system. Win, win, surely?

And yes, you can request your doctor of choice, though I guess you’ll get whoever’s available or appropriate. I just left it to the surgery to allocate the right person.

Astitchintime

I've heard ducks fart before!

LOL

Boz

growstuff

Our surgery has been like that for a while Boz and it works much better than it did when there was a queue of people at 8am and people turning it up wanting to see a doctor now. I'm not sure all minor complaints need to be seen by a GP anyway. Surely that's the point of a triage system.

Yes you are right. Our Surgery has had a monster-size list of things they do not treat for years.
i wonder if there is any provision for seeing a Doc. of choice?

I'm sure it could be organised. I usually get my doc of choice if I have something which I know is going to take an appointment with a couple of follow ups because there's an option on the e-consult for a practitioner of choice and then I ask her to book me in for another appointment, which she can do on her own computer by overriding the system.

I've actually only seen a GP twice in the last two years, despite having two varieties of cancer. My breast cancer was picked up by a routine mammogram and I didn't see a GP at all. A year after my surgery, I saw a GP because I wanted my other breast reduced so they matched and the hospital said I'd have to go through the GP. The second time I saw a GP was after I'd sent a photo of a suspicious mole. An appointment was made the next day to see a GP, who immediately referred me to the hospital. It turned out to be a malignant melanoma. The hospital has done all the follow ups for both cancers.

Maggiemaybe

Our surgery’s also used an online booking system for a couple of years now. I’d assumed all GPs did. It’s great. Take a few minutes to describe your symptoms, whether it’s a new problem or if you’ve seen someone already, add a photo if you want. The surgery staff then have time to look at your request and allocate the right person to see or speak to you. I’ve only had to use it three times, but have had a call within two hours each time, twice with a same day appointment, the other time from a nurse putting my mind at rest. And of course the phone lines are freed up for those who can’t use the system. Win, win, surely?

I agree. It's much better. I still have annual diabetic checks with a nurse, who can refer me to a GP if there's a related problem. I booked directly with the surgery's physio, who was brilliant. I've also had a medicines review with the pharmacist. I can honestly say that the surgery seems to be working better now than it has for years.

At my surgery, the receptionist does the triage, which I disagree with, and we can only ring in. An audience with the pope would be easier to organise.

Anything would be better

When I worked at a surgery there were so many needless appointments and DNA’s so I think the triage system is good. Having said that I haven’t tried to get an appointment at my surgery for years and have no idea how difficult it is.

Got pissed off with the jobcentre when I broke my arm and they made me ask for a doctors certificate every week. I was in plaster for 9 weeks. How many poor sods couldn't be seen over their faffing about?

GPs have agreed to 'bring back the family doctor'after being offered a 7% funding rise for practices.
Under the deal doctors would be paid more for identifying patients who would benefit the most from regularly seeing the same GP.
All practices would be required to to offer online booking in an attempt to free up phone lines. This should bring to an end the industrial action at GP practices which began last August.
So, a pay rise for doing what they used to do without fear or favour.
Wes Streeting: rebuilding the broken NHS starts with GPs.
Apparently giving into their pay demands helps.

Well I won’t hold my breath! We have an online form which you fill in then the surgery decides whether someone will ring you back if your lucky!

We have online forms, but you can only access them when the surgery is open, so you cannot request an appointment during the weekend or evening, only the four and a half days the surgery is open.
So still attempting to complete the form at 8am, or at work.

We only have an online form for ordering repeat prescriptions. Other than that, the only way of contacting the surgery is by phone, letter or in person. No email address is provided.

Ok. Whatever!

Boz

I think our GP Practice has this in mind when this week we received new instructions on how to book an appointment. They will have a triage system where you fill in an online form to see a medical practitioner and they will decide who you see (Doc. or Nurse) for an appointment. No phone calls or 'drop-in' Surgery visits unless you are 'one of the few' , their words, who cannot use a computer.
I can see this cutting down visits (more trouble then it is worth for minor complaints) and some worried, upset elderly people.
No wonder people are self-medicating via websites.

Surely most elderly people are computer literate these days. If people are capable of ordering medication‘s over the Internet, they are certainly capable of using a triage system online.

A lot of very old people are not computer literate, my friend who died last year aged 95 for example.