Just a big thumbs up for my surgery and the NHS

M y surgery is good too most of the time. I had a half an hour telephone call with a GP about my Hospital Discharge letter which was worrying me.

Hope you feel better soon

Great to hear about your GP practice speedy response and positive outcome. Also to celebrate positive news about the NHS. Hope you feel better soon 💐

Why would you wait seven years though applytree I d have been going through the manager or Pals or changed surgery or gone to the newspapers in desperation after seven months not years
Thanks for all the good wishes folks I know the pain will be there a while as they are bxxxers to heal but I really wanted to give the email system a boost especially if you have the choice of surgery or heard yours was changing to that system or if you were looking for a new surgery , do go for one that is on that system It works

Unfortunately my surgery doesn't have this system. (Just to say that I have now been waiting for SEVEN YEARS for an urgent MRI scan. ) I don't have any faith in the NHS I'm afraid.

I don't want to play at one-upmanship BlueBelle but here's my story:
Blood spots from my nipple on a Thursday.
Phoned surgery and told to come at 2pm.
Saw breast nurse - she examined me thoroughly and referred me to hospital breast team.
Email came on Saturday with appointment at local hospital for following Thursday.
Paper copy of letter arrived Monday.
Attended breast clinic appointment, consultant examined me, had mammogram and ultrasound. Given all clear same day but with follow up appointment booked for eight weeks.
Eight day turnaround.
I am so blessed.
Many women that day would not have had such good news.

Our practice is brilliant. If all the day's appointments are gone they book you onto a sit and wait service. This is for urgent cases eg a bad chest infection. You go at 5pm and wait your turn like the old days. Could be 2 hours though but you definitely see a qualified GP. I think all surgeries should do this

I don't have much faith in our practice but then I haven't had cause to try to get an appointment since we moved here 5 years ago however I did need a routine blood test last week and after filling in the online form was seen the next day and the results were available online the day after.

On the other side of the coin I was concerned about my husband's vision on Friday - rang Specsavers who he was with and told they couldn't see him as they had building work going on and to go to the hospital if it was urgent! I rang my optician who saw him straight away yesterday, diagnosed glaucoma and referred him immediately to the hospital who then rang and made him an appointment for tomorrow morning - when it works it works very well!

My husband went to Drs end of last week, was referred urgently to consultant yesterday and urgent scans arranged for Saturday. All in 8days.

I meant to say I’m so pleased for you bluebell, great news and such a relief I’m sure.

Excellent bluebell so pleased for you. I use the same system at our big busy surgery (SW London) with equally good results and friendly follow up.

I don't like our online system. You have to pick a condition that suits your current problem. Half the time there is nothing relevant to the problem. I.e. a Faint tells you to call 999 !! If you select Falls you can get further to book an appointment even though that isn't relevant.

Thank you BlueBelle. I make it a point never to moan about the NHS but am hugely grateful that is there and it works more often than it doesn't. I'm really pleased your problem was nothing more sinister and hope you recover quickly.

Another very satisfied customer. My GP surgery is excellent. I hope you soon feel well again.Bluebelle

I just want to give my brilliant surgery the thumbs up too. After being totally deaf in one ear for a week, I had it syringed this morning and I’m so grateful to be able to hear properly again. A lot of surgeries won’t/don’t do it now and patients have to pay for the service.

Our GP surgery uses this method too and it is brilliant. I’ve used it twice and on one of those I was referred to the hospital without having to make an appointment for F2F with the GP.

Thanks for sharing some good news BlueBelle. It helps to keep us going along. Hope the pain goes away soon.

I would also like to add my appreciation of my GP surgery in Warwick. They use the online system. It opens at 8am (can't prepare before that time) and I had my details completed and sent at 8.15. At 8.43 I missed a call from them (I'd turned down my mobile's ringer in error) but they'd left a voice message to advise they'd booked me in with my chosen doctor for 2.30 this afternoon - no need for me to confirm except if time didn't suit. I then received a text message with the same advice. Brilliant service.

So good to read your surgery responded so well BlueBelle. Sorry though to hear about your tough time, hope you’re soon bouncing

That is wonderful practice both from a patient service point of view and also, use of resources.
You must feel so relieved - although torn back muscles are extemely painful, so commiserations, hope it eases soon.

Thanks for the post

Thanks for the good wishes everyone, I didn’t use it as a ‘poor me’ post but I know people have said before that they are concerned about moving to different systems etc and it’s uplifting to hear others good news stories, as well as mine

If your surgery doesn’t use this system yet and you hear it’s going to move to it, just be very happy as it’s a big move in the right direction and there is still the old system if ringing for anyone unable to use or get someone on their behalf to use the email track
🤗

Good news bluebelle. Take it easy now.

Our surgery is part of a very large group practice. 8 surgeries at the last count. All requests are triaged. It uses econsult which is fine except there is no access to it out of surgery hours so we can’t complete in advance. If no computer or someone just feels too poorly to do it staff will complete over the phone. For urgent matters (and I’d count your needs today as urgent) we are advised to phone, little waiting as there is a call back system if more than three ahead in the queue. Overall it works, pleasant staff and quick responses including on the day appointments. . Another thumbs up here.

My surgery has this system and what an improvement it has made to making an appointment. No longer having to answer a list of questions by the receptionist only to be told they are fully booked.
I hope you will soon be feeling much better.

Great to read this- hope your pain has gone soon. I am also very happy with my GP and even happier I haven't need to go for a while!

Must say our surgery is excellent. The online consultations save lots of time and work very well.