A doctor question

My surgery has a long online form to complete. I had a one sentence response with no further follow up.

I had a telephone appointment with my doctor and a prescription was collected shortly afterwards.

In our area the surgeries are working together, each open for different things. You need to email in your symptoms and they will phone you or email you or give you an appointment at the appropriate surgery, whichever is more appropriate

Our local Boots is in one of our two shopping centres and is locked up, so no hearing or eye tests, prescription collection or any purchases!

I phoned my daughter surgery yesterday and spoke to a Dr who I must admit was lovely, he has now taken control and is sorting out my daughters problem over lack of medication in stock.

I’m more worried about having a dental problem as my dentists is closed. They can only offer advice or prescribe analgesics / antibiotics over the phone. On their website it says you have to phone 111 for a dental emergency.

It’s quite simple really
You ring surgery, get given a telephone consultation with gp.
If he or she decides you need to be seen, then arrangements are made for you to go to surgery, I think.
Most consultations are over the phone.

I have a hospital appointment for Monday. Called them this morning to be told the outpatient clinic has been cancelled.
Called my doctor's office and got a call back from the GP within 5 mins. He said he would call the consultant and get back to me. Four minutes later he was back on the phone to say my consultant will be calling me on Monday.
I am so impressed. Never had such prompt attention, though have never had cause to complain, ever!

Netty, its not entirely true that you still need to actually see a GP to get a prescription although I appreciate your GP may still want to do this . It is " best practice " to ensure that we do not use antibiotics when not needed .
However, I am a retired Gp and my daughter a working GP and they are definitely giving prescriptions out after phone or video consultations.
Not ideal , I know and for me , after decades of trying hard not to do this , needs must in these dark days .
So , all surgeries may differ in their approach but if you are unwell you must still contact your GP .
There are many people who are not doing this , to their detriment. They may be fearful : they may see their symptoms as of lesser importance to Covid-19; they may not want to be a nuisance.
My fear is that people will become more ill than they might do or that new , serious illnesses fail to get diagnosed until this is over .

My GP Surgery is phone contact first, usual practice is a return telephone call & advice/prescription. If GP or PN needs to see you an appointment will be made. Doors are locked so you can't walk in. Any-one who doesn't use online service for repeat prescriptions now has to ring up.

I don't know about other Surgeries but mine opened both Good Friday & Easter Monday as normal

Only doctors may write prescriptions, so phone yours.

That was in reply to bijou, and patients being seen in ther car by the doctor.

Heaven help anyone who needed a smear test! ?

Our surgery is using the Ask My GP service. It's brilliant and much better than before when, like others have said, appointments were like gold dust. It's all done by email using a link on the surgery web site.

Our surgery give telephone consultations. However a neighbour had a surgery appointment. She was told to put her car in the doctors car park. Doctor came out into her car. I don’t know what was wrong with her but another neighbour said it was a good job she didn’t have to undress.

If you need a repeat prescription there will be a dedicated number which you should get from the surgery website.

You may also find that your GP's have a contact us section whereby you can receive a remote consultation.

Check your surgery website as they are all likely to be different.

But mostly don't worry unnecessarily about these things.

You phone your surgery and they decide if you need to see a doctor. Our surgery is doing video calls.

You simply phone your surgery!

Phone surgery. Many GPs are doing phone consultations and have a system like Skype in case they need to see something eg a rash. Of course you'll need a mobile or wifi for that.

Btw I am shielding but needs must.

Definitely ring the GP. Ours have loads of slots for telephone consultations and will prescribe over the phone. If they need to see you they take adequate precautions.
I had to go to the vet yesterday. I waited outside, then she came out discussed the problem, took the dog from me using the 2 metre rule then brought him back out with medicines.

This happened to us last Wednesday , my husband who is shielding. (COPD) , playing with cat, cat bit his hand which flew out pushing cat off. Within short time hand aching and sore, swelling badly .Now Easter so didn't know what todo, he wouldn’t phone111 as scared it would hospital,alreadyhad isolation and oxygen in hospital for a week in mid March, discharged with medication and pneumonia diagnosed. TG he was recovering up till cat incident, By yesterday very worrying (no bite mark) but very achy, not sure if it could be whip lash type wrist/hand injury, Phoned surgery ,doctor phoned b ack, chatted,sent prescription to nominated pharmacy, 2 antibiotics and ibuprofen rub delivered by lunch time, now beginning to look a bit better so hoping for better result soon, although painful still. Good service, didn’t realise we could have phoned over weekend or wouldn’t have waited.
Think different plans all over the country. Still very worrying but not sure what else to do. I understand it’s still reasonable to go to A and E under emergency circumstances,however we can’t do that as he is not really well enough to drive and I am unable to. Sorry about long winded post but thought it might help if in doubt about accidents.

Daddima, knowing you are in the Greater Glasgow area, I can tell you that GP surgeries are open. You will be triaged and a doctor or practice nurse will phone you back.

If you are sheilding, under no circumstances should you be going to a GP surgery anyway.
I have had a couple of phone consultations and prescriptions sent to pharmacy.
When you phone, firstly explain that you are sheilding and whoever you speak to will be able to guide you..

I had to phone my doctors yesterday as I developed cystitis over the weekend - very painful! A delightful practice nurse phoned me back, asked me some questions then sent a prescription for antibiotics direct to the pharmacy.

Very efficient and a lot easier than previously when appointments were like gold dust! I've now got a painful earache so goodness knows what is happening to my body!

My GP practice is giving advice by email with no suggestion of further follow up.