Why standing in the rain?

I follow a Yorkshire poet, a couple of gay vicars, and our Cari. That's it really.

Our surgery is like Aka and Cari's*. There is no guarantee that you will see any one that day unless you don't mind what DH calls the 'learners'.

A return to the days of turning up and waiting your turn might be preferable bags but I agree she is being negative - it's the way of things round here!

She wrote 'Chocolat' Aka. [I hope]

Yes. Chocolat. That's how good an author she is.

She's written other books as well!

Bet they're all about the same. Or worse.

(Although, to be fair, she did have a perfectly good point with the tweet)

I tried one of her books once, can't remember the title. I couldn't manage to finish it. I know some people love her books.

Cari and Aka and ours. And I turned up there one day in the middle of the day to make an appointment "in person" and was told I can't! (I pass there on my way home). The reception area was quiet, so I stood my ground and said I'm not going anywhere until I have an appointment. Made me .

The same receptionist who tried to send me away, told some poor soul off for coming in in person to get the results when he had been told to phone for results in a voicemail message. His reply was similar to mine, "But I got the message as I was walking right past here".

I don't understand the GP appointments system at all, but the long queues and standing in the rain reminds me of the statutory health care system in South Africa. That's what you do to get an appointment if you can't afford private health care, you stand in a long queue

Carry on moaning, then

My GP and GP practice experience is mainly good and always has been. I once had to wade through an inch or so of water when the car park flooded, as did everyone else, but everyone was very jolly about it while waiting for their flu jabs. Never had to stand in the rain waiting. [lucky]

How many of you have joined or otherwise support the National Health Action (new political) Party if things are so dire?

I'd be angry at that attitude too, gknot. Glad that standing your ground worked.

Bully for you Bags

Oh, that looks so bad in print..it wasn't meant to sound like it does. Oops.

Couldn't have put it better myself Aka.

Bags I'm not much a "joiner" for the sake of it, but I will keep standing my ground when I'm affected, and if it helps others to make it known when things are not right.

I hope my negativity in that case wasn't "unnecessary"

Our practice runs a triage system. If you ring for an appointment, a doctor or nurse practitioner will ring back and find out what's wrong with you. If it's decided you need to see a doctor, you will be seen at the end of morning surgery although you may have to wait to be seen. If you need a house call, that will be arranged and if you need a prescription, that will be waiting for you at reception. There are appointment times from 8am to 8pm for people who can't make it to normal surgery times.

Bags! Tell us what you tweeted back.

You didn't express any negativity, gknot. You expressed anger which, being a positive almost 'command' of "Don't treat me like that" produced the result you wanted. The person you spoke to was the negative one, as well as stupid. Reminds me of the American saying: "A clerk is a jerk." You have to say clerk the American way for it to work.

jings, I didn't tweet anything back.

I find that making an appointment works best online, after midnight or very early in the morning. The next 24hr appointments are available then, and I can usually choose a convenient one.

Goodness, Lona, you are lucky! Our surgery would never trust us to make our own appointments online...

Our surgery runs an online appointment making thing. And you can request repeat prescriptions online too.

Online appointments? Very 21st century, I think I'll check that out and see if our surgery does them....never thought to ask.

I haven't had any experience of trying for a same day appointment for myself but got one easily a couple of years ago for my visiting grandchild who woke up with conjunctivitis and the pharmacist couldn't give me drops because of the child's age.

They do have a very efficient online ordering system for repeat prescriptions where the patient specifies which pharmacy they would like to collect it from. There is also a facility to make and cancel appointments online, including booking telephone consultations.

Great service all round.

If the problem is not urgent it is possible to book appointments online at our surgery too but it does mean a wait of 2/3 weeks. Always order repeat prescriptions online.