What to GPs actually DO?

My surgery has an AskmyGP system on their website. You put your problem in and have phone, email or in surgery option. I usually get phone call within an hour. Then if needed am seen. Usually same day. Maybe you could ask to see a nurse....stitches being removed and wound care is their job not the doctors. I have been referred to a nurse appointment after phone consultation.

Jaxjacky

Mattsmum2 I too had similar excellent care in March this year, breast clinic within 2 weeks, fortunately clear.

So relieved for you ❤️

Our GPS are good but I have to say they are not free. Typically around $80 for a 5 minute consult and we get slightly less than half back through Medicare. A few will bulk bill but fewer and fewer do this where I live. You have a choice where to go, though and if you don’t like one, you can go to another.

Must say my GP surgery before and since Covid are wonderful. I had phone consultation with locum GP last Monday while talking he sent the prescription to the pharmacy I use for extra of one of my tablets and started me on a new one. I asked for a referral back to the cardio team which he would do. I spoke to him at 9.30 was on the phone for 15 mins. My tablets where delivered at 1.20 and my referral letter arrived on Saturday. The receptionists are wonderful.

When I moved 2 years ago I picked that surgery because the bus stop is opposite. And signed up with the independent pharmacy on the opposite corner who delivers to anyone 9-7 5 days a week.

The health care I get here is far better than where I used to live.

Our GPS reduce visits to an absolute minimum but are very good at phone consultations and supplying prescriptions where needed. If you need a blood test it gets done as is any other referral that is needed, although because the waiting list is so long only urgent cases get referred.

That along with organizing Covid vaccinations keeps them busy I guess and it is a lot less time consuming for the patient. Who wants to sit in awaiting room with other sick people at present.

twice recently a bed-bound neighbour with multiple complex morbidities has tried to get the GP to visit her.
she cannot use a wheelchair, has to have a stretcher party to go to hosp appts.
the GP rings her and says they do not do home visits.
i told her to ring 111 after 6pm or w/e. which she did. they were very helpful and sent a response nurse and later an out of hours doc.
they were both very thorough, esp when they heard that the GP refused to visit, which surprised them.
it was good to be taken seriously and get the necessary medical attention, but a few years ago i would not have thought of ringing 111. and some people will be alone, slip through the net.
big up to dr kumar and dr hussein/?hassan, who seem to have to cover a vast area; and to the rapid response nurses.

My fear is this is going to be the new normal.
I suspect the majority of GP consultations will continue to be conducted over the phone with very few face to face appointments.

I hope I am wrong, as it’s inevitable that things will be missed.

I do hope I’m wrong though.

I rang my surgery on Friday morning to book a consultation and the GP rang me back at 2pm the same day. I was referred immediately, and had a specialist assessment this morning.

No complaints here.

My gp expects appointments two weeks away. No wonder patients go to a and e.
I can barely walk, but the receptionist said surgery is only around the corner. 1.5 miles away. The best surgery I ever had was one that saw people in a first come first served scenario. No appointments, just turn up. This would suit me, as my legs and feet only work when they feel like it. A
3 mile walk, is impossible for me. And before you ask, there are no taxis, buses or community cars going to the surgery. I can see I will have to move elswhere

I’ve just watched an advert on television from the NHS encouraging people to see their GPs if they are showing symptoms that may be cancer. What’s the point of wasting money to show adverts like this if people are struggling to get a telephone appointment never mind a face to face appointment. I realise from comments posted that not all practices are the same but in my surgery you can be ringing for days before you get through to a receptionist who just tells you all the appointments are full for that day and to try again tomorrow. An elderly friend of mine has been trying for two weeks now and is in considerable pain.

I struggle to even get to talk to the receptionist, have to go on hold for ages and then get cut off! The usual online booking system was withdrawn back in April 2020 and has not been reinstated. Apparently there is a “secret” way of contacting the gp through a message on their website but it took me ages to find where the link was - and I am reasonably computer literate!

I dread needing to actually see a gp, I had to monitor my own blood pressure when it went sky high while various drugs were prescribed over the phone.

Your gp surgery should be able to tell you Tizliz

Savvy

There is an app now called Livi NHS where you can get a video consultation with a GP the same day, my surgery told me about it when I couldn't get an appointment. As long as your records are available for them to see, they will call you free of charge for a video consultation. The outcome and notes from that is fed straight back to your GP surgery so they can follow up if necessary.

From their web site

If you’re not yet eligible you can choose to use our pay-as-you-go service instead.

Presumably you have to sign up to find out if you are eligible.

Doodle I agree with you. The GP receptionists, as all front line staff, work according to rules set out by their superiors. And like other front line staff, they bear the brunt of people’s frustration. In fact they would get into trouble if acted differently from instructions.

My friends son developed pains in his back after being involved in a traffic accident a few weeks before.
The receptionist after consulting a colleague told him that yes, he could have an appointment as he had not seen a doctor for over a year.
Are we rationed?

Mattsmum2 I too had similar excellent care in March this year, breast clinic within 2 weeks, fortunately clear.

My carpal tunnel wound was checked three days later at the hospital, where it was performed and the stitches removed by the practice nurse. This however, was before the pandemic.

I have had a number of GP phone telephone consultations, during the pandemic, all within an hour of speaking to a receptionist. That however, could be because I'm extremely, clinically vulnerable. I am indeed fortunate, when I hear of others' experiences.

There is an app now called Livi NHS where you can get a video consultation with a GP the same day, my surgery told me about it when I couldn't get an appointment. As long as your records are available for them to see, they will call you free of charge for a video consultation. The outcome and notes from that is fed straight back to your GP surgery so they can follow up if necessary.

For months now a local GP practice has posted messages on the local Facebook page asking patients not to call them unless it's urgent. Reasons have varied from week to week; staff self isolating, staff ill, concentrating on COVID jabs, staff have been "pinged", staff holidays, no internet, no water, too many patients requiring face to face appointments. Every week they ask that people go to the pharmacy for "self care" advice or go to Primary Care at the hospital. I'm glad I changed practice a couple of years ago; no problems at the new one.

Tea3 I bet they don’t. ?.
I imagine like most GP surgeries the rules they work to are set out quite clearly by the GPS. If they made up their own the GPS would be in trouble.
What usually happens is the ogre on the reception desk tells the patient the GP has no appointments or can’t fit them in. Patient eventually gets to speak to GP who says of course I will see you. Patient glares at receptionist as they go into the GP ‘S room. GP is nice as pie to patient. GP then rages at the receptionist for not telling the patient they couldn’t be seen.
You have no idea how many times that happens. ?

Grammaretto

I think that variation around the country is huge. My GP, apart from the receptionists border guards is fine and I can usually get a phone consultation. I have only needed one in the past year and they were brilliant when DH was dying of cancer.
On the other hand where DD lives: Agh. She found a lump on her breast and saw her GP 6 months ago who said she would be referred for further investigation. She has heard nothing so I nagged her to follow it up. She rang the GP recently and the receptionist said "Only 6 months, some patients have been waiting 2 years!" I kid you not.
She doesn't even know which clinic she would be referred to.

I wish it wasn't like this and I hope you can have the sutures removed soon ExDancer.

BTW I was told by my Dentist that he has 9000 patients, The prices he charges, he must be very rich and he is also charging because his PPE failed the NHS test.

I hope your daughter has got seen? I found a lump that I thought I should get checked out, called gp reception who immediately said the gp would call me, and did before lunch. I explained what I had found and she asked me to come in to the surgery that afternoon. She referred me to my local hospital breast care centre and within 2 weeks I was seen and tests done. Fortunately everything was ok. The care I received from my surgery and hospital trust was brilliant even in a pandemic. I’ve recently moved house and GP, I’m hoping I don’t need care yet and that it’s as good as my previous experience.

Grammaretto I realise you are in a different part of the country to me and have no wish to worry you but breast lumps are usually checked within two weeks. I find the receptionists comment to your DD unbelievable unless your DDs GP is convinced it’s nothing untoward. I would get her to try again and insist on knowing what they are doing. It sounds very strange to me. Hope she is ok.

That's a good question. There's very few GPs available at our surgery. The GP who runs the practice never has appointments online. It seems as though the place is kept going by nurse practitioners. A 3 week wait is pretty normal for a GP telephone appointment.

ExDancer the receptionists at my GP practice make up their own rules. No, you do not want to be hanging about a busy hospital double jabbed or not! I hope you get this sorted soon.

GPs in the UK are stretched probably because there are only 58 of them per 100,000 people. In Australia there are 103 in cities then with varying numbers down to 70 in very remote areas. Still much higher than the UK even in the remote bush. We just have too many people in this country and the infrastructure can't cope.