Doctor's appointments

I worked as a GP Receptionist for a year before the pandemic, and I really loved the interaction with the patients and trying to help as much as I could, but is a very demanding job with a lot of multitasking skills needed. I left because the practice manager was a really unpleasant person and I felt that at my age I didn't need to put up with it. So did a lot of other people who worked there, and left!

I honestly don’t understand why telephone appointments are less time consuming than face to face. You get your 10 minute slot and ten minutes is ten minutes whether you are on the phone or in front of the doctor. In any case it just clogs up more time if, after your phone consultation you have to book a face to face. That’s twenty minutes instead of 10, and extra work for the receptionist booking two appointments instead of one. These days it seems there is a serious lack of administrative expertise - people just don’t think the whole process through to its logical conclusion

Our GP practice has always been really good, but suddenly it is impossible. They only do on the day appointments, although they will sometimes book you an appointment 6 weeks ahead. I’d love to know what happens if you have an urgent need for an appointment? Recently I rang for the results of an x-Ray and was told I must ring the next day to speak to a doctor. I rang at 8. It was constantly engaged and I tried over 300 times before I got the message that all appointments had gone. This went on for a week, so I emailed the surgery as they’ve been helpful in the past. When 3 days had passed with no response I rang later in the day. The person I spoke to was so obstructive and condescending. She told me I didn’t need an appointment! I was talking to her for ages while she insisted there were no appointments even weeks ahead, no matter what. Then while I was speaking to her a text from the practice arrived, offering me a phone appointment a couple of days later! I just hung up on her.

I worked as a GP Receptionist for a year before the pandemic, and I really loved the interaction with the patients and trying to help as much as I could, but is a very demanding job with a lot of multitasking skills needed. I left because the practice manager was a really unpleasant person and I felt that at my age I didn't need to put up with it. So did a lot of other people who worked there, and left!

I worked as a GP Receptionist for a year before the pandemic, and I really loved the interaction with the patients and trying to help as much as I could, but is a very demanding job with a lot of multitasking skills needed. I left because the practice manager was a really unpleasant person and I felt that at my age I didn't need to put up with it. So did a lot of other people who worked there, and left!

I wonder what patients on warfarin do now for their INR testing? Can anyone tell me?
I have my own machine for INR testing but I doubt everyone else has.

I have never been one to spend time in the GP surgery but having being diagnosed with breast cancer in late July after a regular mammogram I really appreciated my GP phoning me unannounced to say, if there was anything they could do please get in touch. The prognosis is good I am pleased to say but feeling rather jaded after three operations in three months. We must appreciate and use our NHS wisely.

I haven’t seen my GP who knows my medical history over the past twenty years, for two years.Usually have a review of medication around my birth date but not this year. I had a problem and a phone consultation with a German doctor new to the practice which did not solve my problem.

Naninka

I wonder what patients on warfarin do now for their INR testing? Can anyone tell me?
I have my own machine for INR testing but I doubt everyone else has.

It doesn’t need a doctor for INR testing - it is done on a routine nurse appointment.

I had a 24 hour blood pressure monitor last week , and had a telephone conversation with the Dr yesterday. Due to other ailments it was decided I would start statins. The Dr informed me that you could get muscle pain and usually start at a lower mg and adjust to find the right one.
Prescriptions are sent over to the pharmacy electronically, when I collected them , they are the maximum dosage possible !
I phoned the Dr's ( 40 minutes in queue ) to be told not to take and wait a call from the Dr. I'm still waiting.

I recently has to attend my gp surgery for a jab-dreadful experience. Large signs on all the doors stating no entry you must speak into the intercom to gain entrance. There was a queue of about 12 people. The receptionist demanded the dob of all over the intercom-standing there for a few minutes I knew everyone's dob & reason for their appointment-what has happened to patient confidentiality completely disgusted!

I used to sing the praises of our local surgery but not any more. We have two receptionists one of them is incredibly helpful asks very tactfully if we can tell her what the problem is and is genuinely helpful. If the other receptionist answers it's always with a big sigh before we even speak and she is abrupt to the point of being rude and then doesn't actually listen to what's being said and cuts you off mid speak. May as well give up if she answers. Friend wanted an appt after instructions from consultant and has to wait 4 and half weeks and then it's a phone call!!!

I was driven to try to get a GP appointment yesterday after having terrible pain in my jaw, ear and unable to turn my neck for the past 5 weeks. Great difficulty sleeping and yesterday had to have a nap and take painkillers. I made 22 calls, each time being told I was No 5 in a queue. On one occasion changed to No4 after 18 mins. Gave up at 5.55 pm. This morning 8 am phoned again, took 25 mins to get answered. Receptionist offered appointment for 05 Nov then asked for details of problem, then asked me if it was urgent! Afraid I was a bit rude telling her I wasn't a Dr and had no idea if my problem was urgent. Arranged a triage phone call. Dr phoned me an hour later. Pain killers prescribed to help me sleep. Also discussed other drugs to try to relax neck but they would make me drowsy and as my DH is receiving palliative care I need to be fully aware. Seems being a bit nippy is what's required to get a result with GP practices.

Oh for the old days of family doctors! When I was a child there twere two GPs at our surgery, sisters. You turned up and waited to see the doctor, and no-one was sent away. They did house calls between morning and evening surgeries. There were no receptionists - they did all their own administration and would turn out in the middle of the night if necessary. Now you’re told to ring 101 first and wait weeks to see a doctor (any doctor). We have a surgery in our village 5minutes away, but are always asked to go to their alternative surgeries, neither of which can be reached without a car. Frankly I think we are being short-changed, with surgeries being run for profit and/or doctors’ convenience rather than in the interests of patients.

I have recently moved and I am not impressed with the practice I have registered with! Took 10 days to get a repeat prescription, they haven't told me who "my" doctor is (apparently they "don't do that"!), there is no email and no reply to text messages (can't even message them on their Facebook page). The only contact is via telephone, which is usually engaged. I have been trying to ring them for 2 days to book my flu jab (having been invited via text). Finally got the ringing tone only to have to listen to almost 3 minutes of all the things patients should and shouldn't do, was given 7 options, option 7 being to book the flu jab - pressed 7 and the phone went dead!!! The option to book the flu jab closes down at 2.00

Good on her! At my GP you are made to feel like a nuisance by the receptionist just asking to speak to a doctor never mind seeing one. I finally got an appointment with a nurse, after being triaged and giving a wrong diagnosis by phone, so I suffered for 5 weeks and spent a fortune in the chemist buying stuff to help the wrong thing. I could no longer bear it( ladies problem) so finally the nurse saw me and she told me off for waiting so long to come to see her. Now this was the same person who wrongly diagnosed me. Sometimes the phone call is not enough to work out what is actually wrong with a person.

I had an email from my surgery this morning to say that flu vaccines had arrived. Please make an appointment if over 75. I am and I phoned. After over 30 mins of engaged tone, answer message, waiting in queue I got to speak to a receptionist. No appointments left and no more currently in the pipeline because of limited supplies of flu vaccine. She then mentioned combining flu jab with booster jab. I had my booster jab two weeks ago at a local NHS vaccination centre following an invitation direct from NHS. It turns out my GP practice has no knowledge of this - the booster jab it is not on my record. I find this alarming. If I were really senile/forgetful I might have said yes to a booster alongside flu jab. Meanwhile DH (same age as me) has had flu jab but not booster. It all seems a bit piecemeal, too many cooks...
I made all these points to the receptionist and expressed (very politely!) my concerns. I sympathise with the receptionists but they are the conduit for patients' concerns and complaints (we can't access the man/woman at the top). However, there is no need to be rude or aggressive towards them. Half an hour after I put the phone down the surgery rang back and have miraculously found me a flu jab appointment.

Sallywally1

It’s frustrating I know, but please, please remember it is not the receptionists fault, it is the doctor’s decision, but the admin staff have to filter it down to the patients. It’s (partly) because of the aggression of some patients that medical staff and their admin teams are leaving the NHS in droves.

THIS. Being aggressive to people who don't make the decisions will simply result in more and more healthcare workers leaving, and appointments becoming even more difficult to get...!
It's a chicken and egg situation, but driving experienced staff out of the NHS will simply result in its demise coming sooner rather than later.

It's a nightmare getting a doctor's appointment. People can, and do, die because of wrong diagnosis from a photo, or a description on the phone. Something should be done to sort this problem out.

I can only assume that my GP surgery is doing face to face appointments now as I’ve just driven past and there must be at least 2 dozen cars parked in the vicinity.
Had to ring to rearrange a telephone apt with my Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon for my 3 yr hip replacement checkup as I’m on holiday when it’s booked for. The receptionist at UHND was very helpful even contacting the Consultant’s secretary as there are no appointments available in November. Going to have to wait for a rearranged postal appointment as his appointment diary for November hasn’t been released yet.

It seems to be a problem at every surgery, however my late husband and I hadn't problems getting telephone consultations and booked appointments from them the whole time up until he went I to hospital for gall bladder infection and there he caught Covid-19.

How about this.

Our practise say that they are overwhelmed, most work part time and do off to work other practises.

On going online to our practise we noticed that they are advertising for new patients.

My tiny grandson was diagnosed with chicken pox by their GP over the phone and relying on a picture of the rash from a mobile phone! It wasn't correct, he ended up going to A and E and actually had a severe allergic reaction!
I too hate having to describe to receptionists whats wrong with me! Knowing that all and sundry can over hear the call! Ours also asks if its urgent which is a ridiculous question as I am not medically trained and cant know!

Having worked in customer service for many years, I think that I would have lost my job if I had been spoken to in the same way that my GP's receptionists have spoken to me in the past!
They really have a thankless task, but the way that the system has long been set up is also in the wrong too.
Why should they be expected to decide the urgency of the need of an appointment when the majority are not medically qualified? True that some patients are downright rude (and it has got worse over the past few years) but answering like for like only makes the situation worse! I learnt that to let the person have their say, then politely and firmly explain how it is worked a lot better than being rude right back !

Lucky not to need services often and yes its annoying. A recent acute health issue meant receptionist giving me a phone appointment for 3 weeks away and then GP saw me the next day by which time i was fine. Advised to contact 111 next time as I would have met criteria to be seen straight away. Seems I had a lucky escape with my condition as it could have had serious consequences. Phew!!