Are you self medicating because of no GP appointments?

Bea65

PamelaJ1 am curious that the GP took a swab before prescribing a particular antibiotic...are you in the UK? Have not heard of this...but hope it works for you!

This is the norm where I am ( Australia). You get a swab tested and then the GP gives you the correct antibiotic for your problem. We're lucky to have a good supply of doctors here, I do feel sorry for you in the UK from what I read here.

biglouis I don’t think that’s exactly correct, but it’s near. Senior doctors have been resigning because of the arrangements about their pension contributions. They would be paying a lot more in pension contributions but their pension pot was full, so to speak, and so they resigned. The last budget aimed to correct this situation by changing the rules and therefore retain more doctors. This rule change didn’t just apply to doctors though.

Many doctors have dropped down to part time hours because they are paying too much tax. Especially true of senior consultants. I would do the same in their place.

Sorry for typos. Trying to type on my phone, with little dexterity and me a fully paid up pedant!

Nannapat, you seem to view responses to your posts as a criticism.
My comment was a genuine one, meaning that you are fortunate in having an alternative and not having to rely on 111.By the way, my son has private medical insurance with his job, so I have no issue with it.
Because you have had a negative experience, compared to some others on here, doesn't necessarily mean that the 111 service is a failure.
It is a discussion forum, people aren't always going agree. Thats what makes it intersting.

Well done to those who successfully used 111.
I was waiting for the comment about my apparent wealth re private health care!
Please don't answer me anyone, as I'm leaving the thread.

I used 111 last year, online was far quicker than hanging on the phone.

I was shocked to find out that our doctors had to go into work the day after they’d been on call all night, although they would usually only do a half day ( I would make sure I had lots of cups of coffee to keep them going).Then GP’s no longer had to be on call at night. But some of them then worked privately at night and went in to do their NHS job the following day.

and 1 weekend in 3 or 4, ON TOP of long hours- and very restricted holidays so only 1 partner away at any one time so others wouldn't have to do 1 in 2 for the above, and could take care of the partner's patient, etc.

Same for Junior doctors, 130 hours a week was the norm- it was awful, dreadful, dangerous, and so many mariages fell apart, and health problems, alcoholism, etc, so it is wonderful that this is no longer the case. But if 70hrs max, then you need almost twice the number.

maddyone

No, we don’t have enough GPs! Nor do we have enough doctors at all. It is not the fault of GPs that because some work part time that there are not enough appointments, it’s the fault of government for not training sufficient doctors.
Some GPs work part time (so do some hospital doctors) because they have young children. Others work part time because they have other roles as someone up thread said. My own daughter has two roles, she works as a GP and in the ED (A+E Dept) in New Zealand. When she lived here she worked as a GP and as a regional manager ensuring the delivery of services across the south eastern corridor. She worked one day a week in that role and was instrumental to the setting up of the vaccination centres across that area during the Covid vaccination roll out.

Agreed, any yet. All calculations about the number of doctors required were done on them working full time, and doing on call at night and week-ends on a rosta. If working part-time, and other doctors required for doing night/week-ends cover, suddenly you need twice as many...

That does not mean I don't support young mums working part-time at all, but it is the reality. And as said above, a large number of GPs and agency doctors, choose to work part-time to have time for family, golf, etc. I can't blame them, having had our family life seriously affected by GP OH and dad working all hours of the day, + 1 night in 3 or 4 ON TOP (not instead).

That may be your negative experience Nannapat, but certainly not mine. To be fair, I haven't phoned with minor ailments. I or DH ( phoning on my behalf) have, after a few basic questions, been put through to a clinician right away.
Same when I contracted Covid from someone who was asymptomatic, I was in hospital, in less than twenty four, having an anti viral infusion.

You are indeed very fortunate than you can afford private health care, when necessary.

I amused that Maddyone and Marydoll thought that I didn't know about 111, the service that can take hours to phone you back and sometimes not at all, tells you to phone the GP when you are calling them either because you have been told to by your GP or can't contact your GP, and often tells you to go to A & E as a last resort and you may wait up to 17 hours.
This is how 111 us experienced where I live.
Thank you maddyone fir the advice about your son in law and healthcare in New Zealand. I already often pay even more privately as I can no longer rely on NHS services.

I too am surprised you don't know about the 111 service, Nannapat.

I have used the 111 services on a number off occasions.
Twice they sent an ambulance and I was admitted to hospital. The third time, they asked me to go to A&E. When I got there, I was already booked in and fast tracked.
I know it is not always like that for everyone, but I have nothing but praise for yhe 111 service.
Two of the incidents were during the night, therefore, the service is available 24/7.

If you want to join my son in law’s practice Nannapat you will need to move to New Zealand as that is where he now works. You will need to pay £75 for a fifteen minute consultation with a GP at his practice and then pay for any drugs he prescribes. This is the state system in New Zealand. There is also a private system should you wish to pay more.

Nannapat
If you’re taken ill out of hours, you need to ring 111. This is the out of hours service. It is available whenever surgeries are not open. I’m surprised you don’t know about it.
My son in law did not work out of hours as part of his surgery. He worked for out of hours in addition to his normal working hours at his surgery. He sometimes worked from home taking calls or calling patients. All these patients had called 111 and were referred to him. He then prescribed where appropriate or advised them to go to A+E. The patient then had to collect from the duty chemist. Sometimes he did home visiting during out of hours. He was driven to the homes of patients to do home visits. He then prescribed or contacted A+E for an ambulance.
My daughter also did occasional shifts at the weekend at the Walk In Clinic based at a local hospital. This is open to all for 24 hours.

Maddyone
Please do tell me which NHS services run 24/7 other than A&E which is intended for accidents and emergencies.
It sounds as if we should belong to your son in law's practice rather than any of the GP practices in our area!

Unfortunately illness and disease will never be part time or 9-5, five days a week.

No it won’t. That’s why we have out of hours services which operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
My son in law, a GP, worked full time at his surgery, and then worked out of hours, often weekends and evenings up till midnight, providing services for patients who needed care when their surgery was closed. This included working in the Covid Hub regularly during the pandemic.

No, we don’t have enough GPs! Nor do we have enough doctors at all. It is not the fault of GPs that because some work part time that there are not enough appointments, it’s the fault of government for not training sufficient doctors.
Some GPs work part time (so do some hospital doctors) because they have young children. Others work part time because they have other roles as someone up thread said. My own daughter has two roles, she works as a GP and in the ED (A+E Dept) in New Zealand. When she lived here she worked as a GP and as a regional manager ensuring the delivery of services across the south eastern corridor. She worked one day a week in that role and was instrumental to the setting up of the vaccination centres across that area during the Covid vaccination roll out.

Re part time doctors versus full time, I would have thought that the point is that we may in theory have enough GPs but in fact not enough GP hours to see patients. As for supporting the right of young women with children to work part time, first I have seen many part time GPs who do not have young children. I am amazed the the young relative GP mentioned in this thread thinks it acceptable to WFH. Unfortunately illness and disease will never be part time or 9-5, five days a week.

Whatever the reason if she hadn’t’ve driven to the surgery she would have just assumed that she wouldn’t be seen. She drove another one of our neighbours to a walk in centre a few months ago because a sore on his leg hadn’t been treated properly. They were horrified by how it had been treated at the doctors. I used to work at the surgery and it’s really upsetting me when I think back to the caring service that we provided.

Perhaps there were cancellations or no shows Maybee.

Someone I know phoned the surgery first thing in the morning and a message said there were no appointments for that day. So she drove to the surgery later that morning and was told that if she waited half an hour she could see a doctor.

Bea65, your question seems to assume that we need to regularly see a GP. I very rarely go (only when called in for a check up) so recent changes haven't been noticed by me. Still, with people left in pain, it's no wonder that the A&Es are packed.

Fleurpepper
I’m relieved to know you support the right of young women to be both mothers and doctors by working part time. When my daughter worked here she worked part time but would often go in on her days off for Practice meetings because she was a Practice Partner. I don’t think salaried GPs need attend Practice meetings though and they can be full or part time.