Getting emails about new triage services re GP appts

I think we must be very lucky. We are both 80 and have been with our current GP surgery for 10 years, we have never had a problem seeing a doctor or nurse practitioner quickly if we have a problem and the reception staff are efficient and friendly.

I've noticed that when I ring my Dad's surgery on his behalf the first question they ask me is his date of birth (he's 92).
Then they seem to bend over backwards to accommodate my request on his behalf, be it an appointment with a medic or a routine vaccination at a time when I can bring him.
I'm beginning to think his age might have something to do with it!

JenniferEccles

For those lucky enough to get a face to face appointment with, who they assume is a qualified GP, might be concerned to learn that they have seen a Physician Associate who is not a doctor or even a nurse.

Yes they have undergone a certain amount of training, but there have already been cases where there have been some disastrous mis-diagnoses by these PAs.

A Physician Associate may well be a nurse who has further trained to become a Physician Associate or it may be someone who has a degree and has further trained to become a Physician Associate. They are highly trained and highly skilled and are filling a huge gap in the NHS as there simply are not enough doctors.
The link explains the training and role they play.
www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/medical-associate-professions/roles-medical-associate-professions/physician-associate

JenniferEccles

For those lucky enough to get a face to face appointment with, who they assume is a qualified GP, might be concerned to learn that they have seen a Physician Associate who is not a doctor or even a nurse.

Yes they have undergone a certain amount of training, but there have already been cases where there have been some disastrous mis-diagnoses by these PAs.

Yes, this happened to me. I asked pacificly to see a Doctor and was made a appointment with a PA.
I have the app and was alerted to this as he was reffered to me seeing a Mr and not Doctor. I rang the surgery and they confirmed it was a PA, I said I had asked to see Doctor, and asked them to change the appointment to what I asked for. The receptionist did but the appointment is 2 days later.
I think if you ask to see a Doctor you should see a Doctor, failing that, they should tell you if they book you a PA.

When our surgery held a public meeting to discuss the future of the practice the senior partner asked those of us who could access the online options to please use them because it would free up the phone lines for patients would didn't have smart phones or computers.

I think we must be very lucky. We are both 80 and have been with our current GP surgery for 10 years, we have never had a problem seeing a doctor or nurse practitioner quickly if we have a problem and the reception staff are efficient and friendly. My DH has been struggling with a virus for nearly three weeks and started to have chest and ear problems yesterday. He called the Surgery and somebody called him back a couple of hours later. After a conversation which I suppose was a triage he was given an appointment for 4:30pm yesterday and after an examination was given five days’ worth of antibiotics. I was very concerned about him yesterday but he is already starting to feel better and if we hadn’t been able to get an appointment so quickly I could have seen us having to go to A and E as he was going downhill rapidly. A three week wait to see a GP is unacceptable and downright dangerous.

For those lucky enough to get a face to face appointment with, who they assume is a qualified GP, might be concerned to learn that they have seen a Physician Associate who is not a doctor or even a nurse.

Yes they have undergone a certain amount of training, but there have already been cases where there have been some disastrous mis-diagnoses by these PAs.

My surgery does not operate a triage service. There is a choice of a phone consultation with a pharmacist within 48 hours or wait 3 weeks to see a GP. A pharmacist telephone call is good for lots of things but I am not happy with this being the only option and 3 weeks is a very long wait to see someone.

Ou surgery has implemented a new online triage system and it is an improvement in timely treatment. Also having a helpful receptionist was comforting recently.

Oldbat1 think i know what you mean...I recently (2mths ago) had a face to face with my designated GP (some years ago was informed he was designated but now not so sure) and I felt slightly privileged to see him in his office...why should we feel like this? Now we are considered 'lucky' if the practice GP/Locum rings and asks you questions...they don't know you personally as you are on a list so you have to go over your past history/surgeries etc and this takes time and patience! Yes i'm running out of patience...and we Are The Patients

It is very divisive. I am in awe when folk actually get a face to face appointment! God help you if you have no iphone or are deaf or live miles away quite frankly you have no hope.

I know it’s all so exhausting 😥 especially when you feel so ill and if you live alone coping with questionnaires and links from text messages is draining and challenging

We get all that plus a recorded message telling us they are having an unprecedented number of calls (that’s been on there since covid started) did we know we can do most things on their website (actually you can’t make or cancel appointments, ask anything of a medical nature and you have to agree to receiving a reply within so many working days, so it’s a complete waste of time!).

My dd has worked in the nhs for 25 years and we are all as a family very supportive of the nhs but I no longer feel safe inasmuch as we simply can’t get an appointment at our, what was pre Covid, first class surgery.
My dd surgery is back to as it was pre Covid and she can’t understand why we have such problems with ours. We are both in the SE. Outer London.
So if the government is making new demands on all surgeries why is there such a difference in service between them.

My elder son is a GP and his practice far to the south is implementing this too because GP’s are now obliged to see patients or refer elsewhere much more quickly than previously.
At his practice those who require help can speak to a receptionist who will fill out the form for them, you would think this would be the same everywhere. A GP then triages the forms every day and patients will receive a response either by phone, text or email either with advice or an appointment. I can’t see how else they can adhere to the government’s new demands.

It seems different surgeries have better access to doctors than others.

I went into the surgery last Friday week and requested an appointment. The receptionist wanted to know exactly why I need an appt so everyone in the queue heard too. I am still waiting to hear from them. Now i know why we are called patients, trouble is my patience is running out.

I'm pretty sure you can get an appointment by phone if you tell them. They can see who has a land line and who has a mobile phone and can access the website. Fairly recently I phoned the surgery and they called me back after speaking to the doctor. Then they will offer you an appointment if necessary.