In Northern Ireland we have no 111 or walk in centres, many GPs refuse to speak to or communicate in any way with anyone who can't get through the 8.30 call barrier, which is now almost impossible in many areas. Some practices have an online form for non urgent advice but our practice, and many others, don't. Many of us are therefore effectively without any form of primary healthcare, we self medicate, consult Google, hope for the best or end up in massively overcrowded A&E departments. There is no attempt to resolve this, the GPs decide whether or not to provide access, it is both frightening and frustrating. A report yesterday said not one ambulance in NI arrived at a life threatening emergency within the 8 or 15 minutes target during the whole of 2023! There is a real fear of having any illness or symptom because there is nowhere to turn.
