My GP receptionist's ask 'why' patients want to see their Dr as practise policy.

My surgery is brilliant. Whenever I ring for an appointment I get one in a few hours. It's always for a chest infection or an eye infection that I get once or twice a year. As I have a lung condition it's always serious. If there are no appointments left our surgery operates a sit and wait scheme. You go at around 5pm and wait in a queue. Could be up to 2+ hours but you see a qualified Dr.

My GP surgery ditched e-consult, shame as it worked well for me.

I had a the most recent newsletter from my surgery today, a GP reviews all our econsult submission and triages them, good to know.

Wyllow3 some very serious mental health illnesses can be very well medicated and a full working life (but with less stress) is possible. I am sure that mention was made of long term unemployed with both physical and mental health conditions being helped back to paid employment. I am sure that more detail will follow from the government soon.

Its why I asked about the source, I hadn't/havent read anywhere that anyone with very serious disabilities should be expected to go back to work: the suggestions are all adequate support for milder conditions to reduce sick absences that take so much out of the economy and the work-places.

Wyllow3 I might be getting my sources slightly muddled but in essence, I think it’s all very well for government to make policy suggestions. It’s going to be a different matter enforcing them. Employers select and it will be difficult to prove bias if not chosen.

I agree with you anyway.....checking through that article it doesn't single out any group, not being at all critical 🙂

Willow3 The Guardian has run previous articles on the subject too. Yes I think it was ….

bobbydog24

Definitely ninat474. Home visits, same day appointments, doctors actually on the premises. That was a reality not that long ago.

Still happens at my rural practice, and I know we are VERY lucky! Called them last week to get a hone visit for my mum, and the GP visited at the end of morning surgery.

HOWEVER, ever think that all this may be deliberate? Sunak deskilled the NHS, there are thousands of unemployed doctors and GPs, as he had them replaced by Nurse Practitioners, Paramedics and Pharmacists and in hospitals by Physician and Anaesthetic Associates. These 'associates' have dine a 2 year course that is basically A level Human Biology, nothing about the disease process and are being used as doctors! All of these people are CHEAPER!

Add that to the removal of the WFA, the coming food shortages - culling chickens and cattle for another pandemic that is on it's way, the depopulation wanted by the UN will be well on it's way; remember Starmer 'prefers Davos' ... maybe when they actually go for our PETS because allegedly they spread 'bird flu' too (or they'll say they do, but they don't) people might finally wake up, smell the coffee and finally put a stop to it all?

This was the only article I could find, Ronib?

www.theguardian.com/society/2024/oct/03/number-of-people-in-uk-out-of-work-due-to-ill-health-growing-by-300000-a-year

I pretty sure it's recognised that some people will be unable to work, for a variety of reasons.

More support is an excellent idea, though.

I am a bit confused by the Guardian’s article about making people with severe mental health illnesses seek work and that help will be given to enable sick people to work and not claim benefits. So seems to me that mental health has long been the Cinderella service in the NHS. I agree in principle that it’s important to engage in meaningful and appropriate work but for some people that is not a realistic possibility. I have always felt that research into the causes of mental ill health takes a back seat. I hope that this new government can step up to the challenge.

Grantanow

I hope the new Labour government can improve GP availability. The NHS has been badly damaged by the Tories and it is going to take years to get back to a fully functioning service.

So do I, but if they can’t they will continue to blame the Tory party rather than admit that it is as difficult as they and the previous Labour Government found. (Kings Fund Report.
I’m already being offered lots of different ways to access GP care, which I suspect means eventually paying for it, though not all the offers mention money so far.
Increasing taxation, which I expect despite what was said pre election, will only be effective if the money is well used and not swallowed up in admin and an increasing number of non-medical managerial staff.

I hope the new Labour government can improve GP availability. The NHS has been badly damaged by the Tories and it is going to take years to get back to a fully functioning service.

Its the practice everywhere now i think, if you don't want to say I'm sure they would understand

Phoned my surgery today to make an appointment and told the receptionist the problem before giving my name,I’m so used to the system.That said I’ve not seen anyone for18 months!

The best GP practice I ever attended was one where you could either make an appointment by phone, or in person, or, you could go to the surgery, give the receptionist your name, take a number (remember the ones they used to have on deli counters in supermarkets) and wait. When your number came up you saw whatever GP was on duty for walk in appointments. It worked well.

Our GP surgery has recently introduced ' Total Triage', which involves filling in an online form ,(there is help from a receptionist for people not able to do this). Then you get a reply offering advice,a phone consultation or face to face appointment that day or in a few days time. Seems to be working quite well. If it is something urgent you can still phone the receptionist. Our receptionists are trained to send you, for example if you said you had back pain , to a physio for assessment, but you can say that you prefer to see the GP. I think we must be very lucky. The Total Triage seems to be working very well. The only person who sees your form is the doctor doing the triage. If you went into the surgery with a personal problem there is a room provided if you want to speak to the receptionist in confidence, a room is provided. Anyone else's surgery offering total triage?

My GP's receptionist have training and can triage effectively. I don't want to waste the GP's time if someone else is available. It's a GP training practice so certain conditions are triaged to a trainee to give them the relative experience.
GP receptionists put up with a lot of nonsense from folk who don't understand their role.

The last timeIhad something remotely embarassing it was a bank holiday so I rang 111. After a phone consultation with a doctor I was told I needed to see a doctor in person. I asked what I should do if I couldn't get one and was told to go to A&E.
The next day I phoned for an appointment and was offered a phone appointment. I said I'd already had one on 111 and needed to see a doctor in person. They said there were no appointments available so I said "That's ok, I'll go to A&E. Surprisingly I had an in person appointment within the hour! Threatening A&E seems to work at our practice as they know they will be in trouble if you say you are there because you couldn't get a GP appointment when it was urgent.
We do have appointments available if you queue at the surgery from 7am but if you get there much later you'll be out of luck. Last time I did that I saw a paramedic who had to then consult with a doctor to prescribe, but at least I was seen.

GP said just say Ill discuss with the doctor

tictacnana

I was asked why I needed to see a doctor by the receptionist so I asked her if she knew what chronic ideopathic urticaria was. She replied “No.” so I I said “That’s why I need to see the doctor .”

Love that Tictac

It’s not acceptable to disclose confidential information to a receptionist who is not a clinician, but an administrator, especially in front of an audience. You could say it’s urgent, if you wish to be seen without delay, but you only wish to discuss with the doctor. If the doctor wants specifics on why you wish to see them, then they could phone you to see if it needs to be in person to be examined or a phone consultation will suffice IMO.

Apart from HCP visiting my home to do blood tasts and pressure Ive only ever had telephone appointments since covid. That suits me as I am not a lover pf engaging with doctors. I simply tell the receptionist what the reason is - usually Ive had a letter or text asking me to make an appointment for something. Its about 4 years since I physically went to a GP.

I was asked why I needed to see a doctor by the receptionist so I asked her if she knew what chronic ideopathic urticaria was. She replied “No.” so I I said “That’s why I need to see the doctor .”