My Doctors' surgery is useless! Nothing new there...

How does it help to state ‘ my surgery is great ‘etc
It’s a complete lottery as to where you live & I agree try changing surgeries. If only to make a point to the previous one.

Unfortunately, most surgeries are like that now.
Mine is no exception.

Everything is online now and very difficult if you don’t know the ropes.

One can phone ,but it’s pretty useless.

I'd be contacting wherever you had the surgery if you can't get help from your GP.

U w used to be like that but since we use their website for appointments it has been much better aso there are now more GPs at the practice which was needed after so many new houses have been built on rheoutdjirts

I meant to type outskirts what happens when not wearing my reading glasses

OldFrill

Ring 111, they do not have to see the wound to get you access, if necessary, to further help. Be sure to tell them you've had sepsis in the past. I would say post op infection is an emergency especially with a history if sepsis.

I agree. NHS 111 can make an appointment with a walk-in centre. Alternatively, they can send out an on-call GP and with your PMH I think you should be seen sooner rather than later.

The " training afternoon " is called Protected Time for Learning and it's a compulsory, national government edict.
Cancel it if we dare !!
Often totally boring and a waste of time for staff and patients alike.... so don't blame us this time!

Yorkshirebel

Sadly this seems to be par for the course with the NHS now. Been with our practice 4 years now and you’re more likely to see a unicorn prowling the corridors than an actual doctor. Just had a hysterectomy done privately as I was told there was a year’s wait at our local hospital. Resent spending our savings on private medicine but it’s not a good time to be entering old age at the moment

We are living with a postcode lottery and a collapsing NHS or perhaps it is being destroyed in front of our eyes.

I saw a GP in February with pelvic floor problems and was told I had a mild bladder prolapse. The response was to give me oestrogen cream (Ovesse) to insert vaginally and to do pelvic floor exercises (Kegel). I have always avoided HRT and it's not difficult to find reasons for older women not to take it but here I am with a permanent monthly prescription for HRT!

I know about Kegel exercises, luckily, and did as I was told but found that I was suffering lots of lower back ache and possibly night sweats. I got a telephone appointment after a two-week wait in April and was told to keep going with NSAIDS and exercise and see how it goes.

On Monday, I phoned because the back ache is getting worse and actually I think my hip is involved and was told that there were no face-to-face appointments until mid-June. I was offered a telephone appointment but the receptionist agreed with me that a telephone appointment would be useless because surely I needed an examination!

I have no idea what is going on, I have had mild urge incontinence for ages, I don't usually suffer lower back ache, anything could be going on including cancer of any internal organs but there is NOWHERE to go.

A receptionist is not in any position to make clinical judgements - disgraceful.

David49

We are lucky someone will always see or phone you same day, they are just reorganizing health checks to coincide with
birthday.
You might not always get what you want but they will always respond

Health checks - what are they?!

mabon1

A receptionist is not in any position to make clinical judgements - disgraceful.

Ours tell us they have been instructed to triage on the phone to assess whether we need an urgent appointment or could wait for 6-8 weeks!

Aely What you are having to do to dress the wound is ridiculous. You should have been referred to GP services or some clinic where the dressings could be changed. Absolutely appalling. If you feel the wound isn't healing just go to A & E and stuff the system. Also, write to your MP about the system and your experience.

Update. They fitted me in late this afternoon and I saw the Nurse, who was extremely helpful. She checked for infection (none), redressed the wound and gave me fresh dressings to take home, including silicon sheet to prevent sticking and subsequent bleeding. She will see me again in a week. I should have been advised to make a Surgery appointment after a week, when the op was done, she said. After the wound had started bleeding I should not have followed the "apply Vaseline" instruction.

While I was there she checked my notes and noticed I hadn't had a COPD review for a few years. I now have appointments for a review and a Spiri (is that right?) test. The breathe in and blow.

Allira

mabon1

A receptionist is not in any position to make clinical judgements - disgraceful.

Ours tell us they have been instructed to triage on the phone to assess whether we need an urgent appointment or could wait for 6-8 weeks!

Our practice reception refers patient to doctor, dispensary, or nurse as appropriate, doctor etc phones patient back and takes whatever action needed. Reception does not triage.

Health checks, I think I’m on annual checks at 76 and appointment was made for blood tests, around 2 weeks later a nurse practitioner saw me took BP reviewed meds. I’m stable so no changes needed.

Very satisfactory service.

I think it is about time you looked for another surgery my dear. What a bunch of idiots.

Just had a run in with my Surgery after waiting two years for a referal to a Consultant . Found out a month ago that it was never received

Lastly the Lead Doctor at my practise
of around 30,000 patients has Thank God now retired. She ruled the roost and the staff and other doctors were quite frightened of her.

She only worked one day a week and us patients were just research victims.

She is still a Prof of Primaty Care and was awarded an OBE for her research on Long Covid. Was always out for herself.

I bet there is some doctor at your surgey who really pull the strings and in charge.

Hope you are treated in a good manner for your health problems and fell better soon

David49

Allira

mabon1

A receptionist is not in any position to make clinical judgements - disgraceful.

Ours tell us they have been instructed to triage on the phone to assess whether we need an urgent appointment or could wait for 6-8 weeks!

Our practice reception refers patient to doctor, dispensary, or nurse as appropriate, doctor etc phones patient back and takes whatever action needed. Reception does not triage.

Health checks, I think I’m on annual checks at 76 and appointment was made for blood tests, around 2 weeks later a nurse practitioner saw me took BP reviewed meds. I’m stable so no changes needed.

Very satisfactory service.

The information the receptionists give out is sometimes inaccurate too.
Now you cannot even order repeat prescriptions by phone any more, you have to trek into the surgery to ask for a repeat prescription to be sent to the chemist. I was told the NHS had 'changed the rules' but I find that hard to believe.

Aely

Update. They fitted me in late this afternoon and I saw the Nurse, who was extremely helpful. She checked for infection (none), redressed the wound and gave me fresh dressings to take home, including silicon sheet to prevent sticking and subsequent bleeding. She will see me again in a week. I should have been advised to make a Surgery appointment after a week, when the op was done, she said. After the wound had started bleeding I should not have followed the "apply Vaseline" instruction.

While I was there she checked my notes and noticed I hadn't had a COPD review for a few years. I now have appointments for a review and a Spiri (is that right?) test. The breathe in and blow.

Well, that's a step forward but how you're supposed to change the dressings on your own back I don't know, unless you're a contortionist! If it doesn't feel right, or seeps through the dressing, go straight back.
I hope it heals well now.

Allira

David49

Allira

mabon1

A receptionist is not in any position to make clinical judgements - disgraceful.

Ours tell us they have been instructed to triage on the phone to assess whether we need an urgent appointment or could wait for 6-8 weeks!

Our practice reception refers patient to doctor, dispensary, or nurse as appropriate, doctor etc phones patient back and takes whatever action needed. Reception does not triage.

Health checks, I think I’m on annual checks at 76 and appointment was made for blood tests, around 2 weeks later a nurse practitioner saw me took BP reviewed meds. I’m stable so no changes needed.

Very satisfactory service.

The information the receptionists give out is sometimes inaccurate too.
Now you cannot even order repeat prescriptions by phone any more, you have to trek into the surgery to ask for a repeat prescription to be sent to the chemist. I was told the NHS had 'changed the rules' but I find that hard to believe.

I've never been able to order repeat prescriptions by phone. Can't you order them online? I just go to Patient Access, tick a few boxes, wait a couple of days and then go to the pharmacy to collect my prescriptions. It's easy.

Phone 111. They don't need to see it. They can arrange an appropriate appointment with whichever service is best for you.

It’s not possible to change surgeries here. We have one for the whole town, which is abysmal

although we know the surrounding villages’ surgeries are wonderful.
Our surgery is always short of doctors despite being in a beautiful and affluent area. They all work only part time and the waiting room is empty but you cannot get an appointment now in under 5 weeks.