GP Appointments

That is just horrendous, so do you have to wait until September to find out about your abnormal blood test results?
I'm also in NI, thankfully I can't fault our GP, We call at 8.30am for a call back and if the GP thinks it's necessary she will see us that day.
The only problem I've found is that if GP is unsure they are rather quick to suggest a visit to A&E

I can’t fault our surgery, they’re marvellous 😊
I had a text to say my blood test results were back.
Popped in to make an appointment and saw the Dr 15 mins later.

I just have to try morning and hope I eventually win the phone lottery! I'm lucky that I'm retired and can try in the mornings, for those who are traveling to work or taking kids to school at that time there is no chance of access.

Our gp practice has greatly improved since covid...all appointments are same day....if you call dead on 8am , you will get an appointment that day...its your choice whether phone or face to face

Appointments are currently 8 weeks ahead here.
My young granddaughter in London was recently in hospital with a severe kidney infection. She has just got an appointment to see a urologist for April, 2026. The infection is likely to recur and cause further damage.

I presume you are aware of the information in this link?

www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/gp-practices/managing-workload/safe-working-for-gps-in-northern-ireland

I would turn up at the practice and wait to be seen if it was results you need to be treated for. Don't assume the barrier (receptionist) is competent to make a decision. They are not clinically trained, if at all!

Our surgery has gone downhill steadily. It's operating a work to rule service and after it's taken so many apts per day then you're instructed to phone 111. Used to be able to make on line face to face or phone apts but now website just says no apts available to book on line so presumably it's a case of
ringing at 8am and queuing although no advice given as to what you're actually meant to do!

My GP surgery sounds similar - even worse at mine was;

We’ve no phone appointments, urgent or otherwise, we’ve suspended them. You might be able to book one on Friday - ring up at 8 pm please.

Words fail me.

try writing a letter, it always works for me, once i even had a reply same day !

My local practice publishes for the number of missed appointments. Some 373 missed appointments in the month so averaging 16 missed appointments per day. 16 other patients per day who could have been seen. The practice bombards with reminders so what's the reason and is there an argument for sanctions again repeat offenders?

Our surgery is pretty good. Yesterday I sent an engage consult message at 7.30 am - it wasn’t urgent but I needed to check a couple of things. My GP rang before 9 am. We had a good talk and she promised to email me the required information. She did within half an hour. All appointments are same day so if she had wanted to see me, it would have been the same day.

A few downsides are that eyes and ears aren’t dealt there anymore. We either go to an optician, eye hospital or ENT.

Also, one or two people I know aren’t happy with having to use a computer so have to telephone.

I'm lucky with my GP practice. For any concerning issue we can complete an online consultation form and get a response from.a GP within 4 hours. It might be advice, reassurance or an appointment. Last time I did it I got an appointment for that afternoon and had a full examination by my named GP. It negates the lengthy telephone wait. I've just had an issue with my Airmid (online GP account) and the IT manager took ages helping me get it sorted. Our receptionists are wonderful too!

I phoned my surgery asking for appointment wed/thur/fri or same days the following week. Receptionist said there were none and I would be better calling at 8 am in the morning on the day I want to see a doctor . On my 1st available day I called was asked to describe what was wrong so I said 2 things. I was told a same day was for urgent appointments and could only be for one concern. I was not told that when I initially called.
When I turned up for my appointment that afternoon the surgery was empty, I was only person in waiting room before i saw the doctor and after and 2 receptionists answering phone calls. Nobody was waiting why could I not have raised 2 issues?

Also very annoying is a sign in the surgery waiting area which says "you may not be seen by the person you are expecting to due to the amount of missed and late appointments we experience " I have never missed an appointment and never been late for a Dr. in my life but I and others like me are penalised.

Absolutely everything is dictated by the surgery and you can't challenge anything the fact that you are conscientious, disciplined, polite, considerate, have paid Tax and NI for 40 plus years and never claimed benefits counts for nothing.

I am extremely lucky to have had good health all my life rarely requiring medical intervention but with ageing comes some health issues where I need to call upon the NHS and I am really angry at the service available to me.
Apologies for the rant but this is a sore subject.

Can you pop in to the surgery and leave a letter asking for explanation of test results?

It’s terrible throughout the uk you are afraid of getting ill because by the time you get to see a Dr you could be dead

I am also in NI and we have no way of making appointments apart from the 8.30 phone lottery. It's the same with trying to get test results. We have one hour in the afternoon to get through. Sometimes you don't get through at all. I'm very disappointed in our surgery but we're stuck with it. If we could book an appointment by email it would be something, but we can't.

I would lodge a complaint about them. This os not good enough.
You have already complained to the practice, but I would write and tell them you are now escalating your compaint.

"In Northern Ireland, if you have a complaint about your GP service, you should initially raise your concerns with the GP practice or practitioner for local resolution.
If you are not satisfied with the local resolution, you can then escalate your complaint to the Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG) of the Department of Health. The SPPG can act as an intermediary or "honest broker" to help resolve the issue.
If you remain unhappy, you can refer your complaint to the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints (the Ombudsman)."

Jane112

I had a blood test and a telephone appointment was booked for the following week to talk through the results. In the interim, I was mad enough to look at the NHS app and found a couple of my results were labelled abnormal. When my GP called, an anxiety filled week later, her first words were,
GP: "What would you like to talk to me about?"
Me: "Erm... we're supposed to discuss my blood results..."
GP: "Right....what's your full name, d.o.b, first line of your address?"

Eh? Had anyone looked at my results?

Anyway, abnormal results?

GP after, I presume, she'd taken a look at them: "Oh! I'm not worried about that!"

The moral of this tale is, Keep away from the NHS app. If it's something urgent, they'll contact you....won't they? Won't they? 🙄

My son used to use the app, which wasn't very good. I go to dr and make out a form. Dr rang me and saw me next day. . They say they are busy, but we have a huge waiting room, and never anyone in it?

We're lucky to have electronic messaging to our GP, they message back or phone, normally within a day. However an appointment is virtually impossible, except for an annual health check which is with the practice nurse.

If u ring for appointment, you are in a huge queue, but make out a form and see someone nxt day? Don't understand.

Do what I did. After almost 5 months without my medication, unable to get an appointment, even going into reception, she refused to make appointment, said ring or use Anima website at 8am. I came home, in a temper and Emailed Wes Streeting, CQC, local MP and local patients assoc. Three days later, surgery rang, offered me double appointment at time and day of my choosing. Success!!!!!

Retired GP secretary here….an empty waiting room means appointments (either phone or in person ones) are running on time. Ours was never empty!