A good experience with the GP surgery yesterday

Hope you feel better soon.

Get well soon aonk

I have had reason to deal with the NHS recently and think things have changed so much since my younger life.

I wanted some reassurance about an issue and a discussion about a diagnosis that I had received. So I followed all the instructions on the 111 site, which suggests you go to them before you bother your dr. Initially filling in a questionnaire online which got me no where then I dialled 111 and spoke to what sounded like a triage nurse, who said a clinician would phone me back very soon. Nothing.

So I gave up and phoned my surgery. The dr. Phoned back and I was happy with the result - scan to be booked. But how different to not so long ago, when a phone call would get you an appointment often a choice, and you toddled to the Drs and had a chat and the necessary reassurance or treatment. No face to face unless the dr decides it necessary - just a phone contact, which is ok I guess but my goodness how things have changed.

I'm glad you had a good experience aonk.. Please be reassured that nurse practitioners are very highly trained. You would be confident with a paramedic in an ambulance wouldn't you? The extra training nurses have to take in order to diagnose and prescribe is long and hard. One of the things they learn is when to refer to the GP.

Thank you for the kind wishes and comments. Wildswan I had no experience of nurse practitioners until yesterday and it’s very reassuring to hear about the high standard of their training. I’m sure we will be seeing more of them in the future.

On the thankfully rare occasions I have had to complete an online Ask My GP form, the first step to seeing someone at the surgery, it says ‘who do you want to deal with this, GP, Nurse Practitioner, Anyone?’ or something similar.

I usually put ‘anyone’, as I feel if/when I get an appointment, whoever I see will refer me on if necessary. The Nurse Practitioners seem more easily available.

I am usually happy with my surgery but not recently. I choose the 'ask a receptionist option' online and outline why I would like an appointment within the next week. after an hour I get a reply and it was a phone appointment for 9th june , these usually result in being given a time to come to the surgery... but, a short time later I received an email cancelling it due to unforseen circumstances and to book again if I needed too. I think they don't want to see old people with various ailments anymore.

I've had two (yes - two) good experiences with my GP surgery this week.

Firstly, my diabetic review was the most thorough I've ever had (after 30 years). The nurse didn't just look at my results (which I knew would be OK) and give me the diet/lifestyle lecture, but listened to what I said about diabetic neuropathy and the effect on my sleep.

She then made me two further appointments - one for a Doppler scan of my feet and another with a GP, which I've just had. He was absolutely brilliant, listened to what I had to say and has given me a prescription for a different painkiller and a follow-up appointment. Wow! This is the GP service at its best!

Hope you feel better very soon. I've seen a Senior Nurse Practitioner 3 times instead of my GP and I must say I have been impressed with the level of care. Each time the prescribed medicines did the trick and she also seemed to have more time to explain things than the doctor. I know she would refer me to the doctor if she was unsure so woukd be happy to see her again.