NHS dors work too

You are fortunate, we can no longer make an appointment to see a doctor. We ring or email the surgery asking for an appointment and preferably outlining the problem. The doctor thn rings later in the day. You either have to stay in all day ar end up having a medical consultation in the middle of a supermarket aisle or during an important meeting.

The doctor can prescribe based on the phone call or pass you to reception to make an appointment to see the doctor - except it may not be the doctor. It may be the Nurse -Practioner. This happened to me. I felt the NP was not listening to me just recognising some symptoms and passing me off with a simple explanation.

I need to gird my loins, so to speak, and ring again and insist I see a real doctor.

@ Whitewave - it was your link I referred to, not GGran.
Apologies.

My local surgery is set to lose £65000 next year. That will be one less doctor or two less nurses.

Not like that round here (Central London).

My nearest hospital is nearly 30 miles away and during tourist time it can take a couple of hours to get there.

They closed the two nearer hospitals in the last 10 years

Yes my lovely GP has retired and they can't find a replacement after a year.
I live in a "good" part of the country where people come on holiday.
New GP's don't want to put the work in anymore.

Ours is a small practice and not a great big health centre so the GP's have to be more involved with their patients.

I agree Trisher. We live in S. Tyneside, traditionally a poor area. I looked on the link, I think from GracesGran and found that 2 out of the 3 practises here are suffering from financial cuts.
OTOH we have a very good hospital service for surgery, built under Labour's watch around 2000.

Tooting29 perhaps because the reorganisation under the Tory government led to some areas becoming inefficient, and other areas, particularly poor ones inadequately staffed and starved of investment. Tory policies have as I'm pleased you have pointed out, resulted in an NHS service that is not working in many areas, only proper investment will save it.

Hmmm. My previously excellent GP practise has been decimated. Can't get GPs to fill their vacancies. Not enough students. Went to the doctors yesterday. I had to wait almost THREE weeks for that appointment.

In addition, our previously outstanding local hospital is running on empty. At A&E for my grandson at the weekend (had drunk something poisonous). We had to wait over 12 hours to see a doctor.

You're lucky Tooting29. As I used to think I was. Incredible service in the past from the very same places. But lack of funding has drained the services available. I dread getting cancer again. Last time my treatment was good. It wouldn't be now.