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Health

Contacting the doctor

(56 Posts)
Whitewavemark2 Fri 09-Dec-22 09:27:34

The system has begun to get almost impossible!

So - DH had previously spoken to his doctor by phone about a cough that he has had for a number of weeks.

He was advised to wait a week to see if it got any better.

2 weeks later - still the same. So DH decided to consult the doctor on-line.

Previously we simply went into the surgery web site and opened up the appropriate boxes (requested for repeat prescription, advise etc) and sent a message to the surgery which generally elicited a response within a short period of time.

Now😡😡😡😡

There is a page that comes up blocking access to the site. This page first asks for your personal details, then sends a security number to your mobile, you are then asked to send a photo of your ID, you are then asked to send a video of yourself repeating some numbers. It is then verified which will apparently take 24 hours.

DH decided initially to consult on line thinking it would save everyone time😡😡😡

He gave up and rang the busy surgery waiting in a queue.

If anyone is not very confident this is never going to work! It is ridiculous and merely pushing folk back to phoning the surgery.

growstuff Fri 09-Dec-22 23:25:42

The triaging service my practice uses is directed some remote call centre somewhere. So it's not even staff in the practice who decide if you get seen

Catterygirl Sat 10-Dec-22 00:39:04

Our GP practice in central London hassle us to visit the surgery a lot. Texting us non stop to visit the surgery but, never see a doctor. Always junior staff for blood tests and vaccines. They phone or text every day for us to have a flu jab. I had a flu jab at the local chemist as it’s just up the road, unlike the surgery which is a long journey.

Dickens Sat 10-Dec-22 00:56:47

growstuff

The triaging service my practice uses is directed some remote call centre somewhere. So it's not even staff in the practice who decide if you get seen

That call centre could - in theory - be anywhere in the world... anywhere where it is cheaper to employ people and train them to read from a crib sheet...

growstuff Sat 10-Dec-22 01:54:36

Dickens

growstuff

The triaging service my practice uses is directed some remote call centre somewhere. So it's not even staff in the practice who decide if you get seen

That call centre could - in theory - be anywhere in the world... anywhere where it is cheaper to employ people and train them to read from a crib sheet...

Or some kind of voice recognition software!

Meanwhile, if you have a spare few hundred pounds, you can go and see the GPs who have set up a private practice, who until a couple of years ago, worked in the NHS.

Humbertbear Sat 10-Dec-22 10:09:11

We have resorted to writing to our GP about my DM who is 102. The only way to get a response I have found. The econsult forms are available at 8.00am and are limited in number.