which takes up most time - old and new appointments system.

I have had a worsening, painful but definitely not life-threatening condition since last November, Did not feel I could use up valuable doctors time in winter so have waited.

This week I felt I really did need to start having this checked.
Tried to make an appointment via AskmyGP - used by my surgery. However, whatever time I tried to get into it was not open for me to ask anything or make an appointment.

Eventually decided had to phone. Not too bad - I started out as being just 7 on the waiting list and about fifteen minutes later a receptionist was speaking to me.

I asked for a GP appointment (any doctor), she ask for and took down notes on the reasons I felt I required such an appointment, finally informing me that I would be contacted by the surgery. That afternoon I received an email telling me go to AskmyGP to read a message - this was asking me to list (exactly what I had done with receptionist), my reasons for wanting an appointment. So I did and an hour later a further message informed me that a Clinician would be telephoning me the following morning.

Kept my phone close by all morning, at 12.30 I (again) rang the surgery - only four people waiting on this occasion. Eventually got through to reception and explained I was waiting for that 'morning' phone call. They took several details, went away - came back to inform me that the clinician was running late and he would be ringing me soon.

Sometime later a GP phoned me and asked me (yes he really did) for full details as to why I was requiring an appointment. So, I have him all the problems I had already listed verbally to the receptionist, and written in full on AskmyGP. He asked a couple of questions and then said I should come to see him later that evening.

Which I did and as soon as I was called into the his surgery he asked me (Oh, Yes he did!!), to give him a full list of the problems I had been experiencing.

He has now sent me on to hospital for further checks.

In the past, I would have made a quick phone call to reception (or popped in to see them, - made an appointment, then at that appointment talked to the GP giving him/her the reasons I was there.