Doctors

[Grauntie Mag]

Or surgeries. I have needed to make an appointment this week. We do have an online booking system but only if you can wait a fortnight. Yesterday I sat with phone in hand, redialling every minute for 15 minutes and then gave up. Number engaged constantly. I knew that the only thing left by then would be a consultation by phone. Not ideal. The only way round this was to be at the surgery at 8am and queue which I did today, but not good when you feel under the weather. Still, I got an appointment and was seen. While I was there I asked about a cervical smear as I knew it was overdue. Apparently no chance ever now. OH has asked about a pneumonia jab and also the shingles jab and was told the same thing. He is an injecting diabetic and deemed vulnerable for many things. I think the NHS is trying to rid the area of oldies here, so if I disappear altogether I will have been ethnically cleansed.
Do your surgeries have a good system?

[Sum1Ls]

It’s four weeks for an appointment here in London. If you’re lucky. The NHS is being starved of resources and we are the victims.

[Daisy]

Grauntie -

Our surgery seemed to go through a very bad patch, but last time I had to get an appointment (when OH was poorly in January) I got one very quickly indeed, so hopefully things are on the up for us. Their opening hours have been greatly extended and they offer early morning and well into the evening - mainly benefiting commuters, I suppose, but still good.

I think the pneumonia jab is given to over-65s, but I would have thought your OH's diabetes would put him in a more urgent category. The shingles one is given to people who are 70 or (I think) 78, but perhaps you can ask for it if you are in that age group but missed out for some reason.

It seems very unfair that where you live should make a difference in accessing health care.


I hope you are soon feeling better, GM. xx

[Gemini]

Graubtie, if you book online you have to wait about 2 to 3 weeks, and I never see the doctor I prefer to see listed at all. To phone for an appointment you need great patience and plenty of time.

[Plantaholic]

We have about a two weeks wait if you want to see some doctors but if we ring very early you might be lucky to see someone that day. I have had all the jabs offered..

[Nana]

It's strange isn't it how surgeries operate differently? We have to ring & after several attempts get through but then you may be in a queue. Receptionist asks why you need a Dr then gives you a morning or afternoon ring-back with the triage nurse. Depending what she thinks, you are given an appointment accordingly or you may be offered a fone consult' with a Dr. You can't make an appointment online. In the next town (the surgery Mum belonged to) you could ring up in the morning & they would fit you in for an appointment that afternoon. I've often wondered why all surgeries haven't got the same resources.

Grauntie are you happy with your surgery? There's an awful lot they don't seem to do.

[Mimi]

We are registered with Patient Access where we can request repeat proscriptions, make appointments to see a Doctor ( admittedly very limited choices when it come to whom, where and with who ) and to see the nurse to book blood tests etc .
At the moment this service is no longer available and won’t be until June so all requests to see the doctor and ask for repeat prescriptions will have to be done via the phone.
. This is now proving to be more difficult as there are now twice as many patients phoning the surgery.
To make matters worse, requests for repeat proscriptions won’t be available by phone for the whole of this week and most of next as their computers won’t be available for receptionists to log on to.
Heaven help any of us if we become unwell

[Clover]

We are very lucky in that we still have three open surgeries a week where if you just turn up you will be seen but obviously after a long wait. I don’t mind waiting as long as I get seen. I’m afraid that this may change at any time as this system is now very unusual.We can also book appointments,afternoons only but only one week in advance. If you want a particular doctor you have to be on the phone on the dot of 8 and then you have to wait.All in all I think we have a fantastic system compared to some of the surgeries that you other ladies have.

[Enfys]

We are very lucky with our surgery. We can either book online, if you get online early you can usually get an appointment that day. Or we can phone and if it’s really urgent again can usually get seen quickly or at least have a phone appointment which is sometimes useful. With all of DHs recent problems they have been really good and we are very happy with their system. If you want to see a particular doctor sometimes you have to wait but if I’m ill I don’t mind who I see.

we can book appointments up to two weeks in advance, useful for injections etc and I have noticed that they are open in the evenings now too which is good for people who work. We also have a good team of practice nurses who do all the routine injections. It does help that they have two surgeries so you often have the choice of either place and we have a clinic nearby where you can go for bloods etc.

[Daisy]

We have to go to the local hospital for all blood tests - but it's a walk-in service. Last time I went I had to wait ages, but that's unusual - more often I'm in and out in less than 20 minutes.

[Gemini]

We go to Asda for our bloods

[Grauntie Mag]

We have been with this practice for 37 years. Obviously all the doctors have changed over time but lately the whole running of the practice seems to have gone to pot!
Daisy, OH is over 70 so he thought he should have the jabs, the doctor thought not!
The only system that works is the online repeat prescription service.
I was told by the doctor that I need physio for my chest problem but to go privately as the NHS locally is failing badly in that department.
It’s all a bit depressing.

[Nana]

What a pity Grauntie. It means so much to have a good doctor. What an awful state of affairs that they're cutting back on such important things for you. Have you thought of talking to the Practice Manager? Just a thought.

[Grauntie Mag]

😬😬 I have learned the hard way how ranks close when one complains in the medical field Nana. I would be deemed a trouble maker in an instant.

[Nana]

Oh dear, that sounds ominous Grauntie. Hope you get sorted without too much trouble, albeit without OHs injections & your smear test. (Rolls eyes in disgust👀).