How do you make doctor's appointments?

[Gemini]

Prompted by Lizzies shock at the 7 weeks plus wait for all but urgent appointments at my surgery, I wondered how it was for the rest of us.

We have to fill in a very long online form which asks so many questions and takes ages.
They will then text you and say they will get back to you with 5 days. Then they get back to you to say a clinician has reviewed and you will be given an appointment within the next 7 weeks. Often you hear nothing during that time. My OH for example had to get back to them after 9 weeks!

Theoretically you can make an appointment by phone (which is rarely answered) Alternatively you can go in and wait a very long time in reception to try to see someone who may make you an appointment, but more likely they will just say someone will text you. You cannot book appointments online.

Our GP surgery is one of the worst in the area for waiting lists. I keep meaning to look into changing.

[Lizzie48]

Gem, I think that is really bad, 7 weeks! I would forget what I had made an appointment for

[Oma]

We supposed to ring at 8.30 each morning but inevitably it will say all appointments gone for the day by the time you get through.
It's easier to get appointments if you actually go into surgery and speak to the receptionist.
It's generally a 4 week wait but sometimes your lucky and get one sooner.
We do have a practice nurse who deals with a lot of appointments for minor things and she's very good,or they refer you to the pharmacist of your choice and on occasions an appointment for the primary care centre .
Usually after hours, so it's not unusual to get an appointment for 7-9 pm .

[Nanto2girls]

I got an appointment straight away on friday.
Can't remember what time i rang,may have been about 10ish,and my appointment was for 3.
We have a very good practice nurse as well. She's the one we see for our annual reviews.

[Gemini]

Another moan about our practice...

They just send you an appointment. I had one yesterday at 11 am, not at the village surgery but one a few miles away. I was sent the appointment with only a few days notice. Luckily I was free to go.

[Gemini]

I got an appointment straight away on friday.
Can't remember what time i rang,may have been about 10ish,and my appointment was for 3.
We have a very good practice nurse as well. She's the one we see for our annual reviews.

Nan2 that sounds a good service. You would have to be dying to get one that fast here.
I find when they want you in for a review with a nurse those appointments seem to magically appear.

[Daisy]

Gem, your surgery sounds a nightmare. Is there another surgery near enough to swap to?

I phone for an appointment, but have been lucky in not needing an urgent one. It's usually within a week. For regular routine reviews they phone or write, and arrange the appointment that way. They do have an online booking system, but I do't use it, and I don't order prescriptions electronically either - we take requests for repeat prescriptions into the chemist or surgery and then the chemists texts us when they're ready. We get blood tests done at the local hospital, and although they seem exceptionally busy at the moment they're very helpful and will fit in an urgent request.

It's a sad state of affairs though, when it's easier to get Eva a vet's appointment!!!

[Lizzie48]

I forgot to mention, our surgery has a new system, if I phone they will ask if they can phone me back instead of waiting on the phone, this is all done automatically, you press a one then they tell you what time you will be called, often within 10 minutes, if they are busy, longer, but if it says 8-15 it will be 8-15. I find it handy.

[Gemini]

Daisy, vets appointments are FAR easier to get. But then again we are paying for them!

York area generally seems to be very poor to be honest, although our surgery one of the worst. DD1 changed, I will ask who she is with.

Our local pharmacy on the other hand is excellent. We have all our jabs through them, as I don't want to give our surgery the custom!
The staff are lovely and efficient. They open late into the evening and on Sundays. We have our repeat prescriptions sent there and there is a 24 hour drop box where you can collect your prescription any time during the 48 hour window of them texting to say it is ready. Or collect at the counter during opening hours if you prefer!

[Daisy]

Daisy, vets appointments are FAR easier to get. But then again we are paying for them!

York area generally seems to be very poor to be honest, although our surgery one of the worst. DD1 changed, I will ask who she is with.

Our local pharmacy on the other hand is excellent. We have all our jabs through them, as I don't want to give our surgery the custom!
The staff are lovely and efficient. They open late into the evening and on Sundays. We have our repeat prescriptions sent there and there is a 24 hour drop box where you can collect your prescription any time during the 48 hour window of them texting to say it is ready. Or collect at the counter during opening hours if you prefer!

Gem, I agree bout the vets - and many are now run as businesses, which is a worry, but we all pay for NHS through taxes, NI contributions etc. Having said that, I was thinking the other day that if I'd been having the treatment I'm on in America I would be knee deep in insurance claims and paperwork. Your local pharmacy sounds fantastic. Ours doesn't have long opening hours or a drop box, but for a small village they are ok. We always use them for our flu jabs - quicker and easier than the surgery.

[Plantaholic]

Our local chemist which is on the same site as the doctors surgery is so very helpful. We have to phone the surgery very early for an appt. And the problem is assessed and you are offered an appt. That day if urgent. Our receptionists have worked there a long time and are very nice and helpful.

[Oma]

I managed this morning to get B an appointment with our preferred Dr for May 8th ,
I did have to be a bit pushy and insist on one , she said ring at 8.30 on a morning.i pointed out that that was a waste of time as even before you get through it tells you all appointments are gone for that day ,

We order our prescriptions online and our preferred pharmacy deliver them.
Lovely helpful people .

[Grauntie Mag]

We are very lucky. Sometimes it’s a wait on the phone but generally speaking we get an appointment within a week or same day if urgent. Receptionists are great, OH has them twisted round his little finger and generally gets what he wants.🙄
They send prescriptions through to our nearest pharmacy and we order repeats on line. This morning I rang for 2 prescriptions as extra as we are going on hols, we collected medication this afternoon. Our problem is hospital appointments. I was referred for an urgent gynaecological appointment, I received a letter asking me to ring to arrange an appointment and was told they would write to me but not to expect to hear for at least three months! Thank goodness for the ring pessary!

[Daisy]

Grauntie, that's a very good service indeed. I had to smile at your OH charming the receptionists, but they probably get some patients being "difficult" so charming ones like your OH are special.

I think with our hospitals it depends on what the problem is. I've heard of people waiting months, but I was able to start treatment a week after seeing the consultant.