Our local doctors has been very good, however over the last few years it’s become progressively more difficult to get seen. There’s a number of political reasons for this, but what absolutely isn’t, is that 3 of the Partners at the practice have opened up a private gp surgery 30 seconds up the road and are charging £120 for a 15 minute appointment.
Whilst I see a number of ethical issues here, my biggest gripe is that the GP operating under private can refer their private patients in to the NHS putting people from disadvantaged backgrounds further down the queue.
It’s quite frankly a scandal.
Editing to add that they’re still partners at the GP practice, but their availability has been reduced.
The new masterplan is to end the old face to face system - the punters can’t be told directly about the plan because we all go crazy if anyone tinkers with the NHS of old.
Fact is, it has to be adapted for the real world, so Dr’s on the phone, pharmacists and 111 can deal with far more people than the old “Doc can you have a look at this rash on my knee” style.
Minor injuries - go to the service called that.
Emergency - go to A&E
As for the poor receptionists who take all the flak, please can we bear in mind that they are trying to get you sorted - not trying to be obstructive.
In many cases, there aren’t any appointments because there aren’t any GPs in the building, but they are trained to “signpost” you to getting a solution - just don’t expect this to be a GP face to face, as these are becoming as rare as a Charlton goal.
The new masterplan is to end the old face to face system - the punters can’t be told directly about the plan because we all go crazy if anyone tinkers with the NHS of old.
Fact is, it has to be adapted for the real world, so Dr’s on the phone, pharmacists and 111 can deal with far more people than the old “Doc can you have a look at this rash on my knee” style.
Minor injuries - go to the service called that.
Emergency - go to A&E
As for the poor receptionists who take all the flak, please can we bear in mind that they are trying to get you sorted - not trying to be obstructive.
In many cases, there aren’t any appointments because there aren’t any GPs in the building, but they are trained to “signpost” you to getting a solution - just don’t expect this to be a GP face to face, as these are becoming as rare as a Charlton goal.
Don’t shoot me, I’m only the piano player.
Sounds great to be honest. The time when I got the best support, found it easiest to talk to my GP and actually got a longstanding health issue under control was during Covid, which is ridiculous. It was such a better system though; fill out an online form, get your symptoms looked at and an online phone consultation booked, often the same day. You could send in pictures of whatever you had to help with the assessment and get a callback once they were received. Much quicker, much easier, no need to book time off work and allowed you to be seen quicker. I'm all for it, as long as there's some time put aside for people who can't use technology as easily to still be seen in person.
From someone with a little bit of medical knowledge, online consultations are dangerous, and it will only be a matter of time, and a few major lawsuits, until we return to sanity.
There are many people who are extremely stoic and who cannot describe the extent of their symptoms, and there are others who are simply too embarrassed to talk openly on a video call.
Nothing can adequately replace a face to face consultation. One person's indigestion and slight abdominal discomfort, is another unfortunate persons pancreatic cancer.
I don't know how the elderly and/or some disabled people cope with this. I read about a 90 year old who not unsurprisingly had a challenge with online nature of all this and was told he could go to the surgery to collect a form. So he had to get a taxi to and from the surgery just to get and complete the feckin form to request to see a doctor, which assuming (and hoping) he got the required appointment, he'd have to go back to the surgery again.
And it could get worse at surgeries that aren't exempt from the NI hike
Whereas a little guidance from a non medical support worker would have probably resolved the difficulties with the online process and the overwhelmed system would have functioned better.
The main problem is that GPs are, and, to a large extent, have been for the past 20 years or so, little more than social workers for the bored, lonely, paranoid and abandoned elderly. Add an increasing waiting list from expanded catchment areas, surgeries closing, drain on the NHS as skilled resource moves abroad as soon as practically possible after qualifying and the unattractiveness of General Practice to newly qualified doctors in comparison with, say, a surgical specialisation or consultancy residency and it doesn't take a genius to figure out that somebody needs to act as a shit filter. Receptionists (who, in my experience have almost without exception been sour-faced, miserable old cows anyway) now have a much harder job to do - stands to reason they'd be even more ornery than they were before.
My sympathies - but all of this boils down to the same thing: Pay more tax if you want better services. It's not rocket science.
Our pre Covid cuddly GP practice has now gradually turned into a fortress , manned by an army of “receptionists “ who sole purpose is to stop annoying needy patients, from getting a face to face appointment with a GP. Should anyone seek medical advise , you have to ring between 8am - 11am to get a econsult form to complete. These are limited and should you ring later you will have to try again the next day. If you’re lucky enough to get a slot you then need to complete this ridiculous form, where you are required to submit your reasons for having the temerity to request help. This form consists of a long list of possible illnesses requiring a yes no answer, and then almost at the end you are quizzed on how much you drink and smoke . Once completed , which takes over 10 minutes you are allowed to submit the econsult form, and this should get you on the list for a triage nurse/doctor for a call back within 48 hours.
So you wait clutching your phone for 2 days pertrified in case they ring , and you’ve have died and missed the call. They cannot guarantee a call back .
So my recent experience was that after the allotted 48 hours had passed , guess what ? I did not get a call back.
So I actually went to down to the surgery , just to ask who would be ringing me? big mistake on my part as it turned out
A mature lady receptionist , who I think was just a lance corporal , responded to me by throwing her arms up in the air shouting “ How should I know?” taken aback , I asked if this was the doctors surgery ? This conversation took its inevitable downward spiral as she clearly had no intention of helping me . So much so that she eventually jumped up and said” I have had enough of this” and left the desk, saying she had had a day of it and was leaving.
Another more senior receptionist took over reluctantly , and then told me to speak to my doctor if I was unhappy "….. if only that was possible I replied.
The surgery was deserted apart from an equally unhappy lady with a small child and this was at 6.00pm. She joined in my frustration calling out words borne from similar experience.. like, this is shite here and it’s all useless etc I went down the corridor where the doctors rooms were , calling out “ is there a doctor in the house “ , but alas there was none …. a day or two at A&E probably looms .
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Whatever happens, don’t pitch up at the QEH, Woolwich. The other day, my other half had a pain in her back and couldn’t pee so presented at A&E. This was mid-afternoon and it was standing room only, the place was full of drunks, inmates from Belmarsh, people not registered with GP’s. People chucking up and leaving bowls of puke under the chairs. One poor bloke had been there 36 hours with a fractured spine waiting to be admitted but they didn’t have a bed. It was an awful experience. I said to my missus, if ever I’m that ill where I need hospital treatment, either take me to a different hospital or take me straight to the undertaker. Anything other than QEH
Ps .. The missus has kidney stones and we’re now waiting for a follow up appointment.
It seems to me that if you are in a more densely populated area you have issues seeing a GP .I have no problem, I live a couple of miles down the road from @LargeAddick in rural east Sussex ,having lived in Sidcup and Chislehurst previously ( even 6 years ago it really wasn't worth the bother calling them) It's an absolute disgrace that people can't see a doctor when they need to
Don't know what surgery you are registered at but ours is getting to be like the one in the OP. It too runs a triage system where the list closes when it's full, could be as early as 10am, and once it's full you have to try again the next day. In my experience though once on the list you do get a call back but normally from a Nurse Practicioner etc, very rarely a Doctor. Must say though that the Receptionists are very helpful but obviously there are some things you may not want to discuss with them.
Martins Oak ..Battle High Street, admittedly you do have phone them early but compared to some of these horror stories it's a walk in the park. Aneurin Bevan will be turning in his grave
It seems to me that if you are in a more densely populated area you have issues seeing a GP .I have no problem, I live a couple of miles down the road from @LargeAddick in rural east Sussex ,having lived in Sidcup and Chislehurst previously ( even 6 years ago it really wasn't worth the bother calling them) It's an absolute disgrace that people can't see a doctor when they need to
Don't know what surgery you are registered at but ours is getting to be like the one in the OP. It too runs a triage system where the list closes when it's full, could be as early as 10am, and once it's full you have to try again the next day. In my experience though once on the list you do get a call back but normally from a Nurse Practicioner etc, very rarely a Doctor. Must say though that the Receptionists are very helpful but obviously there are some things you may not want to discuss with them.
Martins Oak ..Battle High Street, admittedly you do have phone them early but compared to some of these horror stories it's a walk in the park. Aneurin Bevan will be turning in his grave
When they tell Bevan about organ replacements, pacemakers, IVF, gender reassignment and bionic limbs - he will be spinning like a dentist drill.
I have found a way round the econsult, I have the medical centre's email so I send one for the attention of Dr ...... my GP and tell him my problem, if serious he sees me. Also our receptionists are called care pathway coordinators!!!! - you couldn't make it up
It doesn't say whether the path they offer is towards care or excuses though does it. Plenty of room to coordinate unwanted stuff in that name.
Two of the GPs who used to be at our surgery in Farningham have now started working privately. One is up the road from the surgery and the other is in Sevenoaks. Sad state of affairs. And I think if I was really worried about a health issue and wanted to see a GP I might have to book in.
Including some helpful advice on how to circumvent the obstructive GP Receptionist.
It's all very well blaming others for not taking his symptoms seriously, but this man does say that 8 weeks before his ordeal began, he used the NHS bowel cancer test kit which gave a positive result, but he chose to ignore it as the accompanying literature stated that there was only a 1in10 chance that it indicated anything serious. Had he not ignored the test result, his problems would have been detected earlier.
So I got an appointment for Thursday, yesterday. The wife's rung this morning to see if we can get an earlier appointment. The reception topped up huffing at the wife. Wife was not happy.
Including some helpful advice on how to circumvent the obstructive GP Receptionist.
It's all very well blaming others for not taking his symptoms seriously, but this man does say that 8 weeks before his ordeal began, he used the NHS bowel cancer test kit which gave a positive result, but he chose to ignore it as the accompanying literature stated that there was only a 1in10 chance that it indicated anything serious. Had he not ignored the test result, his problems would have been detected earlier.
It also says that he waited on hold for 90 minutes with pains in his chest and arms. Every surgery I've ever used tells you to call 999 if you have symptoms of a life-threatening condition. He does seem to have sabotaged himself somewhat.
Including some helpful advice on how to circumvent the obstructive GP Receptionist.
I am accountable for every decision I make and they are looking at our place to record every phone conversation for clarity when investigations are carried out.
I would certainly welcome a change whether it by law or otherwise that receptionists are held to account for every bit of advice they give to patients. We may get a more professional service after this.
They are not doctors and should not be giving patients advice on their ailments.
Including some helpful advice on how to circumvent the obstructive GP Receptionist.
I am accountable for every decision I make and they are looking at our place to record every phone conversation for clarity when investigations are carried out.
I would certainly welcome a change whether it by law or otherwise that receptionists are held to account for every bit of advice they give to patients. We may get a more professional service after this.
They are not doctors and should not be giving patients advice on their ailments.
My mum's not been very well for the last few weeks. We think it's a reaction to some radiotherapy she had at the start of the month. Twice she's had to present herself at the surgery at 07:00 to get an emergency appointment for later that day. Which she has, but it's not really what we should have to do when you're already feeling poorly to get into see a doctor. It's not the receptionist's, or the doctor's, fault the system is utterly broken.
Coincidentally, she informed me that, to her certain knowledge, several of her friends at her bowls club go online and book appointments at our GP surgery whether they need them or not - then cancel the day before if they've no need. Then they book another one for a couple of weeks time...and so on.
I said that surely no one is that selfish but she assures me that it's not uncommon and she's fronted them up about taking up routine appointments from others (like myself who's waited months for a cardio review!) but they justify it on grounds that they're old so more likely to need them anyway. One of them does it for her husband too.
How on earth is the GP practice supposed to manage that situation?
My mum's not been very well for the last few weeks. We think it's a reaction to some radiotherapy she had at the start of the month. Twice she's had to present herself at the surgery at 07:00 to get an emergency appointment for later that day. Which she has, but it's not really what we should have to do when you're already feeling poorly to get into see a doctor. It's not the receptionist's, or the doctor's, fault the system is utterly broken.
Coincidentally, she informed me that, to her certain knowledge, several of her friends at her bowls club go online and book appointments at our GP surgery whether they need them or not - then cancel the day before if they've no need. Then they book another one for a couple of weeks time...and so on.
I said that surely no one is that selfish but she assures me that it's not uncommon and she's fronted them up about taking up routine appointments from others (like myself who's waited months for a cardio review!) but they justify it on grounds that they're old so more likely to need them anyway. One of them does it for her husband too.
How on earth is the GP practice supposed to manage that situation?
You can't regulate for levels of selfishness like that. When the system is collapsing under pressure so people put more pressure on it to cover themselves.
I’m lucky. Our GP practice (in Battersea) is excellent, although they’ve changed the system recently. You used to have to phone up at 8 am to get an appointment, but now you go on the website and fill in a form. It’s actually a one minute job, and they call you back, usually well within an hour. So far, I’ve always got an appointment on the day.
GP practices all seem to run their own systems, and clearly from the above, some are much worse than others.
Still baffles me what was wrong with the old system. Go down the doctors, take a ticket and wait your turn. I should think most of us wait a couple of days before thinking of going to the doctors. Then you might have to wait a few days before you see the doctor. It's 2024 ffs. Me and the wife keep our own stash of medicine, including antibiotics. I have prescribed them to myself
It must be a postcode lottery because at my GP you can phone up at 8am for an appointment that morning or 12 noon for an app that afternoon or early evening. As you can't book up days before now I have always got an appointment a few hours later. Must better system than before when you would go to a crowded waiting room with a bad back and end up with a bad cold 24 hours later from all the sneezing folk.
I rang up at 12 noon yesterday, I was 4th in the queue and had an appointment at 3.20 where only one other person was in the waiting room I kept well clear because of germs and I was examined with a stethoscope just like the old days and diagnosed with a chest infection which had ruined my Xmas as I coughed nearly non stop after sneezing for 3 days solid which was a record for me !
Just my opinion where I live but much better than before where it could take 3 days to get an apps unless you layed it on strong. We have 6 GP's and the odd locum so if you have a special doctor you want to see obviously that could take longer especially as some work less hours now.
The problems arrive when I appeared to have kidney stones and you are told to go to A+E then depending on the time of day or night you see the dystopian world of Drink, drugs and sick people as well as the lonely person with an ingrowing toenail brought together. You can never get those hours back !
It’s all kicking off on our local Facebook page because our surgery announced that as they were overwhelmed by people filling out e-consult forms they were closing e consult until Jan 2. There’s no other way to get an appointment so they advised 111 or A and E.
The waiting time at A and E in Woolwich was 14.5 hours at the time.
People are going mad about the receptionists but, to be honest, who would want that job. It’s not their decision to close appointments.
Everywhere is overloaded and getting angry really doesn’t help.
It’s all kicking off on our local Facebook page because our surgery announced that as they were overwhelmed by people filling out e-consult forms they were closing e consult until Jan 2. There’s no other way to get an appointment so they advised 111 or A and E.
The waiting time at A and E in Woolwich was 14.5 hours at the time.
People are going mad about the receptionists but, to be honest, who would want that job. It’s not their decision to close appointments.
Everywhere is overloaded and getting angry really doesn’t help.
As I said above a postcode lottery not helped by our population being far too high in London and the suburbs and many other places but GP wise I had 3 to chose from just 200 metres away from each other. The quid Pro quo to that is my local hospital is six miles away and is Mayday Croydon (wish it was further away !) so nightmare when I needed the A+E on two occasions this year but I had Marsden Sutton for cancer treatment 5 years ago and was sent to Epsom hospital for fractured fibula and ruptured ligaments operation back in early September and it's just the last two weeks I'm out the boot and learning to walk normally again.
Nothing is more important than health and what happened to the new hospitals that Boris promised ?
My mum's not been very well for the last few weeks. We think it's a reaction to some radiotherapy she had at the start of the month. Twice she's had to present herself at the surgery at 07:00 to get an emergency appointment for later that day. Which she has, but it's not really what we should have to do when you're already feeling poorly to get into see a doctor. It's not the receptionist's, or the doctor's, fault the system is utterly broken.
Coincidentally, she informed me that, to her certain knowledge, several of her friends at her bowls club go online and book appointments at our GP surgery whether they need them or not - then cancel the day before if they've no need. Then they book another one for a couple of weeks time...and so on.
I said that surely no one is that selfish but she assures me that it's not uncommon and she's fronted them up about taking up routine appointments from others (like myself who's waited months for a cardio review!) but they justify it on grounds that they're old so more likely to need them anyway. One of them does it for her husband too.
How on earth is the GP practice supposed to manage that situation?
If someone is repeatedly booking and cancelling appointments, wouldn't that flag up on the GPs system?
Comments
It’s quite frankly a scandal.
Editing to add that they’re still partners at the GP practice, but their availability has been reduced.
As for the poor receptionists who take all the flak, please can we bear in mind that they are trying to get you sorted - not trying to be obstructive.
From someone with a little bit of medical knowledge, online consultations are dangerous, and it will only be a matter of time, and a few major lawsuits, until we return to sanity.
There are many people who are extremely stoic and who cannot describe the extent of their symptoms, and there are others who are simply too embarrassed to talk openly on a video call.
Nothing can adequately replace a face to face consultation. One person's indigestion and slight abdominal discomfort, is another unfortunate persons pancreatic cancer.
Whereas a little guidance from a non medical support worker would have probably resolved the difficulties with the online process and the overwhelmed system would have functioned better.
Ps .. The missus has kidney stones and we’re now waiting for a follow up appointment.
https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/health/my-odd-symptom-cancer-gp-30627262
Including some helpful advice on how to circumvent the obstructive GP Receptionist.
The wife's rung this morning to see if we can get an earlier appointment.
The reception topped up huffing at the wife.
Wife was not happy.
I would certainly welcome a change whether it by law or otherwise that receptionists are held to account for every bit of advice they give to patients. We may get a more professional service after this.
They are not doctors and should not be giving patients advice on their ailments.
Coincidentally, she informed me that, to her certain knowledge, several of her friends at her bowls club go online and book appointments at our GP surgery whether they need them or not - then cancel the day before if they've no need. Then they book another one for a couple of weeks time...and so on.
I said that surely no one is that selfish but she assures me that it's not uncommon and she's fronted them up about taking up routine appointments from others (like myself who's waited months for a cardio review!) but they justify it on grounds that they're old so more likely to need them anyway. One of them does it for her husband too.
How on earth is the GP practice supposed to manage that situation?
Go down the doctors, take a ticket and wait your turn.
I should think most of us wait a couple of days before thinking of going to the doctors.
Then you might have to wait a few days before you see the doctor.
It's 2024 ffs.
Me and the wife keep our own stash of medicine, including antibiotics.
I have prescribed them to myself
As you can't book up days before now I have always got an appointment a few hours later.
Must better system than before when you would go to a crowded waiting room with a bad back and end up with a bad cold 24 hours later from all the sneezing folk.
I rang up at 12 noon yesterday, I was 4th in the queue and had an appointment at 3.20 where only one other person was in the waiting room I kept well clear because of germs and I was examined with a stethoscope just like the old days and diagnosed with a chest infection which had ruined my Xmas as I coughed nearly non stop after sneezing for 3 days solid which was a record for me !
Just my opinion where I live but much better than before where it could take 3 days to get an apps unless you layed it on strong. We have 6 GP's and the odd locum so if you have a special doctor you want to see obviously that could take longer especially as some work less hours now.
The problems arrive when I appeared to have kidney stones and you are told to go to A+E then depending on the time of day or night you see the dystopian world of Drink, drugs and sick people as well as the lonely person with an ingrowing toenail brought together. You can never get those hours back !
As I said above a postcode lottery not helped by our population being far too high in London and the suburbs and many other places but GP wise I had 3 to chose from just 200 metres away from each other.
The quid Pro quo to that is my local hospital is six miles away and is Mayday Croydon (wish it was further away !) so nightmare when I needed the A+E on two occasions this year but I had Marsden Sutton for cancer treatment 5 years ago and was sent to Epsom hospital for fractured fibula and ruptured ligaments operation back in early September and it's just the last two weeks I'm out the boot and learning to walk normally again.
Nothing is more important than health and what happened to the new hospitals that Boris promised ?