Can't get a doctor's appointment
Im not the sort of person who goes to see a doctor frequently for the most insignificant ailment. When nagged enough however, even I relent and phone up the local surgery to make an appointment. My gripe isnt about the doctor's at the surgery; its about the difficulty I had trying to get an appointment this morning.
Heres how it works at my local clinic. If you ring reception and just ask to make an appointment, you will most likely get allocated one some time the following week, in some cases as much five or six days from the date that you originally call them. Now I dont know much about medicine or the human body, but I suspect that, like me, most people seek the advice of a doctor when they actually have a problem, not when they think they may have one in five days time.
Do we have to be seriously ill or on deaths doorstep before you get an appointment? It would seem so, because on this particular occasion the only way I could get someone to take a look at my hand was to insist that I had to see someone today as it was an emergency. Even then, the most I could expect was to see the nurse rather than my GP. Either they are just extremely busy at the moment, or this is some sort of screening process. How can the receptionist tell who needs medical attention and who can be put off for a few days?
Later, after the appointment Okay, I cant pronounce the word but needless to say it is not something that goes away by itself! If I had left it, the infection could have spread further apparently, and by then things are way more serious. I have been given another appointment this afternoon with the doctor in person, so perhaps it was a good idea to insist that I see someone today after all.
I wonder how many people take the first option and delay treatment for a few days? I also wonder how often this has made things worse than they need be. Isnt preventative medicine supposed to be the way to go?
Perhaps they need to look into different ways of doing things. More nurses for that initial consultation perhaps. It certainly worked for me because she knew what the problem was and how it needed to be treated. Not everyone needs to see a doctor the same day, on the other hand some people definitely do.
Alternatively how about an e-clinic? I could quite easily have emailed the doctor/nurse a description of the symptoms; possibly even supported with a photograph (who doesnt have a camera phone these days?). A quick decision could be made whether or not I need an appointment that day or if it could be deferred to when the clinic isnt so busy.
Comments from visitors
Niki, I think you should exaggerate a bit if necessary and say "Yes it is an emergency". The only alternative is to go to hospital and sit around in casualty for hours, then explain that you are getting very worried and can't get a doctor's appointment.
Peter, I don't know what I'd do in your position. Lying about how you feel to get back in hospital is the only thing that comes to mind. Or maybe go to the surgery and refuse to leave until they book you in, and hope they don't call security!
The system is not working and patients need to make a fuss to get seen.
Peter, I don't know what I'd do in your position. Lying about how you feel to get back in hospital is the only thing that comes to mind. Or maybe go to the surgery and refuse to leave until they book you in, and hope they don't call security!
The system is not working and patients need to make a fuss to get seen.
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grumpyoldwoman - 23-Jan-12 10:58
Just phoned again to try to get appointment at my surgery after suffering with cough for 2 weeks and just beginning to cough up blood.they asked if it was an emergency so explained the problem. She told me to go to a nearest pharmacy and get an over the counter remedy for coughs. I know the blood thing is probably nothing just raw air ways but even so! She says if I prefer i can phone after 2pm they may have a slot later. which is funny as i phoned yesterday before the blood thing and they said no appointments but to phone after 8am next day
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I have been trying to get an appointment to see my gp went to the surgery to book one was told I had to phone at 8:00 in the morning to get seen that day if you are lucky, and that they dont actually do appointments over the counter. I am trying to get a follow up appointment that was told to make by the hospital. Have been trying to ring and never ever get through this has been going on for weeks. Have had to go back to the hospital who said that until I see my GP they are unable to help me any further. To quote: If my heart gives out then you will be taken back to hospital and then we can treat you." Now think is it acceptable that with what could be a serious heart problem, that in the country with the "best healthcare in the world" that I find it impossible to get the required tests I need or even to get to see my doctor.
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I went to a minor injuries unit today as I cannot straighten my right arm. I was told there that I need physio and that a referral would be sent to my GP within the hour. As I am lucky to be in BUPA I need a referral from my GP, so I was told go and make an appointment with my GP. So off I go, (29th November) and what appointment was I offered - 15th December - 17 days time to see my GP! Is this a record?
+2
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your lucky . . i can try every day and still dont get in , ive given up and just go to the out of hours clinic instead
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people! go straight to your closest hospitals, if you GP ant looking after you...
+5
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I found out two whole weeks ago that I am pregnant (three tests confirmed it) I have been phoning up ever since to get an appointment, every day... 8 am "no appointments" what the fuc do I do? I'm sorry but this isn't about me it's about my unborn child who should be getting scans and prenatal care and to be honest I'm doing all the prenatal care my self and half the time I'm not even sure what I'm taking is right.. I need to see a doctor today!! What's the last resort?????
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Up until about 3 months ago I would have agreed with all the comments here, but since I started working as a receptionist in a GP surgery, I have seen first-hand what a nightmare it is! Trust me, it would make my job SO much easier if I could just hand out appointments to everyone who wanted one! This might come as a surprise to a lot of you, but I take absolutely no pleasure in having to repeat 20 times a day "I'm sorry, we don't have any appointments left..." and then getting a torrent of abuse on the other end of the phone.
Having said that, I don't believe half the stories people have posted here. An emergency is an emergency, and there's no way a doctor is going to refuse to see you if your problem is truly urgent. I always say "I'm sorry, we don't have any appointments left... is it an emergency?" And if the person says "yes", I ask what the problem is and quickly message the doctor. If the doctor agrees that it is urgent, I phone the patient back and give them the time that the doctor has offered to see them - if the patient refuses that time for whatever reason, then we are not obliged to offer them anything else. After all, it's not up to us to work around people's hectic work and social lives - especially when the doctor is often giving up his or her own free time to see the patient.
Having said that, I don't believe half the stories people have posted here. An emergency is an emergency, and there's no way a doctor is going to refuse to see you if your problem is truly urgent. I always say "I'm sorry, we don't have any appointments left... is it an emergency?" And if the person says "yes", I ask what the problem is and quickly message the doctor. If the doctor agrees that it is urgent, I phone the patient back and give them the time that the doctor has offered to see them - if the patient refuses that time for whatever reason, then we are not obliged to offer them anything else. After all, it's not up to us to work around people's hectic work and social lives - especially when the doctor is often giving up his or her own free time to see the patient.
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the doctors these days dont care ,im disabled in a lot of ways from a stroke and broken back and cant walk properly and need special designed chair to sit in,but the doctors dont care they expect you to come down at 8 in the morning wait to see if anyone has cancelled (they must be joking it took 5 weeks for them to get it) and if you are lucky your in ,this includes emergencys you got to wait over 90+ mintues in pain ,so you phone the ambulance then once in hospital they tell you to go to your gp ,the whole way of the so called new doctors system is a BIG JOKE
+4
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After all this you could try being cheeky and ask if you can have a course of antibiotics and some spare steroids to keep in, as "It is so difficult to get an appointment and I need prompt treatment or I may end up very ill" (and end up costing the NHS alot more of course).
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grumpyoldwoman - 26-Apr-11 17:15
And they wonder why so many people turn up at hospital or ring for an ambulance with complaints which "could have been dealt with by the local GP".
You may need to try this route, Raeynah. If you have to, make sure the hospital know why you are there. Then write a letter of complaint to the Practice Manager at your local surgery.
You may need to try this route, Raeynah. If you have to, make sure the hospital know why you are there. Then write a letter of complaint to the Practice Manager at your local surgery.
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grumpyoldwoman - 26-Apr-11 17:06
I'm an asthmatic and four days ago I woke up with a chest infection. Having suffered them most of my life, I am familiar with the feeling of someone sitting on my chest. I rang my GP at 8am, it was perma-engaged til 8.15 when I was told all appointments are gone and to try again the next day. Same thing. Same thing. It has now been five days and I am still waiting. My chest will also need steroids by the time I am seen. I'm a Student Nurse.
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If l want an appointment, l have to phone on the day. You can't book an appointment for the following day. I work, so it's nearly impossible to phone at half eight in the morning (when everyone else is also ringing in), to get an appointment that day, then what? tell work l have to have time off without notice for a doctor's appointment, how would they get someone to cover me at such short notice? I can book an appointment for a week or two weeks in advance, but when l tried this yesterday - because the doctor said he would like to see me back in two weeks time - all the 'pre-booking' slots had gone. When l do finally get an appointment, the receptionist asks what l want to see the doctor for, then the *receptionist* decides if l should see a doctor or a nurse.
-3
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I'm worried I have testicular cancer, the earliest pre-booked appointment is Friday or I can take my chances and ring at 8.30 in the morning to see if I can get one tomorrow but, and I quote "you'll have to ring early and it will be difficult to get through"
I've not needed a Doctor for donkey's years, I never realised it was so hard, I now understand why people go to A&E with trivial problems.
The country has money for war in Afghanistan, Iraq and now Libya, I'm just speechless.
I've not needed a Doctor for donkey's years, I never realised it was so hard, I now understand why people go to A&E with trivial problems.
The country has money for war in Afghanistan, Iraq and now Libya, I'm just speechless.
+3
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I'm worried I have testicular cancer, the earliest pre-booked appointment is Friday or I can take my chances and ring at 8.30 in the morning to see if I can get one tomorrow but, and I quote "you'll have to ring early and it will be difficult to get through"
I've not needed a Doctor for donkey's years, I never realised it was so hard, I now understand why people go to A&E with trivial problems.
The country has money for war in Afghanistan, Iraq and now Libya, I'm just speechless.
I've not needed a Doctor for donkey's years, I never realised it was so hard, I now understand why people go to A&E with trivial problems.
The country has money for war in Afghanistan, Iraq and now Libya, I'm just speechless.
-6
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My mum & dad have the same problem with their gp! Even if you tell them it's an emergency they don't give you an appointment till 2 weeks later!! Its appalling!! To top it off you have to queue outside the surgery before it opens & it's first come first serve if you get it in same day! How the hell do the expect a sick person to get up at 8am to wait in the cold outside the surgery???! It Gets me so angry! There should be a law that says that the patient should be seen within 3 days!!
-7
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Wow, I thought this was just me but clearly not, having not been to the doctor's for at least the last ten years and, probably being a typical man, only going as an absolute last resort, I am truly shocked at how it seems to be near impossible to get an appointment. I have tried to make an appointment for the last 3 days without any success. You have to phone at 8:30 each day as part of some mad scramble to try to get an appointment for that day, after eventually getting theough some time later you are then told there are no appointments available for that day, when enquiring if I can then make an appointment for the next day (seems sensible you would have thought ?) I am then told "No, you will have to phone at 8:30 in the morning". Am I meant to go on doing this indefinitely in the hope that 1 day in the distant future they may actually have an appointment ? I have been very late to work the last 3 days trying to get an appointment which has turned out to be a total waste of time, i'm sure my employer won't mind at all if I carry on doing this. What exactly are people meant to do when they get ill - give a month's notice before hand ? The funny thing is they tell you not to go to A&E if possible and see your own GP instead, how is this meant to work when you can't get an appointment ? If I don't get an appoitment soon A&E will be exactly where I go as it is the only place I can get seen, being somebody who doesn't use the NHS much at all, I am truly shocked at just how poor it is when you do need it (not the individual staff but the system as a whole), and this is before the ConDems have totally destroyed it.
+4
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Wow, I thought this was just me but clearly not, having not been to the doctor's for at least the last ten years and, probably being a typical man, only going as an absolute last resort, I am truly shocked at how it seems to be near impossible to get an appointment. I have tried to make an appointment for the last 3 days without any success. You have to phone at 8:30 each day as part of some mad scramble to try to get an appointment for that day, after eventually getting theough some time later you are then told there are no appointments available for that day, when enquiring if I can then make an appointment for the next day (seems sensible you would have thought ?) I am then told "No, you will have to phone at 8:30 in the morning". Am I meant to go on doing this indefinitely in the hope that 1 day in the distant future they may actually have an appointment ? I have been very late to work the last 3 days trying to get an appointment which has turned out to be a total waste of time, i'm sure my employer won't mind at all if I carry on doing this. What exactly are people meant to do when they get ill - give a month's notice before hand ? The funny thing is they tell you not to go to A&E if possible and see your own GP instead, how is this meant to work when you can't get an appointment ? If I don't get an appoitment soon A&E will be exactly where I go as it is the only place I can get seen, being somebody who doesn't use the NHS much at all, I am truly shocked at just how poor it is when you do need it (not the individual staff but the system as a whole), and this is before the ConDems have totally destroyed it.
0
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Wow, I thought this was just me but clearly not, having not been to the doctor's for at least the last ten years and, probably being a typical man, only going as an absolute last resort, I am truly shocked at how it seems to be near impossible to get an appointment. I have tried to make an appointment for the last 3 days without any success. You have to phone at 8:30 each day as part of some mad scramble to try to get an appointment for that day, after eventually getting theough some time later you are then told there are no appointments available for that day, when enquiring if I can then make an appointment for the next day (seems sensible you would have thought ?) I am then told "No, you will have to phone at 8:30 in the morning". Am I meant to go on doing this indefinitely in the hope that 1 day in the distant future they may actually have an appointment ? I have been very late to work the last 3 days trying to get an appointment which has turned out to be a total waste of time, i'm sure my employer won't mind at all if I carry on doing this. What exactly are people meant to do when they get ill - give a month's notice before hand ? The funny thing is they tell you not to go to A&E if possible and see your own GP instead, how is this meant to work when you can't get an appointment ? If I don't get an appoitment soon A&E will be exactly where I go as it is the only place I can get seen, being somebody who doesn't use the NHS much at all, I am truly shocked at just how poor it is when you do need it (not the individual staff but the system as a whole), and this is before the ConDems have totally destroyed it.
-4
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What are the rules and regulations on appointments? There must be some!! I can not make an appointment for my 15year old daughter for a whole week! This has got to be unlawful!!
-6
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