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Have You See A Doctor Face To Face?
45 Answers
Has anyone on here managed to see their G.P face to face since last March?
Hands up if you have.
Hands up if you have.
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>>> What area are you in?
Needham Market, Suffolk. The local surgery serves the town of about 5,000 people, together with nearby villages. There are 7 GPs based there, together with 4 nurses, 3 phlebotomists and 2 healthcare assistants. There are also 8 staff who work in the on-site dispensary, which is separate to the independently run on-site pharmacy (which never seems to have fewer than half a dozen staff on duty when I go in there). So it's quite a hive of activity!
Needham Market, Suffolk. The local surgery serves the town of about 5,000 people, together with nearby villages. There are 7 GPs based there, together with 4 nurses, 3 phlebotomists and 2 healthcare assistants. There are also 8 staff who work in the on-site dispensary, which is separate to the independently run on-site pharmacy (which never seems to have fewer than half a dozen staff on duty when I go in there). So it's quite a hive of activity!
No I haven't needed to.
Two people I know who would liked to have seen a GP (same practice as me) were assessed over the phone. One was referred to the local hospital for an appointment in A&E (you have to book in advance to attend A&E where I live, unless you are scrapped from the gutter and loaded into an ambulance). When he arrived there he was asked why he had not visited his GP. He explained he had been referred there by his GP and assumed arrangements had been made for him. He was refused entry and had to contact his GP from outside the hospital and was only allowed in when his bona fides had been confirmed. The other was provided with a prescription, the contents of which made her more ill than she already was so she gave up on that medication and thankfully recovered without further intervention.
My GP practice has been dark for almost a year. Apart from a brief period when patients requiring a 'flu jab were allowed to queue in the rain in the staff car park, very few people, as far as I know, have been allowed through the door. It is not participating in the vaccination programme. Apparently the partners have decided it would be "inappropriate" (though have not expanded on that). I don't quite know what they're doing, though, as the staff car park is almost full most days (Mon-Fri, that is). Quite honestly it is a very expensive waste of space and would be more useful if converted into flats.
Two people I know who would liked to have seen a GP (same practice as me) were assessed over the phone. One was referred to the local hospital for an appointment in A&E (you have to book in advance to attend A&E where I live, unless you are scrapped from the gutter and loaded into an ambulance). When he arrived there he was asked why he had not visited his GP. He explained he had been referred there by his GP and assumed arrangements had been made for him. He was refused entry and had to contact his GP from outside the hospital and was only allowed in when his bona fides had been confirmed. The other was provided with a prescription, the contents of which made her more ill than she already was so she gave up on that medication and thankfully recovered without further intervention.
My GP practice has been dark for almost a year. Apart from a brief period when patients requiring a 'flu jab were allowed to queue in the rain in the staff car park, very few people, as far as I know, have been allowed through the door. It is not participating in the vaccination programme. Apparently the partners have decided it would be "inappropriate" (though have not expanded on that). I don't quite know what they're doing, though, as the staff car park is almost full most days (Mon-Fri, that is). Quite honestly it is a very expensive waste of space and would be more useful if converted into flats.
'you have to book in advance to attend A&E where I live'
Caller: 'Hi, I think I'm going to cut myself chopping some onions at about 5pm today, can I book an appointment'
A&E person: 'Will that be a shallow cut, deep cut or complete severing?'
(I'm not sure where NJ lives but I think it's 1956)
Caller: 'Erm..............'
Caller: 'Hi, I think I'm going to cut myself chopping some onions at about 5pm today, can I book an appointment'
A&E person: 'Will that be a shallow cut, deep cut or complete severing?'
(I'm not sure where NJ lives but I think it's 1956)
Caller: 'Erm..............'
Nope, one conversation over phone which confirmed I needed surgery on my ear, 11 months later still waiting. Prior to covid I had to have a six monthly scan to check for cancer, not had one for 18 months now.
I've had two phone calls from the practice asking me to have a flu jab then a covid jab. It would seem that these have taken priority over everything else.
I've had two phone calls from the practice asking me to have a flu jab then a covid jab. It would seem that these have taken priority over everything else.
Last time I seen a GP was 3 years ago, back then they were no help at all. Last week I thought I should bring them up to date regarding allergies and intolerance that have developed in the past three years.
The receptionist said I will get a call back within 4 weeks!
It would seem unless you are a full time sick person you have no chance of any support.
The receptionist said I will get a call back within 4 weeks!
It would seem unless you are a full time sick person you have no chance of any support.
Yes, typed a 2 page letter on behalf of OH, delivered it to surgery. Got a phone call back from GP within an hour, took OH to see GP not 2 hours later and GP booked an emergency appointment with hospital consultant for 09:00 hrs the next day. I was quite impressed. All other occasions have been phone consultations with GP.
//'you have to book in advance to attend A&E where I live'//
Yes you do, Zacs. "Walk-ins" are not permitted. You either have to be brought there by ambulance or you must be referred there by your GP or 111. So, if I sustain a cut (be it shallow, deep or complete severing) whilst opening a tin of corned beef I cannot get Mrs NJ to run me to A&E for a few stitches. I would not be admitted. I would either (a) have to call an ambulance (which would be a complete waste of resources in such circumstances) or (b) I would have to contact my GP or 111 (with my hand pouring with blood) for a referral. Here's the hospital's guidance for "Emergency and Urgent Care":
======
Our Emergency Departments remain open for life-threatening conditions as well as coronavirus-related emergencies. However, they are currently very busy so please only come in if it is an emergency and you need immediate medical care.
Please see the below guidance for when to come into hospital:
- If you need urgent medical help, use the NHS 111 online service. If you cannot get help online, call 111.
- If it is a serious or life-threatening emergency, call 999.
- Only attend hospital if you are told to do so. You will not normally be admitted otherwise. If you are told to go to hospital, it is important that you go to hospital.
- Only attend your appointment in person if you have been told to do so. We are currently pausing all non-urgent planned elective and day case procedures.
=====
The only thing that's wrong with that is the notion that the A&E department is very busy; it's not. As I've said before, my local hospital is all but defunct for anything other than emergency treatment - and some of that is a struggle. More than half the wards are still closed (it was up to 80% last year); the day surgery centre is closed; there are few, if any outpatient clinics running. I went there last week to take an elderly neighbour for her Covid jab. It would have meant two buses for her. As above, her GP surgery (300 yards from her house) is not participating. My usual experience of driving to the hospital (which I rarely do) involves driving round the car park looking for the odd space and often ending up in the nearby Sainsbury's car park (two hour limit). I expected the same but I could have held a football match there, with only about one in ten spaces taken. There were no ambulances queuing up like you see nightly on the telly; doors to the A&E department were closed and presided over by two security guards.
There was a sawbones writing in the paper yesterday arguing against the contention that the NHS has become a National Covid Service. He'd struggle to win that argument in this area.
Yes you do, Zacs. "Walk-ins" are not permitted. You either have to be brought there by ambulance or you must be referred there by your GP or 111. So, if I sustain a cut (be it shallow, deep or complete severing) whilst opening a tin of corned beef I cannot get Mrs NJ to run me to A&E for a few stitches. I would not be admitted. I would either (a) have to call an ambulance (which would be a complete waste of resources in such circumstances) or (b) I would have to contact my GP or 111 (with my hand pouring with blood) for a referral. Here's the hospital's guidance for "Emergency and Urgent Care":
======
Our Emergency Departments remain open for life-threatening conditions as well as coronavirus-related emergencies. However, they are currently very busy so please only come in if it is an emergency and you need immediate medical care.
Please see the below guidance for when to come into hospital:
- If you need urgent medical help, use the NHS 111 online service. If you cannot get help online, call 111.
- If it is a serious or life-threatening emergency, call 999.
- Only attend hospital if you are told to do so. You will not normally be admitted otherwise. If you are told to go to hospital, it is important that you go to hospital.
- Only attend your appointment in person if you have been told to do so. We are currently pausing all non-urgent planned elective and day case procedures.
=====
The only thing that's wrong with that is the notion that the A&E department is very busy; it's not. As I've said before, my local hospital is all but defunct for anything other than emergency treatment - and some of that is a struggle. More than half the wards are still closed (it was up to 80% last year); the day surgery centre is closed; there are few, if any outpatient clinics running. I went there last week to take an elderly neighbour for her Covid jab. It would have meant two buses for her. As above, her GP surgery (300 yards from her house) is not participating. My usual experience of driving to the hospital (which I rarely do) involves driving round the car park looking for the odd space and often ending up in the nearby Sainsbury's car park (two hour limit). I expected the same but I could have held a football match there, with only about one in ten spaces taken. There were no ambulances queuing up like you see nightly on the telly; doors to the A&E department were closed and presided over by two security guards.
There was a sawbones writing in the paper yesterday arguing against the contention that the NHS has become a National Covid Service. He'd struggle to win that argument in this area.
I'm lucky (touch wood) that I hardly ever need to see a doctor but I paid to see a private Endocrinologist a while ago because I had absolutely no help from the NHS. He wrote a bit of a stern letter to my GP and suggested that he follows up with blood tests and treatment (related to thyroid function) that my private man instigated. Am I holding out any hope that I might get an appointment with a GP and any help? No.
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