Why So Hard To Get To See A Gp?

[Fubsy]

Recently it has been so hard to get an appointment to see a GP at our surgery. You can get a telephone call from a doctor on the day you ring but you cannot make an appointment to see a doctor to discuss a routine, non urgent matter. The rules are that you ring on the day and a doctor calls you and if they deem it necessary to see you they will ask you to come to the surgery later that day. So it's almost as if everyone is assessed on an emergency basis. Sometimes you want to make an appointment about something that isn't an emergency but the ability to make a routine appointment is no longer available at our surgery. We've attended this surgery for many years and this is a big change.

Is this the way that things are nowadays? Are most GP surgeries run this way?

Another thing is that my hubby had an appointment with the pharmacist at the surgery to discuss the medication he was taking. He came home full of the good news that he no longer had to take Warfarin so we were happy about that. However, his cholesterol is high and the pharmacist has given him a statin to take and when I asked why this couldn't be managed through diet and lifestyle change hubby couldn't explain. I would have thought a change in diet would have been discussed but hubby says not. He is hard of hearing and wears hearing aids in both ears so it's possible explanations were given but that he didn't hear or grasp fully.

Having looked up the name of the medication the statin he's been given is classed as a high intensity statin. I'm feeling worried that he's taking this medication without having discussed anything with a doctor and we don't know the full reasons why he's taking it.

I've told hubby we'll talk to a doctor to get the information as I'm reluctant for him to just blindly take the pills especially if the condition can be managed through a lifestyle change rather than medication. Hubby was OK about taking the pills but that's a whole 'nother issue! It's only now that I've raised concerns that he's read the leaflet inside the box of pills. The leaflet states that Atorvastatin may not be suitable if you have an under-active thyroid - which hubby has and takes medication for.

Am I right to feel concerned about this? I'm seriously considering changing to another GP surgery but I'm wondering if I'll encounter this kind of thing at any GP surgery nowadays. Any input gratefully received, thank you!

[sapelesam]

I wish my GP wife was on what Scoopings thinks the average wage is. In fact I wish she was on 50% of it, and she is a senior partner.

[DTCwordfan]

yes anne, twice, the first an agonising toe thumb attack that had me throwing in the towel (and the triage)..... Had another over my mater and a UTI.....

The second came last week on the back of a chest/cough and I thought it was a flu-related ache in the ankle, anyway to cut the story short, it turned out to be a side-reaction to the Allopurinol that the quack had put me on, my body unable to handle the wash-out of uric acid naturally, should we say. It wasn't the pain this time, the attack more in the upper foot and debilitating that it was. With this, I went in and saw him, Colchicine(3x4) and then Naproxen to take over on Day 3 and Omneprazole to help..... It worked.

[jennyjoan]

I have to make an appointment to see my doctor to get her permission to see the nurse for a random blood test etc. Unbelievable.

[Eve]

My GP surgery has a huge number of patients but their appointments system is fantastic. You get a call from a GP or nurse and they make you the appointment if you need it and I can't remember having had an issue getting one the same day when needed.

I think the phone triage is great. It must weed out people who really need to be seen on the day and I've been able to sort out all kinds of things without even stepping foot in the surgery. Even better, with electronic prescriptions I've been prescribed medication over the phone which is then sent electronically to the pharmacy of my choosing.

[mikey4444]

They have been trying to recruit in a beautiful part of Pembrokeshire, without any success at all :::::

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-41681998

[Fubsy]

Thanks so much everyone for replying, it's much appreciated. I totally understand the phone triage system is great and have myself received treatment advice and prescriptions without having had to visit the surgery. I'm becoming frustrated at not being able to call the surgery and just make an appointment to see a doctor. I wasn't aware of the online appointments option but now I know that we need to complete a form for Patient Access and then we'll be able to book doctor appointments if there are any available. Not one receptionist I've spoken to has mentioned that this option exists so maybe our surgery has only just started offering this option. Will do the forms for Patient Access, try it out and see how we feel. Am going to ask friends and work colleagues about their surgeries and will decide to stay with our current one or move to a new one.

[Davemano]

Our surgery can be rung at first opening and there are usually several cancellations - no problems here. They also allow surgery waiting.

[maggiebee]

If I don't want to see a particular doctor, I have no problem getting a same day appointment if I feel it's urgent. Otherwise I can book an appointment on-line.

[jno]

I dn't think all surgeries do Patient Access (I vaguely recall hearing there's another similar service). Normally, if they do they'll tell you because it means less work for them when the patients arrange their own appointments.