I've just got a doctor's appointment!!!

[Darius_Jedburgh]

Got an ear infection. Puss is oozing out of it.
Rang the surgery at 1.00PM. Girl said doctor would ring me this afternoon.
He has just been on and I have an appointment at 4.15 today.
Wow. I'm seriously impressed. I was just expecting a prescription for some antibiotics.
Anybody else able to contradict the rumours that GPs are not seeing partients?
That's better service than pre virus days.
Just brilliant.

 

[C R]

I had a similar experience a couple of months ago. Had bursitis on my right elbow. Doctor asked me to send photos, which I did. An hour later had a call to go to the surgery that afternoon, as they suspected a bacterial infection. Luckily it was nothing serious, but can't fault the service.

 

[PK99]

Triage has replaced self-booking. A local GP friend used to complain about large families who would book appointments long ahead 'just in case' - and not turn up. We have both had no problem seeing or speaking to a doctor as necessary over the last 18 months.

 

[HMS_Dave]

Got an ear infection. Puss is oozing out of it.
Rang the surgery at 1.00PM. Girl said doctor would ring me this afternoon.
He has just been on and I have an appointment at 4.15 today.
Wow. I'm seriously impressed. I was just expecting a prescription for some antibiotics.
Anybody else able to contradict the rumours that GPs are not seeing partients?
That's better service than pre virus days.
Just brilliant.

I don't envy anyone with ear infection issues. I had Otitis Media in both ears about 8 years ago. The pain was brutal to say the least...

 

[Ripple]

Breast pain - call to surgery, GP phoned back, appointment next day, urgent hospital appointment on this Wednesday.
Mental health problems - absolutely no chance. Gave up on this.

 

[bikingdad90]

I can go one better. My son failed his screening test at school for vision. He got referred to the hospital, I rang up to say can I bring the appointment forward a bit, they rearranged it and brought it forward to next week (last week) from October and he now has an urgent hospital appointment at the end of the week to undergo treatment. I was expecting to bring it forward to just before the school year.
A very quick 2 week turnaround from an understaffed and underfunded hospital that has been forced to work with a neighbouring hospital trust to cope. Thanks

 

[yello]

A local GP friend used to complain about large families who would book appointments long ahead 'just in case' - and not turn up.

Wait... what? For real???

 

[PK99]

Wait... what? For real???

Yep.

Unabashed manipulation of the system with no penalty for abusing it.

That's the NHS - free at the point of delivery, even if you do not take the appointment

Now with Triage that is no longer possible.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

Wait... what? For real???

Yep. I had 12 months working for a GP practice but not on the medical side.
Patients used to say that they had better make an appointment to see the doctor because they hadn't been for a few months.

It's free so we will have it.

 

[swee'pea99]

Yep. I had 12 months working for a GP practice but not on the medical side.
Patients used to say that they had better make an appointment to see the doctor because they hadn't been for a few months.

It's free so we will have it.

I remember hearing that when the NHS was first set up, people used to get multiple pairs of spectacles. They couldn't believe they could get them free, so they got lots 'just in case'. Why not?

 

[pawl]

Got an ear infection. Puss is oozing out of it.
Rang the surgery at 1.00PM. Girl said doctor would ring me this afternoon.
He has just been on and I have an appointment at 4.15 today.
Wow. I'm seriously impressed. I was just expecting a prescription for some antibiotics.
Anybody else able to contradict the rumours that GPs are not seeing partients?
That's better service than pre virus days.
Just brilliant.

It took six weeks for Mrs P to get an appointment Back ache lower abdomen pain Frequency of passing urine Edema of anklesNumerous phone diagnosis from two of the partners who obviously were working from home ( private phone number)Finally I rang and insisted I speak to the senior partner That afternoon he gave her an extensive examination To cut a long story short Tumour in the lower abdomen

Result ct scan .Tumour attached to Ovaries and bladder it’s uncertain at this stage if the tumour is cancerous .Surgery is planned within the next four weeks
Deliberating if to take this further with the senior as the telephone conversations with his two colleagues appeared to look for reasons to avoid a face to face consultation I have a lot of respect for the senior partner it was he who diagnosed that there was a problem with my heart

 

[oldwheels]

Our resident GP when we had such a person used to complain that in summer he was overrun with tourists who being on holiday decided to consult a doctor for some long standing complaint. They had time on their hands to go and sit in the surgery queue but at home were "too busy".

 

[PaulSB]

Yes, I can report equally quick service. Phoned on a Monday around 11.00 looking for a non-urgent appointment for a finger problem. Asked to ring back on Tuesday as Monday is full.

I called at 8.10am and got an appointment at 10.40am. GP diagnosed an injury, mallet finger, which needed splinting. Sent me to A&E, triage, see nurse, sent for X-ray, nurse reviewed X-ray and explained it to me before splinting the finger. Also explained I would need to attend fracture clinic. Home by 1.00pm. So five hours from initial call, through diagnosis, investigation and treatment.

Thursday fracture clinic called me with an appointment for next Tuesday.

It suggests to me the NHS is starting to return to normal.........which the government is going to throw out of the window in seven days time.

 

[a.twiddler]

Can't fault local GP practice. Telephone consultations, referrals to specialists then follow up. Working well.

 

[Julia9054]

There are a lot of things that can be sorted out by telephone whereas previously you would have to make an appointment. My problem is that due to my job, I am not flexible with my time. The doctor will phone you sometime this afternoon is no good for me as I am probably teaching.
My mum has just been treated for breast cancer. She was able to get started with her treatment a bit earlier as the GP referred her straight to hospital on her “I’ve found a lump” say so without needing to examine her. In the past, she would have had to wait a few days to see the GP to confirm that she had indeed found a lump before being referred.