Our Doctors Surgery is really very good. Whats yours like ?

[PaulSB]

I just wish there was a system for non urgent appointments somehow you could say 'can I have an appointment sometime next week ? But no, you HAVE to ring on the day. That makes it quite difficult to organise if you're working...you may get an appointment, you may not, it may be in the morning....it may not.

My surgery is brilliant and does have the above but I get very frustrated with the system. Ideally it would be on line but can only be booked by phone after 11.00.

Accessing the pre-booked appointments can depend on which receptionist answers the phone. My left hip is stiff and I made three attempts for a pre-booked appointment, each time to be told “none available, ring at 8.00am for same day.” On the fourth attempt I rang at 8.00am, third in the telephone queue only to be told no appointments left!! I had a rant and got a pre-booked for a week later.

There is a sign in the waiting room which says pre-booked appointment 10 minutes consultation, emergencies 5 minutes!!

My favourite though was this. A few years ago I discovered a lump in my groin while showering at 6.30.

After 90 minutes panic made the 8.00am call. No appointment available. I burst out, (I was truly scared) “I’m male, 59 and have a lump in my groin.” Very calmly the receptionist asked if I could come at 9.10am. It was a cyst.........

 

[presta]

I think if you went and stood in A&E you would find some of the people who couldn't get a GP appointment..!

Especially out of hours.

 

[Fnaar]

Why don't kids get saucepans stuck on their heads any more, like in the olden days?

 

[derrick]

.

I think that's the whole point, the reason you have to wait for 3 weeks is that because most minor ailments are self-limiting, and resolve by themselves in a week or two.[/QUOTE]
Last time i had to go to A&E, spent the night in hospital, if it had been treated earlier i could have stayed at home.

 

[Sandra6]

The surgery I use is useless.
It's nigh on impossible to get an appointment. You have to ring at 8am. The phone is then engaged for the next five to ten minutes, and when you do get through there are often no appointments left and you're told to ring again the next day. If you dare to ask for an appointment in a few days time at a convenient time then you are shot down by the receptionist, apparently the "system" doesn't work like that and you have to ring at 8am.
I did once ring at lunch time and managed to get an appointment later that afternoon, I was borderline hysterical at the time so I don't know if it was down to that, if I was just lucky or if that's the way forward. I haven't needed to go since so haven't tested the theory.

 

[presta]

I was borderline hysterical at the time so I don't know if it was down to that, if I was just lucky or if that's the way forward. I haven't needed to go since so haven't tested the theory.

Lobbing the ball back into their court seems to help, try saying "I don't know" when they ask you if it's urgent.

 

[Fnaar]

Mine has just started a really neat "same day" appointment service, which I used for the first time last week. You phone up, and ask for whichever is your doctor, and give a brief description of the issue. The doc phones you back and talks, deciding whether or not you need to come in to the surgery. If you do, it's later the same day The upside (from their point of view) is fewer missed appointments; the downside (from patient's point of view) is needing to be free for the day until you know time of appointment.

 

[Drago]

Lobbing the ball back into their court seems to help, try saying "I don't know" when they ask you if it's urgent.

I have in the past said similar - "I don't know. It feels a bit different to my first heart attack..."

 

[presta]

I have in the past said similar - "I don't know. It feels a bit different to my first heart attack..."

When my heart arrhythmia first made its presence known I ignored it until it went away rather than be accused of calling an ambulance unnecessarily. The next time it didn't go away, so I rang NHS Direct. They didn't want the responsibility of making a decision, so the operator told me to wait and then put me back into the call queue for someone else to pick up. Then the same happened again, and again and again for about half an hour. After that I gave up and rang the surgery. The receptionist asked why I couldn't come in, so I told her I couldn't stand up and then she grudgingly arranged for a house call. Two minutes after hanging up, a doctor rang back to say that he'd called an ambulance.

 

[MrPie]

Found a breast lump about a year ago. Showed Dr SWMBO, who instructed me to phone the doc first thing in t’morning. Surgery staff attempted to triage.....when I told them that I’d found a moob lump they asked if I could make it to the surgery in the next 20mins! NHS Consultant appointment that was offered was a wee bit less attentive mind you.

 

[TrishE]

I had been trying to register with a doctor since May as I've been unwell but was turned away because I didn't have a local address. They wouldn't let me register as a visitor either. I went to the local hospital who said I needed to have bloods done but they were unable to do them and sent me to a bigger hospital which cost me £23 for a taxi they arranged for me, I got the bus back for £3 something. The bigger hospital said I didn't need bloods, prodded me, which hurt, and said I had bruised ribs.

I ended up going to the salvation army who said I could use their address and recommended a doctor to use. I registered on Friday and have just had bloods done at the first hospital, turns out the reason they couldn't do them last time was because they couldn't do the form without a doctor there to raise it. Got doctor appointment tomorrow so finally my surgery seems good

 

[Electric_Andy]

Very good here, but I've only been 3 or 4 times. All my ailments were taken care of though, and the waiting times weren't too bad. I get the impression that those who complain are more frequent users and, by the law of averages, probably have bad experiences?

 

[PK99]

Very good here, but I've only been 3 or 4 times. All my ailments were taken care of though, and the waiting times weren't too bad. I get the impression that those who complain are more frequent users and, by the law of averages, probably have bad experiences?

Not here, I'm a frequent flier with 5 daily meds for various conditions. Never have a problem.

 

[BrumJim]

Last time I went there I was advised not to cycle for a few days. We came to a compromise, so positive marks for that.

The time before, it was up-wind of work, so my blood pressure was too high when measured. Would have preferred a down-wind location, but knowing my commuting habits, that would have made it even worse.

 

[postman]

I have just got back from mine A man healthy check.It seems i might get one every few years.Height,weight,blood pressure,do i smoke,drink and took two lots of blood.Results and a talk next Monday.Postman is OVERWEIGHT,104,My weight should be around 85,i am 6-4 tall and aged 67+.So i said i would try to lose some.The bike is coming back in to the conservatory the weights are going to get a light hammering,and the local shop is going to close as i don't buy his lovely chocolate.