Local Doctors

[Deleted member 4366]

My GP used to have a walk-in surgery. You just turned up and waited your turn. Now they've changed to appointments only, so I'm trying to make an appointment. I dialled the number and got the normal "All our lines are busy.....10 minutes". After 15 minutes, it changed to "All our lines are busy.....3 minutes", then after 20 minutes, it changed to "All our lines are busy.... 1 minute". For the next 10 minutes (now 30 mins total), it kept changing from one to three to two minutes. Now, at 33 minutes total, it's changed back to "All our lines are busy.....10 minutes."

Is this some ploy to discourage people from seeing the doctor for non-urgent problems?

 

[big_gems]

Yes and no. As a Gp we are always trying to find the right balance between access for pts today and then to review them when needed. Every demographic has different needs. Some people can cone at any time and other pts need to schedule with work. All of this is offset by how many Dr's you have to use and if you can get someone else to see them. Ie conjunctivitis can be dealt with by optician or pharmacist. We have tried phone triage, only on the day appointments, we are still trying to get the balance. All of this against finishing on time to collect kids. Then login and do admin. Happy days. Sorry dave but ask your gp for how can book, some allow you to book appointments online

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[Deleted member 4366]

Update: I got through at 35 minutes. The earliest appointment is in 7 days. I have two problems. One has been getting worse over a long period of time, so that's OK, but the other is a bit more urgent. they're going to get the doctor to call me about that. Does the doctor get the same money for calling you on the phone as he would for seeing you in the surgery?

If you don't see any more posts from me sometime in the near future, you'll know that 7 days was too late.

 

[Gubbins]

My wife has a life limiting untreatable cancer so you would thing she would get an appointment fairly easily.. nope! Last time she rang the eventual answer was no appointments for the foreseeable future so the doctor will ring you sometime tomorrow!
Earlier this year they stopped the medication that keeps her alive for a review! I asked what's to review? Again wait for a phone call from doctor who said sorry it was a mistake.
Appointments can be made on line there but it's usually 3 weeks in advance..
And this is before brexit!

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

Yes and no. As a Gp we are always trying to find the right balance between access for pts today and then to review them when needed. Every demographic has different needs. Some people can cone at any time and other pts need to schedule with work. All of this is offset by how many Dr's you have to use and if you can get someone else to see them. Ie conjunctivitis can be dealt with by optician or pharmacist. We have tried phone triage, only on the day appointments, we are still trying to get the balance. All of this against finishing on time to collect kids. Then login and do admin. Happy days. Sorry dave but ask your gp for how can book, some allow you to book appointments online

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I think the key is dont get ill.

Same problem here, can never get through on the phone, and online appointments are booked up for two weeks in advance. By which time you may have suffered but recovered, or are dead anyway.
Its all going to ***

 

[big_gems]

In Edinburgh 20% of GPS are due to retire in next 4yrs. Government plan. Don't tell anyone and hope

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[gray198]

At my local doctors they are not too bad but when turning up for an appointment the place is empty of people. They have now decided to close on a Friday afternoon as well as Wednesday. Thought they were supposed to be run off their feet. Then you see a notice saying how many did not attend appointments. If they did not have an appointment system that would not be a problem. On a slightly different tack. We keep hearing all these scare stories about how bad the NHS is. Speaking from a personal point of view, my wife had a nasty broken femur and was taken to Kings Mill hospital in Mansfield. Her emergency care was superb. Her follow up treatment was superb. It is well organised and deserves high praise, although I do accept that others may have different views.She has been having a small problem with some of the metalwork in her knee.The response from the local system has been first class and operation has been brought forward to next Monday. The reason I post this is because I am sick of hearing how bad it is and how Labour will save the NHS. Just listening to some labour politician babbling on about how much they will be spending. Very easy to promise to spend other people's money. God help us if this incompetent bunch get into power

 

[tommie]

it`s to shove you towards privatisation,

pay if you`re ill

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Speaking from a personal point of view, my wife had a nasty broken femur and was taken to Kings Mill hospital in Mansfield. Her emergency care was superb. Her follow up treatment was superb.

She's very lucky. I don't get problems very often, but every time I do, I experience a catalogue of errors and incompetence from our medical friends. I could write books about it or make a TV comedy series. Consequently, I avoid doctors like the plague.

Luckily, the human body is wonderful thing: No matter what sort of abuse it gets, it is mostly able to repair itself. If only our electric bikes could do the same.

 

[flecc]

At my local doctors they are not too bad but when turning up for an appointment the place is empty of people. They have now decided to close on a Friday afternoon as well as Wednesday. Thought they were supposed to be run off their feet. Then you see a notice saying how many did not attend appointments. If they did not have an appointment system that would not be a problem. On a slightly different tack. We keep hearing all these scare stories about how bad the NHS is. Speaking from a personal point of view, my wife had a nasty broken femur and was taken to Kings Mill hospital in Mansfield. Her emergency care was superb. Her follow up treatment was superb. It is well organised and deserves high praise, although I do accept that others may have different views.She has been having a small problem with some of the metalwork in her knee.The response from the local system has been first class and operation has been brought forward to next Monday. The reason I post this is because I am sick of hearing how bad it is and how Labour will save the NHS. Just listening to some labour politician babbling on about how much they will be spending. Very easy to promise to spend other people's money. God help us if this incompetent bunch get into power

It's a mixed bag, some things the NHS continue to do well, but there are others they do very badly and have been doing badly for a long time. The things they are doing badly appear to be due to economising, if my own experiences of the last twenty-one years is anything to go by, and in one of those things it's untimately a false economy.

And there is no doubt in my mind that the NHS is very badly run, and there is undeniably proof of that.
.

 

[gray198]

She's very lucky. I don't get problems very often, but every time I do, I experience a catalogue of errors and incompetence from our medical friends. I could write books about it or make a TV comedy series. Consequently, I avoid doctors like the plague.

Luckily, the human body is wonderful thing: No matter what sort of abuse it gets, it is mostly able to repair itself. If only our electric bikes could do the same.

Yes mate I am sure that people will have many different experiences of the NHS. However it is fair to say that kings mill hospital until very recently had a very poor reputation and obviously some drastic action has been taken to turn it round.So it makes me feel that a lot of the problems may be solvable with good management

 

[Gubbins]

I think this may be a busy post.
I too can only praise the NHS with both the 111 system on a bank holiday, and the nurses and doctors at the Cancer unit, both have been and are absolutely superb but massively understaffed and therefor over worked.
Unfortunate I cant extend the praise to the GP system as we have been totally let down by them . On two visits with what would seem to be classic symptoms of Ovarian Cancer she was sent away.. The third visit, a different doctor spotted it instantly.. but far too late..

 

[gray198]

I think one of the biggest problems within the GP service is that diagnosis of serious illness is definitely a lottery depending on which doctor you get. Personally I find that the women doctors seem to be more interested. I often wonder why there is no database that a GP can use where all the symptoms are presented and the all possible diagnosis can be evaluated. After all they have a limited time and cannot be expected to know everything. Many do use Google but on a random basis

 

[soundwave]

a non urgent appointment at my drug dealers now takes 2-3 months and even then its 50-50 if you get to see my doctor or some one filling in so not have a clue about my case.

 

[EddiePJ]

I have always felt the drop in surgeries were a brilliant idea, but sadly none of the three surgeries here do it.

Appointment can be booked either by walking in and speaking the receptionist, telephoning, if you can ever get through, or simply by booking online.

I have never had any problems making an appointment on the very rare occasion that I need to go, and always open any conversation with the receptionist, by saying that I have no idea who my doctor is, and I'm not worried about who I see. That approach has always got me an appointment for the same day.

For knocks, bangs and cuts, we also have a superb cottage hospital, and that is possibly the most valued assist that we as a town have. Sadly every year it is threatened with closure.

I have nothing but praise for the service that we receive as a town.

Thankfully for us the local A&E hospital, the Kent And Snuffit (Sussex) in Tunbridge Wells has long since been knocked down.

 

[tillson]

The last time I went to my doctor's surgery, there was a sign saying during that particular week, 26% of patients who had made an appointment didn't turn up and did not phone to cancel. That's appalling and apart from the most exceptional of circumstances, totally selfish and inexcusable. I'm afraid these no-show people need to be moved to a lower standard of NHS care so that proper people can receive the treatment that they are due.

 

[mike killay]

My daughter's cat was taken ill.
Without an appointment, I walked into the Vet's, sat down, 20 minutes later saw a Vet.
Blood tests were needed.
No, 'Here's a hospital appointment form.' as us humans get.
No, the vet did the tests there and then.
Came out properly diagnosed and did not have to go to a Chemist shop, they gave me the medicine there and then.
Apparently, Chimpanzees DNA is very close to that of humans.
The answer is obvious!

 

[flecc]

Without an appointment, I walked into the Vet's, sat down, 20 minutes later saw a Vet.
Apparently, Chimpanzees DNA is very close to that of humans.
The answer is obvious!

A bit risky though, a high proportion of males seen by a vet end up gelded.
.

 

[Mal69]

Where I live you can queue up at 7.45am in the morning, doors open 8.30am and there is a walk in for appointments, usually each doctor can see a maximum of 16 patients during this walk in time.

Also if you cannot get to the local health centre they will come and make a home visit as long as you book it before 10am.

Appointments can take upto two weeks, sometimes more.

 

[Gubbins]

A bit risky though, a high proportion of males seen by a vet end up gelded.
.

Or worse! You could have your testicles cut off!