Visiting a Doctor (U.K.)

yorkslass said:
I have been ringing our surgery to book a blood test and flue jab for David since Friday. I think they are having a holiday but havn't told anyone....phone is just ringing. They will not be happy when i go in tomorrow and i bet the excuse will be covid. To add insult to injury I have been bombarded with texts about getting a flu jab????? ((
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Your docs must be working different to ours Sue, we have to phone them, tell them what’s wrong and they then get the doctor to ring us back, they pretty much let you self diagnose, it’s a darned joke really, and prescription sent to chemist across road for collection, but if they can’t sort you over the phone then, and only then they will make you an appointment to go into the surgery (doors locked and won’t let anybody in without appt).
 
yorkslass said:
I have been ringing our surgery to book a blood test and flue jab for David since Friday. I think they are having a holiday but havn't told anyone....phone is just ringing. They will not be happy when i go in tomorrow and i bet the excuse will be covid. To add insult to injury I have been bombarded with texts about getting a flu jab????? ((
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I asked my surgery about flu jabs ,was told they are being sent out now by alphabetical order, that was 2 weeks ago I am an A still waiting ?.I have phoned our surgery no answer walked up to surgery , signe on door saying closed for training .
 
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yorkieowl said:
Your docs must be working different to ours Sue, we have to phone them, tell them what’s wrong and they then get the doctor to ring us back, they pretty much let you self diagnose, it’s a darned joke really, and prescription sent to chemist across road for collection, but if they can’t sort you over the phone then, and only then they will make you an appointment to go into the surgery (doors locked and won’t let anybody in without appt).
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That sounds pretty much like ours, Sue, buy I can honestly say it has worked pretty well the 3 times I've had to contact them since lockdown.
 
mariesnowgoose said:
That sounds pretty much like ours, Sue, buy I can honestly say it has worked pretty well the 3 times I've had to contact them since lockdown.
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Yes Marie, it worked ok, but I can see a lot of people with maybe mental health/anxiety issues not bothering, and tbh I would much prefer a face to face consultation as I think it’s too easy for them to miss something.
 
It’s all a trait of the modern day mentality imo, nothing to do with covid so let’s not use that a a red herring.

We have teams of prevention officers investing time as to why they can’t do something rather than that rare individual that looks for reasons as to why they can ! Subtle difference, had it with hospital pharmacy only last week incensed was the apt word ...got both barrels i find it a shame when you have to be confrontational to get something done
 
molly 2 said:
We are all Joe public
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It was a reference that Joe Public has the ability to turn up at a HC community reception...."I have an appointment "......"ok, what Dept are you looking for"......."dunno"....."what is the appointment for"......."I dunno I got a text"

I thought it was relevant because of the amount of people that journey over to the MIU with an ailment and are turned away, time wasted by both parties
 
yorkieowl said:
Yes Marie, it worked ok, but I can see a lot of people with maybe mental health/anxiety issues not bothering, and tbh I would much prefer a face to face consultation as I think it’s too easy for them to miss something.
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Sorry, I forgot to say that on all 3 occasions I got to see a doctor face-to-face each time, just the last time (young male receptionist on telephone) I had to get a tad firm 👍 ;)
 
All the GP's in my buildings took the 'limited face to face' too far in my opinion but to play devils advocate;

A confirmed case of covid in a GP's means that all staff should be self isolating until tested if following guidelines. Generally they don't have the IT capabilities to set up the Docs to take calls at home so a confirmed case effectively closes the practice. In the waiting area they have the patients that have to be seen so therefore they are often vunerable and also need to be protected.

.........but they were also sending all chest complaints calls to X-ray so I think that was selfish :confused:

A sad scenario was a baby that had mouth thrush so badly it wasn't feeding properly and losing weight and the GP's still didn't want to see her. After a few days the distraught mother went back and refused to leave until seen, good for her (y) (y)
 
yorkieowl said:
Your docs must be working different to ours Sue, we have to phone them, tell them what’s wrong and they then get the doctor to ring us back, they pretty much let you self diagnose, it’s a darned joke really, and prescription sent to chemist across road for collection, but if they can’t sort you over the phone then, and only then they will make you an appointment to go into the surgery (doors locked and won’t let anybody in without appt).
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I've had phone consultations Sue and the system has worked well. My problem now is that no one is answering the phone....been trying since Friday.
 
The virus and the world response to it has ripped through the whole fabric of society, so we can expect a rough ride just about anywhere going forward, but particularly on the health side of things.

I can see a problem for GP practices if there is a big upsurge in virus cases, not because of cases external to those working at the surgery, but the staff if they succumb themselves.

We are already desperately short of medical staff right across the board, so any infection and quarantining across all health sectors will seriously deplete the number of staff who can deal with our national health (I mean that in the basic sense, not the actual National Health System).
 
yorkslass said:
I've had phone consultations Sue and the system has worked well. My problem now is that no one is answering the phone....been trying since Friday.
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Shocking to hear Sue, you’ve no choice then but to go to the surgery, at least if they’re in there they’ll talk to you, even if only through a locked door! If needs be you could ring t’drop in centre at DDH.
 
mariesnowgoose said:
The virus and the world response to it has ripped through the whole fabric of society, so we can expect a rough ride just about anywhere going forward, but particularly on the health side of things.

I can see a problem for GP practices if there is a big upsurge in virus cases, not because of cases external to those working at the surgery, but the staff if they succumb themselves.

We are already desperately short of medical staff right across the board, so any infection and quarantining across all health sectors will seriously deplete the number of staff who can deal with our national health (I mean that in the basic sense, not the actual National Health System).
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........5 minutes ago was in a Practice Managers office, she came off the phone from a staff member........"I don't believe it I've just lost another member of staff as her childs nursery has closed cos of a possible case"

☹
 
The bottom line is food and our health, the two most important things we need to keep on going.

Everything else is a non-essential (other than a safe, warm, dry roof over our heads).

Food and health are both going to be a major concern going forward. :(

You need to have the hide of a rhino and copious amounts of persistence and patience....:mad: 👊
 
Recently filled in a temporary resident form for our nearest surgery. Then filled in a online questionnaire about my medical concern. This resulted in a course of action followed up a month later with a phone call from a doctor. So not much changed just no face to face.
 
Some good will come out of this learning experience for GP's and other departments as members of the public abuse the system and go to the GP's for the most ridiculous reasons. Phone calls can identify the time wasters so I suspect first point of contact being over the phone will stay, covid or not.

Minor Injuries Unit busiest period of the week.............Monday morning! All the people that hurt themselves over the weekend but don't want to use 'their' time to visit but are happy to go when it's work time :rolleyes:

If they can wait.....did most they really need to go 🤔
 
Quick update

Just been to the surgery and havn't really got any further. I asked why the phones wern't being answered and was told that they are. Thinking about it they are trying to run on phone consultations......what's betting they havn't increased the number of phone lines since before covid? Certainly couldn't see many staff unless they are working elsewhere in the building. Saw one person on the phone....is that the best they can do? I give up.
 
yorkslass said:
Quick update

Just been to the surgery and havn't really got any further. I asked why the phones wern't being answered and was told that they are. Thinking about it they are trying to run on phone consultations......what's betting they havn't increased the number of phone lines since before covid? Certainly couldn't see many staff unless they are working elsewhere in the building. Saw one person on the phone....is that the best they can do? I give up.
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Yup, I lay odds on it is down to capacity, both in terms of number of phone lines and number of staff to man them.

Plus an individual doctor can only deal with X amount of people per day, either over the phone or face-to-face?

Looking back to before covid you could never get through to our surgery to make an appointment, line(s) constantly engaged for a least an hour or two after opening time. Appointments dished out on a first come, first served basis so by the time you did get through all the appointments were taken and you were told to ring back and try again the following morning. You could rarely make an appointment in advance, if ever!

By comparison the new system has worked fine for me so far. You now get through, reasonably quickly, at any time of the day and you are far more likely to get at least a phone consultation with a GP, and, if GP thinks it necessary, followed by a visit to the surgery the same day for a face-to-face.

But mine is a reasonably big practice with a fair few (very good) partner doctors and plenty of locums, nurses, etc.
 
My Doctors surgery has always been very good indeed with regard to getting an appointment and time spent during the appointment.
I thought I would take a look at their website, obviously lots of information with regard to Covid and some other ailments, hay fever and asthma to name a couple.
It would appear possible to get an appointment but I have no idea of the system in place to give appointments to the more in need. I assume one is in place.
Some time ago amongst the weekly junk mail was a piece which caught my eye, it was from an online video consultation with a G.P. type of thing, quick read and in the bin thinking some American company is trying to undermine the N.H.S.
To my surprise my G.P. surgery has signed up to it and because they have as many have here it is free to access, available Mon - Fri 07:00 - 22:00, Weekends 08:00 - 16:00, they will have access to my records and can prescribe or refer as necessary. Theoretically I can access this on my phone anywhere in the U.K.
I hope never to have need whilst out and about but it is reassuring that it is there.

Thought I'd add as above fairly large practice well staffed.
 
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