What's going on with our GP Surgeries ??

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, as above, has any had problems getting a face to face appointment , getting medicines , long ques at Pharmacies , waiting for a phone call , various proceedure scrapped, eg ear syringe as my local don't do, what's yours like,

[old'un]

Must admit ours as been very good, although it does take a few phone calls before it gets answered.

I have been fairly lucky health wise, think I have seen my doctor twice in the last 40 years but just recently I damaged my knee and have not been able to walk on it without a lot of pain, that was 5 weeks ago.

I have had 3 appointments, 1 x-ray referral and one phone consultation, at the last appointment I had fluid drained from my knee and a steroid injection, he prescribed co-codamol for the pain and the prescription was emailed to my local pharmacy which was picked up ten minutes after getting home.

[nobbyathome]

my doctors are awful you still can not  get to see them face to face   most appointments are made via video calls absolute disgrace luckily i am well but my mrs has suffered a lot over the last 18 months  if i had my way i would take away all there funding   i could really say what i think but do not want to get banned from the forum  grrrrr rant over 

[udderlyoffroad]

The new-labour government back in the late 90s re-negotiated their contracts and essentially rolled over.  GP Surgeries effectively became private businesses, supplying services to the NHS.  Nobody thought to add any sort service level agreement to their contracts, the results of which we're now seeing.  Needless to say, no government since has had the testicular fortitude to take them on.  It won't happen now either, what with the NHS replacing CofE as the national religion.  Best advice is to find the means to go private, or don't get ill.  The system is about to implode.

[Walker570]

Well, ours are THE A TEAM superb organisation , fantastic personal service. They made it clear right from the start that a phone call would be made initially but if we still felt we needed to talk face to face then thet was no problem.  Recently had my booster at the surgery and again brilliantly organised as where the two initial jabs.

It was said that the NHS was in chaos and rules changed by the hour,but the whole team there still gave 100%.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

1 hour ago, udderlyoffroad said:

The new-labour government back in the late 90s re-negotiated their contracts and essentially rolled over.  GP Surgeries effectively became private businesses, supplying services to the NHS.  Nobody thought to add any sort service level agreement to their contracts, the results of which we're now seeing.  Needless to say, no government since has had the testicular fortitude to take them on.  It won't happen now either, what with the NHS replacing CofE as the national religion.  Best advice is to find the means to go private, or don't get ill.  The system is about to implode.

Yes a great shame their money went up without any agreement on levels of service.

47 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

Well, ours are THE A TEAM superb organisation , fantastic personal service. They made it clear right from the start that a phone call would be made initially but if we still felt we needed to talk face to face then thet was no problem.  Recently had my booster at the surgery and again brilliantly organised as where the two initial jabs.

It was said that the NHS was in chaos and rules changed by the hour,but the whole team there still gave 100%.

My Surgery at Wansford has been very good, a couple of glitches over the years but nothing that couldn't be sorted out.

Like Walker570, we are lucky to be enrolled at a very good Surgery.

[Vince Green]

GP Surgeries are in crisis because all the doctors have left. A GP Surgery  is a private business and usually a couple of the doctors are owners but the rest were self employed. 

When covid hit the surgeries closed their doors and the self employed doctors were let go.

Those doctors that were let go are now working in vaccination centres where they get really well paid and its less stressful so they have no incentive to go back to being a GP. 

I went to a private GP , it cost £40 but i was seen the same day, I am still registered at my NHS GP but you cant even get anybody to answer the phone.

Edited November 10, 2021 by Vince Green

[JohnfromUK]

3 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, as above, has any had problems getting a face to face appointment , getting medicines , long ques at Pharmacies , waiting for a phone call , various proceedure scrapped, eg ear syringe as my local don't do, what's yours like,

Telephone appointment - pretty good

Face to face - has always been OK but only following telephone which gives rise to a need for further contact

Getting medicines - good

Surgery has it's own pharmacy - which hasn't had queues (in my limited experience) and is generally pretty good

Waiting for phone call - pretty good - usually within a couple of hours.

Ear syringing etc.  Forget it - they won't do it.  I went to Spec Savers who were good and had microsuction (£55) - but charge was waived as following the advice from 1st visit to use a proprietary product (Earol) my bad ear did clear with no need for work on second visit.  I thought that was a good service and gesture.

[ShootingEgg]

If we call we get told to go online to book an appointment, then arriving it's a touch screen to say you've arrived, god knows what the desk staff actually do. Last time I spoke to one on phone they said they couldn't book my appointment over the phone, I must go online. Pretty much rendering her pointless and a waste of money

[sportsbob]

23 minutes ago, ShootingEgg said:

If we call we get told to go online to book an appointment, then arriving it's a touch screen to say you've arrived, god knows what the desk staff actually do. Last time I spoke to one on phone they said they couldn't book my appointment over the phone, I must go online. Pretty much rendering her pointless and a waste of money

Perhaps you could tell tell them I am unable to go and do it online as I don`t have the internet and I am blind hence the phone call.

[Gu5]

Mine seems good, shotgun cert renewal forms signed within 48 hours and only £25. Couldn’t tell you about any other services as luckily I’ve not needed them. 

[discobob]

trying to get through to mine at the moment - constantly engaged at 3.30pm in the afternoon

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, thanks for the replies so far, it seems hit and miss if you have a good surgery or not, my son needs a medicine that you need to see your GP to get a prescription , there's a waiting list of face to face appointments so he's suffering no end, does anyone think the government have reduced the finance to surgeries as they seem short staffed and fewer GPs ?????

[Yellow Bear]

Our surgery is short staffed in most departments but still gives as good a service as they can. 

A lot of this is from isolation due to close contact with CV19  and several staff have actually had the virus (This wipes out several staff at the time with required isolation when it happens).  Also locums for medics and nurses are in high demand.

Add to this the need to "clean down" and change surface ppe between F2F means a 15min appt. extends to 25min at least, halving the number of appts. in a working day.  This is also the case with dentists and many practices are employing people for just this. 

At least telephone triage (which can be done whilst treatment room items are wiped) means more patients are dealt with even if some feel this is inadequate.

 

Edited November 10, 2021 by Yellow Bear
sp

[old'un]

31 minutes ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, thanks for the replies so far, it seems hit and miss if you have a good surgery or not, my son needs a medicine that you need to see your GP to get a prescription , there's a waiting list of face to face appointments so he's suffering no end, does anyone think the government have reduced the finance to surgeries as they seem short staffed and fewer GPs ?????

If your son as been prescribe the same drugs before you should be able to get a repeat prescription sent to your local chemist.

[Walker570]

3 hours ago, Vince Green said:

GP Surgeries are in crisis because all the doctors have left. A GP Surgery  is a private business and usually a couple of the doctors are owners but the rest were self employed. 

When covid hit the surgeries closed their doors and the self employed doctors were let go.

Those doctors that were let go are now working in vaccination centres where they get really well paid and its less stressful so they have no incentive to go back to being a GP. 

I went to a private GP , it cost £40 but i was seen the same day, I am still registered at my NHS GP but you cant even get anybody to answer the phone.

That amazes me.  I can phone my surgery any daytime between 8.30 and 6.30 and will get an answer within at most 60 seconds.  I' feel sorry for you.

3 hours ago, ShootingEgg said:

If we call we get told to go online to book an appointment, then arriving it's a touch screen to say you've arrived, god knows what the desk staff actually do. Last time I spoke to one on phone they said they couldn't book my appointment over the phone, I must go online. Pretty much rendering her pointless and a waste of money

I think we are very lucky where we live and this is backed up bgy the lead Doctor who says he is relieved that he works in a nice area. He and his staff are superb bar none.The Surgery nurse sewed up a real nasty cut on my thumb, lucky not to lose the top, and you can now hardly see the line.  I have private cover from my previous enployment which we have to pay for, but it is well worth every penny but only used for heavy emergency jobs.

[ph5172]

One of our surgeries had massive wait times on the phones …… until it hit the papers they were also running a premium rate number - some people were in the automated system waiting for an answer for 30 mins or more!

when you did get through the fully medically trained receptionist would ask you about your illness and infirm you that flu, colds, sickness or whatever was going round. When questioned not one of them could provide a medical registration pin - obviously on account of being the receptionist. 
 

They had a massive hauling over the coals until covid hit and they could still draw their patient fee with a legitimate excuse to avoid seeing people 

[oldypigeonpopper]

34 minutes ago, old'un said:

If your son as been prescribe the same drugs before you should be able to get a repeat prescription sent to your local chemist.

Hello, thanks I'm going to try that tomorrow, 

[DUNKS]

Ours is hopeless. Automated voice on phone still says "if you are sick for goodness dont come here.  Try 999. 111, or get yourself off to A&E.. 

[B&W FOX]

I camp on the doorstep only if I'm in serious pain, any other time I don't bother

The door opens at 8am and I'm at the front of the queue for an appointment 

or

Phone the surgery from 8am and try and get an appointment just have to be aware there are 4 lines ingoing and if the automated system says your 25th in the queue you are actually 100th

You can register on line to get repeat prescriptions etc

[Imperfection]

Mine is terrible. Calling them takes around 40 minutes before its answered (held in a queue) but staff as pleasant enough.

However, they have made bad mistakes last two years like leave me out of medication but i loath moving to another due to being at this one since birth.

[oldypigeonpopper]

12 hours ago, B&W FOX said:

I camp on the doorstep only if I'm in serious pain, any other time I don't bother

The door opens at 8am and I'm at the front of the queue for an appointment 

or

Phone the surgery from 8am and try and get an appointment just have to be aware there are 4 lines ingoing and if the automated system says your 25th in the queue you are actually 100th

You can register on line to get repeat prescriptions etc

Hello, I might try that next time, there's a lot of older people who don't have computers to register online for repeat prescriptions ? I think it's going to be a tough winter 🙄

14 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, thanks I'm going to try that tomorrow, 

Hello, All sorted now 👍

[WalkedUp]

My GP has been awful and risked the safety of my child, so a formal complaint was commenced. 

Yesterday I had a message from the University of Liverpool asking to provide feedback on my practice as they are conducting a national survey regarding e-consultations and remote access. I bothered to take the 10 minutes it needed to give them both barrels. 

Https://bit.ly/GP_study

[dodgyrog]

My GP surgery has gone to the dogs!

I put in a formal complaint a month ago. Reply received but not satisfactory.

No face to face visits and a long wait for phone triage appointments. The quality of the doctors is going down too.

[wascal]

When covid started my gp sent me a text stating all routine appts cancelled

I've just received a snotagram  telling me im 2 yrs overdue a checkup and to book one immediatley

I Tried to boot a checkup but because I will need a blood test  and there is a shortage of blood tubes they cant do it  ***!!