Forum Topic

G.P surgery practice changed without notice.

Without mentioning the name of the practice.I phoned my G.P. practice to speak to a doctor, only to be told the system has changed.You now have to phone between 0830 to 1030, rather than the 1200 to 1230.  Needless to say, I now have to wait until tomorrow.All appointments are now done by triage over the phone. On phoning you have the laborious options(1) For life threatening conditions...press 1(2) For appointments and general inquiries press 2Don't know what option 3 is but, should it be "go away your only the patient".Bob if you read this, were you aware of the changes?

Nicola Howard ● 5119d16 Comments

Is it 0830 - 1030 for the whole day?At our practice (if it isn't the one that's changed) we call in the morning for a morning appintment and the afternoon ie after 1330 - for an afternoon one.That seems to have worked well and minimised time-wasting no-shows.

Sara Nathan ● 5119d

Our GP has the message: Press 1 if you are suffering life threatening symptoms!!! Press 2 for appointments, results etc.I think one has to ring at 8.30 am for an appointment but lines are busy. Then again in the afternoon patients have to ring hoping to get an appointment. Unless of course this has changed!So difficult to actually get an appointment with the GP nowadays. Doctor rings and discusses over the telephone!Blood Tests are only done on a couple of mornings a week. First come first served and only the first 30...so if you are No.31 tough! My husband had to travel on to Hammersmith Hospital on one occasion after fasting from the evening before.The receptionists will not give details of blood test results, apart from saying 'they are OK' but if you require any further information they say 'Shall I get the Doctor to phone you?'Our GP is not at the surgery every day apparently so chances of actually seeing him are pretty remote.We have come a long way from the days a Doctor would visit a patient in the home.

Jean F Fernandez ● 5119d

Sounds like the surgery begins with H

Nicola Howard ● 5119d

Sounds like my Practice. I only live 3 houses away from the surgery. I went at 8.10am with a badly infected insect bite throbbing like mad. I was told to go home and  PHONE for a PHONE  appointment with a Doctor.This has now been changed .If you phone in the Reception will quiz you on your symptoms , and decide if you need a phone consultation with the Duty Doc. As I live more or less next door I just walk in at 8am.and book a phone call. Have not tried to phone as past experience has shown the phone is not answered or you are  put on hold. Then when you finally get a person to speak to ALL appointments for that day gone. On making inquiries ,I discover most surgeries have the same procedures. I think the Practices have too many patients and can not cope with so many patients on any given day. well unless you live out in the sticks ,They have few problems with less patients on roll. The reason we were not told of the changes ...too many patients to send  letters to This is what happens in an overcrowded  country like ours. Same with the schools and the Hospitals .Too many children for places and too many people to be seen at a Hospital. As for getting admitted ...well you just have to pray !!

Beryl Bashford ● 5119d

Definitely sounds like *****rest.  Apparently it was a doctor/management decision to change the system.  In my opinion for the worse.  With all these changes to NHS services, it looks like we are in for a rough ride.  Maybe us oldies just don't count anymore.I haven't appreciated having to wait six months to be seen at hospital, with the referral having taken two months to be decided by the local health authority.  Then another twelve weeks to get the treatment.  (Lumber facet joint injections.)  Roll on the 20th.

Nicola Howard ● 5119d

Yes ..been down a similar path. It is well known that the older generation come at the bottom of the list for Hospital appointments and admissions. My Hospital made so many mistakes , lost notes , incorrect diagnosis, procedure machines out of action and sent  home. Oh, I could write a book . Recently went privately in order to get scans for a correct diagnosis. Just as well I did . Nasty things discovered . thankfully not life threatening as caught in time.

Beryl Bashford ● 5119d

Not the same surgery Nicola - (ours begins with an A) but I guess they treat all patients the same nowadays!I agree with the age thing - for instance St Marys Hospital in Paddington 'signed off' my husband, in her words 'To make way for new patients' but we were assured that he can go back there through the GP method if required! The file has not been completely closed apparently.The message is try and not get older and in poor health folks!

Jean F Fernandez ● 5119d

The message is try and not get older and in poor health folks!Living in Acton with the poor air quality, we don't have much choice.It is reckoned that 1 in 10 will die eleven years prematurely due to pollution.

Nicola Howard ● 5119d

The 8.30 to 10.30 for an appointment I did know about, that has been in operation for a couple of years. Originally when the automatic phone system started the appointment option was third and you had to listen to a whole load of other information first. Thankfully that has now improved. But being quizzed by the receptionist is new. I don't like that. On what criteria do they make their decisions? They aren't medically trained are they?

Bob Crossley ● 5119d

To arrange for a doctor to call you back it was between 12 and 12:30.  Now that's changed, to the 8:30 to 10:30.  As you say, what does an untrained receptionist know.  I hope this comes back and bites MS in the ...  I was told that as I did not know the call back times had change, I would be put on tomorrows list for VT.  Not satisfactory at all.What comes first, patient or GP salary?

Nicola Howard ● 5119d

The reception person who takes the calls only asks  basic questions to find out if you need to speak to a Doctor who will decide if you need to  be seen that day . The idea is to try and prevent time wasters  taking up valuable time which the really poorly people need. Today I called in at the surgery at 8.12 am to ask for a phone chat and Doc. phoned me at 920 am.  In the past I often did not get a phone chat until late afternoon. /early evening. Once being seen so late that the Chemist  was closed This was brought up at the patients' forum hence the new system .

Beryl Bashford ● 5119d

The reception person who takes the calls only asks  basic questions to find out if you need to speak to a Doctor.I only need to renew a prescription, so a receptionist decides if I need to speak to the doctor.  Since when have receptionists been doling out the pills?  Heaven help us.

Nicola Howard ● 5119d

If you are renewing a prescription why don't you just put in a repeat prescription request?

Jen Morty ● 5119d

You'd be amazed at how many people make appointments with GPs and hospital drs and do not bother to show up,  is it really so difficult to cancel an appointment if it is no longer needed so someone else can benefit.Have to say the appt system at Hammersmith Hosp is a shambles,  infuriating but I find the GP (Crown Street) generally very good always get seen on the day if needed,  or commuter appt if not needed urgently.

Jen Morty ● 5119d

Cant it's steroids.  Need to know if it's safe to take my reserve. so close to a spinal block.  Then a script would have to be issued for a reserve supply.

Nicola Howard ● 5118d

I agree - the Crown Street system seems to work well.Today I called at 0845...appointment offered for 1100. Great. Running 40 minutes late which was not so good...but hey...stuff happens.

Sara Nathan ● 5118d