[News] Doctor surgery wait times

[AmexRuislip]

That sounds so much better. My surgery has Blinx, it’s right there on the NHS app and their website, but it’s permanently disabled. It’s like everything at my surgery is designed to be as difficult as possible

Sorry to hear that.
I'm only surmising here, does it depend on what the surgeries can afford, as I know they're all businesses after all, competing for trade!

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

The appointments process here fell through the floor pre-Covid, very steeply, when we the government was dicking about with Brexit.

I recently needed an appointment so rocked up at the surgery and managed to sweet talk the front desk into getting me a nurse practitioner appointment a week later. That went well. She told me I should not be taking colchicine ad libitem for gout and needed to tackle the underlying issue with allopurinol.

Oddly I saw a nurse practitioner 6 months earlier who told me I should not be put on allopurinol and should treat the gout ad libitem with colchicine.

I'm a pharmacologist. My left eyebrow is doing raising overtime.

In my lay capacity as a member of the public I am persuaded that the evidence of my experience suggests the GP system is f***ed.

Another tory mess for labour to clear up. Surprised labour haven't already been blamed for it. Something something militant doctors' union.

Oh....hang on

 

[Brovion]

Last time was two years ago and it was the same day. But then a few days earlier I had been bitten by a dog (not one of mine) and it had gone septic. I'd 'played the game' and had been to a pharmacist first - who said ring your GP and say your pharmacist says you need to be seen now.

An hour after seeing the GP I was on an IV drip in A&E ...

Prior to that would have been 2019 when my heart first started playing up. It was a day or two wait - but I did say it wasn't urgent and it was only my bloody wife making me go. (Turns out it was good she did, but that's irrelevant to this thread).

 

[Thunder Bolt]

There are two local surgeries, one excellent and the other quite bad. I am very fortunate to be registered with the excellent one. There is also the drop in centre/minor injuries unit at Victoria hospital in Lewes, which is open 8-8. I’ve been there a few times and always seen within the hour.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Seaford Medical Practice is an absolute shitemare. In much-derided Newhaven you can get same day appointments. I recently queued up outside at 8am, doors opened at 0830, receptionist said "Do you want an 0830?" Doctor came straight out and called me in with my jacket still on.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Seaford Medical Practice is an absolute shitemare. In much-derided Newhaven you can get same day appointments. I recently queued up outside at 8am, doors opened at 0830, receptionist said "Do you want an 0830?" Doctor came straight out and called me in with my jacket still on.

That must be Quayside, my doctors.

 

[chaileyjem]

In my local medical centre - if i turn up there and wait outside and be prepared to queue for about 15 mins (7.45am wait for 8am) - then you get appointments normally that morning within the hour. If you call at 8am its a bit of a lottery but some same day appointments are available. As with @Bozza i've also had a fair bit of remote stuff in recent years including a similar - upload images to website, and also upload blood pressure readings , follow up phone calls. I've also had a few A&E experiences in the past couple of years for myself and my father - Brighton was especially exhausting. 30 hours in corridors for the old man this time last year. Horrible. Outside of Brighton - a lot better.
PS: The care for all of this by GPS , Specialists , Nurses has been exemplary. Really good.

 

[Official Old Man]

My local surgery is Meads in Uckfield. A purpose built doctors surgery on the edge of town, meaning transport is needed to get there.
Around 20 years ago I could walk in and take a ticket and be seen. Then it went to phone bookings and now you must call at 8:30 sharp for an appointment in two weeks time. They don't take anything beyond two weeks and by 8:40 all the appointments are taken. Fact.
I've had to pop in a few times recently for blood tests and Covid jab and every time I'm there the doctors parking has one or two cars only and the waiting room is empty. Compared to years gone past when we studied the nice doctors cars and the waiting room was standing only.
I said to the wife I'd love to make a show '48 hours in doctors surgery' just to see what does go on.
Now my story. Very bad case of gout in my hand, swollen double size and painfull. Went to surgery and told sorry, busy. Call for an appointment. Couldn't get one and in the end accepted a phone call. "Hello, my hand is swollen and twice its size" explaining over the phone was a waste of time. Got given some new tablets but invited in for a blood test 6 weeks later. That blood test found my prostate cancer.
But the good news is once cancer was found it was non stop with hospital appointments, 4 in three weeks rushed through. At the end I had to return to my surgery for a jab, and it HAD to be on a certain day. Initially they said they couldn't fit me in but after we went and stood in front of reception I got my jab.
The web site shows 7 doctors and a whole host of other qualitied practitioners but no one ever seems to be there.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Last time i tried was about this time last year and was quoted three weeks …..this was after a check up on the removal of a BCC on an ear by a skin specialist at a clinic in Worthing....i pointed out a similar issue just below an eye….was told i needed to go back to the doctors surgery to get referred back to her…which would be a year (due to see her for the procedure in two weeks)…tried a photo first..doctor insisted on a letter from the specialist….no letter hence i hassled and eventually got referred without having to see the doctor (SAVED THEIR TIME!)…only to be asked for a photo by the clinic (which they already had) and to download The skin doctor app (FO) …there followed communications saying i was moved up and down the waiting list.

Had reason to ring surgery for something else last week ……i was in queue position 78…gave up

Once the numerous blocks of flats being built on the coast road are completed and occupied …i dread to think what will be the situation

 

[amexer]

I dont think it is the lack of doctors. More the lack of hours they work. It used to be a full time job but from my experience of 2 practices most are on 3 days. a week

 

[Bry Nylon]

Last time was for a concern about a lump in my ballbag so I was seen next day.

To be fair, I offered to see you the SAME day, until you started getting all picky when you found out I'm not a doctor.

 

[amexer]

On rare occasion needed urgent appoint always within 24 hours. Very good system when ringing when they tell you what number you are in the queue. Any more than 4 and I ring back. If only all companies had this system. Come up against you are in a queue so often and no idea if there is 1 or 20 in front. Mighty frustrating.

 

[Gazwag]

Both my Mum and Dad and my wife have had to bite the bullet and get private GP appointments at our local NHS private hospital in recent months. My Mum and Dad was due to shockingly bad treatment and delays from their GP surgery but for my wife it was mainly due to the fact that she works there so its means there is little lost time for her so she is at work longer, still the same price though.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

On rare occasion needed urgent appoint always within 24 hours. Very good system when ringing when they tell you what number you are in the queue. Any more than 4 and I ring back. If only all companies had this system. Come up against you are in a queue so often and no idea if there is 1 or 20 in front. Mighty frustrating.

My surgery has a system where it tells you what number you are in the queue, but that you can hang up, and will receive a call back when your number arrives.
It worked well when my husband's asthma was bad a couple of weeks ago. He explained to the receptionist, who then filed it with a doctor who rang back later that day, and sorted out the steroids he needed.