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GP's, why can't I get an appointment ?

Fairygodmother said:
My family and I wouldn’t have had the money to pay for the GP appointment and the hospitalisation for DKA when I was diagnosed, nor for the insulin. We’d not have been able to afford insurance. I’d have been snuffed out at 20.
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Ive been cash pay most of my life,but Im lucky.If something catastrophic happens I can go to the Veterans Administration which sounds very similar to the NHS.
 
My surgery has a walk in every day until 11am. I may have to wait an hour or so, but I have always been seen on the day,
Apart from the phlebotomist, it is the only service I use.
I guess I am lucky because I only use this service once every other year. As a result, I have no preferred GP.
There are 4 GPs and 5 Clinical Assistants at my local practice. I am assigned to one of them but have no idea which one. It doesn't bother me as I just see that as a box ticking exercise.
 
I’ve just seen this. It’s about junior doctors in hospitals but it outlines some of the problems that’ll affect all of us who need to access hospital clinics, and any other kinds of hospital care. I just wish it had been different!
https://apple.news/AWeCYErhARyajPOdGMxs9kQ
 
lucylocket61 said:
I see no point in politicians saying they have put X amount of billions into the NHS if the amount is insufficient to run a baseline minimum service, and doesnt take inflation and training into account. The figure is meaningless.
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Unfortunately many politicians are all talk, but no action................ :(
 
I’ve just booked a routine appointment with the diabetes GP for 11th June. Never seen him before but the DN couldn’t answer one of my questions and suggested I see him. To be fair I’m away next week for 2 weeks so the appointment was at my convenience. Not sure he had any earlier ones, although my surgery have a system of releasing appointments 48 and 24 hours in advance as well as urgent on the day and routine appointments. I’ve never really struggled unless I’m picky about a specific GP.
 
Julia99 said:
I’ve just booked a routine appointment with the diabetes GP for 11th June. Never seen him before but the DN couldn’t answer one of my questions and suggested I see him. To be fair I’m away next week for 2 weeks so the appointment was at my convenience. Not sure he had any earlier ones, although my surgery have a system of releasing appointments 48 and 24 hours in advance as well as urgent on the day and routine appointments. I’ve never really struggled unless I’m picky about a specific GP.
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It is similar for us at my practice. Appointments are released for a short advanced period, and these are easy to get if you don't mind which doctor it is. There are 8 to chose from, plus several assistant doctors and a couple of junior doctors training to become GPs. I had to do this earlier this year. I rang mid morning (none of this ringing early malarkey) and got to see a junior doctor that afternoon. Because she is a junior and not a fully qualified GP her appointments were 20 minutes ones rather than the 10 minute ones. She examined me, asked the right questions, wrote notes, then disappeared to see the trainer GP. On her return she confirmed he had agreed her diagnosis. It was all a bit weird, but I was satisfied and it was better than nothing.
 
I love the NHS free at the point of service and they are outstanding in an emergency. However I think there are lots of different obsticles in getting routine treatment. The advances of science have meant more treatments and advances to deliver than ever before is key. I have the greatest respect for my doctor but she is run off her feet because when a doctor left the remaining doctors in a small,practice had to cover her patients. I know this wont be PC with a lot of members and no offence intended but we rely on doctors from abroad and we have lost a lot of Europeans in the last 3 years who dont feel valued any more. My eye consultant is a young Greek man, the last radiographer I met was Spanish but not planning to stay. We just cant provide enough home grown doctors to fill the gaps IMO.
 
To be honest, our NHS is in a bit of a state, but a chum of ours had a stroke on the golf course a week ago, then another, more serious one, whilst in hospital. At no time did he or his family have to ask themselves if they could afford to save his life. That's really quite something, and it's quite fabulous..
 
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Online. MyGP. Tonight we have:

Friday 10th - one appointment
Wednesday 15th - 2 appointments
Thursday 16th - one appointment
Tuesday 21st - 11 appointments
Wednesday 22nd - 7 appointments

Etc

I have also called the out of hours services on occasion when necessary.
 
I just booked an appointment with my favourite low carb friendly GP for 31st May. I did this online via Patient Access, using the downloadable app.
 
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