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Is this normal?

C

clivecardiff

Newbie
Messages
3
Just rang my GP for a non urgent appointment and the earliest I can get is 28th June, just over 6 weeks. I don't make may GP appointments so don't know if this is normal or just a something we have to put up with in Wales.
How long would you have to wait in your area?
 

In Denmark sometimes the same... I have an apointment at eyedoctor which I have had since last june so now I am going the 6 of june this year ... and another apointment where I have to wait 2 month to go there
 
Less than a week, in fact - probably just a few days.

6 weeks is a long time, even though it's deemed non-urgent. In my opinion, if you need to see your GP, there must be some form of urgency considering there is something wrong.
 
It's normally within 2 weeks to see my GP, 6 weeks is rather excessive. Can you ask the GP to call you back and have a phone apt instead ? otherwise see if they can allocate you a cancelled appointment if one becomes available ?
 
My request for appointment led to one a month later.
 
Here in Somerset I have to wait 5/6 weeks for a non urgent appointment and 3 weeks for a phone call appointment. This is one of the reasons we are moving back to Surrey next week and will be registered at a practice my sister uses and am told she waits around 2 weeks for non urgent appointments.
 
For non urgent appointments we can book any one of the GPs up to 6 weeks in advance. The list of available appointments is on-line and we can pick whichever we want. I recently did this myself and saw the GP of my choice 10 days later. Other GPs were available before that. I'm in England (Lancashire)). We can also book to see a nurese for minor ailments such as ear infections very quickly, and for urgent appointments we ring up and get one the same day but it may not be the GP of choice, or we can book telephone appoinbtments .
 
My GP has no pre-bookable appts. You phone in the morning and book a telephone triage consult (or you can book this online) A GP phones you up, and then sorts it over the phone or gives you an appt the same day with another doctor if they think they need to see you in person. It means there is not of that "is this urgent" faff with a receptionist
 
The 48hr target was abolished in 2010. I tend to use a phone App to book my appointments. The service is not too bad. I sometimes have to wait a little longer to see a specific doctor. My parents, on the other hand, have an absolutely appalling service; though that is in a different area.
 
That seems a good method, I am sure some peoples idea of urgent really isn't.
I just tried the online appointment booking service at my local surgery to see how it worked. The next appointments were 25 May and 1st June. It doesn't ask if it is urgent, I guess they expect you to phone if it is urgent.
 
That sounds great, why cant all surgeries offer the same system. Better for us and them.
So often you need to go just to pick some meds that you have had before but are not on your repeat prescription
 
Normally to see a doctor of our choice it is normally 10/14 days if we will see any doctor then it can be quicker
 
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