Doctors.

I am really fed up with our doctors practice, you can't get through on the phone its constantly engaged.
when you do get through you can't get an appointment for a week or so.
we only have a couple of regular doctors it seems now, all the rest are called Associates
and change all the time.
How are they expected to get to know you.
What is your doctors like.

The same as yours. Annoying isn't it!
To get an appointment you have to ring through ... phone lines open at 8.30 AM sharp. After getting a constant engaged tone, just what you want when you're feeling poorly and want to see a doctor, you manage to get through only to be told all the appointments have gone for that day. Try again tomorrow.

So the next day you have to go through it all over again.
Once, feeling pretty annoyed I said to the receptionist that the Patients Charter brought in by John Major stipulated that anyone should be able to see their doctor within 48 hours. Bingo! I go an appointment that day.
I'm not sure whether the Patient's charter bit was a fib ... but it got me an appointment.

If you need an urgent appointment then you must say the word 'urgent' or 'emergency' that way you will get an appointment with a doctor, not necessarily the doctor you want, on the same day.

Our doctor retired a few months ago, from a surgery in the local High Street.  Another multiple practise from about a mile or so away took it over.  They have spent a fortune on renovating and improving the premises.  We can make an appointment at either surgery.  If it is urgent we will be fitted in on the same day, but it will be with whichever doctor is able to take the appointment.  For non urgent appointments we can choose our preferred doctor on the next available appointment that they have free.

We have all been asked to name a specific doctor as our preferred doctor if we so desire, and all test results are marked for the attention of that doctor in the first instance.  Again however, if we want to follow up on a specific day, then any doctor will discuss the results with us.  We are VERY satisfied  with the new practise.

The telephone is ALWAYS answered by a real person, NOT a machine.  We can call either surgery to make an appointment at either surgery, the computers are linked.

I feel sad when I see these posts. We have a much better system in Spain.

All computerised with a touch of a button you can make your appointment, usually the next day, choose your time and get a decent slot, half an hour as a rule. The doctor usually spends time talking to you and most importantly looks at you and interacts. 

Again down to an allocation of funding in the UK 

We can usually get a non-urgent appointment within 2 days. If it's urgent or emergency we go straight to hospital . We have our own doctor but if he is away for some reason we will get a locum or one of the other doctors in the practice (I think there is 4 of them) . The one thing to be aware of with our doctor, is try not to get a late in the day appointment as he is so laid back and will listen that his appointments get behind. He is sometimes about 9pm before he finishes. He was the doctor who told me a few years ago, when I broke some ribs, that I must tell my brain that it is in charge of outdated machinery badly in need of maintenance, which can no longer do backflips! He's a good bloke!

Hi Ciderman in the UK GP practice is not 24 hours unfortunately.

 We have quite big clinics that offer 24 hour service. 

 We have  an emergency clinic open 24 hours. The health  care is amazing. I get quite embarrassed about talking about it as I worked in the NHS and it is on the decline  but we have a great service here  

andsome wrote:

Our doctor retired a few months ago, from a surgery in the local High Street.  Another multiple practise from about a mile or so away took it over.  They have spent a fortune on renovating and improving the premises.  We can make an appointment at either surgery.  If it is urgent we will be fitted in on the same day, but it will be with whichever doctor is able to take the appointment.  For non urgent appointments we can choose our preferred doctor on the next available appointment that they have free.

We have all been asked to name a specific doctor as our preferred doctor if we so desire, and all test results are marked for the attention of that doctor in the first instance.  Again however, if we want to follow up on a specific day, then any doctor will discuss the results with us.  We are VERY satisfied  with the new practise.

The telephone is ALWAYS answered by a real person, NOT a machine.  We can call either surgery to make an appointment at either surgery, the computers are linked.

Online appointments have also been introduced, and a third practice has now joined.  In addition, more doctors have been appointed.
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Our doctors will see us the same day if an urgent appointment is needed but we have to play fairly in that respect I think. I'm suffering from watery eyes and a painful toe when I walk (broke it years ago). I'd like to be seen quickly when I phone up about an appointment for either of these conditions but would never claim it was urgent. A week or two wait, although not desirable, would be OK for that. 

We too have a turnover of GPs but all the ones who come through the Practice are good in our experience. They can all reference computer records to see previous history, so not always seeing the same one hasn't been a concern for us.

I know what the News and statistics say about the NHS. However, I talk to lots of people about their health care when the subject comes up and think it true to say that there are plenty of positive opinions and stories about it. These don't make the News though. 'Patients treated well by NHS' would make a poor headline.

There seems no denying that we are in trouble (by all accounts) in the Accident and Emergency' departments. Even then, when we hear what some people are turning up there with, is this all the fault of the service?

That aside, I think if people go to their GP and are deemed to be really in trouble, then much of the regular waiting lists will be bypassed and they can be seen pretty quickly. We experienced this ourselves only last week. 

Our practice has some young doctors, mostly female as it turns out and Wow! they are good. The young lady doctor we saw was so caring and concerned about Mrs Mart that she sent us straight to see the hospital doctors. We thought this kind of treatment wasn't available these days but it seems it is if a GP is worried enough by the patients condition.

Mrs Mart was X-rayed, given an ECG, blood tests (with the results) and saw a consultant all in the same day. Now that is very good treatment by any standards. Good treatment - Poor News headlines.

Over the years, we have both needed major and minor (even life-saving) treatment and have very few bad things to say about the care given. I wouldn't knock our NHS. Quite the reverse in fact.

'Er indoors and me have nothing but praise for the treatment we have been receiving. A special word of praise is in order for Cannock hospital, spotlessly clean and first rate staff.

Guys do not be bullied by the receptionists. Appointments are kept free for emergencies. Insist you see your GP if there is a need. 

Also you do not have to reveal your condition. You firmly say it is between you and your GP.

Not knocking GPS but many  of them are fighting the government as they do not want extended hours. That is why the hospitals A & E are clogged up.

I think the government  will force them in time to get in line with Europe. 

Did you know your know your GP actually earns more than a hospital consultant. They are happier to send a patient to A & E and clog up the system..

We repeatedly used  to contact GPS asking why they sent patients in.

It will decline if they do not insist GPS run a 24 hour service. Many just prefer to spend Friday afternoon on the golf course.

Another tip if you are unhappy with any part of the service. Complain to your local NHS hospital complaints department or your GP practice manager.

If you do not complain it is not in writing so cannot be dealt with 

No trouble with bullying receptionists at our Practice, or the previous one. Bullying receptionists might seem to be a thing of the past. The trouble is that people could phone the GP for an appointment and as a matter of course, say that it's urgent. If receptionists aren't given some idea of a patients condition, how can they assess if it might be or not? They are all an integral part of the service.

Just would make it clear that our being sent to the the hospital was not as an A&E patient but in any event, GPs probably don't do that lightly. Even if the GP does get it wrong and the referral is subsequently frowned on by the hospital, what about a case where they are right and the referral saves a life? It might then be said how the GP's action was the right thing to do. They would surely come under great and newsworthy criticism had the patient not been sent straight to a hospital.

Mart is all political. Unfortunately you are dealing with people's lives not cattle.

It is achievable look at Spain.  

GPS do push people towards admission but it's not fair on the service on the whole. There are protocols they should follow. People with colds simply should not be in A& E. The government  want them to pull their finger out.

Needs complete revamping  in my view.

Our hospital has a department called 'M.A.U.' which stands for 'Medical Assessment Unit'. There might be the same department in other hospitals? That's just what was done in our case. Sent to a place where conditions could be quickly assessed in case more immediate treatment was needed.

Treated individually and well I'd say but perhaps cases vary.

Mart wrote:

Our hospital has a department called 'M.A.U.' which stands for 'Medical Assessment Unit'. There might be the same department in other hospitals? That's just what was done in our case. Sent to a place where conditions could be quickly assessed in case more immediate treatment was needed.

Treated individually and well I'd say but perhaps cases vary.

Worked in MAU in Cardiff Mart.