Doctors Appointments. Is This True

[ECCOnoob]

36 minutes ago, Anna B said:

Considering the NHS is on its knees sooner or later someone is going to have to rethink it.

That's partly what the doctors and nurses are striking about. They know that pretty soon there will be no NHS left, and nothing done to take its place.

 

It's quite obvious to me that NHS, convalescence and elderly care need to be integrated to work together, as that seems to be where the biggest log jam is.

Yeah right. A boost their pay-packet and suddenly all their supposed to concerns about crumbling services, lack of facilities, "on its knees" and breaking point working conditions all magically goes away.

 

Some of us know full well what they are really striking about because it's exactly the same thing they strike about year in year out.....

 

As for this "NHS on its knees" Christ almighty, how many times have we heard that one.  Boy who cried wolf doesn't even come close.

 

Let's all play a little game and Google the words  NHS crisis or NHS under threat or NHS about to collapse and see how far back in time you go seeing the same overdramatic headlines time and time again.  To read it, you'd think the  NHS has been "on its knees" more time than a hooker with a specialism in fellatio.

Edited April 17, 2023 by ECCOnoob

[Anna B]

26 minutes ago, ECCOnoob said:

Yeah right. A boost their pay-packet and suddenly all their supposed to concerns about crumbling services, lack of facilities, "on its knees" and breaking point working conditions all magically goes away.

 

Some of us know full well what they are really striking about because it's exactly the same thing they strike about year in year out.....

 

As for this "NHS on its knees" Christ almighty, how many times have we heard that one.  Boy who cried wolf doesn't even come close.

 

Let's all play a little game and Google the words  NHS crisis or NHS under threat or NHS about to collapse and see how far back in time you go seeing the same overdramatic headlines time and time again.  To read it, you'd think the  NHS has been "on its knees" more time than a hooker with a specialism in fellatio.

The NHS had the highest approval rating during the last labour government. I believe it was somewhere in the 70+% range. It's gone way downhill since, and has never been lower than it is at the moment. It's sinking fast. The next move will be for it to disappear altogether.

[Al Bundy]

2 hours ago, Anna B said:

Considering the NHS is on its knees sooner or later someone is going to have to rethink it.

That's partly what the doctors and nurses are striking about. They know that pretty soon there will be no NHS left, and nothing done to take its place.

 

It's quite obvious to me that NHS, convalescence and elderly care need to be integrated to work together, as that seems to be where the biggest log jam is.

Makes you wonder what the hell they are doing with the 165 billion budget doesn't it.

[ECCOnoob]

2 hours ago, Anna B said:

The NHS had the highest approval rating during the last labour government. I believe it was somewhere in the 70+% range. It's gone way downhill since, and has never been lower than it is at the moment. It's sinking fast. The next move will be for it to disappear altogether.

"Way downhill since"   What about the 2019 Kings survey when overall satisfaction  was around 60% with specific questions on quality of care and GP services being around 68%.  We can all cherry pick polls to suit our narrative Anna.

 

Besides, we are not talking about that. We are talking about this  constant narrative that somehow the NHS is on the "brink of collapse" something which has been screamed far too many times and reported on with hysterical Doomsday headlines for far too long for it to be believable.

 

Let's look at a few basics .   Back in 2000 when your precious Labour were at the height of their fame, the total expenditure on health services (even converting for today's prices) was 183%

less than is being spent on health services now. 

 

There were around 270,300 nurses, health workers and ambulance staff working in the service back then compared to nearly 400,000 in the service now.

 

If those evil Tories are making a move for it to disappear, they sure have a funny way of showing it.  

Edited April 17, 2023 by ECCOnoob

[RJRB]

Limited time today to pursue my new hobby as I spent the morning at The Crucible.

However in my absence the surgery rang to say that they must get me an appointment for the review so we are in on Friday. Yippee.

However This has nothing whatsoever to do with my discussion with the receptionist but everything to do with comments made on the renewal of the latest online prescription request to the pharmacy .

I needed to give an explanation as to why my medicine was needed despite not having seen a doctor.

So I called at the surgery in the afternoon,different receptionist on the desk but the other one in the background.

Slight argument again when I quoted the NHS guidance stating that appointments could be made by personal visit.

The response was that different practises had different contract conditions whatever that might mean

I did mention a Telex no in my earlier post but actually meant a Telefax no.According to the receptionist these are still in use but I said not by me for perhaps 20 years or so.

The other interesting comment made was although I could not make a future appointment  by personal contact,if I turned up at 8,30 any morning I could insist on being seen!

At what time she could not say as it depended on what appointments had been made by the lucky few who had got through already by phone.

Anyway the current status is that I now have the name and e mail number for the Practise Manager, so that I can politely request a run down on how the system works,

 

Just another question resulting from a discussion with someone who works at another surgery.

She tells me that surgeries run under the “control “ of the CCG or Clinical Commissioning Groups.

Apparently these work closely within a local area together with NHS England and would be the body that coordinates policy for each surgery in their area.

Is anyone familiar with the role of the CCG in terms of patient appointments?

 

 

 

 

 

[Anna B]

1 hour ago, RJRB said:

Limited time today to pursue my new hobby as I spent the morning at The Crucible.

However in my absence the surgery rang to say that they must get me an appointment for the review so we are in on Friday. Yippee.

However This has nothing whatsoever to do with my discussion with the receptionist but everything to do with comments made on the renewal of the latest online prescription request to the pharmacy .

I needed to give an explanation as to why my medicine was needed despite not having seen a doctor.

So I called at the surgery in the afternoon,different receptionist on the desk but the other one in the background.

Slight argument again when I quoted the NHS guidance stating that appointments could be made by personal visit.

The response was that different practises had different contract conditions whatever that might mean

I did mention a Telex no in my earlier post but actually meant a Telefax no.According to the receptionist these are still in use but I said not by me for perhaps 20 years or so.

The other interesting comment made was although I could not make a future appointment  by personal contact,if I turned up at 8,30 any morning I could insist on being seen!

At what time she could not say as it depended on what appointments had been made by the lucky few who had got through already by phone.

Anyway the current status is that I now have the name and e mail number for the Practise Manager, so that I can politely request a run down on how the system works,

 

Just another question resulting from a discussion with someone who works at another surgery.

She tells me that surgeries run under the “control “ of the CCG or Clinical Commissioning Groups.

Apparently these work closely within a local area together with NHS England and would be the body that coordinates policy for each surgery in their area.

Is anyone familiar with the role of the CCG in terms of patient appointments?

 

 

 

 

 

Good for you. When you find out how the system works I hope you'll tell the rest of us because we're all dying to know...

 

I believe the 'Clinical Commissioning Group' deal with the funding. They are the money, they decide what resources and services to buy in from the private sector. That's where most of the money goes; to outsourcing the things that used to be provided 'in house.' They write the contracts and fund things like doctor's budgets, physiotherapy and after care services. They decide what can be afforded and what cannot. But from what I've heard they pay well over the odds for everything, buying from certain suppliers (that just happen to have links with powerful people in parliament?)  Think contracts, PPI scandal, Michelle Mone, £7.00 per pair of disposable gloves, and £15,000 per week for a place in a care home.

 

It seems Value for money is not on their agenda. If you ever wonder about where the money goes, this is where you might find the answers.    

Edited April 17, 2023 by Anna B

[RJRB]

@Anna B

Thanks for your comments Anna.

It’s not a term that I was familiar with but I will see if and how they are involved with my particular beef.

[RollingJ]

9 hours ago, RJRB said:

Limited time today to pursue my new hobby as I spent the morning at The Crucible.

However in my absence the surgery rang to say that they must get me an appointment for the review so we are in on Friday. Yippee.

However This has nothing whatsoever to do with my discussion with the receptionist but everything to do with comments made on the renewal of the latest online prescription request to the pharmacy .

I needed to give an explanation as to why my medicine was needed despite not having seen a doctor.

So I called at the surgery in the afternoon,different receptionist on the desk but the other one in the background.

Slight argument again when I quoted the NHS guidance stating that appointments could be made by personal visit.

The response was that different practises had different contract conditions whatever that might mean (1)

I did mention a Telex no in my earlier post but actually meant a Telefax no.According to the receptionist these are still in use but I said not by me for perhaps 20 years or so.

The other interesting comment made was although I could not make a future appointment  by personal contact,if I turned up at 8,30 any morning I could insist on being seen! (2)

At what time she could not say as it depended on what appointments had been made by the lucky few who had got through already by phone.

Anyway the current status is that I now have the name and e mail number for the Practise Manager, so that I can politely request a run down on how the system works,

 

Just another question resulting from a discussion with someone who works at another surgery.

She tells me that surgeries run under the “control “ of the CCG or Clinical Commissioning Groups.

Apparently these work closely within a local area together with NHS England and would be the body that coordinates policy for each surgery in their area.

Is anyone familiar with the role of the CCG in terms of patient appointments?

 

 

 

 

 

I can only comment on the two  points I have highlighted (1) I think they are still talking rubbish - the NHS guidance on appointments is clear - if different surgery's were permitted to change that, it would say so. (2) That is ridiculous - if (say) six people had already booked an appointment, you could be sat an hour waiting. Methinks I would be moving practices if mine decided on such a stupid policy.

[spilldig]

On 16/04/2023 at 13:41, RJRB said:

The situation is that I have received a letter in late March asking me to make an appointment for an annual review.

The review itself is 3 months later than when it was due.

Anyway I have been ringing 4 days a week from. 8.30 a.m  with the following results.

1) Constantly engaged

2) Message to say all appointments for that day are taken

3) Most frustrating .... You are number 12 or whatever in the queue (success) and then the call is ended when you get down to number 4 in the queue.

However I then decided to call at the surgery to state the problem and to make an appointment in person.

The receptionist told me that this was not possible “Due to a Government instruction applicable from April” and that there was absolutely no alternative but to persist with the daily calls.

I have found an NHS site regarding appointments and can only see that a number of appointments are reserved for daily appointments,but other appointments may be made by calling at the surgery or by an App if available.

I would like to pursue this .

Is there anyone on the Forum that can give me a definitive policy please.

I think government meddling did cause some trouble,  because patients were having to wait too long for an appointment they announced that all patients must be seen within a certain time.   The practices could not do it so still only the same amount of people are seen but those who cannot get an appointment do not show up on the list,  and so, on paper,  it appears that they are hitting the targets.

[Anna B]

4 hours ago, spilldig said:

I think government meddling did cause some trouble,  because patients were having to wait too long for an appointment they announced that all patients must be seen within a certain time.   The practices could not do it so still only the same amount of people are seen but those who cannot get an appointment do not show up on the list,  and so, on paper,  it appears that they are hitting the targets.

I love how the government thinks that setting 'targets' without anything to back it up is the answer to the problems.

Once again it means they can claim to have tackled the problem when in fact they've done nothing.