Doctors Appointments. Is This True

[saywhatnow]

On 17/04/2023 at 22:00, 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?

 

 

 

 

 

I think CCGs have been replaced with ICBs

https://southyorkshire.icb.nhs.uk/contact-us

 

Just in case you've had any problems finding contact info

[spilldig]

On 19/04/2023 at 09:31, Anna B said:

Prior to the Pandemic, people waited in the waiting room, but were always seen.

 

I understood it was the need not to mingle together during covid that closed the doctor's waiting rooms to patients. I assumed it would go back to normal after the restrictions were lifted, but no. They've continued and the whole system has changed overnight. Doctor's waiting rooms remain closed and you can now see your doctor via a phone consultation.

 

Is it just a coincidence that the Health Minister Matt Hancock's family own the franchise for the mobile phone Doctor's app?

 

Also prior to the pandemic my surgery allowed you to book appointments on line.  Everyone also assumed that would then go back to normal,  but no,  still the same.

[RollingJ]

Just now, spilldig said:

Also prior to the pandemic my surgery allowed you to book appointments on line.  Everyone also assumed that would then go back to normal,  but no,  still the same.

I can still book online - in fact with the five minute long preamble on the phone, that is exactly what I have been doing - or paying them a personal visit, no problem arranging an appointment in the next 3-5 working days, if needed.

[ECCOnoob]

1 hour ago, fuddyduddy4 said:

After waiting 5 weeks for a telephone consultation with a doctor about tinnitus in my ears,she said there was nothing she could do about it.I asked if I could have a hearing test and if it might help.Her reply was ,can you hear me speaking over the phone because I have a quiet voice.I replied yes,she said well you don’t need a hearing test your ears are fine.I presume that was my hearing test over the phone,that’s one way of saving money.

Tinnitus and deafness are not automatically linked. They can be two very different things with tinnitus symptoms being caused by wholly unrelated factors  such as diabetes or thyroid disorders or anxiety, or even a side effect of certain medications. 

 

If you're hearing is fine, then a hearing test ain't going to do a thing to cure tinnitus so your doctor might be perfectly right to question why you would want one.

 

Some tinnitus is caused by ear infections or others simply have unknown causes. That is the unfortunate in nature of the condition, so again, your doctor could be right that there is nothing you can do.

 

Whilst I appreciate doctors have a duty to reasonably investigate, diagnose and treat patients, I will also like to think think they have a duty to make sure that precious NHS resources and clinical services and not wasted on knowingly fruitless exercises. 

[hackey lad]

1 minute ago, spilldig said:

Also prior to the pandemic my surgery allowed you to book appointments on line.  Everyone also assumed that would then go back to normal,  but no,  still the same.

Mine still allows us to book online. Just had a look, no appointments available for 1 month . Last time  I went to doctors for bloods , I was sat in surgery for 20 minutes alone . 
Where are all the ill people?

[spilldig]

1 minute ago, RollingJ said:

I can still book online - in fact with the five minute long preamble on the phone, that is exactly what I have been doing - or paying them a personal visit, no problem arranging an appointment in the next 3-5 working days, if needed.

The surgery near mine still does appointments on line.  I may switch because phoning in very rarely works. 

[RollingJ]

1 minute ago, hackey lad said:

Mine still allows us to book online. Just had a look, no appointments available for 1 month . Last time  I went to doctors for bloods , I was sat in surgery for 20 minutes alone . 
Where are all the ill people?

Good question.

[ECCOnoob]

1 minute ago, RollingJ said:

I can still book online - in fact with the five minute long preamble on the phone, that is exactly what I have been doing - or paying them a personal visit, no problem arranging an appointment in the next 3-5 working days, if needed.

Same with my surgery too.  Perhaps, to be fair, this is part of the problem, is the inconsistency.  Maybe the area health control or whatever they are called these days need to be a bit more heavy-handed on GP partnership practices and sure they all offer a uniform approach to appointment booking methods and allocation.  

[Anna B]

15 minutes ago, hackey lad said:

Mine still allows us to book online. Just had a look, no appointments available for 1 month . Last time  I went to doctors for bloods , I was sat in surgery for 20 minutes alone . 
Where are all the ill people?

This is what I meant when I said my surgery was closed. The waiting room which used to have chairs for 30+ and was even equipped with a little play area for children, is now always deserted. Nobody waiting at all. Still can't get an appointment for weeks.

[HeHasRisen]

Maybe change surgeries then.