Why is it so hard to get a doctors appointment?

[willman]

Absolutely not worth the trouble Jomie. It would make no difference.

 

It'll make no difference asking me i can assure you.

[pattricia]

We cannot pre- book at all at our GPS surgery. Only the nurse can be pre-booked.

[Anna B]

Getting an appointment at my surgery has been challenging fo some time now and I know people using other surgeries are having similar experiences. For some time appointments have only been available five or six weeks in advance. I phoned up on Friday to be told that none were avaiable at all but I could call at 8am on Monday morning to see if there were any cancellations. That is a non starter because you can be waiting 30 minutes to get through on the phone at any time before 10am, so I went to the surgery.

It's a while since I've been on Monday morning but it used to be the busiest time. There were three people waiting the waiting room was otherwise empty. In conversation with the receptionist, she told me that appointments were now released every few days and the best way of getting one was in the early hours of the morning on the internet. That day, six appointments had been released on two days in mid June but all had gone before the surgery opened at 8am. I asked how many doctors were on duty and she said two- it used to be six.She quietly showed me a poster that will be goiing up soon advertising appointments at a different surgery at a starting price of £35 per appointment.

Anybody having a similar experience?

 

Wow, that's really quite shocking.

 

At my surgery, appointment waiting times are 2 to 3 weeks, or phone early on the day, In reality that's a waste of time as (like you) phones are constantly busy / all appointments gone. I've also noticed when I've had to call in person, for a repeat prescription say, the surgery is usually empty.

 

I used to have a really wonderful doctor who took the time to get to the bottom of things. You knew you would be waiting well past the appointment time, but didn't mind because you also knew she was giving her best to another patient. Sadly she has now retired.

The doctors who are there now are basically a waste of time. Never see the same one twice, often locums who know nothing about your medical history, and can only deal with one specific thing when in fact there are often a number of symptoms which are interrelated. It's another week's wait to see a nurse for a blood test, (which the doctors used to do during the consultation) and then the whole rigmarole again to get a follow up appointment.

 

Basically I've lost all faith in doctors. I wouldn't pay, (and shouldn't have to pay,) £35 for that sort of treatment, or should I say, lack of it.

[Fudbeer]

It’s a shocking situation and clear that many are struggling to cope.

 

Mine is good in that if you phone before 10 you get an appointment the same day but it usually takes around 100 attempts to get through.

[Anna B]

It’s a shocking situation and clear that many are struggling to cope.

 

Mine is good in that if you phone before 10 you get an appointment the same day but it usually takes around 100 attempts to get through.

 

That's just what you feel like doing when you're ill...

[mickey finn]

A year ago I could phone my doctors and get in the same day or at the very least the next day, now you simply cannot get in within TWO weeks, what the hell has happened in the last year ?

[Anna B]

A year ago I could phone my doctors and get in the same day or at the very least the next day, now you simply cannot get in within TWO weeks, what the hell has happened in the last year ?

 

Shortage of Doctors? Shortage of money? 'Restructuring?' Rampant (computer says no..) technology? Privatisation? More people? Lack of investment? Cuts? Investment in the wrong things/places?

 

All of the above? None of the above? Some of the above? Take your pick. Who knows, but something needs to be done. It's going the same way as dentists.

[Fudbeer]

As a regular visitor to the Hallamshire with my elderly Dad he hardly ever gets seen without a wait of at least an hour past his appointment time and sometimes much longer.

 

My observations their and at my own Doctors is the whole service is struggling to cope with the sheer volume of people using it.

 

Agree something really does need to be done I dread to think what would happen if their was a serious epidemic.

[jacklev1]

I know this is an old thread but tried to get a doctors appointment but was told to ring next day at 8.30 so me and my wife got our mobiles ready

Bang on 8.30 off we went call after call time was now 8.45 not even got through my wife on here mobile rang 146 times myself rang 131 times so what can you do? And then when you finally get through at 8.55 they tell you no appointments today try in morning or next appointment is in 3 weeks time total waist of time maybe this is why A,E always busy with none emergency people

[mike84]

I know this is an old thread but tried to get a doctors appointment but was told to ring next day at 8.30 so me and my wife got our mobiles ready

Bang on 8.30 off we went call after call time was now 8.45 not even got through my wife on here mobile rang 146 times myself rang 131 times so what can you do? And then when you finally get through at 8.55 they tell you no appointments today try in morning or next appointment is in 3 weeks time total waist of time maybe this is why A,E always busy with none emergency people

 

What are you supposed to do if you can't get an appointment with your own doctor?

 

Visit the pharmacy, they're usually very helpful in providing advice.

 

Call 111, ask for advice, again, they've been very helpful when i've contacted them in the past.

 

Go to the walk in centre on broad lane.