First Dealing With My New Surgery During Lockdown

[MaNaAk]

Hello Everyone.

My new surgery has three different practices in my area and today is the first time I tried to get an appointment. A couple of days ago I was told that to book an appointment I had to phone at 8.00 am which I did and the answer phone said they were closed! I then looked on the Internet which said that the branch that I went to the other day to find out about making appointments opens at 8.30 am but this is the branch that told me to phone at 8.00 am!

I phoned at 8.30 am and the line was busy but my previous surgery had an answer phone that told me where I was in the queue which was very useful. I kept phoning and twenty minutes later I actually got through. I know times are difficult but this would put people with more serious conditions off. All I want to say is do you all here on this wonderful forum manage and good luck! I did suggest that they get a better answer phone.

MaNaAk

 

[nitram]

Does the surgery use AskmyGP?

 

[MaNaAk]

Actually @nitram I have no idea luckily I don't have a serious condition I don't know how those people like our friends here get on in this crisis.

MaNaAk

 

[jennifer1967]

i use e-consult sometimes rather than getting through. mondays are murder. ive got the knack now of phoning just as 8am turns over then i dont have to wait. they do have press1 appts press 2 scripts

 

[nitram]

Ask about it.
You log on, tick to indicate type of query, give it a short title to help with indexing, ask question in detail with ability to add documents or images, choose from a list who you want to answer, anybody, any doctor, named doctor, nurse, secretary,....., and wait for response by txt or email telling you to revisit Askmygp.
You can use it either as an app on a smartphone or as I do on a computer.
The conversation remains visible to view at any time, as with DTP.

 

[MaNaAk]

Ask about it.
You log on, tick to indicate type of query, give it a short title to help with indexing, ask question in detail with ability to add documents or images, choose from a list who you want to answer, anybody, any doctor, named doctor, nurse, secretary,....., and wait for response by txt or email telling you to revisit Askmygp.
You can use it either as an app on a smartphone or as I do on a computer.
The conversation remains visible to view at any time, as with DTP.

Okay @nitram and @jennifer1967.

Thankyou very much

MaNaAk

 

[Jaded'n'faded]

I can phone the surgery anytime but can't speak to a human. They have a long list of options but basically point you towards their online triage service. I don't object to this in principle but it's actually really annoying to fill in and progress to the next stage. For example, you can say you have back pain or leg pain, but not both. I have (worsening) arthritis so have pain in my back, knee, hand and weakness in my arm, locking fingers, etc. So I wanted to see the doc. But it was impossible to put all these symptoms into the triage system. Having said that, they did get back to me the next day and I was given an appointment soon after. (Result: yes, you do have arthritis - have you tried paracetamol/ibuprofen? Gosh - I never thought of that.... )

On a previous occasion, I needed a repeat script for HRT - they have a separate online form for that! This has replaced the previous annual appointment with the nurse. However, the online form asks for such things as my weight, height and blood pressure. Weight was no problem but height? It's important to check because older women lose bone density and start to shrink...! And blood pressure? I don't have a monitor! In the end, I had to go into the surgery and use their self-service blood pressure machine and get measured, then go away and fill in the numbers on the online form - what a ridiculous system!

 

[jennifer1967]

we do get through to a human but if you ask for an appt then they will ask whats wrong? if i knew that i wouldnt be asking for an appt. i dont have a medical degree so i cant diagnose and i cant prescribe if i knew whats wrong.

 

[AwayWithTheFairies]

They are beyond breaking point with shortage of staff and now we have covid so everything is designed to put people off and for the determined, to push them to non-face-to-face options. Keep on complaining to them about problems getting through etc. or the problems will continue.

 

[Jaded'n'faded]

They are beyond breaking point with shortage of staff and now we have covid so everything is designed to put people off and for the determined, to push them to non-face-to-face options. Keep on complaining to them about problems getting through etc. or the problems will continue.

How has this happened? Are there millions more people with millions of new ailments? 40 years ago where I lived there was just one GP for the whole area, operating out of an old terraced house. He was ancient and had a disabled arm and it would take him forever to find your record in the files. He had a secretary/receptionist who would - presumably - answer the phone and put all those records away. There was no appointment system - you just had to turn up in the afternoon and sit in a waiting room. Then you got to see the doc on a first come first served basis. In the mornings he went out doing house calls. There were no clinics, nurse practitioners, paramedic practioners, physio, OT, maternity services, etc. I can certainly remember phoning to ask for a home visit without being asked what for.

So how did we manage then? These days my local village surgery (and it's not the only one in the village) has a spiffy purpose built modern building, large enough to get lost in. There are clinics for everything, nurses of all sorts, about 5 doctors (not that you ever see one) and at least 4 receptionists plus support staff, etc. Yet if I want to see my own doctor I have to make an appointment 2 weeks in advance.

I don't understand. Is it because in the old days we just used to 'grin and bear it' for most things?

 

[MaNaAk]

I can phone the surgery anytime but can't speak to a human. They have a long list of options but basically point you towards their online triage service. I don't object to this in principle but it's actually really annoying to fill in and progress to the next stage. For example, you can say you have back pain or leg pain, but not both. I have (worsening) arthritis so have pain in my back, knee, hand and weakness in my arm, locking fingers, etc. So I wanted to see the doc. But it was impossible to put all these symptoms into the triage system. Having said that, they did get back to me the next day and I was given an appointment soon after. (Result: yes, you do have arthritis - have you tried paracetamol/ibuprofen? Gosh - I never thought of that.... )

On a previous occasion, I needed a repeat script for HRT - they have a separate online form for that! This has replaced the previous annual appointment with the nurse. However, the online form asks for such things as my weight, height and blood pressure. Weight was no problem but height? It's important to check because older women lose bone density and start to shrink...! And blood pressure? I don't have a monitor! In the end, I had to go into the surgery and use their self-service blood pressure machine and get measured, then go away and fill in the numbers on the online form - what a ridiculous system!

I absolutely agree it is ridiculous.

MaNaAk

 

[MaNaAk]

How has this happened? Are there millions more people with millions of new ailments? 40 years ago where I lived there was just one GP for the whole area, operating out of an old terraced house. He was ancient and had a disabled arm and it would take him forever to find your record in the files. He had a secretary/receptionist who would - presumably - answer the phone and put all those records away. There was no appointment system - you just had to turn up in the afternoon and sit in a waiting room. Then you got to see the doc on a first come first served basis. In the mornings he went out doing house calls. There were no clinics, nurse practitioners, paramedic practioners, physio, OT, maternity services, etc. I can certainly remember phoning to ask for a home visit without being asked what for.

So how did we manage then? These days my local village surgery (and it's not the only one in the village) has a spiffy purpose built modern building, large enough to get lost in. There are clinics for everything, nurses of all sorts, about 5 doctors (not that you ever see one) and at least 4 receptionists plus support staff, etc. Yet if I want to see my own doctor I have to make an appointment 2 weeks in advance.

I don't understand. Is it because in the old days we just used to 'grin and bear it' for most things?

I remember those days as well.

MaNaAk

 

[MaNaAk]

They are beyond breaking point with shortage of staff and now we have covid so everything is designed to put people off and for the determined, to push them to non-face-to-face options. Keep on complaining to them about problems getting through etc. or the problems will continue.

Yes that's what I do otherwise more vulnerable people will be left out. Mum did this when she was caring for my nana.

MaNaAk

 

[MaNaAk]

What worries me is when this pandemic is over what about other illnesses such as dementia, cancer and heart problems.

MaNaAk

 

[jennifer1967]

its been said that people with cancer concerns and cardiac problems are delaying contacting the doctor because of the pandemic. they are leaving it too long so its hard to get on top of the conditions.

 

[MaNaAk]

its been said that people with cancer concerns and cardiac problems are delaying contacting the doctor because of the pandemic. they are leaving it too long so its hard to get on top of the conditions.

It worries me that they may give up altogether if they have trouble getting through to their surgery.

MaNaAk

 

[jennifer1967]

It worries me that they may give up altogether if they have trouble getting through to their surgery.

MaNaAk

they gave up going to the hospital with a heart attack because they were scared to catch covid. i like medical programs

 

[AwayWithTheFairies]

Lots of people will die of other illnesses because of the pandemic unfortunately. Is worse than in the past because there are more people in general, and more older people who have more issues, they don’t die as young of one thing so go on to have several other things. There are more things treatable - in the past heart attack meant you died, cancer, died, depression, nothing effective, liver problems, died, TB, I could go on but you get the picture. Meanwhile the old gps are retiring, lots more are women and they end up carers (don’t we know it!) so leave or go part time.

Not condoning it and I’m sure it could be better managed, but to be honest I am in the US right now, and despite paying a fortune itemised for every single thing, it isn’t any easier to get appointment or referral ie for dementia assessment. They are all stressed out by the extra work from the pandemic, on top of a very overloaded system. At least in the NHS we don’t get all the invoicing and insurance to sort out as well for every episode!

 

[MaNaAk]

Lots of people will die of other illnesses because of the pandemic unfortunately. Is worse than in the past because there are more people in general, and more older people who have more issues, they don’t die as young of one thing so go on to have several other things. There are more things treatable - in the past heart attack meant you died, cancer, died, depression, nothing effective, liver problems, died, TB, I could go on but you get the picture. Meanwhile the old gps are retiring, lots more are women and they end up carers (don’t we know it!) so leave or go part time.

Not condoning it and I’m sure it could be better managed, but to be honest I am in the US right now, and despite paying a fortune itemised for every single thing, it isn’t any easier to get appointment or referral ie for dementia assessment. They are all stressed out by the extra work from the pandemic, on top of a very overloaded system. At least in the NHS we don’t get all the invoicing and insurance to sort out as well for every episode!

True

MaNaAk