When You Phone Your Gp

[Barsel]

Do you hear an American woman telling you where you are in line?
For the past half an hour I keep hearing, you are now first in line to speak to a representative!
Are these machines real?
When I started the call 45 mins ago, I was 5th in line.
It took 15 mins to get to first in line, and then after another 30 mins, I'd had enough and put the phone down.
I can't believe that people don't complain about this, but who can you complain too?
Would love to hear anyone's experience with this.

[Zacs-Master]

'Are these machines real?'

Well, erm......no.

[andy-hughes]

The machine is real, the person's voice is also real, but they combine to produce a recording, which is also real, just not in real time.

i think various practices adopt their own solutions to the tiresome fact that patients will insist on disturbing their peace and quiet with phone calls about being ill.

My MIL's practice has one of the GP's who is far too fond of the sound of his own voice, giving a message that lasts nearly two minutes before you get the keypad options to go to whichever department is going to ignore you until you lose the will to live.

[theshedman]

We get a Devonshire accent first then a woman with no particular one. Found on ours that if I press the Hash key at the beginning it cuts out the first couple of minutes of listening to him talking about things they do at the surgery and goes straight to the, you are 5th in line. Our problem is getting past the receptionist to get an appointment.

[ToraToraTora]

The problem is that the whole Covid thing has given GP surgeries an ideal opportunity to get rid the thing that interrupts their day, ie patients. They have loved the last 18 months or so, it's going to be hard to wrest normality back from them.

[sanmac]

I've never run into that situation, Barsel. Whenever I call the GP, the secretary answers and asks if I'd like an in-person appointment or a phone call appointment.

[davebro]

//My MIL's practice has one of the GP's who is far too fond of the sound of his own voice, giving a message that lasts nearly two minutes before you get the keypad options//

Mine too! Lines open at 8.30 - if you don't call by 8.32 you've got no chance.

[Barsel]

AH fortunately I'm not phoning because I'm unwell, I just want some test results and the boring voice that tells you what to do if you have Covid etc that goes on for ages tells me if I want test results, I should phone after 1pm which I did.
I wonder why they do this these days, it didn't used to be like this.

[jno]

I've often encountered them, but they've always worked: I get told every couple of minutes where I stand, until someone picks up the phone. Which is much better than hanging on indefinitely wondering how much longer...

Sounds as though either the one you had just wasn't working, or they had an extremely bolshy customer or two keeping them talking.

[ladybirder]

At mine it's you in a queue for a short while and then asks you if you would like them to ring you back when you are near the front of the queue. Press 1 for Ringback is what I do.

[Ellipsis]

> It took 15 mins to get to first in line, and then after another 30 mins, I'd had enough and put the phone down.

... and that's when the second in line got to first in line.

There was probably nobody answering the phone.

[andy-hughes]

ladybirder - // Press 1 for Ringback is what I do. //

Are you aware that your telephone service provider may charge you by the minute for the time it takes to get that call-back?

[Barsel]

jno, I must admit I've never had to hold on for this length of time, but I actually get very excited when I'm told I'm first in line, but that soon turned to anger when I was hanging on for half an hour.
I'm ringing them again now and I'm currently Number 4 to speak to a representative.
Will time each one to see how long it takes and see if you wait a lot longer when you get to number 1.

[ladybirder]

No, they don't charge me anything. I don't see why they would, I'm not using my phone during that waiting period.

[jennyjoan]

I was going to say that too Ladybirder about the ring back service - it used to be nothing but now it is is pricey enough - you should check with your provider.

[jennyjoan]

but they're using time on "their" side

[Barsel]

LB we don't get the opportunity to do that.

[sanmac]

A lot of people while waiting in line sit there with the phone glued to their ear. It's much less frustrating if you put your phone on "speaker" and continue reading a book, doing a cross-word, or posting on AB.

[ladybirder]

JJ my provider has never charged me for this service. I use my mobile phone for which I pay £6/month and get unlimited texts and minutes.

[Barsel]

That's exactly what I do sanmac. I phoned them again 16 mins ago and I'm now No 2 in line.

[ladybirder]

Sanmac all you would get on line at my docs is a scratchy horrible unrecognisable recording that drives you even more potty than the hanging on.
Thank goodness I have the option for them to call me back.