Seeing your Doctor/GP

[turquoise]

Hi there,

I have difficulty getting an appointment with a doctor/GP within a reasonable amount of time at my local clinic. I called to book an appointment on a Thursday, and the earliest appointment they could give me was not the upcoming Monday, but the Monday after. If i include the weekend it's an 11 day wait. I just made an appointment yesterday (Wed 5th Oct) and the earliest appointment they could give me was Tuesday 11th Oct, so again including weekends that's a 6 day wait. Even when i phone up to get my results from the GP i have to wait for a week or so. I have to book the appointment to arrange a phone appt with my GP and i had to wait for about a week for them to speak with me regarding my results.

Does anyone else have this problem? And my boss was saying this but i'm not sure, is there some kind of law where GPs/Doctors should see you within a reasonable amount of time? i.e within 2-3 days or something

Many thanks in advance!

[China Doll]

I think a reasonable amount of time would depend on what you're actually seeing the doctor for, if it's not urgent and just for results then I think a week is fine. Last time I needed to get results, the receptionist was able to give hem to me.

[jno]

Trim must know where the bodies are buried. I can seldom see my GP in less than a week. Fortunately there are a few walk-in centres around for anything more urgent.

[turquoise]

To see the Doctor for a problem and not just for results can take up to a week, i think my local doctors are rubbish, i've never seen a doctor within 2 days :( Where i used to live before, they were much better, i could get an appointment on the day most times. Maybe thinking about switching.

[turquoise]

I wish we had a walk in centre :(

[sherrardk]

If one of the children are ill enough to need to see a doctor, I tell the receptionist and I get an appointment the same day (might have to wait a bit longer when we actually arrive). We also have a walk in centre but I have never had to use it.

[LoftyLottie]

I can usually see my own doctor within a week, but I can get in to see the duty doctor or nurse at the GP Practice on the day I phone in if the problem needs immediate attention or I am worried. My doctor will always ring back and speak to me if I want to speak to him personally.

[maclarencat]

We get an appointment same day and they are really nice even the receptionists

[LoftyLottie]

And as per Trim re minimal population. Living in the sticks has its advantages.

[LoftyLottie]

If I want results back from hospital tests I can ring up and either my doctor will phone if he needs to or someone else will phone me with results if he gives them the OK.

[ladybirder]

Well sorry to spoil the party but in Brighton & Hove where we live cheek by jowl you can usually see the doc same day or next at latest.

[bagpuss63]

I phone on day I want at 8am-my surgery gives you appointment that day-got one today, but know someone who has to phone and wait for call back from nurse if you want that day-she decides if its urgent-our weekend clinic does that.Mine shares buliding with surgery that is 'arrive and wait' type of thing-could you change to one of them? If i have'nomal' appointment, its about 5 day wait, unless you want popular dr then its week to 8 days-we have 5 in the practice-I did have 50 minute wait today though

[Buenchico]

Tell your doctors to get up to date.

Our local surgery lets you book appointments online or (from 1830 to 0800 and at weekends) via an automated phone system. They also try to keep some slots free for people who phone up from 0830 onwards, to be seen on the same day.

While there will be some 'moaners' within any community, most people seem to be happy that they can get an appointment at a time of their choosing. I'd lived here for about 15 years before I needed to see a doctor. I wasn't even registered at the practice but I simply turned up to their reception desk and said that I wanted to see any doctor. 1½ hours later I had registered, seen a doctor, collected my prescription from the on-site pharmacy and was enjoying a cuppa at home.

Chris

[turquoise]

You guys seem to have very good clinics. As you are all 'assigned' to a Doctor, i have never ever seen the doctor that i am assigned to when i needed to see a doctor. I don't even know what he looks like :S

[jno]

I doubt it's anything to do with being up to date, Chris, just understaffed. 20 years ago the doctor I saw didn't even have a receptionist; you just walked into his waiting room and waited. Trust the situation to get worse as my health gets crankier.

[Jan1957]

I have to ring my surgery at 8.30 am to get an appointment to see her the same day or appointments can take up to a fortnight. My GP will always see me the same day though as I am on her list of so called "special" patients and the receptionists all know that now so I have no problems. I would rather not be on her list but at times it helps.

[turquoise]

And our receptionist's are all miserable, gosh so moody and sour faced.

[jno]

no, I just see whatever doctor is around, turquoise. It used to be almost invariably one of a long line of locums, though recently he has taken on a proper partner, who (unlike him) seems to know what she's about.

When I say walk-in centre - of course you have to drive 5 miles or so before you walk in.

[sherrardk]

Hi turquoise - we all have the same 'named' doctor (but he might just be the chief doctor at the practice). Three of them are great but I usually get lumbered with the mean, cranky one who can't keep her distaste about the number of children we have to her self (saw her today - yet another dig about the children).

The practice has a 'main' branch with a pharmacy and a small one in the village with limited opening hours but it will get peoples medicine for them so they don't have to get the bus to a pharmacy and the receptionist at the village surgery is allowed to make up some medicines (antibiotics that children take for example).