phoning the doctors

[gina32]

i have just been on the phone to my doctor and had to wait 25 minutes for them to answer, how long do you usually have to wait before someone answers??

[gina32]

i totally agree, it was yesterday afernoon about 5 when i called, and not even an apology when the receptionist answered

[bednobs]

i didnt say you needed an emergency appointment this time. You said this:
"I know that you are also supposed to get an appointment within 48 hours, if you get one within 3 weeks at mine you are lucky"
Which implies you dont know the difference between emergency appointments (which are nationally contracted to be within 48 hours) and pre-bookable appointments for advance (ie 3 weeks time). you dont "have" to get an appointment within 48 hours if it's not urgent All i was saying is if they are not offering emergency appts within 48 hours then you NEED to get onto the PCT because they get paid to do it.
TBH, i think some people just like to moan about things. If things werer truley urgent, you would be seen. If they are not urgent, it dosent matter you have to wait a longer time.
Its really easy to generalize because people do tend to grumble about health things like access to gp's and dentists etc. and you read about it in the paper. However, for example, my nearest town (Reading) has 7 dentists taking on new nhs patients, but people still moan they cant get one, because they read it in the paper and think its the case here. Being kept waiting 25 mins on the phone IS shocking, but i suppose that the previous caller to you may have been a long time, or there may have been a queue of 10 people at the desk, and it's easier to deal with the people in front of you than the phone. There may have been an emergency at the surgery, or someone may have collapsed.
Im not ranting at you now bTW, just people in general who regurgitate stuff they read in the daily mail and think the NHS is collapsing!