Tried to book an appointment with a doctor at the local practice this morning on the phone - line opens at 8am, eventually got through at about 8.50, but by then there were no appointment slots left. (You can only book a slot for the same day.)
They don't have a queuing system - you just get an engaged message, and you have to re-dial. It doesn't help that anyone who does get through has to sit through a pre-recorded message before you get to the main menu, reducing the rate at which they handle calls.
I'm going to have a moan at the practice manager, and suggest they introduce a telephone queueing system. Ok, you might still have to wait a while to speak to someone, but at least you know you will eventually, and if the system tells you where you are in the queue, you get some idea of when. Anyone know how much they cost?
BTW if there are no slots left they arrange for a doctor to ring you for a sort of triage chat, and they will ask you to come in if they think it's necessary. So hopefully no one is going to die, but it's a still a pain and seems unnecessary. And you have to use the same number for emergencies, which is more of a worry.
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Totally unsatisfactory. My surgery was like this, but has improved its telephone access and you are now put in a queue. Even better, some appointments are now available online.
In the old days, I sometimes went to the surgery in person early in the morning.
This sort of thing can't be right. How are the elderly and infirm meant to cope?
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Petition HM Government to get a better system. tinyurl.com/3h7soo6
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No idea on cost but our surgery has exactly the sort of system you describe including indication of one's place in the queue.
Once clear of the queue one speaks to a receptionist who takes details. He/she than either passes your details to a the duty triage GP who allocates appointments or does a phone diagnose/prescribe.
Minor injuries etc are referred to the practice nurses who can also prescribe.
All works very well. My last call, for an infected toe, was sorted by the nurse prescribing me amoxycillin
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Wed 22 Feb 12 at 11:10
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>> I'm going to have a moan at the practice manager, and suggest they introduce a telephone queueing system. >>
Let us know how you get on. At my surgery, you would be marked as a troublemaker and asked to find another GP.
>> BTW if there are no slots left they arrange for a doctor to ring you for a sort of triage chat, and they will ask you to come in if they think it's necessary. >>
Lucky you. At my surgery, you have to ring at 8.00 and if all the slots are gone, you have to ring again at 2.00.
>> for an infected toe, was sorted by the nurse prescribing me amoxycillin >>
Once I was at their "minor injuries treatment centre" for a similar problem. The nurse said I needed antibiotics for the infection in the wound. I had to see a GP for that. Walked across to the reception and asked for an appointment (it was 11.30am), only to be told "you have to phone for an appointment and the phone lines for that will open at 2pm".
I also go for a repeat prescription every month that the Consultant has said will be a lifelong requirement. The GP requires that I come in every year for a consultation before they will renew it automatically for another year. The hassle of getting appointments has meant that I now get the prescription privately even though it costs me three times more than the NHS.
Last edited by: John H on Wed 22 Feb 12 at 11:12
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>>I'm going to have a moan at the practice manager, and suggest they introduce a telephone queueing system. Ok, you might still have to wait a while to speak to someone, but at least you know you will eventually
That's all very well as long as they don't introduce non-geographical 'phone numbers at the same time. Although, a nice little money spinner for them if they do.
My own surgery is very good, with sufficient reception staff available to answer the 'phone within a minute or two, and it's a local number as well.
Perhaps a suggestion rather than a moan might be best if you wish to remain with your existing practice.
:)
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>> That's all very well as long as they don't introduce non-geographical 'phone numbers at the
>> same time.
Good point. It's local at the moment, and although I get 'free' local calls (no time-based charge) I think there's a fixed charge of about 5p per call. It can add up...
>> Perhaps a suggestion rather than a moan might be best if you wish to remain
>> with your existing practice.
>> :)
Oh yes, don't worry - I'll be diplomatic. Anyway, even if they strike me off their list, I'll just switch to the other local practice, which is in the same building and shares the same waiting room :)
In fact I'll try to find out what system they use.
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These are the 2 practices' websites:
My current: www.parksidefamilypractice.org.uk/
Other one: www.woodleycentresurgery.co.uk/index.aspx
The other one looks a lot more 'interactive' - might switch anyway. Not that I see the doctor very often BTW, but as I approach 50 it seems to be happening more than it used to.
Last edited by: Focus on Wed 22 Feb 12 at 11:50
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>>and if the system tells you where you are in the queue,
Very few organisations seem to offer this facility, which is frustrating when you're hanging on for ages, particularly if it's an 0870 number.
But, of course, you're probably going to put the 'phone down smartish if you know there's a dozen people in front of you.
Not daft, are they.
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Turn up at 8.00am and when they moan tell them your phone has been cut off and demand an apppointment.!
Same would go if you were deaf how can you ring up!!
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>> Turn up at 8.00am and when they moan tell them your phone has been cut
>> off and demand an appointment.!
Yes, you can make an appointment by turning up at reception. If you are well enough to make the journey it's a valid option.
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>> Tried to book an appointment with a doctor at the local practice this morning on the phone - line opens at 8am, eventually got through at about 8.50
Same with my surgery. But since it is not far from my home, I just walk there, stand in front of the door when they open and book the appointment personally.
If I wait for phone line be available, I'd never get an appointment!
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The NHS never has managed to cope with concepts like queues and appointments.
Like the hospital "appointment" allegedly at 2 pm, over-booked with a few dozen other patients also thinking they had 2 pm appointments.
I know we are not supposed to criticise sacred cows if they are free, but they really would save money if they could bear to become a little more efficient administratively.
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>> Turn up at 8.00am and when they moan tell them your phone has been cut
>> off and demand an apppointment.!
Ours would probably say "Use a public phone box.".
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>>Ours would probably say "Use a public phone box.".
Finding one in working order might be difficult.
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"I think there's a fixed charge of about 5p per call" - I think this is going up to about 16p soon with Virgin - not insignificant!!
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Charge £20 for an appointment and the queues would disappear overnight.
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>> Charge £20 for an appointment and the queues would disappear overnight.
>>
Why, because all the rich ones who've sprained a hair get to see the doctor and all the poor ones whose heads have fallen off can go and boil them for their own breakfasts?
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Because most of the people clogging up the waiting room are there for completely trivial reasons likes colds and sore throats and will go to the doctors because there is no up front cost. A small charge would be enough to deter most of them. If you really need to see a doctor a small charge would not be a deterrent.
Anything free at the point of use will be abused. If supermarkets were free do you think people would just take what they really need? Its just the same with healthcare.
We charge for food and its more vital to our health than the NHS . Why can't we charge a small amount to see a doctor?
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Wed 22 Feb 12 at 13:49
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Being we now have to give 28 days notice of dyeing, couldn't we simply do the same regarding illness??
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>> Being we now have to give 28 days notice of dyeing,
I've often wondered about that 'Just for Men'...;-)
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Hahaha! - stu-pid blimmin language, I'm speekin Indonesian from now on!
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Charge for a consultation but refund if it was relevant and necessary.
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I can book appointments with the GP on-line and also order repeat prescriptions on the same website.
The pharmacy (Boots) is literally next door,to the health centre, in an attached shop and they will collect your prescriptions, make them up and either hold for your collection or deliver to your house!
Our local NHS trust is quite switched on!
As an aside, I am due for an operation on my back to relieve a squashed sciatic nerve and was due to have it at the Royal Hallamshire teaching hospital in sunny Sheffield.
I had a call the other day asking, as their beds were overbooked, if I would mind (!) having it done at a private hospital, as an NHS patient instead!
Blooming heck, would I mind? :-) :-) :-)
I now have an appointment for the 4th. April at a VERY nice private hospital, also in Sheffield and with lots of free parking for SWMBO if she bothers to visit me! (I hate hospital visits as one sits (visitor) or lies there (patient) , trying to find something to talk about with both desperately wishing the whole experience could be over sooner, rather than later, but each too embarrassed to say "enough"!
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>> I had a call the other day asking, as their beds were overbooked, if I
>> would mind (!) having it done at a private hospital, as an NHS patient instead!
>> Blooming heck, would I mind? :-) :-) :-)
In a previous job I joined the private healthcare scheme, and Mrs F subsequently had a shoulder operation in a private hospital. She didn't like it - yes, she had her own room, but she felt quite isolated, in a bad way.
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>> In a previous job I joined the private healthcare scheme, and Mrs F subsequently had
>> a shoulder operation in a private hospital. She didn't like it - yes, she had
>> her own room, but she felt quite isolated, in a bad way.
SWMBO, being a sociable person would prefer company: I on the other hand am perfectly happy with my own company and as I have nearly 900 (free!) books on my Kindle will be quite contented if I am in a solo room.
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>> I on the other hand am perfectly happy with my own company
IIRC what bothered Mrs F the most was the one time she tried to summon a nurse, no one came - seemed to be a case of 'out of sight, out of mind'.
But of course that was probably a one-off; hopefully your stay will be a pleasant one (in as much as one that involves a back op can be).
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...will be quite contented if I am in a solo room...
I thought that before I went in for the hip.
As it turned out, watching the general activity on the ward and exchanging a few words with the other patients/their visitors/anyone else who was about made for a much more bearable experience.
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Best of luck with the op, Roger. Sounds as if it could relieve a lot of discomfort.
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Yes, sorry Roger - hope it goes well.
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The surgery in Llanberis (where we lived before) has a turn up and see a doctor service (worked quite well for the couple of times I used them (one was for a very nasty abscess) - very good. The one time I've been to the new one in Bodorgan, they have the same service. Try to keep away from them generally.
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What you are describing, as I've said before, is a function of there being too few GPs in England, who are too keen to keep the fat loot for themselves.
By using these measures they can pretend they are providing a good service while being paid significantly more than Scottish/Welsh/NI GPs.
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>>The hassle of getting appointments has meant that I now get the prescription privately even though it costs me three times more than the NHS.
>>
>>
More fool you sir.
Last edited by: Martin Devon on Wed 22 Feb 12 at 20:46
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>> >>The hassle of getting appointments has meant that I now get the prescription privately even
>> though it costs me three times more than the NHS.
>> >>
>> >>
>> More fool you sir.
>>
X2, Can't you order them online and collect them from the chemist? Our system works well.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Wed 22 Feb 12 at 20:52
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>> X2, Can't you order them online and collect them from the chemist? Our system works well. >>
Nope, unless you are telling me that there is a legal way to get medicines prescribed by a Doctor who does not know you and/or has not examined you. To renew the NHS prescription, I am required by my surgery to go in for a "consultation" once a year regarding that drug. That entails two or three days of remembering to start dialling/redialling at 8am and 2am on the dot, in the hope of getting through and getting an appointment allocated to me before all the slots are gone. My time and peace of mind are more important than that if I can get the same prescription privately at my convenience rather than that of the NHS.
Suits me fine.
Incidentally, I go down the same route to get my travel jabs.
I have tried to change to another GP surgery that is within my catchment area, but it is full and it is rumoured to be not much better anyway.
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>> Tried to book an appointment with a doctor at the local practice this morning on
>> the phone - line opens at 8am, eventually got through at about 8.50, but by
>> then there were no appointment slots left. (You can only book a slot for the
>> same day.)
>>
If they only take appointments for that day they will never miss a target for appointment waiting times because there is no-one in the system for more than one day.
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Provide a crap service to those who need frequent appointments... maybe they'll go elsewhere leaving a list of infrequent attenders... every GP's dream ;-)
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Yes, its not a problem as long as the priority system cuts in when required. I order my repeat scrips online and collect them from (or have them delivered by) the local chemist. I attend a clinic at the GPs surgery every 6 months, my GP checks the results of the tests and I phone in a week after the tests for the result and am told either "No further action" or "come in and see your GP", I hope if they were disastrous they would phone me. The surgery has a duty doc for urgent requests for appointments, they do not suffer malingerers lightly. :-)
The Navy doctors used to say "If you are fit enough to get yourself to a doctor there is unlikely to be much wrong with you".
Last edited by: Old Navy on Wed 22 Feb 12 at 20:27
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These phone at 8am and only available on the day are fine for the unemploy(ed)(able), if those of us with jobs spent up to 45 minutes poncing about on the phone with no guarantee of an appointment when we were supposed to be doing our stuff we'd soon be doing the benefit shuffle too.
The service isn't free, those of us who pay taxes pay for it.
Fortunately our current practice is nothing short of excellent, in stark contrast to the previous up his own chuff i'm so bleedin wonderful senior berk.
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Funding a practice (staff & premises) servicing 10,000 people will cost the Health Board around £1.5m pa*.
Free it ain't.
(*Not including prescriptions)
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I've only been to the doctor's a handful of times in my life. All they ever do is tell you you're not well. That's not going to make anyone feel better is it?
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Believe me, when you really need a doctor you will know. It has happened to me twice, both were life threatening.
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>>I've only been to the doctor's a handful of times in my life. All they ever do is tell you you're not well. That's not going to make anyone feel better is it?<<
Same ere - I ain't seen a quack for nigh-on 20 years and all the people I know that do visit a doktor, are ill.
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I guess going by that logic you're going to live for ever Dog.
20 of your years is more like 3 or 4 human years ;-)
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Take care, Perro. My parents didn't see the doctor for many years as they were as well as they expected to be at their age and did not see the point of bothering a doctor. When we needed a doctor, we found that they had been de-registered as it was presumed they had died! We then had to go through all the palaver of registering them - although they both died during the following 9 months.
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Odd - we'd contact patients who may have moved/died to confirm before removing them - maybe their addresses were different to those recorded at the surgery so any letters would have been returned unanswered?
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Thank you Dee, I'm still registered with a Dr. Ahmad in St. Leonard's on Sea where we lived until about 93, there was an article on radio 4 this morning about doc's receiving an annual fee for people like me that have either died, or moved on like like moi (more waste Re: the NHS!)
I did phone the surgery some years back to see if I was still alive, Dr. Ahmad has retired now, but they still have my medical card there, and the receptionist said it might be better to leave it there, until such times as I require it.
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>> >> I ain't seen a quack for nigh-on 20 years and all the
>> people I know that do visit a doktor, are ill.
>>
As the vet said to the sick duck, "Don't say quack, I'm fully qualified".
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Mine is similar but you can make appointments for a days time, but if I need one on the day I no longer bother with the phone and just go in to make an appointment. It is only 5 minutes walk away.
I am finding I am having to visit the GP more and more often, with my anxiety and severe IBS which means I spend more time on the toilet than eating these days. I am not even 30 yet although did manage a 5 year stint without visiting a GP.
Needed one visit to the GP for a life threatening condition, I had a very bad hernia which required an urgent operation.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Thu 23 Feb 12 at 11:18
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You'd better check in here friend, before its too late ~ www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?f=5&t=9714
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telephone queuing system for doctor - FocalPoint
