Actually saw my GP for the first time in over 3 years.

Rang my surgery yesterday to ask for antibiotics for a complaint I have had before.
They can't repeat antibiotics for safety reasons without speaking to someone - first appointment for a telephone call the 29th November!
Certainly here, the system is broken completely.

Delighted =Bluelighted

My son as a fall last Christmas while wrapping presents.he slipped on some shiny Christmas paper.and hurt his back
From then on he had severe pain he rang out Dr.who sent him cocodamol.!it didn't help
This went on for months.twice he spoke to a Dr on the phone who said it had gone on long enough.but no action was taken.
I rang myself and said he is in severe pain something must be wrong maybe he needed an Xray.I was told it will be just muscular and he was sent more painkillers
Again I rang and said I was very worried he could barely stand or walk without pain
This time a receptionist spoke to me when I asked for Dr to contact me
Her reply. "" If you are worried why don't you talk to your friends I can't do anything.
I was livid.I said yes you can make a telephone appointment so I can speak to a Dr
I found out later that she never did
After ringing again a locum Dr said he would strange for an X-Ray
SadlY it came too late.my soN had a stroke and was delighted tI a hospital about 40 miles away as out local one doesn't have a stroke unit
After seeing to him regarding th stroke.they x rayed him.but it was only after a check up yesterday that he found out he had a compound frscture.and had for 10 months
I thought out surgery was a good one.but not so happy now

My son is recovering well but his speech was affected.mainly.he has speech therapy every week at home
It is disgusting that someone had to suffer the excruciating pain for so long and passed off as muscular with no examination at least
It is a hip fracture he was told
I have lost faith in them now
Yesterday I got a message saying my surgery was under pressure and would have to outsource patients. Or tell them to ring 111
I rang 111 when I suspected a stroke was to by automated voice to go online as they were too busy,so rang 999

Where we live (Surrey) is certainly not a run down inner city and the wait time for a telephone appointment is still at least 5 weeks. Mr A has been having problems with his hip since before lock down and over a year ago finally arranged a telephone appointment. Took 2 months to get the X rays done and another 5 weeks to get another telephone appointment. Physio was arranged and an appointment to see a consultant. Two months later he phoned the surgery to make sure something was being arranged. One month later he had his first physio session. 4 months later he had his last physio session and told there is nothing they can do. Phoned the surgery to check on his consultant appointment and got a text saying it was being arranged but still hasn't got an appointment.

I havnt seen my gp since late 2019 but was able to speak to her twice after waiting an hour on the phone and then given a telephone appointment for two weeks later.
It has been a brilliant practice fir the last 30 years and now it’s not.

FarNorth

That's appalling Sago to have all that time of unpleasantness for no reason.

I was wondering why they kept sending me surveys on smoking, I also got a lung screening about 4 years ago.
It all makes sense now!

That's appalling Sago to have all that time of unpleasantness for no reason.

I live a couple of miles outside a small town with a biggish surgery that serves the local area. They are brilliant. OH rang this morning and was seen an hour later face to face, had bloods taken 20 minutes later. I've had several phone consultations, sent pics in when I had a troublesome skin condition and got a face to face consultation that same day. They get our meds sorted and always do the reviews on time. When I rang with a worrying heart arrhythmia, I was seen immediately and carted off to A&E within half an hour. It is a bit of a lottery and feel very lucky. It makes me reluctant to move!

lemsip

My mother died in her sleep age 69 some years ago . an autopsy was performed as she was not ill... it was found she had arterial sclerosis... and left ventricular heart clot.

I take simvastatin 20mg and feel if my mother had the chance to be tested and take them she would have had many more years

Exactly- it depends so much on your family history, not just your cholesterol levels. And you BP and familial risk of heart attack or stroke.

MerylStreep, do you really think all doctors are crooks, and are 'bought' by Big Pharma? I know several of them who have chosen to take Statins due to family history, because the prospect of having a severe stroke is not very appealing?

Totally agree MerylStreep not the first time I’ve heard this either! And so bad Sago glad this has been sorted out for you and about time too

My mother died in her sleep age 69 some years ago . an autopsy was performed as she was not ill... it was found she had arterial sclerosis... and left ventricular heart clot.

I take simvastatin 20mg and feel if my mother had the chance to be tested and take them she would have had many more years

I believe statins are the biggest con ever perpetrated by drug companies. When a heart consultant tells you to stay off them you know something is wrong.

We seem to be able to get nurse appointments (health checks, ECGs, blood tests, vaccines etc) OK, but I had to insist on a face to face GP appointment for our disabled son after waiting months for the practice to 'get back to us' for a deteriorating condition (several letters and phone calls from me). Oddly when I went in yet again, prepared to be insistent- the receptionist gave him an appointment without quibble- at last! Things might be looking up?
We live near a small market town, -semi urban area.

Just got latest batch of drugs and my calcium and Vit D tablet has changed resulting in a reduction in the amount of calcium that I am getting. Rang surgery - all patients on this have been changed to the new one. Not negotiable. How is it that I suddenly need less, whilst on treatment for osteoporosis?

I feel as though no thought has gone into individual patient need.

We see our GPS face to face but we have to pay. Usually around $50 a visit which I think is appalling. We get about $30 back from the $80 dollars up front cost. It means you wait to see if things improve before you go , wastes valuable time.

We have an annual ‘MOT’ with a Practice Nurse, any problems and she will refer you to a GP, or she can prescribe for you if it’s some problem that you already have.

When I went to the Surgery for my appointment it was eerily empty, just me and one other and I heard the Receptionist tell a telephone caller that most of the GPS are now Part time or working from home. There were plenty of Nurses around though.

And don’t ever put anything negative on their FB page or you will be ‘removed from our Patient lists’.

Never had a yearly MOT - wouldn't know my GP if I bumped into her in the street as I have never seen her. Face to face appointments are rarer than hens' teeth - you have to have a telephone "consultation" first, which entails a 3 week wait. IF one of the GPs agrees to see you - that is a further 2 week wait at least. (saying you have been in pain for several weeks is treated as a "routine" telephone appointment!)

Wyllow3, we had yearly MOTs as well (once over 60) but I've not had any appointments for three years - just have to send in my bp readings. I'm glad I refused the statins when suggested 'as a precaution'! I believe they lowered the safe total cholesterol level - and I was then slightly over. I suppose the checks weren't really necessary, just 'a precaution' too. My bp was always high - until the day I took a cab there, instead of rushing up the hill from the station. 'I can't believe it's normal!' said the doctor.

Same here. Like Luckygirl my meds arrive every month with no check ups etc.

I live just outside London in a small town and have not seen my doctor in person since the first lockdown. Phone appointments are a 2 week wait and I spoke to her once. Otherwise it’s doctors I don’t know and assume are new.
Pre COVID the surgery was always really good but can’t say that now. They close down the e consult option every day, don’t like phone calls and I have been ‘told off’ for writing a letter which is often the only way I can get in touch.
Really disappointing.

Mine is in the sort of average but not posh suburbs - ie a higher % of patients manage their health a bit better than the inner city areas - but I think what has made the difference is more likely that it was excellently managed long before covid and continued to attract new GP's when other practices struggled. That said, there are waits for non urgent but anything really important does get sorted. But..its a city in the North of England, attractive to live in for professionals, housing not expensive, ie a good place to settle for them and have a family etc.

I'm in the country and pleased to say that after a horrendous two years with our local surgery - long waits on phone, no face-to-face appointments, three weeks wait for a call back appointment etc etc - there has been a massive improvement and we can now usually see a GP the same day if an emergency or 7-10 days ahead if not. Appointments can be booked at the health centre or on-line. And best of all it seems all the staff have been sent to charm school and are now happy and smiling instead of grumpy and unhelpful. Win-win.

Can I just ask out of interest, is it people in country areas having such a hard time to get to see GP's? (or totally crushed overworked inner city practices?)

A friend of mine told me that she’d been put on statins but was told to take Co Enzyme Q10 with them to counteract any side effects.

We have annual MOT's but that may because I'm over 70? - I wish. I am 74, ands nothing doing here.