Bonkers new rule at our GP surgery

I’ve just said what has changed since the pandemic, there are fewer GPs (retirement, moving into other specialties, emigration, and fewer doctors training as GPs) and a larger population. It’s not rocket science.

We can ring up and make same day appointments with GP's and also advance ones with nurses and GP's... I wonder why so many surgeries seem to be so inaccessible... what has really changed since the Pandemic... surely they should all have resumed normal practice by now..

Just tell them it’s urgent because it’s an investigated lump. Mind you, if it’s been there since before Covid and it’s unchanged, it’s probably not urgent at all. You could send a picture in with an email of course.

Our surgery is very similar. If you want an appointment, you have to phone. They open at 8.30am - lines are always constantly engaged until mid-morning if you're lucky, then when you do get through, they arrange a call back from a GP to find out if you really do need an appointment that day, which is only for 'urgent' things. You can't book an appointment in advance for non-urgent things. It's like going round and round in circles. I've had a lump I'd like investigating since pre-covid, but haven't been able to see anyone about it.

Few surgeries can run as they did before the pandemic because GPs have left in droves and we have an increasing population with fewer doctors. It’s not rocket science to work out that that means fewer appointments will be available.

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Sorry, but what’s Brexit got to do with it?

Nothing to do with Brexit, just daft rules from your surgery.
Very few are running as they were pre pandemic and I fear will never return that way.
I haven’t had a face to face appointment with a GP in a long time.A long rigmarole done via computer followed by a phone call at some point to discuss the problem.

Update: DH has just come back from his little walk to the surgery, he went in to hand over letter and was asked ' Would you like an appointment?'. This despite several posts on our local FB page telling people that they must not drop in to the surgery to make an appointment. It seems that having a letter in one's hand is not construed as a personal visit. Sounds as if the staff training is going well........

So different to here.

OH to surgery “can I have an appt with K** (nurse)”
Receptionist “sorry she is starting late tomorrow, will 10am be OK?”

Disgraceful.

How peculiar. I'm hoping it's not correct.

That is utterly ridiculous!