Waiting time to see a doctor at your surgery...

[NeilF]

If your problem is not trivial go to A&E if it warrents being seen the same day, if not put up with it untill you can be seen by a GP.

From your comments you seem to think its the fault of the surgary that you are not seen the same day.

As I've said before grow some balls if you are in pain go and wait at A&E if not wait at home untill you can see your GP and get on with your life.

The 3rd option is to go private.

KaHn

But you fail to see the obvious issues here:-
1) You are suggesting people self diagnose their problems. While obvious things are clearly obvious, there's many cases which people are simply on the fence about and will therefore just wait to see the doctor for. If someone is having chest pains? How do they gauge how serious/important? A&E or doctor in a week? Minor dizzy spells? A&E or doctor in a week?
2) Quite simply though - and really the main issue this thread is about - you should not have to wait for a week or more to see a GP. If the waiting lists are that long, it clearly suggests they are under resourced and there is a fundamental problem. At certain times (eg: last dec/jan) when call rises (due to flu etc) I can see why waiting times increase, but my two experiences are from Jan and Mar (for an ongoing painful condition) and things consistantly seem poor.

Yes, you've repeatedly suggested (for some unknown reason, other than you probably think it sounds cool) I grow some balls... I'd personally suggest you grow some brain cells, or at least just cut the attitude

Why the hell should he have to pay for it when this is what a large chunk of our taxes get spent on?

It seems Kahn is mainly here to stir up the thread. He's practically just arguing for the sake of it.

 

[KaHn]

It seems Kahn is mainly here to stir up the thread. He's practically just arguing for the sake of it.

No my gripe is with people who want to complain about a service which is free, I get really peeved at people who will openly complain about something which helps so many people, the fact of the matter is that the system is abused by people who have no common sense and/or are hypocondriacts who want to see a doctor for the first sniffle, but that in it's self is human nature and we can't change that.

What it comes down to is you really do have 3 options when it comes to medical care.

GP and wait.

A&E and wait

Private and be seen and pay.

KaHn

 

[djbenjo]

The vast majority of people in this country can't afford private medical care.

THE NHS IS NOT FREE. Do you not understand the taxation system?

 

[KaHn]

The vast majority of people in this country can't afford private medical care.

THE NHS IS NOT FREE. Do you not understand the taxation system?

Do you? You pay taxes, that doesn't change regarding what they spend the taxes on, if the NHS was closed tomorrow do you think your taxes would suddenly go down?

Look at the USA they pay higher taxes and still don't get free medical services.

KaHn

 

[tres]

Depends on the day of the week.

The doctor only visits the island on a Tuesday.

 

[NeilF]

No my gripe is with people who want to complain about a service which is free, I get really peeved at people who will openly complain about something which helps so many people, the fact of the matter is that the system is abused by people who have no common sense and/or are hypocondriacts who want to see a doctor for the first sniffle, but that in it's self is human nature and we can't change that.

What it comes down to is you really do have 3 options when it comes to medical care.

GP and wait.

A&E and wait

Private and be seen and pay.

KaHn

First, it's not really free is it...

Second, yes, I suspect MANY people do go along to the doctor when common sense could dictate they should not. I'm not one of these people. I've had a chest complaint now for over three months. On my last visit to the doctor I was told to wait another couple of weeks to see if it would clear up (as three sets of anti-biotics have not helped) before resorting to blood tests and scans. I've infact given it over a month to see if it cleared up, and the pain and discomfort is increasing again, hence me booking an appointment for the further checkup. I now have to wait a further week to be seen.

A&E - I would not personally want to go to A&E. I've not had an accident, and not in an emergency. I would not want to clog their system up.

Private - I'm with BUPA, but I suspect the wait would be as long, and I really don't want to pay (an excess) just to get another checkup/diagnosis.


Again though, the main issue is if you have to wait a week or more to see a GP, there is a fundamental problem. It shows more people are trying to book than can be seen... This risks people who should be looked at waiting too long, or simply not bothering!

 

[Le_Petit_Lapin]

How many of you people who are complaining would also like to pay more taxes to fund the extra doctors that would be required to lower the waiting times?

 

[KaHn]

I've infact given it over a month to see if it cleared up, and the pain and discomfort is increasing again, hence me booking an appointment for the further checkup. I now have to wait a further week to be seen.

If you had a problem which he told you to come back in a couple of weeks, why not book an appointment for a couple of weeks time when he told you that, thus negating the waiting an extra week, use of common sense? He is a doctor why wait a month when it didn't get any better after a couple of weeks like he said.

If it had cleared up before the two weeks cancel the appointment like most people do.

And like I have said time and time again the way the tax system works it is a planned expenadture of the taxes we pay, if we didn't have the NHS it would be another service taking up the cash and not lower taxes.

KaHn

 

[NeilF]

How many of you people who are complaining would also like to pay more taxes to fund the extra doctors that would be required to lower the waiting times?

Ahh... The first Straw Man of the day

1) Maybe appointments could be better assigned or handled?
2) Maybe money could be better spend with less money being wasted in other areas, therefore meaning more GPs.
3) Maybe alternatives could be offered - eg: Walk in surgeries as done in some areas.

Our local surgery has just had a brand new building made for them with a lovely big waiting room, and lovely rooms for the doctors. So there's obviously money around. But what's rather odd is the last two times I've been in there, I've been the only person in the waiting room, yet I've had to wait a week to be in there? Odd!?

 

[antijoke]

Thank lord I have a decent doctors. Late night appointments, weekend appointments, and receptionists who question what your illness is and what pain you are in and priortise accordingly.Neither my partner nor I and our children have never had to wait more than a day to see a doctor, and I got an emergency appointment when I had a pain in my stomach.

 

[NeilF]

If you had a problem which he told you to come back in a couple of weeks, why not book an appointment for a couple of weeks time when he told you that, thus negating the waiting an extra week, use of common sense? He is a doctor why wait a month when it didn't get any better after a couple of weeks like he said.

If it had cleared up before the two weeks cancel the appointment like most people do.

And like I have said time and time again the way the tax system works it is a planned expenadture of the taxes we pay, if we didn't have the NHS it would be another service taking up the cash and not lower taxes.

KaHn

Again, you seem more than happy to pass comment on something you know very little (or nothing) about... I should go to A&E, I shouldn't waste the doctors time, I should have booked an appointment for two weeks time... What is it? Seriously, just let it be

I've not questioned taxes and the funding for the NHS. My point has simply been the rather dangerous situation of waiting a week or more for an appointment to see a GP. Again, it means some people who should be seen (unbeknownst to them) immediately, either do not get seen for a week or more, or worse still actually don't even bother to see a GP.

Be this down to taxes, poor organisation or something else, is not the issue. The fact the situation exists is the issue.

On the matter of taxes and the NHS though - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1934690.stm

 

[Le_Petit_Lapin]

Our local surgery has just had a brand new building made for them with a lovely big waiting room, and lovely rooms for the doctors. So there's obviously money around.

No, not at all obvious. Perhaps they got a government grant from it that came from a separate source. Their cash is all budgeted. sure, perhaps they need to switch around where their cash is going. Have you tried writing to someone about it?

Maybe they got moaned at by a few people that the old surgery was too out of date? I dunno.

But what's rather odd is the last two times I've been in there, I've been the only person in the waiting room, yet I've had to wait a week to be in there? Odd!?

Did you ask to see a specific doctor? I know that when i ask to see one in particular, I have to wait longer and its usually one of the late night surgeries I have to go in to see him.

 

[Hedge]

I normally have to wait a week max. Are you specifically wanting to see just your own GP or are you open to see others?

because you can often be seen earlier if it can be dealt with by the nurse in the surgery or one of the other doctors that isnt necessarily your own.

 

[McManicMan]

My Doctor is useless also, went last Thursday as been suffering extreme pain from around the kidney areas and my left hand side from ribs stabbing pains.Now he knows me well enough as i been going regular since my Heart attack last Ocotber. Every time i go i mention this pain, all i get is its got to be muscular exoskeletal and here's some pain killers. Gone through over 100 Co Dydramol in 2 months, and got to the point that i couldn't cope anymore and took myself to A&E. Apprently i have had a male urinal infection for last 3 months!, this the Doctor on Thursday checked my pee for on that Thursday!..... useless, gotta see him Monday now and tell him what was wrong with letter from hospital

TBH i have no faith in Doctors unless symptoms are clear and common

 

[NeilF]

Thank lord I have a decent doctors. Late night appointments, weekend appointments, and receptionists who question what your illness is and what pain you are in and priortise accordingly.Neither my partner nor I and our children have never had to wait more than a day to see a doctor, and I got an emergency appointment when I had a pain in my stomach.

And this is the way it should be. If appointments are more than a couple of days away, then it shows a problem in the system which needs to be addressed.

 

[NeilF]

I normally have to wait a week max. Are you specifically wanting to see just your own GP or are you open to see others?

because you can often be seen earlier if it can be dealt with by the nurse in the surgery or one of the other doctors that isnt necessarily your own.

Well, in my case, to see any doctor would be a week.

I'm not overly concerned in my case, I'll have to put up with my discomfort for another week (had it for nigh on three months), but the issue is some people who probably unbeknownst to them should be seen immediately, are waiting a week+. And worst still, some people who should be seen probably hear 'a week' and don't bother!

 

[Wolf11]

My surgery varies as to apointment times-can be up to a week but same day if you think it might be something serious.Last week when I rang up I was told 7 days and said I was happy to see any doctor but I really did not want to wait -so was told to come and sit -waited about an hour and was seen.

There is also a walk in GP surgery in the local town where you can just turn up and wait -which is great if you want to see a doc but not go to A & E.

A couple of friends of mine are GP,s and have about 2,500 -3,000 patients each on there list,and of course have no way of knowing how many are going to be ill that day -so on the whole I think considering GP surgeries do not know how many they will be seeing they do a good job of coping ,as it must vary massively depending on whats about ! So I think they build a slight buffer in to allow for emergencies,the amount of paperwork they have to do is staggering for each patient etc .

I have been to A & E a couple of times in the past -because I didnt want to wait and was happy to be seen when I could be fitted in.So on the whole Thumbs up for the NHS .

 

[NeilF]

My surgery varies as to apointment times-can be up to a week but same day if you think it might be something serious.Last week when I rang up I was told 7 days and said I was happy to see any doctor but I really did not want to wait -so was told to come and sit -waited about an hour and was seen.

Fair enough, but there is the slight danger of relying on self diagnosis, and people not wishing to appear hypocondriacts, so people wait the week (when they really shouldn't).

 

[Wolf11]

Fair enough, but there is the slight danger of relying on self diagnosis, and people not wishing to appear hypocondriacts, so people wait the week (when they really shouldn't).

I do agree with that ,and I am sure they also get lots of people who stub there toe,or have a snuffle who demand an emergency appointment-when they are the ones who could wait !

I think there is just no way they can see everyone -as you would need thousands more staff ,so I think up to a point you always have to decide yourself how serious it is.I find reading the net can sometimes make me paranoid on medical stuff lol,whereas in the past I might wait longer.

At the end of the day the facilites are there to be seen -be that A & E or a walk in surgery (might be one in your area if you look on NHS direct) .

 

[Rotty]

guaranteed same day if you call before 11, of you ring 1st thing then usually within an hour or 2