I can never get an appointment
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I think we're talking about different systems. Some surgeries will ONLY let you book appointments for the same day. No pre-booking at all.
Let's stop old people being able to go to the doctors then, but just remember the new legislation when your parents get old and frail, becoming more susceptible to illness.
I agree a little with some of the original post.
There are quite a few hypochondriacs who will turn up at the doctors on a seemingly weekly basis, my mother works with one such woman. There's nearly always a new different ailment from which she is suffering or going to visit the doctor over, seems to almost be competitive illness at times.
One of my elderly neighbours is quite similar too, she'll be out collecting her washing from the line fine and dandy but if she catches sight of me heading out the door she starts wheezing and gasping for air ready to discuss what's wrong with her today. She will no doubt out live us all.
Some of this may come down to loneliness, not that it's much consolation when you're struggling to get an appointment.
There are quite a few hypochondriacs who will turn up at the doctors on a seemingly weekly basis, my mother works with one such woman. There's nearly always a new different ailment from which she is suffering or going to visit the doctor over, seems to almost be competitive illness at times.
One of my elderly neighbours is quite similar too, she'll be out collecting her washing from the line fine and dandy but if she catches sight of me heading out the door she starts wheezing and gasping for air ready to discuss what's wrong with her today. She will no doubt out live us all.
Some of this may come down to loneliness, not that it's much consolation when you're struggling to get an appointment.
Have to ring up at 8am to get an appointment. Usually engaged but I keep trying. If I haven't spoke to anyone by 8.10 all the appointments have gone.
Old people and drug addicts seem to be able to turn up at any time and get seen.
Old people and drug addicts seem to be able to turn up at any time and get seen.
Don
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If your child is behaving unusually for a sustained period of time, you are advised to visit your GP as quickly as possible. It may be a non-issue, but if 1 in a 100 times there is an issue, it's worth making those visits!
There is a system in place, and clearly you lack the tools or motivation to navigate it correctly. These young mothers and old people are all managing to get an appointment, why are you failing where they aren't?
Perhaps he isn't laying it on with a trowel, or if he's having to go to work, being told that he isn't an emergency case since he's still working.
My 67 year old father unfortunately has been a regular to the doctor over the last 12 months.
How dare he go to the doctor using the NHS hes paid for over 50 years of his working life to speak to the GP/Nurses about the multiple issues that have developed from him having a Cancerous prostate removed.
I'm sure he would love to forgoe the side effects he has and not go at all as he hates going to the GP but he has to. Fortunately for him he's had is 12months all clear recently so will have to go less.
Thank god he's going to the Doctor taking up your most valuable spot and not sitting on an internet forum whining like penis of priapic proportions.
Don
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Firstly, I have never been asked what the problem is when booking an appointment for the GP. So there is no screening going in to my knowledge? Do they do this at your doctors? Secondly I have never once had an employer question when I take time out to see the Doctor.
Follow the procedure and you will get seen as promptly as possible in your given area. If you cannot do this, utilise another form of care. You seemed reluctant to visit a drop in centre, "because they won't have my records and ill have to explain it all again, total waste of time". How about you just explain it to them, it would have been done by now?! It's not like you will need to dictate war and peace to get your point across?
Frankly, if you had spent the same amount of time replying in this thread to explaining the situation at a drop in clinic, you would have had this all sewn up..
Not a chance, having visited an out of hours clinic on several occasions they appeared to be useless for my case.
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Don
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I have visited drop in clinics twice that I can rememeber and one ended in a referral to a specialist, the other referred me to a hospital straight away. Sure I had to wait for about 25 minutes each time, but they were superb!
So in my experience they have been perfect at dealing with my problems.
And I couldn't be happier for you, unfortunately for myself and apparently others visiting the GP or out of hours clinic has been less than straight forward or a perfect experience.
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Deleted member 651465
Deleted member 651465
Shock horror as old people require additional medical treatment 
Seriously though, a significant number of old people will enjoy that social interaction with their GP, and will call in for the smallest of issues. Reading "Confessions of a GP" and talking to some GPs through work, it's a big problem.
I tend to find I need to ring at 07:59:59 and 1 millisecond to get an appointment at a decent time. Often the waiting room is empty which begs the question wtf is going on
Seriously though, a significant number of old people will enjoy that social interaction with their GP, and will call in for the smallest of issues. Reading "Confessions of a GP" and talking to some GPs through work, it's a big problem.
I tend to find I need to ring at 07:59:59 and 1 millisecond to get an appointment at a decent time. Often the waiting room is empty which begs the question wtf is going on
Associate
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Make people pay for an appointment. That will cut out a lot of the idiots who book and don't turn up, also those who are just going for a chat. I have had to wait 2.5 weeks to see GP in my area which is practically third world standard.
In France you can see doctors at the drop of hat. Have scans, blood tests within a couple of days and results on the same day!
In France you can see doctors at the drop of hat. Have scans, blood tests within a couple of days and results on the same day!
My local docs have introduced a "pre-screening" on the phone now, basically working out the general urgency.
Something you just want to discuss with the doc? No problem, you can wait a week or 2.
Feeling under the weather? A phonecall with a GP, who will decide to bring you in or not.
Something more urgent? They'll book you in same day.
It works surprisingly well.
Something you just want to discuss with the doc? No problem, you can wait a week or 2.
Feeling under the weather? A phonecall with a GP, who will decide to bring you in or not.
Something more urgent? They'll book you in same day.
It works surprisingly well.
The entire ethos of the NHS is free at the point of access, so charging doesn't make any sense.
Multiple attenders are admittedly a problem but how can you judge what may be a potentially serious issue without seeing them. I'd rather the elderly seek help from their GP rather than calling 999 and being blue-lighted into hospital.
Many people seem to have no issue getting a same-day appointment if you call first thing in the morning, this is the whole point.
I wonder what you will be saying OP when you get older. I know 10 years ago I used to run up mountains for fun, play sport whenever I wasn't at work but well now ... let's just say even at the tender age of 40 I can feel stuff starting to slip and break - sometimes literally. Between the age of 16 and 35 I went to the GPs once and bar one emergency surgery never had need for healthcare myself. Since 35 well it has been 3-4 time per year on average - I hate to think what I'll be doing in 20 years and I keep myself and have always kept myself in very good shape.
