Relieving the pressure on GPs !!!

[Haliotis]

We are told to use Pharmacists  where possible to take the load off GPs.  Since Covid, our surgery receptionists do not take requests for an appointment to see a doctor, either by calling in personally (you will be told to ring in at 8:00 am) or by telephone around 8:00am.  The receptionist will ask what it is for, and then tell you a doctor will call you back later in the day.  You are then told a time to visit.  You can also only report one symptom - which raises the concern that often two symptoms can be related to one cause.  With all this “front of office” buffering to keep you from reaching a doctor, and the advice to use Pharmacists, where are doctors under pressure?

We don’t really know who are our actual doctors - on the odd occasions we have had need to visit it is usually a locum,  commonly someone we have never met before and probably will never see again.

[Bper]

46 minutes ago, Haliotis said:

We are told to use Pharmacists  where possible to take the load off GPs.  Since Covid, our surgery receptionists do not take requests for an appointment to see a doctor, either by calling in personally (you will be told to ring in at 8:00 am) or by telephone around 8:00am.  The receptionist will ask what it is for, and then tell you a doctor will call you back later in the day.  You are then told a time to visit.  You can also only report one symptom - which raises the concern that often two symptoms can be related to one cause.  With all this “front of office” buffering to keep you from reaching a doctor, and the advice to use Pharmacists, where are doctors under pressure?

We don’t really know who are our actual doctors - on the odd occasions we have had need to visit it is usually a locum,  commonly someone we have never met before and probably will never see again.

We have been told as from the 26th February we can fill an online form in to access an online consultation service. You put your details in along with medical problems and this is triaged to a doctor who will no doubt decide if he phones or sees you or issues a prescription.

He may well get a receptionist to phone you and let you know what he said if he is busy.This looks like it is deflecting from the waiting in the morning to get an appointment.☹️

[FROSTYBALLS]

I haven't had any issue accessing our GP service since 2022. Always given a choice of a face to face or telephone appointment.

Having said that, the surgery have also instigated the triage form from end of January, and from what I have seen, this is an NHS initiative rather than GP led.

My wife's first experience of the triage form led to her being given an appointment the following day, which is one of her working days. She phoned to change the appointment, and the reception staff were moaning the system just wasn't working !!

I phoned for an appointment last week as my statin needed to be reviewed, and, having had sepsis back in 2019 and being at higher risk of reinfection, I also asked about the pneumococcal vaccination.  Didn't need a face to face, so asked for a telephone consultation. Same day appointment given without having to complete the triage form.

For information, here is the vaccine manufacturer's and the NHS websites regarding the pneumococcal vaccination scheme: 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/pneumococcal-vaccination/

https://www.pneumoaware.co.uk/

As regards the revised the NHS England scheme for pharmacies to deal with certain conditions without the need for a GP appointment or prescription from this year, the conditions are:

Sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (under the age of 65).

[Haliotis]

If you use a Pharmacy instead of contacting the doctor’s surgery, and a prescription would normally be necessary, where being a pensioner means free prescription, would it still be free if issued by the pharmacy?

[Bper]

3 minutes ago, Haliotis said:

If you use a Pharmacy instead of contacting the doctor’s surgery, and a prescription would normally be necessary, where being a pensioner means free prescription, would it still be free if issued by the pharmacy?

Yes it would it would be electronically sent by your pharmacist back to your doctor for his records and claimed back from the NHS as usual.🙂

[Bper]

30 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

I haven't had any issue accessing our GP service since 2022. Always given a choice of a face to face or telephone appointment.

Having said that, the surgery have also instigated the triage form from end of January, and from what I have seen, this is an NHS initiative rather than GP led.

My wife's first experience of the triage form led to her being given an appointment the following day, which is one of her working days. She phoned to change the appointment, and the reception staff were moaning the system just wasn't working !!

I phoned for an appointment last week as my statin needed to be reviewed, and, having had sepsis back in 2019 and being at higher risk of reinfection, I also asked about the pneumococcal vaccination.  Didn't need a face to face, so asked for a telephone consultation. Same day appointment given without having to complete the triage form.

For information, here is the vaccine manufacturer's and the NHS websites regarding the pneumococcal vaccination scheme: 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/pneumococcal-vaccination/

https://www.pneumoaware.co.uk/

As regards the revised the NHS England scheme for pharmacies to deal with certain conditions without the need for a GP appointment or prescription from this year, the conditions are:

Sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (under the age of 65).

I was wondering how long you have been on statins and if you had any issues with taking these. My wife has been on these for 12 years and she has over the last couple of years started to have some issues and she thinks it may be related.🙂

[FROSTYBALLS]

Think about 18 years. Started on Simvastatin and got moved into Rosuvastatin (10mg) around 2012 as it was more effective. 

Do get some headaches but can't attribute those to the statin with any certainty.

[Roy124]

Our GP Surgery uses a triage system.   Your first call elicits a call-back appointment by a a triage nurse who allocates you to the appropriate clinician.  Works quite well.

Statins-wise my wife has a regular review with the prescription being reaffirmed if everything is the same.

[Primus1]

On 2/19/2024 at 6:30 PM, FROSTYBALLS said:

I haven't had any issue accessing our GP service since 2022. Always given a choice of a face to face or telephone appointment.

Having said that, the surgery have also instigated the triage form from end of January, and from what I have seen, this is an NHS initiative rather than GP led.

My wife's first experience of the triage form led to her being given an appointment the following day, which is one of her working days. She phoned to change the appointment, and the reception staff were moaning the system just wasn't working !!

I phoned for an appointment last week as my statin needed to be reviewed, and, having had sepsis back in 2019 and being at higher risk of reinfection, I also asked about the pneumococcal vaccination.  Didn't need a face to face, so asked for a telephone consultation. Same day appointment given without having to complete the triage form.

For information, here is the vaccine manufacturer's and the NHS websites regarding the pneumococcal vaccination scheme: 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/pneumococcal-vaccination/

https://www.pneumoaware.co.uk/

As regards the revised the NHS England scheme for pharmacies to deal with certain conditions without the need for a GP appointment or prescription from this year, the conditions are:

Sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (under the age of 65).

Sounds like a woman I used to date….

[Haliotis]

Those who can still get a face-to-face GP appointment without having to go through a “receptionist procedure” are very fortunate - the generally expressed opinions are that most GPs are hiding behind the front desk, and you are usually dealt with and seen off as quickly as possible.

The exception which we have found is if you are directed to a locum - both my wife and myself have invariably enjoyed first rate treatment on such occasions.