Is 4 weeks to long to wait for a routine appointment to see a G.P ?

[madmax]

I am just back from the Dr's having had my monthly blood test, now that was fine but when I asked to make an appointment to see my G.P the FIRST appointment is in 4 WEEKS time , now I am not at deaths door but I do think I need to see some one within the next 5 to 10 days. When I told the health care assistant who was taking my blood she said (off the record) that I shouldn't go rocking the boat as they where VERY busy and are looking for reasons to remove patients from their list. (I was asking her about how I could complain)
Now is 4 weeks to long to have to wait for a routine appointment ?
Or do I have unrealistic expectations ?
The last thing I need is to be removed from their list as it will be almost impossible to find another doctor.
To top it all when I got home there was a letter from the hospital putting back my appointment with the Rhumatoligist (sp) by 6 weeks.
What is happening to the N.H.S?
Where have all of the so called government guide lines gone ?

 

[Sazza]

Blimey 4 weeks does seem a long time. In surgery I go to I know it can sometimes be 10 days to get to a routine appointment for doctor of my choice but usually could see another earlier if it was and urgent issue as they have procedures on place for urgent cases.

Having said this I have been hearing increasing numbers of people say their surgery does not have routine appointments, you cannot book in advance, you want to see a doctor you have to phone up on the day and if no appointments, then tough you have to call another day and see if there are any then!!!

If the assistant has said not to rock the boat as they are looking for excuses to get people off the list it does sound like their list is overfull and that could be why such a long wait, too many patients and not enough appointments.

 

[iloveshopping]

I usually have to wait 2 weeks to see doctor of my choice and occasionally longer if she is training or on holiday but I can see any of the other doc for either the same day if it is urgent or within a couple of days if not urgent. If I need a repeat prescription I can go to the surgery and fill in a form and pick up the prescription after 48 hours. I can also call for advice at 14.00 and speak to a doctor but have to wait on the phone until one is free. I think I get a good care.
What I don't like is patients not attending their appointments and not even bothering to cancel. Remember going on nice summer afternoon and the doc saying that virtual no one had turned up because of the weather.

 

[BusyMum]

Far too long madmax but nowadays it doesn't seem to be that unusual. Our practice used to do same-day, and still does if you get thru and sound bad enough - often doc will ring you back - a "triage appt", and if he thinks you need to be seen then he'll ask you to go down. A routine appt tho can be much longer - I rang for a nurse appt for something (forget what) and she offered me something six weeks hence..when I said crikey, didn't think it would be that long, she offered me something four weeks hence - so who was she saving that for?! Our practice has something like 14,000 patients (the last time I looked at the website, could be more now) and still signing on, from what I've seen while I've been sat waiting to go in, and several times lately interpreters have arrived too - I'm not racist, but our island is small enough and we're getting rather over-crowded, and as we see, vital services being stretched - I'm afraid it's just going to go on and on... I've written twice to our Practice Manager to complain - I called it "expressing concern" about the length of time waiting for appts, the fact that tho we've been with them since 1985 we can no longer get in to see the doctors we want to see, etc etc..but of course it gets you nowhere, and like you say, there's always the fear of being removed from the list if you complain once too often. I don't think any of our docs work a full week either looking at the schedule I picked up on my last visit, and it's a training practice so we have docs who are there for 12 months, 2 years, whatever, and as you seldom see the same one twice you don't get the continuity of care either that you used to. I could go on!!

 

[LE lover]

In my surgery you have to book on the day,its a pain as i've been trying to see the Dr since Mon!! You have to ring up at 8 am, which is no problem, but its always engaged and by the time you get through all the appts have gone unless its an emergency.

Yes a month is ridiculous but if i was you i would complain. Sounds to me like she was trying to put the frighteners on you,to stop you complaining.
I feel your frustration madmax .

 

[madge65]

I cant make an appoinment in advance , i have to ring when i want it & by the time the phones not engaged the appointments for that day have gone anyway , i rarely have to go the the drs , but when i do need an appointment i am rarely seen the day i want the appointment for

 

[Toril]

Four weeks seems a ridiculously long time to wait to see the doctor. When I last went to the doctor he asked me to make another follow up appointment within 10 days, so I went straight to reception and got one for a week later.

Although I now haven't been to the doctor for years, if I wanted an appointment I would have to ring the practice at 8 in the morning on the day I wanted to see the doctor and, as others have said, by the time you get through there are often no appointments available. However, we now have the option to book an appointment online and so I've registered for that option - just incase. You log on after 8pm and can book an appointment for the following day or for a day in the future. Hopefully I won't have to use that new system in the foreseeable future, but at least it would appear that it will be easier to get an appointment when one is needed.The practice does, however, always fit a patient in on the day they ring, if it is a genuine emergency.

 

[BusyMum]

We have the online facility too Toril, and an auto phone system, but the only appts you find on there seem to be weeks away, and the early-morning or late night ones, so I've had to go back to the dial/ring off/redial at 8am free-for-all...it's a very hit-and-miss system for a lot of folks these days.

 

[Frazzled]

That seems totally unacceptable really - does she only work part-time?

I can usually get an appointment with preferred doctor within a week. If you can ring early enough, the same day if you're happy to see anyone.

 

[Toril]

We have the online facility too Toril, and an auto phone system, but the only appts you find on there seem to be weeks away, and the early-morning or late night ones, so I've had to go back to the dial/ring off/redial at 8am free-for-all...it's a very hit-and-miss system for a lot of folks these days.

As I said, luckily I've not had to go to the doctor for years and so haven't tried the joys of getting an appointment online. My neighbour has used it a few times though and he's always managed to get an appointment when he wants one. (He's the one who told me to register online) But I live in a relatively small town and there are three different medical centres here so maybe that's why we don't have to wait 4 weeks .............. thankfully.

In my opinion, the government needs to reinvest in the N.H.S. instead of concentrating on all the cut backs.

 

[Wrongsideof40]

Four weeks is ridiculous! Our Doctors has so many pre-bookable appointments available but if you can't get one you have to ring on the day. There is also a very good walk in doctors in the City Centre that anyone can use. A few months ago I couldn't get in my own doctors so went to the walk in one . It was brilliant. Open until 8.00pm. I wouldn't be happy at having to wait four weeks, it's totally unacceptable.

 

[madmax]

THANK YOU for all of your reply's
I am so glad that it wasn't just me being difficult.
I did ask if I could see another Dr sooner but was told only if it was an emergency, in which case I would have to ring on the morning I wanted to see the Dr and have my name and problem put on the Drs call back list list. Now that is fine but I don't think it is acceptable to have to give the receptionist full details of what you need to see the Dr for.
I live in Cornwall and dread to think what it is going to be like once the tourist season hits as there are always dozens of them in the surgery over the summer and it is struggling now how is it going to cope with summer influx.

 

[BusyMum]

I had to ring ours yesterday as I'd been poorly since Friday with an awful cough/cold etc, but the cough had gone to my chest, so, having COPD, I need antibiotics - yes madmax we have that too where we have to give details of our illness to the receptionist - apparently so we can be booked into the correct slot (means nothing to me!) but I was told the emergency doctor for that day would ring me back - she duly did and having explained to her, I was asked to go to surgery for about 11.45. I was there ten minutes before that and it seemed all of us there were waiting for the same doc, I got in at 12.10, but I was examined and came out with a scrip, so no complaints about how all of that went, but normally yes, it does seem to be a tussle sometimes to get to see someone...however, if you're considered to be urgent, then you usually get seen..going by my own experiences anyway as this is my second cold already this year and the second time I've needed to get seen to get antibiotics!