When You Phone Your Gp

[Barsel]

Do you hear an American woman telling you where you are in line?
For the past half an hour I keep hearing, you are now first in line to speak to a representative!
Are these machines real?
When I started the call 45 mins ago, I was 5th in line.
It took 15 mins to get to first in line, and then after another 30 mins, I'd had enough and put the phone down.
I can't believe that people don't complain about this, but who can you complain too?
Would love to hear anyone's experience with this.

[Sqad]

NJ.....now you are talking "my language. "

[Smowball]

Lol @ Sqad. Think he prefers short and to the point!

[Barsel]

I must admit I have no complaints about the GP's or any of the other staff, it's just this ridiculous answer machine that just takes forever before you get to speak to a receptionist.

[New Judge]

//NJ, why haven't you moved to another practice? I can't fault the service we get from our GP, practice nurses and team//

Because I only have two within reasonable striking distance (mind you, if "remote working" is to be the norm, I can't see that being an issue). Both are as bad (and in some respects worse) that mine, from what I've been led to believe.

[Vagus]

So does everyone think the GPs are sitting their filing their nails, letting the phones ring, eating cream cakes, while their patients are spending their days trying to get through on the phone? Really???
Words fail me.

[david small]

Ain’t nobody here but us chickens....

[jennyjoan]

Vagus - don't think they are doing what you are suggesting - but do think they have become lackadaisacal.

[Redhelen72]

My GP has been amazing since Covid started we get a phone appointment on the same day and we if need to be seen then it’s generally within 24 hours.
The care they have taken with my husband is excellent

[237SJ]

^ So they should be. You are paying for that service through your taxes.

[david small]

It appears to be somewhat of a lottery. Some GPs working hard as usual. Other areas they bunk off and instruct others to make feeble excuses. The need weeding out as not fit for purpose.

[237SJ]

^ To be fair I`ve heard that some GP surgeries have real problems hiring doctors (mainly in rural areas)

[Redhelen72]

I’m in a rural area and have no complaints whatsoever if anything it’s better than pre COVID

[237SJ]

I have a friend who is a nurse prescriber in a rural area and their surgery is in dire straights because of a lack of doctors. Probably depends where you live I suppose.

[237SJ]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-57833708

[New Judge]

//So does everyone think the GPs are sitting their filing their nails, letting the phones ring, eating cream cakes, while their patients are spending their days trying to get through on the phone?//

Well the second part is evidently correct. Many reports on here and the experiences of virtually all of my friends and relatives are all similar - one must expect to spend a large amount of time trying to contact a GP's surgery by phone.

Quite what GPs are doing whilst this is going on is anybody's guess. But one thing's for sure - they're not doing what they were doing at the beginning of 2020. It was reasonably easy then to get a face to face appointment with a doctor. For many people now it is largely impossible.

[jennyjoan]

I don't think the GPs will be eating too many cream cakes as they torture us about Diabetes and so they would be afraid of that LOL.

My nurse rang me about a month ago and told me I am going to go blind, lose a limb and something else or yes I am forgetting I told you this before (so memory loss) LOL