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Anyone else feel like the NHS almost doesn't exist for them any more?

nightowl said:
It's impossible to get an appointment with my GP. They supposedly start taking appointment bookings at 8am in the morning but they're gone in minutes. I've even tried getting up 10 minutes beforehand and immediately redialling through all the engaged tone before it finally rings but even then you get a 'you're number 30' in the queue type automatic message. Even if you sit through the hour or so it takes them to get to you all the appointments are gone. It's the same with their 'econsult' forms. Almost before you can pick one up the message comes up 'all appointments gone'. It's been the same the last four or five times I've tried to get an appointment and they refuse to book one any other way. Even if you phone them or turn up in person you get the robotic 'you must book first thing in the morning' response and no matter how much you explain what a waste of time that process is they won't budge. As for A&E, you wouldn't go near it unless you were at death's door... unless you enjoy six-hour waiting times. It almost feels like the NHS is one big padlocked door with a 'sod off' sign pinned on it at the moment.
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I understand what you are saying and post Covid GP appointment very difficult. However I had to go to A&E recently and did wait 4.5 hours before I was admitted for a few days. And I did see 12 different people in that time. However, as a former paramedic I have to say each intervention was entirely justified and the staff were unfailingly efficient and also corteous except for one who was slightly brusque (no problem really). A crucial legitimate reason for long waits is due to immense pressure on NHS. So the staff have to be really sure somebody does require admission. Otherwise when a life and death blue light arrives they would be fucked unnecessarily. And a bonus: each A&E in our area has a trained GP you can actually see.

None of this is to ignore underlying problems, which that snake Streeting will no doubt worsen of course.
 
Never met my gp in person. I normally see the nurse or "clinical pharmacist". The only times i've made appointment in last year is because they have sent me texts asking me to make an appointment (had some issues with iron deficiancy recently). The texts are always sent just after they close and are "no reply" ones so you can't text back. I have the nhs app but the online booking option is not available for my gp. Never tried calling at 8am to get a same day. I just phone them from work about 11am and just take the next available day and time they have got. (They do take future bookings at mine).

I have seen a hospitol doctor as well a few times in last year but they send me a letter with a date and time for those.

I know a friend had problems getting appointments with a different gp and had to do the 8am phone thing and recently changed doctors and says their new one is much easier to get an appointment so i think it varies.
 
Larry O'Hara said:
I understand what you are saying and post Covid GP appointment very difficult. However I had to go to A&E recently and did wait 4.5 hours before I was admitted for a few days. And I did see 12 different people in that time. However, as a former paramedic I have to say each intervention was entirely justified and the staff were unfailingly efficient and also corteous except for one who was slightly brusque (no problem really). A crucial legitimate reason for long waits is due to immense pressure on NHS. So the staff have to be really sure somebody does require admission. Otherwise when a life and death blue light arrives they would be fucked unnecessarily. And a bonus: each A&E in our area has a trained GP you can actually see.

None of this is to ignore underlying problems, which that snake Streeting will no doubt worsen of course.
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Yeh during lockdown we rang 111 cos we weren't sure about what seemed questionable at the time, they had us at a doctors appointment in 30mins, hospital 20mins after that and into surgery about an hour later (got bumped for an emergency appendectomy). Then my daughter had bad symptoms last year, got a walk in appointment at minor injuries cos its all she could get to, they ambulanced her off straight into surgery for, an emergency appendectomy. If its medically urgent they are quick as fuck. Most of that 111 time was travelling until we got bumped.
 
A couple of weeks ago I couldn't get an emergency apt. with my GP for the same day so I went to A&E thinking I was going to spend the whole day in there - but I was out within 1 hour. Probably because it was just a hamstring injury and not DVT (which is what I thought it could be)...
 
If I use the NHS app, which sends me to a university developed booking/queries/ask about a problem app, called PATCHS which has the worst UI ever, you have to ask a fixed amount of questions - I think five? even if you have only one question, so theres a lot of typing Not Applicable (N/A is too short) ,then yes, if I manage this, I get what I want. Try ringing them? No chance. I sometimes go in and speak to the receptionist and it’s easier.
 
nightowl said:
It's impossible to get an appointment with my GP. They supposedly start taking appointment bookings at 8am in the morning but they're gone in minutes. I've even tried getting up 10 minutes beforehand and immediately redialling through all the engaged tone before it finally rings but even then you get a 'you're number 30' in the queue type automatic message. Even if you sit through the hour or so it takes them to get to you all the appointments are gone. It's the same with their 'econsult' forms. Almost before you can pick one up the message comes up 'all appointments gone'. It's been the same the last four or five times I've tried to get an appointment and they refuse to book one any other way. Even if you phone them or turn up in person you get the robotic 'you must book first thing in the morning' response and no matter how much you explain what a waste of time that process is they won't budge. As for A&E, you wouldn't go near it unless you were at death's door... unless you enjoy six-hour waiting times. It almost feels like the NHS is one big padlocked door with a 'sod off' sign pinned on it at the moment.
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I didn't do the 'phone up at 8am thing', I just asked them for their next appointment. It was two weeks away. Day before the appointment they phoned me up and say the doctor's off sick, you can see a physio or a (insert acronym I've heard of before). What's an (acronym) I ask. Oh, someone who treats minor injuries. Can't prescribe or diagnose. Actual doctors mostly do mental health now, they said. What are my chances of seeing a doctor I asked. Next appointment is in a week and a bit. I've already been waiting in pain for a fortnight, wasn't really willing to wait another ten days on top of that so I've accepted the physio appointment. But I likely need some imaging done and I have no idea if a physio can or will order that.
 
They can also be very good if course. When I phoned up 111 and reported symptoms of shingles they said I needed to see a doctor inside two hours and I was sat in the consulting room and hour and 55 minutes later.

My mum has a possible cancer thing and there is a two week window for imaging and results, then a two week window for the next lot of imaging and results, and a two week window for biopsy and results. They hit all those targets. When she had the biopsy she said they were very busy but extremely efficient, warm and personal. My mum's just retired after 35 years at the coalface in the NHS so it warmed my heart to hear her speak so highly of the care she's received. She fucking deserves it.
 
nightowl said:
The system is so knackered at the moment that you worry about what the future holds, as you just can't seen any government chucking enough money at it to fix it.
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It's not just money. They could do something about private providers and agencies poaching NHS-trained medics. Could shut down private healthcare altogether and appropriate all the staff and facilities. We're at a level of crisis where such drastic action is warranted IMO.
 
newme said:
Yeh during lockdown we rang 111 cos we weren't sure about what seemed questionable at the time, they had us at a doctors appointment in 30mins, hospital 20mins after that and into surgery about an hour later (got bumped for an emergency appendectomy). Then my daughter had bad symptoms last year, got a walk in appointment at minor injuries cos its all she could get to, they ambulanced her off straight into surgery for, an emergency appendectomy. If its medically urgent they are quick as fuck. Most of that 111 time was travelling until we got bumped.
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Yep, I had that 10 years ago.. phoned up with 'stomach pains'.. doctor called back, then told to come in and see them straight away... then told to get straight to A&E... took as a couple hours to be worked through the different levels, and then in a ward, and appendix out in the morning.. Actually it was 10 years ago yesterday..
 
Would you consider registering at a different GP in your local area? My GP are incredible (and I live in Brixton so it isn't exactly a quiet area with a small population); every time I've submitted an econsult I've had a call back from reception offering me a same day appointment. Twice I cancelled the appointment because the GP had already reviewed my consult and sent through the prescription to the chemist. On one occasion the GP called me back, asked if I was busy and if not could I pop over there and then. This all related to an ongoing issue which was not particularly urgent and did not indicate a potentially concerning underlying issue, so high speed wasn't particularly necessary. When I was in the waiting room waiting for one appointment, someone came in and asked if they could be seen there and then; the receptionist saw someone else had DNA'd their appointment so squeezed them in. Others came in and asked for an appointment and were booked in for a few days time. It feels like I am back in the glory days of yore when I go and I have no idea how they manage it really.
 
SpookyFrank said:
It's not just money. They could do something about private providers and agencies poaching NHS-trained medics. Could shut down private healthcare altogether and appropriate all the staff and facilities. We're at a level of crisis where such drastic action is warranted IMO.
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Sadly I fear it's more likely that they'll run the NHS down to such a level that it'll be replaced by some kind of private health insurance scheme.
 
SpookyFrank said:
It's not just money. They could do something about private providers and agencies poaching NHS-trained medics. Could shut down private healthcare altogether and appropriate all the staff and facilities. We're at a level of crisis where such drastic action is warranted IMO.
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It's worse than this. There aren’t enough doctors, nurses, psychologists, OTs, you name it, private work a drop in the ocean compared to simple vacancies and skill mix issues, we're not training enough, people don't apply to university courses in the numbers needed anyway, we're no longer as attractive an option for overseas workers as we used to be, and over a third of our staff are retiring in the next 5-10 years.

There's a reason you're going to hear a lot about AI solutions and self help in the coming decade.
 
The NHS is effective for some things. I had a lump on my tongue. Saw the GP within days, hospital within a week and had it removed within another fortnight.
 
Plumdaff said:
It's worse than this. There aren’t enough doctors, nurses, psychologists, OTs, you name it, private work a drop in the ocean compared to simple vacancies and skill mix issues, we're not training enough, people don't apply to university courses in the numbers needed anyway,
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Possibly due to the insane entry requirements.

3 of my friends are doctors and only one got A level results that would have got them on to a medical degree course now
 
nightowl said:
Going to sound a couple out in terms of their appointment booking arrangements tomorrow.
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nightowl I would also ask around friends, neighbours and check any local forums for recommendations. I moved 5 years ago (only 2 miles) but the difference in service has been astounding. So much seems to be down to the individual GP practice.
That said, having been referred, the non emergency hospital service has been so bad I went private.
 
rubbershoes said:
The NHS is effective for some things. I had a lump on my tongue. Saw the GP within days, hospital within a week and had it removed within another fortnight.
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Anecdotally a lot of what I’m seeing is that urgent life threatening issues tend to be still picked up fast and lives saved it’s just everything else that’s fubar.

Which leads to more life threatening urgent care as eventually things go wrong or not picked up in time.
 
Plumdaff said:
It's worse than this. There aren’t enough doctors, nurses, psychologists, OTs, you name it, private work a drop in the ocean compared to simple vacancies and skill mix issues, we're not training enough, people don't apply to university courses in the numbers needed anyway, we're no longer as attractive an option for overseas workers as we used to be, and over a third of our staff are retiring in the next 5-10 years.

There's a reason you're going to hear a lot about AI solutions and self help in the coming decade.
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It does not matter how many people apply to study nursing or medicine, there aren't the places available to train enough doctor and nurses in the numbers required e2a and this was a decision made by the last government
 
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nightowl said:
It's impossible to get an appointment with my GP. They supposedly start taking appointment bookings at 8am in the morning but they're gone in minutes. I've even tried getting up 10 minutes beforehand and immediately redialling through all the engaged tone before it finally rings but even then you get a 'you're number 30' in the queue type automatic message. Even if you sit through the hour or so it takes them to get to you all the appointments are gone. It's the same with their 'econsult' forms. Almost before you can pick one up the message comes up 'all appointments gone'. It's been the same the last four or five times I've tried to get an appointment and they refuse to book one any other way. Even if you phone them or turn up in person you get the robotic 'you must book first thing in the morning' response and no matter how much you explain what a waste of time that process is they won't budge. As for A&E, you wouldn't go near it unless you were at death's door... unless you enjoy six-hour waiting times. It almost feels like the NHS is one big padlocked door with a 'sod off' sign pinned on it at the moment.
Click to expand...

Mine isn't too bad. You can't get through on the phone, but the e-consult works well and they will get back to you to offer an appointment if they need to see you. If it's something that requires a prescription, they'll send it to your chosen pharmacy the same day.

For anything really urgent, we have an urgent treatment centre/minor injuries unit open from 8am-8pm 7 days a week. They have a nurse prescriber, who can issue prescriptions, and some way of getting a GP appointment the same day if they think it's necessary.

It's not ideal, but it's clearly a lot better than many.
 
I've had nothing less than excellent service from all areas of the NHS, from my initial GP visit 8yrs ago which led to my hospitalisation for heart failure, to my arthritis diagnosis and appropriate treatment last year and a 1 week wait from my optician referring me to the eye clinic for suspected glaucoma and having that appointment on Monday followed by a referral for peripheral iridotomies (basically having small holes lasred into your iris). I've never had to wait longer than a couple of days when requesting a GP appointment and the phoneback system they have works perfectly for me.
 
Humberto said:
Mine seems overstretched but still functions. You might be better switching GP practices if there is another one in your area.
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All 3 practices where I live (plus one in a nearby village) merged into one several years ago, so it's that or go private. It means you have to remember to check which one to go to though, as they're still in their original buildings. There is planning permission to build a new health centre as part of a large housing development, but in the 20+ years since the planning permission was granted, the site has changed hands several times and not a single thing has been built.
 
rubbershoes said:
Possibly due to the insane entry requirements.

3 of my friends are doctors and only one got A level results that would have got them on to a medical degree course now
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More importantly if you can get the results to get into medical school why would you spend that long at Uni and accrue the significant debt to do an very stressful and difficult job that pays, at junior doctor level, very poorly (Lab gov doing something about that, but not fixing anything else) and places you in work situations that are at best morally harmful, at worst genuinely unsafe.

eta. I have no problems accessing my GP surgery but I speak fluent NHS and Doctor having worked in the system for over 20 years. I worry for more vulnerable people, especially those who aren't IT savvy. I still regularly get fuck ups with my repeat prescriptions.
 
Plumdaff said:
More importantly if you can get the results to get into medical school why would you spend that long at Uni and accrue the significant debt to do an very stressful and difficult job that pays, at junior doctor level, very poorly (Lab gov doing something about that, but not fixing anything else) and places you in work situations that are at best morally harmful, at worst genuinely unsafe.
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Most junior doctors won't be junior doctors forever. The greater rewards accrue a bit further along the career path. And career choices are not solely about money. E2a the great majority of us almost certainly work in places that are at best morally harmful if not genuinely unsafe
 
Touchwood, I've only been to a doctors twice in about forty years, but my experience of NHS dentists has been great over the last couple of years with a next day slot for any annoying teeth emergencies.

Mrs.Griff did something to her wrist a while back, phoned up the GP and got a next day appointment at our East London surgery.

I hear these NHS horror stories of no appointments etc, but touchwood again, they're not something we've experienced.
 
nightowl said:
It's impossible to get an appointment with my GP. They supposedly start taking appointment bookings at 8am in the morning but they're gone in minutes. I've even tried getting up 10 minutes beforehand and immediately redialling through all the engaged tone before it finally rings but even then you get a 'you're number 30' in the queue type automatic message. Even if you sit through the hour or so it takes them to get to you all the appointments are gone. It's the same with their 'econsult' forms. Almost before you can pick one up the message comes up 'all appointments gone'. It's been the same the last four or five times I've tried to get an appointment and they refuse to book one any other way. Even if you phone them or turn up in person you get the robotic 'you must book first thing in the morning' response and no matter how much you explain what a waste of time that process is they won't budge. As for A&E, you wouldn't go near it unless you were at death's door... unless you enjoy six-hour waiting times. It almost feels like the NHS is one big padlocked door with a 'sod off' sign pinned on it at the moment.
Click to expand...

Anyone else feel like the NHS almost doesn't exist for them any more?​

^ This actually describes perfectly how I've felt for a few years with the NHS, it's there but it doesn't really exist if you need help with your mental health.

The scenario with trying to book an appointment as well is exactly mine and I'm sure a lot of others experience :( I always think though, if you're always way down the queue even if you dial bang on opening - who does get the first appointments? Surely someone must but how come it's never us? Unless it's a scam which I think is a possibility, I.e. there are no early appointments and everyone is told they're way down the queue, that way they can say the same to everybody that once you get to number one after a few hours - no appointments left. If they do this then they can repeatedly do anything but see patients every morning.

Now it's no secret they're giving out less appointments anyway, things will get worse. It's a clear message that the NHS is that under pressure that sorry - people's health needs to take a back seat and can we stop being ill? Or if you are ill/need help, you have to get on with it on your own and that leads to tragedies where someone with severe and untreated MH issues does something. I know sometimes people could just be evil or that way inclined as well + a lot of people who are severely unwell wouldn't make that decision but there isn't enough help with a broken system.

Also, it feels like it takes someone on that precipice to actually get noticed or an intervention, if you struggle woth poor mental health but it's deemed not as bad as the worst cases - then you can go and swivel if you want help. Never mind it affecting your quality of life day in day out, if it's not a crisis that will reflect badly on the NHS or result in tragedy then you have to go round in circles and hope for the best.

Things never really get solved, if your brain doesn't work properly then it affects you forever, you can only hope to manage it as best you can or with help from professionals. Oh wait...

Apologies for the rant and long post.
 
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