LYNNE HOGGAN: What do I have to do to get a GP appointment round here?

By Lynne Hoggan

July 28 2022, 4:10pm

The struggle to get a GP appointment is real. Shutterstock.

Remember the days when you could call the doctor’s surgery and get an appointment on the same day?

Now you need to wait ages just to talk to someone on the phone.

I tweeted about it after I tried to make an appointment this week and realised it’s not just me who’s struggling. Although, to be fair, some people did say that not all GP practices are the same.

Sometimes just making the call can be time-consuming enough.

When I finally got through to make an appointment the other day, I was told I could have a telephone call two weeks into August.

A three-week wait just for a chat with the doctor over the phone. Seems crazy, right? Do I have to be dying to get something sooner?

And I know it’s the GP receptionist’s job to ask questions and gather information. But I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks they don’t make life easy for us.

She told me this particular doctor is “extremely popular”, like she was trying to organise a meet and greet with him.

Mind the days you’d phone the docs & get an appointment that day. Now you have to wait 3 weeks on a phone call aff them 🤣🤣 FS

— Lynne (@Lynneontheradio) July 27, 2022

So does that mean the other doctors are sitting around doing nothing because nobody wants to see them, or they’re not good enough?

Just give me an appointment with a doctor, for goodness sake.

How long till we’re diagnosing ourselves?

When you do eventually get a telephone call, you have to answer because they only call you twice then move on.

Which can feel a bit weird if you’re sitting in the kitchen with the kids running around. Or you’re at Aldi doing a shop. Or you’ve suddenly had to pull the car over because the doctor is calling you.

The worst bit is when they say “can you come in’” and you think “YES that’s what I wanted all along”.

Patients say its getting harder to get a GP appointment. Covid, an ageing population and pressures elsewhere in the NHS have all been put forward as reasons. Shutterstock.

Except your stress levels go through the roof because now you have to rush to get there and arrange childcare.

Or take the kids along knowing they’ll end up trashing his room.

I wonder how long it will be before we are doing Zoom calls?

Or diagnosing ourselves with an Amazon-bought stethoscope and scribbling out our own prescriptions?

GP appointment struggle may be putting patients off

I love our NHS. And I know we are very lucky to have the healthcare we do. And that doctors say there are very good reasons for people not being able to get a GP appointment.

But it worries me that some people will be put off by this.

That some might not even bother going to the hassle of trying to make an appointment.

I know I’ve often said “oh I’ll be fine” because I really can’t be bothered with it all and I know I’ll just end up feeling like I’m wasting THEIR time.

This GP situation needs to be sorted out.

Because a couple of paracetamol, plenty of water and a good night’s sleep doesn’t solve everything.