Hedging your bets

[Brengirl]

My oh has the return of a worrying condition and rang the doctor for an appointment. I watched the look of amazement on his face when being told that were very booked up due to Christmas. I fell about laughing when his reply was "Are you saying that people make a booking just in case they may need one".

[Polly Fouracre]

To get an appointment at our local Health Centre you either have to be at Death's door or wait for about eight days!
Not the H.C's fault though. New building estates going up all around us and no provision made for schools or Health Centres etc!!

[janeyo]

I think as the health centres are open funny hours over Christmas people make appointments if they may run out of their regular prescriptions and worry they won't get any more.

[bishop]

we have just changed to a new doctors surgery for the same reason, its 200yds from our old one, and so far we can get appointments the same day, compared to, we have no appointments till next week ring back tomorrow at 815 to see if there is any cancellations, so annoying.

[Two_Sheds]

My complaint is the reverse to most people's. I WANT a pre-bookable appointment because I have an existing condition that needs an eye kept on it. Therefore I need a regular appointment every quarter or 6 months on average.

I want an appt that fits in with my day, so I want to choose the day and time. I can't. I'm told to phone on the morning, which is no good if you're at work is it? Not only can you not phone from work, you can't whizz off at the last minute either.

[rustylady]

I think as the health centres are open funny hours over Christmas people make appointments if they may run out of their regular prescriptions and worry they won't get any more.

Surely most surgeries now have a repeat prescription facility so that you don't actually need to see a doctor. I know my daughter just phones for a repeat prescription for her asthma inhalers, and only needs to see the doctor every six months or so.

[HotStuff]

Surely most surgeries now have a repeat prescription facility so that you don't actually need to see a doctor. I know my daughter just phones for a repeat prescription for her asthma inhalers, and only needs to see the doctor every six months or so.

The Boots in my village have a facility whereby they keep my repeat prescription papers, when I need stuff I just ring them and they tell me when I can pick it up, simples

Oh, and the local Heath Centre have appointments bookable up to about 1 month in advance. But I've never had a problem seeing someone (not necessarily my own GP) the same day if it was urgent. Guess I'm lucky.

[Two_Sheds]

Boots ... have a facility whereby they keep my repeat prescription papers, when I need stuff I just ring them

I do that too. As it's a monthly repeat I don't even need to ring them, they just pick it up every month.
So now I only have to queue in Boots, no queuing at the GP's too

[chris]

My complaint is the reverse to most people's. I WANT a pre-bookable appointment because I have an existing condition that needs an eye kept on it. Therefore I need a regular appointment every quarter or 6 months on average.

I want an appt that fits in with my day, so I want to choose the day and time. I can't. I'm told to phone on the morning, which is no good if you're at work is it? Not only can you not phone from work, you can't whizz off at the last minute either.

That's poor, but one benefit of me having moved to wales (*ducks*) I presume.

I wonder if it's due to the new reforms? I take it you've expressed concern to your local primary care trust (or whatever it is now in England)? Is that just your docs, or throughout your area?

[chris]

Mind you, my gripe is with receptionists.

"Can I ask what's wrong?"

Then they get funny with me when I say no. Mind you, my local one is a battle axe, I've written a complaint twice about her.

Almost tempting to delete her nhs records, take that you nasty thing! Not that I'm bitter or anything.

[Brengirl]

Before I go on I wish to say the NHS is a marvelous service. It could be better is the right hand new what the left was doing. As I have already said my oh needs to see or speak with a doctor asp. He was told to ring the surgery the next day at 08.30. That is a joke in the first place because the phone is always engaged and it is never to till after nine that you get an answer. I then telephoned and requesed the doc rings him (our docs have a I'll ring you arrangement) and that a 'sample' will be taken to the surgery for analysis. My man then takes said package to reception only to be told that our doctor is not in today. Back to the drawing board...