NHS appointments

[Tâf]

Our local GP practice closed last autumn after all the GP's resigned for one reason or another.

3 other practices took over the load, with one taking over our local practice in the original building. All the staff were replaced, so there were teething troubles, especially with repeat prescriptions and out-of-hours cover.

But the biggest problem has been in getting an appointment to see a GP or specialist nurse.

A notice on their door yesterday said that anyone wishing to see a GP or nurse has to phone to get an appointment, and that the present waiting time is FOUR WEEKS! 

Pol had an appointment to see a Diabetes Opthalmist last November. It was cancelled with a week to go, and moved to February. Last week a letter arrived to move that to April. 3 days later another letter said that was moved to July.

Today that has been postponed by phone to September!

No explanations, no apologies. 

[Tâf]

Today that has been postponed by phone to September!

Now moved to January 2019! 

Our GP surgery has always closed on Wednesday afternoon, but accepted calls to make appointments.

Now they are closed Wednesday and Friday afternoons and do not accept phonecalls, but the answering machine machine says to call the surgery that took them over.

Guess what? They are closed Wednesday and Friday afternoons too!

I got a note to make an appointment for a Medication Review. First available slot on 1st October. In the afternoon, as they no longer do evening surgeries!

[El]

I would always defend the NHS.
The only thing I won't defend though is the countless pen pushes who seem to love just taking a system that works and putting a spanner in the works. The endless bloody robot voices to make a simple hospital appointment is crazy. Next week's appointment with hospital has involved a letter that I had to ring a number to tell a robot the number on the letter and press star to confirm. Then last night another robot had me imputting his date of birth and number then star and then confirming his attendance again.
Oh I had to press one to confirm I was him. He has a brain injury!! For crying out loud! He would not have been able to understand all the instructions and this is a bleeding neurological appointment sheesh it makes me so angry that there are people like him who are alone who would not understand this nonsense.

[Tâf]

The missus has been in a depressed state for several months. She saw our GP at the end of last summer and was told all they could offer was a single "talking therapy session" around Xmas! 

She has just seen the same GP and was told there is nothing they can do.

WTF?

No psychiatrist, no therapy, no meds, NOTHING!!!

[Tâf]

The surgery is not accepting telephone requests for repeat prescriptions. Neither are they issuing GP letters that allow us to order online. The answering machine says to post the request through their door. But their letter box is sealed.

[Tâf]

I just got through to the surgery. They are only manning the phones at odd times, and can't change the answering machine message. No appointments available for 3 weeks, and the missus will need a phone appointment before they allow her a repeat of her depression meds. I asked about sleeping tablets and was told that they are only issued for a week at a time. 

[Tâf]

I was warned that our local surgery closes at midday today (as it has under the new management). So I made a repeat request letter anyhow and drove there to deliver it.

What I found was the letterbox still blocked, but the admin lady sticking a notice over it. They are not just closing from midday, but are staying closed "for the duration". All repeat requests to be taken to the "pharmacy of our choice".

So off to Tesco, saw the very long queues so came back to try again later.

[Mike]

Your surgery sounds appalling Taf, mine is still open for appointments and all prescription request are as normal, only thing they are not doing is blood tests, I've got an appointment tomorrow for my 6 monthly BP review

[Tâf]

The first "co-operative between 2 surgeries went bust. This one is not putting the money in apparently.

[El]

We can't reach ours either. Blood test was due this month but not available as no nurse. Letter that my June appointment is cancelled , that was blood test and consultant.
But got a phone call yesterday from Dr's surgery wanted to speak to Chris.  I told her that I'm his carer and she could speak to me. It was to do with covid and how is he coping. Has he been out? So I asked how he could go out. He has no mobility, we are shielding him. She had no notes in front of her apparently, no idea of the situation of the people she was calling. I asked if it was possible to have a letter stating that he couldn't go out......told to see the dr. She asked if we had family to help, told her yes .She gave me a number for a volunteer organisation that could collect prescriptions for us but it was only for people with no one to help and by my answers, we do.
Well, I suppose that's the boxes ticked for her. Obviously this was outsourced.

[Tâf]

All change. Tesco got a email to say that the usual exchange of faxes (21st century) will no longer be accepted. So Tesco has to take the repeat request to the distant surgery between 9 and 10 any morning, and collect them 2 days later.

No-one in the Tesco pharmacy lives anywhere near the distant surgery, so a customer service bod will drop them off and collect them, but only twice a week.

So the repeat I just put in will not be ready until at least Tuesday.

[El]

Had a letter that he is having a neurologist telephone consultation in two weeks. Oh well. Saves us £35 on wheelchair taxis and sitting in a waiting room for an hour.

[Tâf]

Only half of Pol's meds turned up. The GP said the script was correct, the chemist says it only authorised half the normal quantity.

She told them to sort it out between themselves ASAP as she is about to run out.