Appointment only GP????

pencilsharp

Hi all,

I attend a GP in Blanchardstown Village, have for over 22 years. I love my GP, I have a really good rapport with him and he knows all my medical history so I like to continue to go to him.

Over the last year or so it has been increasingly difficult to get an appointment with him, seemingly his clinic is appointment only. This seems crazy to me, what happens if you wake up a sore throat and need to see a doctor??

I have rang in the past in such situations and have been given an appointment date for 2-3 days later! Its madness!! Yesterday took the biscuit though! I rang for a full hour yesterday before somebody answered the phone (this also happens regularly)! I then explained that I was sick and needed to see my GP and could I come down in the afternoon. I was told NO, that my GP could see me on Tuesday (yesterday was Thursday!!)! I explained I was sick and really needed to see my GP as he knows my medical history and would be aware of the treatment I require, I was told again NO and that after 5pm I should ring the D Doc to see me! This was 11 o'clock in the morning, I know if I was seriously unwell I could have gone to A&E, nut all I needed was to be examined and get my prescription, going to A&E would have been ridiculous. The receptionist is really not understanding at all and the receptionist who works in a service which is supposed to be a 'caring profession' is anything but!!

Has anybody else noticed this problem with other GP practices? Is this the norm? As I said I love my GP so would prefer not to have to start going somewhere else!

Nolimits

In blaming the receptionist I would guess that you're shooting the messenger. The doctor is her boss, and no matter how nice you think the doctor is the receptionist is more than likely just fulfilling the doctors wish. I thought most places still let you go down as an emergency though, I know mine does.

indigo twist

My doctor's the opposite, he won't do appointments at all - you just turn up and wait your turn! It's good because you know you'll definitely be seen on the day - and he doesn't rush you at all, he says that's why he doesn't do appointments, so that patients don't feel they have a time limit when they see him. However you can often be in the waiting room for quite a while, and also he has awkward opening hours (no evenings or weekends.)

There are advantages and disadvantages to both systems ... I've often made appointments for other doctors and STILL ended up waiting for just as long as I do for him.

pencilsharp

Nolimits wrote: »

In blaming the receptionist I would guess that you're shooting the messenger. The doctor is her boss, and no matter how nice you think the doctor is the receptionist is more than likely just fulfilling the doctors wish. I thought most places still let you go down as an emergency though, I know mine does.

I'm just blaming the receptionist for her flippant reply and tone, I realise the instruction has come from the top. It's ridiculous, I went to D Doc last night, who told me he wasn't happy to prescribe me anything cos he didn't know my full medical history and that I should wait and go to my own GP!!! So I've to remain in pain end feeling miserable all weekend!

sparky63

pencilsharp wrote: »

Hi all,

I attend a GP in Blanchardstown Village, have for over 22 years. I love my GP, I have a really good rapport with him and he knows all my medical history so I like to continue to go to him.

Over the last year or so it has been increasingly difficult to get an appointment with him, seemingly his clinic is appointment only. This seems crazy to me, what happens if you wake up a sore throat and need to see a doctor??

I have rang in the past in such situations and have been given an appointment date for 2-3 days later! Its madness!! Yesterday took the biscuit though! I rang for a full hour yesterday before somebody answered the phone (this also happens regularly)! I then explained that I was sick and needed to see my GP and could I come down in the afternoon. I was told NO, that my GP could see me on Tuesday (yesterday was Thursday!!)! I explained I was sick and really needed to see my GP as he knows my medical history and would be aware of the treatment I require, I was told again NO and that after 5pm I should ring the D Doc to see me! This was 11 o'clock in the morning, I know if I was seriously unwell I could have gone to A&E, nut all I needed was to be examined and get my prescription, going to A&E would have been ridiculous. The receptionist is really not understanding at all and the receptionist who works in a service which is supposed to be a 'caring profession' is anything but!!

Has anybody else noticed this problem with other GP practices? Is this the norm? As I said I love my GP so would prefer not to have to start going somewhere else!

I'd change GP, its the service you want, loyalty seems to only work one way in business. I find the surgeries with a number of doctors better as you have a better chance of an appointment. Your medical history can be explained to a new doctor on first visit and any records they need can be got.

gutenberg

My GP in D15 never did appointments, you just waited your turn, which while sometimes frustrating, did mean you'd be seen that day - I tried to arrive soon after the clinic started.

I now live in the UK, and you should see the NHS GP service: a 2-3 day wait for an appointment now sounds great! I rang up on Friday and the next available appointment is next Friday! They do same-day appointments, with booking open at 8.30am, but I've phoned before at 8.33 and they would be gone!

gipi

My GP practice has been appointment only since I signed up 10 yrs ago. There's no evening or weekend clinics (apart from the doc on call), no guarantee of same-day appointment, and no guarantee you'll even see the same GP or the GP you want. Since I've been there, I've been switched to 4 different doctors in the practice.

fletch

I only ever use the Dub Doc now. So handy!

beauf

indigo twist wrote: »

My doctor's the opposite, he won't do appointments at all - you just turn up and wait your turn! It's good because you know you'll definitely be seen on the day - and he doesn't rush you at all, he says that's why he doesn't do appointments, so that patients don't feel they have a time limit when they see him. However you can often be in the waiting room for quite a while, and also he has awkward opening hours (no evenings or weekends.)

There are advantages and disadvantages to both systems ... I've often made appointments for other doctors and STILL ended up waiting for just as long as I do for him.

If you are very sick, say you have a tummy bug or you're back is bits, its no fun waiting for hours in a waiting room. I don't find any advantage in not having appointments.

zef

After my lovely GP retired about 6 years ago, his patient load was transferred to a larger 3 GP practice in the D.15 area.
What a nightmare, the surgery is constantly full of people coughing and sneezing and babies filling their nappies, always smells of ****
I have a medical card and the only other GP i've been told i can change to is a Dr. on the other side of D.15, a 20 min bus ride away. Who wants that when ill?
Sorry, I'm on a rant here now I realise, but say I get an appointment for 11am , turn up 10.55am and often end up waiting past 12 to see the dr, sitting around in a depressing smelly waiting room. Unfortunately I have a medical condition meaning i'm up there once a month and I really dread it. I would be waiting less time to see my old GP, without an appointment, you'd never be more than an hour max. With appointments I routinely wait over an hour. Is it cos i'm GMS/ med card? Grrrrrrrrrrrrr

beauf

Thats got nothing to do with appointments just a badly organised doctor. My old doc had no appointments and you were generally left there for hours.