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GPs in the city that only see private patients?

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  • 08-02-2016 6:34pm
    #1
    El_Dangeroso
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 5,620 ✭✭✭


    Are there any GP practices in the city that only see private patients?


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    #2
    snubbleste
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 31,117 ✭✭✭✭snubbleste


    If you rephrase that: are there any GPs that do not accept medical cards?
    Then yes. But I don't who they are.


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    #3
    El_Dangeroso
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 5,620 ✭✭✭El_Dangeroso


    snubbleste wrote: »
    If you rephrase that: are there any GPs that do not accept medical cards?
    Then yes. But I don't who they are.

    Not necessarily, there's the under 6 card, gp visit card. My phrasing was more accurate. :P


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    #4
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,952 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    My guess would be that the weekend GP at Nile Lodge probably is private only.

    At one stage, practises weren't allowed to take medical cards until they'd been open for two years. If this still applies, then any new practises would be private-only.


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    #5
    Whereisgalway
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,470 ✭✭✭Whereisgalway


    Mrs OBumble wrote: »
    My guess would be that the weekend GP at Nile Lodge probably is private only.

    At one stage, practises weren't allowed to take medical cards until they'd been open for two years. If this still applies, then any new practises would be private-only.

    They see people with medical cards in Nile lodge aswell


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    #6
    GDSGR8
    Registered Users Posts: 76 ✭✭GDSGR8


    Why would anyone care one way or the other?


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    #7
    mansize
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,521 ✭✭✭✭mansize


    GDSGR8 wrote: »
    Why would anyone care one way or the other?

    Less queues.


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    #8
    GDSGR8
    Registered Users Posts: 76 ✭✭GDSGR8


    mansize wrote: »
    Less queues.
    Why queue? Just book an appointment in advance.


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    #9
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,952 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    Whereisgalway wrote: »
    They see people with medical cards in Nile lodge aswell

    There are two separate practises there. I doubt that the weekend one provides enough cover to have medical card access.


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    #10
    Avatar MIA
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,750 ✭✭✭Avatar MIA


    El_Dangeroso wrote: »
    Are there any GP practices in the city that only see private patients?

    PFFF - House call's the way to go.

    You might need to invent a time machine to visit 1975 though. Mmm, making an appointment might be easier.


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    #11
    El_Dangeroso
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 5,620 ✭✭✭El_Dangeroso


    GDSGR8 wrote: »
    Why queue? Just book an appointment in advance.

    Even if you make an appointment you end up waiting for 20 minutes minimum.


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    #12
    cgcsb
    Registered Users Posts: 9,527 ✭✭✭cgcsb


    You've probably spent more than 20 mins on boards talking about it. Just book an appointment.


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    #13
    Whereisgalway
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,470 ✭✭✭Whereisgalway


    Mrs OBumble wrote: »
    There are two separate practises there. I doubt that the weekend one provides enough cover to have medical card access.

    I've a medical card and seen there 3 weeks ago at the weekend


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    #14
    El_Dangeroso
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 5,620 ✭✭✭El_Dangeroso


    cgcsb wrote: »
    You've probably spent more than 20 mins on boards talking about it. Just book an appointment.

    If you have nothing helpful to contribute there are other threads you can post on.


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    #15
    2rkehij30qtza5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,476 ✭✭✭2rkehij30qtza5


    Sometimes if for example you are working, you might not have much time to attend a doctor...you might be trying to dash out of work only to land at the doctor's surgery and be waiting 30 minutes before you are even seen to. So I get what the OP is asking in principal...however I don't think that just because someone has a medical card means they are going to be longer inside the doctor's surgery. I also don't think it means the surgery will be more or less busy. You could have private patients with children under 6 who have the under 6's medical cards for example. Does this make any difference to the length of a queue?..I think not.
    Your only option is to get the 9am first slot of the morning really OP. That way you know you won't be waiting as there will be nobody on front of you.


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    #16
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,121 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Are there GPs in the Galway clinic?

    Broadly unless you are wealthy enough to have a doctor follow you around 24/7 queuing and waiting will be inevitable.


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    #17
    mansize
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,521 ✭✭✭✭mansize


    GDSGR8 wrote: »
    Why queue? Just book an appointment in advance.

    The appointment book would be full


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    #18
    El_Dangeroso
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 5,620 ✭✭✭El_Dangeroso


    Elizabeth Sticky Stadium wrote: »
    Sometimes if for example you are working, you might not have much time to attend a doctor...you might be trying to dash out of work only to land at the doctor's surgery and be waiting 30 minutes before you are even seen to. So I get what the OP is asking in principal...however I don't think that just because someone has a medical card means they are going to be longer inside the doctor's surgery. I also don't think it means the surgery will be more or less busy. You could have private patients with children under 6 who have the under 6's medical cards for example. Does this make any difference to the length of a queue?..I think not.
    Your only option is to get the 9am first slot of the morning really OP. That way you know you won't be waiting as there will be nobody on front of you.

    I'm actually looking for a GP that takes no form of state-funded patients. That's the reason I ask is because wait times have gone up since the under-6's have come in.


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    #19
    snubbleste
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 31,117 ✭✭✭✭snubbleste


    El_Dangeroso wrote: »
    I'm actually looking for a GP that takes no form of state-funded patients. That's the reason I ask is because wait times have gone up since the under-6's have come in.
    Aha!


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    #20
    2rkehij30qtza5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,476 ✭✭✭2rkehij30qtza5


    El_Dangeroso wrote: »
    I'm actually looking for a GP that takes no form of state-funded patients. That's the reason I ask is because wait times have gone up since the under-6's have come in.

    Very unlikely you will find a GP so!
    As I said, get the 9am appointment slot and you won't have to wait and you can go to ANY gp.


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    #21
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,952 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    Whereisgalway wrote: »
    I've a medical card and seen there 3 weeks ago at the weekend

    Yes, but is that doctor's name on your medical card?

    Or does your regular doctor have a deal with them for after hours cover? I suspect the latter.




    Op. If you Google "list of GPs providing services for under 6s", then you can find ones who do.

    Practises not on this list may still take regular medical cards, but aren't part of the under-six scheme, so won't have the associated delays.


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    #22
    El_Dangeroso
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 5,620 ✭✭✭El_Dangeroso


    Elizabeth Sticky Stadium wrote: »
    Very unlikely you will find a GP so!
    As I said, get the 9am appointment slot and you won't have to wait and you can go to ANY gp.

    That's not convenient for me unfortunately and I think when you are paying 60 bucks you shouldn't have to wait when you have a set appt time.

    I guess I have my answer, and that's a no, if anyone does come across one do let me know.


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    #23
    robfahy
    Registered Users Posts: 67 ✭✭robfahy


    Elizabeth Sticky Stadium wrote: »
    get the 9am appointment slot and you won't have to wait
    I had a 9am appointment with a GP in the Crescent a few years back. Arrived at 8:45, the GP walked in the door at 8:55 with a coffee and newspaper in his hand. He didn't call me until 9:20am, so having first appointment in the morning doesn't mean you won't have to wait. I guess some GPs just like being able to leave people waiting.


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    #24
    2rkehij30qtza5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,476 ✭✭✭2rkehij30qtza5


    El_Dangeroso wrote: »
    That's not convenient for me unfortunately and I think when you are paying 60 bucks you shouldn't have to wait when you have a set appt time.

    I guess I have my answer, and that's a no, if anyone does come across one do let me know.

    It's not possible to always get your appointment to coincide with the exact time you are given. The GP does not know what each patient is coming to them with (illness/issue type) before they come. So if you have someone who just needs bloods taken or if it's an antenatal visit or something, it make take 5-10 minutes for example. If you have someone who has depression, you'll have to give them more time..you can't just boot them out the door after 15 minutes so that you can stick to your exact schedule of 15 minute slots. You are only guaranteed that you will be seen at your exact time slot if you come first thing in the morning.


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    #25
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,484 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    At my sister's gp in the UK you cannot book an appointment less than a week away. There is one morning a week where you can turn up and just wait your turn, but you could easily be there all morning. Excellent practice but just overworked - I think the same is true most places in the UK.


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    #26
    El_Dangeroso
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 5,620 ✭✭✭El_Dangeroso


    Elizabeth Sticky Stadium wrote: »
    It's not possible to always get your appointment to coincide with the exact time you are given. The GP does not know what each patient is coming to them with (illness/issue type) before they come. So if you have someone who just needs bloods taken or if it's an antenatal visit or something, it make take 5-10 minutes for example. If you have someone who has depression, you'll have to give them more time..you can't just boot them out the door after 15 minutes so that you can stick to your exact schedule of 15 minute slots. You are only guaranteed that you will be seen at your exact time slot if you come first thing in the morning.

    I totally understand that but does that happen every single day? If so why don't they build some redundancy into the schedule? Other professions manage to do this.

    looksee wrote: »
    At my sister's gp in the UK you cannot book an appointment less than a week away. There is one morning a week where you can turn up and just wait your turn, but you could easily be there all morning. Excellent practice but just overworked - I think the same is true most places in the UK.

    Yes, that's exactly where we're headed too unfortunately.


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    #27
    toadfly
    Registered Users Posts: 3,412 ✭✭✭toadfly


    Elizabeth Sticky Stadium wrote: »
    Your only option is to get the 9am first slot of the morning really OP. That way you know you won't be waiting as there will be nobody on front of you.

    The doctor could still be late! There is no way to guarantee you wont be waiting. If you arent happy about it, make a complaint. Not all doctors would be 20 mins late for each appointment. Where I go, I usually get seen on time.


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    #28
    mansize
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,521 ✭✭✭✭mansize


    20 minutes??? Wish I only ever had to wait 20 minutes


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    #29
    ScumLord
    Registered Users Posts: 28,789 ✭✭✭✭ScumLord


    El_Dangeroso wrote: »
    I totally understand that but does that happen every single day? If so why don't they build some redundancy into the schedule? Other professions manage to do this.
    They can, but other professionals can say "well that's all we got time for, I'll have to leave it there". A GP doesn't have the same luxury, they could have their hand half way up someones colon, or a patient in tears because of depression. They can't end a season after an allotted time, they have no choice but to spend as long as it takes with each patient.

    What you really want is a very expensive GP, that's the only way to keep the riff raff away.


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    #30
    inisboffin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,388 ✭✭✭inisboffin


    ScumLord wrote: »
    they could have their hand half way up someones colon

    :eek:


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    #31
    El_Dangeroso
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 5,620 ✭✭✭El_Dangeroso


    ScumLord wrote: »
    What you really want is a very expensive GP, that's the only way to keep the riff raff away.

    €60 for 15 mins isn't expensive? :)

    Anyways I spoke with a GP who reliably informed me there are no private practices in Galway city.

    Mods you can close the thread.


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