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How's your GP practice doing?

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Docb

Docb

Moderator
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Though it might be interesting to compare notes....

Got a sludgy, blocked ear, been like it for a few weeks so thought I would call the surgery and see what's what.

Got through second try, and was told that somebody would call me back. An hour, later got a call from the Nurse Practitioner who asked a load of questions. Decided that would be a good idea to get a swab and start some antibiotic drops. Suggested I went to surgery and if I was OK with taking the swab myself in the car park (I was), she would leave a swab kit with the receptionist. If I got there ASAP, they would have a result this afternoon. Also while I was on she sent at prescription to pharmacy for antibiotic drops.

Went to surgery. Door locked with instructions to knock for attention so did that. Chair outside with wipes and stuff so anybody who was infirm could sit and wait. Amusingly they had put nurse sourpuss in charge of answering the door. I think of her as nurse sourpuss, because she does not seem to believe in idle chat - just what you need on the door under these circumstances. Took swab, labelled it, packaged it up and popped it back through the letterbox. On the way home, called in the pharmacy and picked up the prescription. I am to call again on Friday if it does not clear up. Will probably call up if it does clear up, just to say thank you.

So, on this one anecdote, our GP surgery seems to be doing brilliantly. They have got themselves organised and I got better service than I might have expected in normal times. In particular, it was nice to be treated as a sensible adult.

How's yours doing?
 
Ours is similar. They have online forms which is their preference and these are dealt with quickly either via email or a phone call or booking you in if needed. If you need to see or speak with a doctor or nurse then you can call and get a call back when appropriate. They’re encouraging people to drive to the surgery if they need to be seen and then they are phoned in the car park once the doctor is ready. The building houses 2 doctors surgeries and a pharmacy and you’re only allowed in via certain doors which are locked and only opened for individual entry. It’s a bit random at times and I think some of the older patients struggle but for most things it’s actually easier and less stressful to get a response from a medic. My worry is that people will put off seeking treatment though because of the extra hassle of getting into the building etc.
 
I requested something on my prescription that is not on my repeats and was done without a problem, and quickly.
I was due a couple of weeks ago a repeat stool specimen for a borderline result 6 weeks earlier. I rang phone answered sraightaway(unknown, been know to wait up to 20 minutues). I queried wether it would be done, already had bottle and form, and was suprised when told yes it would be, and told to drop off at surgery and told by what time. I took to surgery waiting room locked and lights dim , but receptionists manned, caught her eye and she took the specimen, no problem. I week later rang for result, result line answered straight away, usally leave a message and get call back. Result normal.
Satisfied.
 
Docb said:
Though it might be interesting to compare notes....

Got a sludgy, blocked ear, been like it for a few weeks so thought I would call the surgery and see what's what.

Got through second try, and was told that somebody would call me back. An hour, later got a call from the Nurse Practitioner who asked a load of questions. Decided that would be a good idea to get a swab and start some antibiotic drops. Suggested I went to surgery and if I was OK with taking the swab myself in the car park (I was), she would leave a swab kit with the receptionist. If I got there ASAP, they would have a result this afternoon. Also while I was on she sent at prescription to pharmacy for antibiotic drops.

Went to surgery. Door locked with instructions to knock for attention so did that. Chair outside with wipes and stuff so anybody who was infirm could sit and wait. Amusingly they had put nurse sourpuss in charge of answering the door. I think of her as nurse sourpuss, because she does not seem to believe in idle chat - just what you need on the door under these circumstances. Took swab, labelled it, packaged it up and popped it back through the letterbox. On the way home, called in the pharmacy and picked up the prescription. I am to call again on Friday if it does not clear up. Will probably call up if it does clear up, just to say thank you.

So, on this one anecdote, our GP surgery seems to be doing brilliantly. They have got themselves organised and I got better service than I might have expected in normal times. In particular, it was nice to be treated as a sensible adult.

How's yours doing?
Click to expand...
Ours is doing great. Telephone consultations. Receptionist friendly and very helpful. GP called back same day, friendly and finished conversation with genuine sounding "take care". We are lucky with our new GP. I hope she stays.
 
Ours is telephone consultations in the first instance, then if you need to be seen, you go and ring the doorbell and wait for admittance. They can’t be very busy, my GP rang me out of the blue last week to discuss statins, she said they were 'taking the opportunity' to review patients, starting with the diabetics! I read into this that they’re not that busy.
Contrast to a couple of weeks ago when it was impossible to get through, Daughter needed a routine prescription that wasn’t on a repeat, so she couldn’t reorder on line, and it took a week of being pushed from pillar to post and failing to get through at the designated time (reception only answered the phone in the morning, and you could only ring the dispensary between 2pm and 4pm Monday to Thursday.) and failing to get someone to understand what her problem was without being fobbed off and told to ring someone else before she managed it. (She wrote a note explaining what she needed and dropped it into the repeat prescription box, in the end) Then it took another week for them to dispense it.
 
No idea! Neither of us has needed a GP for months - so I expect we will soon now I've tempted providence!
 
We got letters from the surgery the other week to say they were moving temporarily into the practice which is literally across the road - this is the one Mr Marten left a year or so ago because they were so c**p, and transferred to mine, about a 15 minutes' walk away. Fortunately our own doctors will be available from their temp building.

We haven't needed to contact them for a while so don't know how they are doing but my annual review & blood test is coming up so I'll see if they contact me.
 
We just needed repeat prescription so sent it in by post, our surgery dispenses but is in the next village so didn't want to make an extra journey
.
Left it for it a week and then rang to check it was there which it was, told to go and knock on the window by reception as all the doors are locked, the medicines for collection were laid out on a table inside so I tapped on the window, waved to the receptionist and stood back, she opened the window and put the bag on the outside window sill for me to pick up and closed the window. again.

Don't know what's happening about consultations as you can either call up first thing for an appointment later in the morning, go down and sit and wait to be seen or make an appointment in person and then go home again until it's time to be seen.

Things are easier in the country!😉
 
My surgery is closed to routine appointments but is supplying prescriptions to be collected at the local pharmacy (or any other of your choice). I’m not sure where those outliers who used the surgery pharmacy get their prescriptions. Phone appointments and home visits are running - after the usual third degree.
 
Ours has no bookings for face to face appointments. You phone explain what the issue is, and then get given a telephone appointment booked in. I then get a referral to orthopaedics with in a week, which is a record.

It will be interesting to see what happens after this.
 
Seven out of nine surgeries in my rural area closed with the start of the virus, including the two in my village. As they are all part of the same amalgamated practice, I have my doubts that they will open again. When practices merged last October, we were assured that no surgeries would close. Times have changed and people are now used to driving five miles there and five miles back to pick up a prescription. I can see virtual or telephone consultations becoming the norm. Although I miss the convenience of reaching the surgery in a ten/fifteen minute walk, the lack of that convenience is probably just the new normal.
 
Mine are doing what is appropriate.

When I needed a doctor last month I started off with a telephone assessment, followed by a second one, but was deemed they needed to see me in person to conduct an examination so I received a face to face appointment the following day.
 
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