observer Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 We're being told that missed appointments are costing the NHS £millions; so why can't we apply some thought to overcoming the problem? EG: Why have an appointment system for GP surgeries at all; if your ill go to the GP's surgery and wait your turn in the waiting room for that day. After all, an appointment in a week's time could find you better or dead, in which case you will miss the appointment. As for Hospital appointments (presumably made by your GP); why not require a deposit being made to the GP, which can be refunded on completion of your attendances at the Hospital? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 An appointment in a weeks time!!! Very few doctors surgeries will give you an appointment for the next day let alone the next week. If you can't get an appointment for today call back in the morning and try again is the usual method. Of course you can try and book one one online to save the hassle of calling only to be told they are all booked up for that day and try again in the morning but not sure how that works, may have to get on that system and see. I know my gp has several methods of you letting them know you will not be attending an appointment (apart from carrier pigeon that is) so really there is no excuse for people not to inform them they no longer need o see a doctor (well apart from actually dying before the appointment time that is and i would not put it past some doctors to have a link to the spirit world just for such cases). Did see somewhere this week that warrington has fewer gp's than average for the population, maybe we need a few more. As for hospital appointments I am not surprised that quite a few are missed. Appointment time 1.30 pm, seen the specialist 3.10 pm. left the consulting room 3.14 pm made next appoinment for following year. Made a mental note to cancel appointment if i died before then. i often wonder if people just get fed up of waiting and leave. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Our surgery appear to have ended routine face to face appointments and you now ring the surgery explaining to the receptionist what you wish to see the doctor for, they then guarantee that a doctor will return your call within 10 mins, you then explain your problem and if the doctor is satisfied he/she does not require to see you, he/she will issue a prescription for you to pick up at you leisure. It does appear to work, only time will tell, I have heard that after six months they will carry out a survey completed by the local undertakers to see what their business trends are!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Your doctor will soon be in a call centre in Mumbai or whatever they call it these days Algy. He may even take your gas/electric meter readings too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Given the poor quality of spoken English by some Doctors; a Mumbai call centre won't be that much of a change ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Our Doctors surgery in Stockton Heath now operates a telephone consultation service and it is the only way you can get an appointment.You ring.. speak to the medical secretary who takes your details including a brief description of what's wrong. Then then pass it to a doctor who rings you back for your 'telephone consultation' and he/she then decides if you need an appointment etc and makes one for you if you do. My dad has used it quite a lot and if need be ALWAYS gets an appointment the same day.I rang last week to make an appointment for my son (he wasn't ill as such but just had an annoying cough that he couldn't shift) and it was the first time we had used the new system. I couldn't make an appointment for him though because of the 'telephone consulataion' procedure as they said the doctor had to speak to HIM so I wasn't too impressed and had my usual whinge but there was nothing I could do as it's the way it is now. BUT saying that he phoned himself the next morning at 8.30am... a doctor rang him back within 20 minutes and he was given an appointment for an hour later. He could have had 30 minutes later but wouldn't have got there in time cos he was in work.Pretty impressive really and I take back my 'whinge' as at one time we would have had to wait a few days at least to see a doctor. The new system has certainly freed up appointments as I guess it has reduced the number of people going who really didn't need to see a doctor face to face in the first place. So no complaints from me so far........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 That seems to be a fairly common sense approach Diz; sort of triage by phone; it's amazing how many folk will take up a GP's time with trivia or carry infections (like flu) into the surgery, just to make sure everyone else gets it. But many folk are now going to A&E, when they should be seeing a GP; a daily "no appointment required" surgery would help methinks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 The upside of this is that you can have a consultation while sat on a beach anywhere in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Hey, Dizz you with the Forge to, then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Yes Algy although I've not been to the docs for over 2 years since they tried to poison and send me loopy with blood pressure tablets OK so I guess it's not their fault that I seem to have bad reactions to them all (tablets that is) so no matter how ill I feel I never go in case they try to give me another lot. OK so probably stupid of me really ...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 Karen does that mean you are not taking any kind of medication for high blood pressure if not you should be, you may be putting your life at risk, there must be an alternative, book a telephone appointment and discuss an alternative with your GP, please!. I had occasion to use our surgeries new telephone appointment system yesterday and I must say found it to be excellent, I rang at 1030am and within 20 minutes my doctor rang me and instantly problem resolved, no travel involved, no waiting in surgery, no chance of cross infection from other patients, etc. and I suppose my doctor could attend to many more patients in his working day. Seems a good system, only time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 We now have an on line booking system where you can book ,we have been told, up to month in advance. However, if you haven't got a pc ,phone appointments can only be made on a daily basis & you need to phone about 8 am to stand a chance of the receptionist telling you through gritted teeth how busy they are ,but they do have one appointment left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 Tough on the grumpies without a PC. They tell you to ring before 8am, and you can't get through cos it's engaged. Just turning up, might mean a 2 hour wait, if your lucky. According to one GP - "we've got too many patients" - don't practises have a limit on how many sign up with them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 I think they used to have a limit Obs but with all the new houses popping up everywhere and people having to now register with doctors in their specific local catchment area I guess they have no choice but to take on more than they can cope with. Like I said though the new system at ours seems to be working great so maybe they should all start using that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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