Doctors Receptionists

[VectraMan]

Yep, that's the point. Urgent != emergency. It's urgent if you're worried about it, if it will benefit from immediate treatment, if it's causing you pain, or if it's stopping you working.

That covers 99% of the reasons anybody would see a doctor. No wonder it takes so long to get an appointment.

[sasguru]

That covers 99% of the reasons anybody would see a doctor. No wonder it takes so long to get an appointment.

The solution is simple. Introduce a fixed charge of some nominal amount for each visit to the GP, say £20-30* (with the usual dispensations).
That would make people think twice.
Also any alcohol related accident in A&E (as opposed to a long term problem with alcohol) should have a fixed fee of £50. That might discourage the 20-30 lot from being drunken cocks, after they'd had a few "fines".


*As it is I pay £75 for private, immediate walk-in treatment from Medicentre GPs..

[fullyautomatix]

The NHS is broken beyond repair IMHO (except literally at the cutting edge where there are some excellent surgeons).
The rot started in the Labour administration when GPs were given too much money with no corresponding responsibilities. The end result is that many now work part-time since they get paid enough anyway - hence why should they work weekends/evenings or even full time.
And that's why you can't see the same GP every time so they get to know you - like it used to be a few years ago.
And the support staff are quite often rude and arrogant since they have that public sector sense of entitlement added to which is the sense of the NHS as a "sacred cow".

WSASS

It all started with Labour pumping billions into NHS. Suddenly the managers were sitting on piles of cash they hadnt seen before. So gleefully they just awarded themselves huge wage increases and recruited thousands of managers to manage the billions coming in. I have heard of millions spent on radiology equipment and nobody to actually work it. GP's were given targets, which really is nonsense, and so just to hit targets most GP's started issuing painkillers or antibiotics to everything just to get rid of the backlog.

A friend of mine had stomach ulcer and was prescribed pain killers for 5 months before he had enough and went off to Sri Lanka ( where he came from ) and got it sorted in a week.

[BoredBloke]

The solution is simple. Introduce a fixed charge of some nominal amount for each visit to the GP, say £20-30* (with the usual dispensations).
That would make people think twice.
Also any alcohol related accident in A&E (as opposed to a long term problem with alcohol) should have a fixed fee of £50. That might discourage the 20-30 lot from being drunken cocks, after they'd had a few "fines".


*As it is I pay £75 for private, immediate walk-in treatment from Medicentre GPs..

Unfortunately although I agree with what you say, no party is ever going to change the 'free at point of use' bollocks. This ignores the fact that it is actually very far from free if you are a taxpayer. Making an up front charge would be useful in stopping people from overseas just turing up to get treatment and then buggering off.

[Gym beast]

First off, what's urgent about an appointment? If there's a medical issue that requires imminent attention, go to A+E or call NHS Direct. Not difficult.

[Platypus]

Unfortunately although I agree with what you say, no party is ever going to change the 'free at point of use' bollocks. This ignores the fact that it is actually very far from free if you are a taxpayer. Making an up front charge would be useful in stopping people from overseas just turing up to get treatment and then buggering off.

I think this could be spun in the right way. Make a charge, get a refund if you're on benefits. Various articles last week that the penny has finally dropped that even if the NHS is affordable now (which I suppose it just about is) then it certainly won't be in the future (talk of a £200bn funding gap by 2020 IIRC). Once people get their heads around this I think access to services via payment will become accepted especially if you ensure that the poor don't lose out.

[doodab]

First off, what's urgent about an appointment? If there's a medical issue that requires imminent attention, go to A+E or call NHS Direct. Not difficult.

If A&E or NHS direct is always the better choice why do they have the idea of urgent appointments at all?

[Platypus]

Phoned today to try and make an urgent appointment.... I decided my ailment was perhaps not so urgent .... found 4 appointments available for monday, so took the 5:30pm one.

QED this is why they are cagey, to stop timewasters who have stubbed their toe / finally decided that some chronic condition is now urgent.

How she concluded there were none free on the monday is anyones guess!

They do this to hold slots open for people who actually do need to see a doctor urgently.

[Gym beast]

If A&E or NHS direct is always the better choice why do they have the idea of urgent appointments at all?

It's not always the better choice. My point is that the OP is forgetting that you see the appropriate service depending on the urgency of your condition -

Extreme urgency - 999, or straight to A+E if you are close and can move (or be moved) safely and quickly;
Needs looking at asap today - A+E;
Maybe needs looking at today, but probably doesn't - NHS Direct;
Routine checkup wanted/some niggling ailment - GP appointment.

[vetran]

First off, what's urgent about an appointment? If there's a medical issue that requires imminent attention, go to A+E or call NHS Direct. Not difficult.

frequently there are issues that require a GP assistance e.g. ulcers for diabetics, unexplained growths , Maternity, ongoing drug regimes, basic care etc that the GP is best organised to support.

A&E is for emergencies. Walk in Centre is great for less serious injuries and issues but its open about as much as the doctors. If they made the walk in centre open 24 hours and A&E decline to treat minor ailments + prosecute drunk & disorderly the whole system would work better.

In my surgery you have to queue at the door from 07:30 am to get an appointment, they only book 24 hours ahead.

If I could arrange an appointment 2 weeks in the future I would but they aren't that organised.