Re: GP Surgeries

Well, Apricot, you would certainly know better than I, BUT ....
if the service Twink outlined is generally available,
this far-off Aussie finds it hard to understand the constant NHS-bashing that I have seen in these threads for years.

Re: GP Surgeries

Or arrange a meeting with the practice manager. That usually causes a change of attitude, and the likelihood is that there will be no need for such a meeting after all!

Re: GP Surgeries

Because its political nothing to do with the NHS but to Leftie people trying to make political points.

Lucky I have never been serious ill.

My wife was for years suffered from Lupis she got great treatment.

She in the end Died of Lung Cancer two weeks after Diagnosis of being admited to hospitial

All treatment her before this for this I had no fault with.

The things I read about over the last 50 years the Left is just spin.

But this Rubbish about keeping D/S open 7 Days a week sorry but A and E is a stupid reaction because its winter and beds are full because of the weather.

If I Fall ILL on a weekend I Dial 111 get through to a Triage nurse and tell her my symtoms they dicide THIS

First would be ...See your GP next Day.

Second... we will make an appoint in the next hour to see a Doctor even if its 11 pm

Third.... We will call an Ambulance to get you to A/E.


NHS is the Major Political crap trap for the last 40 years.

Re: GP Surgeries

Originally Posted by Pats.

UK foreign aid is currently enshrined in law.


I would if I could but it's not in my remit.

I believe that TM is 'planning' to review it.

Re: GP Surgeries

Yes....and the 111 service works well here.
There were some teething problems at first, and as with everything else, some areas fare better than others.

Re: GP Surgeries

Obviously I am lost.
Is it not the NHS which provides the services in bold above ?
Is that not an effective and practical system ?

If so, are you saying
"Yep, that bit's OK but the whole of the rest of it is crap -and has been politically mishandled" ?
Genuine question.

Are you aware that there is not a health-care system anywhere on the planet which will please all of the people all of the time ?

Re: GP Surgeries

Sorry Galty, but I can't agree with some of you post, and here is why.
1) Why would anyone call 111, if it was an emergency, surely 999 is the number to call in those circumstances?
2) When I have called 111 and need to see a doctor, they try to accommodate me with an appointment that I can get to in time. Surely nobody expects to get an out of hours appt, that fits into their personal schedules... after all they are saying they are ill?
3) If they feel your complaint doesn't need urgent attention, they occasionally suggest seeing your own GP, but only after suggesting ways to make yourself comfortable till you can.

One one occasion when I had a small cut on my hand, which appeared to be going septic, they guided me to a walk in clinic to get it cleaned up.
By using this service I know I am not taking space at A & E, which may be delaying treatment for others more in need than myself. One day we may be in urgent need of care, and will probably be hoping that everybody else is going the same!

Re: GP Surgeries

I think the problem is that a lot of people (me included) who only need the services of a doctor occasionally, don't really know what to do any more. If you are seriously ill, you can call an ambulance, if you have a non- life threatening condition, you can make an appointment for two weeks time by which time it's probably gone by then.

Anyone who has called for an ambulance recently will know that the caller gets the third degree from the operator.

I called an ambulance for a woman I found lying in the road after a car accident which I didn't see happen. The operator asked me all sorts of questions about her. I said I wasn't a doctor so couldn't say. The fact that she is laying in the road groaning, I would guess she's not feeling too well at the moment.

None of this service is FREE by the way, it funded by National Insurance.

Re: GP Surgeries

I can't see this helping many of us we have 9 gps at our local surgery only 2 are actually working all the others are either off sick or on maternity leave, many of us have been left with no repeat prescriptions as they refuse to give repeats with no medication review and our reviews are now 6 months out of date so we've been cut off. I've got round that with mine as I appealed to my consultants secretary at the hospital and she arranged my prescriptions on hospital forms soi can pick them up there, my husband now buys his injections on line and does them himself which can't be safe. Grace is still under a consultant so gets hers through hospital too.

How will making those two overworked people work more days longer hours help them or us !

Pharmacies here are pleading people only go to them with problems if they really have to as they are buckling under the strain trying to advise people unable to get GP appointments.

This is recent too started about 12 months ago because after a terrible service for years our old gps retired and we had these new doctors who all started really making a difference then twelve months ago they seemed to all just go sick at the same time.

Re: GP Surgeries

Julie, that's awful, why haven't they got Locums in?

Start lobbying your local Health-board, this unhealthy situation needs to be sorted out by them.