Understanding the NHS surgeries

[EBJ]

I cannot understand the logic or way our NHS doctors surgeries operate, my wife had to have a blood pressure monitor fitted for 24 hours and then it was taken off for checking. This they did then called her in for another blood pressure monitor test where the first one went off the roof so waited for a while and took another which was showing low this time, they said they will pass the information on to her doctor who was at another surgery that day and he would give us a home telephone call the next day.

Well the following day arrived and waited all day for a return phone call which never happened so rang them again to be told "Oh we are sending out a letter today for you to make an appointment with the doctor", hang on a moment we are on the phone with you now so why have we got to wait for a letter telling us to ring you to make an appointment we can do it now. Said no we have to wait for the official letter to come to us first, how on earth does that work where they are wasting time on a letter and postage just to inform us to ring them, they have our permission on record to contact us by phone and still do not use this quick method.

I just do not understand how the NHS surgeries work these days.

[Nigel]

Went for my annual MOT over a month ago, urine sample and blood, never heard anything back so guess I won`t die?
Mum has only just had her flu jab at the surgery, neighbour drove her to get Covid jab last week, I got flu jab in boots and Covid jab in local library!

[Vera]

Things have gone horribly wrong in the GP surgeries since they all began to manage their own, or as increasingly so, they amalgamate with the other local surgeries to form practice clinics.

It is even more difficult to see a GP as most prefer to talk on the phone.

It is indicative of the same disease that academies have become in schools. It's all about the money and nothing about the service.

[EBJ]

Went for my annual MOT over a month ago, urine sample and blood, never heard anything back so guess I won`t die?
Mum has only just had her flu jab at the surgery, neighbour drove her to get Covid jab last week, I got flu jab in boots and Covid jab in local library!

Going for the body MOT was one of the worst decisions i ever made, did it in my late 60's just to check i was OK as i have been fit all my life and no illnesses or operations, started with them saying high blood pressure and that was a white coat syndrome as far as i was concerned as i hate the places and they gave me pills to take and another so it prevents heart problems that just gave me real bad cramp in my leg muscles so knocked them on the head.

[Nigel]

Unfortunately since a heart attack I have no choice, annual MOT to renew my prescription, otherwise I wouldn`t bother.
1st year after heart attack I was on my last pill for 4 different medicines and needed them to authorize my prescription straightaway, since then I have made sure I renew my prescription early each month so I have spare pills, yes I know you aren`t supposed to do that but if I didn`t no medicine
Of course this year they just renewed my prescription before MOT!

[Vera]

Unfortunately since a heart attack I have no choice, annual MOT to renew my prescription, otherwise I wouldn`t bother.
1st year after heart attack I was on my last pill for 4 different medicines and needed them to authorize my prescription straightaway, since then I have made sure I renew my prescription early each month so I have spare pills, yes I know you aren`t supposed to do that but if I didn`t no medicine
Of course this year they just renewed my prescription before MOT!

Just had my annual prescription check,
Good job as well as for a little while I have been feeling tired or exhausted and knew something wasn't quite right.

Turns out one of my prescriptions (a beta blocker) was working a little too well and my resting heart rate had fallen to 40 ish.
did some bloods etc and all else is ok so they have halved my dose and I'm feeling so much better.
Turns out that some lifestyle changes had been doing well and it had lowered my blood pressure and heart rate naturally, so I need less medication.
Never saw the doctor and to be honest I could have completely made up the readings I gave also spoke to in order the clinic pharmacist, a clinician and two separate doctors.
It probably took more time than seeing the doc in surgery and he/she would have known the readings as he/she would have taken them him/herself...

[thecaretaker]

Had to spend almost 9 hours in the hospital Emergency Department (used to be called A&E) as my father (93) was in serious pain. He ended up on surgical ward and had to be given morphine for the pain. (Can't say any more)...

From previous experience, if I'd called 111 we would have had to wait many hours (if not days) before somebody called us back. So I took him to the hospital myself.

I realised out of the 100's of people waiting, only a handful were actual 'real' emergencies. Most people arrived in pairs and the noise from them constantly chatting was deafening. I thought there can't be much wrong with you, you haven't stopped waffling for hours.

Nobody was wearing a mask. If I don't get COVID it will be a miracle.

Then the penny dropped...

People can't get to see a GP in the flesh anymore, so they go to the hospital instead.

The entire NHS system is broken.

I don't blame the hospital staff, they are working their guts out. It's a pity they aren't just dealing with emergencies.

[Vera]

Had to spend almost 9 hours in the hospital Emergency Department (used to be called A&E) as my father (93) was in serious pain. He ended up on surgical ward and had to be given morphine for the pain. (Can't say any more)...

From previous experience, if I'd called 111 we would have had to wait many hours (if not days) before somebody called us back. So I took him to the hospital myself.

I realised out of the 100's of people waiting, only a handful were actual 'real' emergencies. Most people arrived in pairs and the noise from them constantly chatting was deafening. I thought there can't be much wrong with you, you haven't stopped waffling for hours.

Nobody was wearing a mask. If I don't get COVID it will be a miracle.

Then the penny dropped...

People can't get to see a GP in the flesh anymore, so they go to the hospital instead.

The entire NHS system is broken.

I don't blame the hospital staff, they are working their guts out. It's a pity they aren't just dealing with emergencies.

You are unfortunately correct CT.
The NHS is almost broken beyond repair now thanks to years of underfunding whilst chasing the "business model" and having outside providers for things like medical procedures and diagnostics, not to mention the lack of nurses due to the lack of training support given.

Then you only have to look at the advertisements for private health care to realise that the NHS has been sold out from underneath us.

[Nail]

Had to spend almost 9 hours in the hospital Emergency Department (used to be called A&E) as my father (93) was in serious pain. He ended up on surgical ward and had to be given morphine for the pain. (Can't say any more)...

From previous experience, if I'd called 111 we would have had to wait many hours (if not days) before somebody called us back. So I took him to the hospital myself.

I realised out of the 100's of people waiting, only a handful were actual 'real' emergencies. Most people arrived in pairs and the noise from them constantly chatting was deafening. I thought there can't be much wrong with you, you haven't stopped waffling for hours.

Nobody was wearing a mask. If I don't get COVID it will be a miracle.

Then the penny dropped...

People can't get to see a GP in the flesh anymore, so they go to the hospital instead.

The entire NHS system is broken.

I don't blame the hospital staff, they are working their guts out. It's a pity they aren't just dealing with emergencies.

Does your hospital not triage but Emergency and non-emergency?

[twiglets]

There's definitely a drive towards private. They introduced an online system, Livvi or something similar. It was discontinued for NHS a while back, but you can still use privately. The more frustrated people are with not getting an appointment, the more (or should I say well off) will switch to a private system because they can pay. Slowly, but surely a two tier system is coming in, and they will eventually take the element out that we pay for the NHS and require all to get private. It will be within say 10 years time based on the way things are going.
You can't even get an appointment for a small baby without ringing 101 or what ever it is. I know my son in law has been having arguments with the practice manager as they have a duty to see young babies, they just fobbed him off, resulting in having to go to A & E, as said using up valuable time for the hospitals.