Trouble Getting a Dr's Appointment

Heya,

just out of curiousity has anyone had trouble trying to get a Dr's appointment?? By that I mean the receptionist not willing to listen to you or take your issue as important???

Reply 1

Carl

14

Yes, because you are equally as important as everyone else and therefore must wait like everyone else. Phone your surgery after 1830 tonight and speak to your local out of hours service, it's usually much easier to get an appointment with them.

Reply 2

Lorena

5

The receptionist usually asks "Is it urgent?" and if I reply negatively then that person will tend to be rather hostile and act as if I'm making a fuss. So yes, in a way. Although I wouldn't be trying to make an appointment with my GP unless I thought I needed to, would I?! What is urgent anyway? On death's door?

Reply 3

username94219

OP

20

My issue isnt urgent as such however, i cant wait a week and abit as the issue is really bothering me! I just feel like ringin up and saying ''yes its urgent'' but I dont want to deprive anyone of that slot incase they have a genuine ''emergency'' issue. The receptionist also sort of tricked me into telling her what my problem was - sort of a misleading question which led onto the problem being told to her. Quite upset at tht aspect as well which my mum said she wouldnt of asked in the first place!!! :frown:

Reply 4

loopymeg

13

At home, I can only get to the surgery in the evening due to transport issues, and so I know that if I want to get an appointment then I have to call up early that morning and ask for an emergency appointment in the evening. I feel awful asking for an emergency appointment when it's not really an emergency, but I can't get an evening appointment otherwise... :frown:

Reply 5

Lorena

5

DancinBallerina

My issue isnt urgent as such however, i cant wait a week and abit as the issue is really bothering me! I just feel like ringin up and saying ''yes its urgent'' but I dont want to deprive anyone of that slot incase they have a genuine ''emergency'' issue. The receptionist also sort of tricked me into telling her what my problem was - sort of a misleading question which led onto the problem being told to her. Quite upset at tht aspect as well which my mum said she wouldnt of asked in the first place!!! :frown:

Call up again and say it is urgent. If someone is seriously ill, I'm sure they'll go to the hospital, so you won't be depriving anyone. :smile:

Reply 6

swiftuk

9

AhorrentlyPretentious

Call up again and say it is urgent. If someone is seriously ill, I'm sure they'll go to the hospital, so you won't be depriving anyone. :smile:

A lot of people who need home visits can't get themselves to hospital; ditto people needing emergency appointments. You may also want to consider the fact that some surgeries will blacklist you if you do this.

Reply 7

TimeLady

11

If you ring when your Doctor opens in the morning, they sometimes let you have appointments for that day, when people have cancelled or whatever. I find it easier to make appointments that way.

Reply 8

Lorena

5

swiftuk

A lot of people who need home visits can't get themselves to hospital; ditto people needing emergency appointments. You may also want to consider the fact that some surgeries will blacklist you if you do this.

But the OP did say that she couldn't wait over a week for her issue to be dealt with, so some people would consider it urgent. :smile:

Another suggestion for the OP is to go to Causualty if it's a physical complaint that needs seeing to or maybe asking to speak to the triage nurse if it's something that can be resolved over the phone.

Reply 9

ro-ro

10

You have to phone between 8-8.30 to get an appointment at the doctors except for like 5 reserved for emergencies.
They don't allocate them for the whole week just day by day cos the idea is if it's that important you'll get up and book it in that time or you'll get on with it.
I have once had an emergency appointment. The women refused me an appointment when I called, saying they had none cos she's a mean receptionist and then I phoned later in real pain (I had an ear infection and in fact a burst ear drum) and the nice one squeezed me in.

Doctor's are difficult and always over subscribed.

Reply 10

dobbs

17

Does your surgery not have an "Open Surgery" anytime during the week? A lot of places do this now where you just turn up and wait your turn to see a Doctor (for example some surgeries will say each morning 9am - 11am is Open Surgery). Check out if they have that and then if so, make sure you get there about 15mins before it starts to ensure you get in quickly! :smile:

Reply 11

username94219

OP

20

Unfortunately my Dr's doesnt have an 'Open Surgery' which if they did i can assure you I would of gone from last week. I have also tried ringing early in the morning, trying to get a cancellation appointment but I have no luck. I dont want to be mean or deprive someone of an 'Emergency appointment' but I think I might just take it on Friday if I cant bare it any longer. Couldnt go into work and I cant afford to miss work again :frown:

Reply 12

ro-ro

10

no hero in her sky

Not all doctors operate in the same way as yours... I've never had a doctor who used that system.

I didn't say they did I was just responding to the OP asking if anyone had trouble getting a drs appointment. Once but the systems different here and I ended up getting seen in the end. Our system means you get seen in a day or two of phoning, it's good!

Trouble Getting a Dr's Appointment

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