[Closed] How quickly can you see your doctor?

Hmm. just made an appointment to see mine, clled at 8m and am seeing him at 9am.

We ring up from 8am - and always get a same day appointment

I usually ask for a late appointment so as to avoid having to leave work early. Sometimes this takes more than one day, but not often.

Same day or next and if we work 9-5 will see us on an evening from 6-9 from Tues-Thurs.

turn up before noon see a dr there and then. afternoon and evening appointments same day always available. the issue is if you want to see a specific named gp rather than any of the three practice gps. great service all three decent quacks. ( one rides a patriot and theres always old copies of single track to read)

Same day if I call in at 8am or 2pm. Quick for things like physio - following week.

depends how poorly you are - "trivia" (non-urgent), up to a fortnight if you're insistent on yr own doctor but proper ill is a same day thing. If you [b]really[/b] think you need to be seen, I'd go down there and insist on seeing somebody today or else try a drop-in centre

Just my surgery then? 🙄 I'm sure I used to get same day at the previous one - first time I've tried to see a doctor at this one.

Not an emergency, but not non-urgent.

Not a ****in chance!! On hold 084... phone line from 8 am then if you do get thro you have to demand an emergency appointment usually, where youre at the mercy of the patients in front being on time. If you want an appointment anytime it's usually 3/4 days and up to a week for an after 4pm one. That and the over crowded primary schools is the main reason i was very "victor meldrew" and went down to the "have your say" meeting regarding the next swathe of development for our town! 👿

Same day at ours.

*a* doctor, same day.
*my* doctor, usually a couple of days.

Just my surgery then?

No, I waited over a week for an appt recently. It wasn't urgent though so no problems. If you phone up first thing in the morning and request an "urgent" appt then normally get in same day.

I really need to get around to changing my GP surgery, as it is truly appalling.
My doctor is actually really good, but the odds of ever getting to see him are remote. Despite trying to see him for one thing and the other, I think I have seen him once or twice in 5 years. They fob you off with the surgery nurse every time now. It used to be the case that as we had two young children that at least it was a given that the children would be priviliged with an appointment in a reasonable time frame, but recently even that has changed, and I doubt the kids would be honoured with an appointment with a GP.
For a routine pre-booked appointment the normal waiting time is 10-14days.

Is this normal, or are we been taking for mugs, we are not doctor botherers at all, in fact very much the opposite, I rarely ever ever go, neither does the wife. Which is what annoys me the most. The fact is if I ask to se the doctor it is not on a whim, its becasue I really need to see a doctor and I it is my last resort. And it is never for anything trivial

My last visit was to the nurse, was to have stitches removed from a 3 inch gash across my knee which happened during the latter stage of a MTB stage race at the other end of the country, the response from a slightly couldnt really be a**ed nurse was, "You should go back to where they stitched you up to have them removed" !! FFS !! a 300 mile round trip ! needless to say I questioned her advice on that one.

Apologies rant over, but it does get on my t*ts when I pay so much NI.

I suppose I should spend less time typing it all out here on a forum and get my surgery changed

If you phone up first thing in the morning and request an "urgent" appt then normally get in same day.

Hmm - it is just mine then - got through as soon as I could (was on phone from 8am, but to start with the message said the surgery was shut - clearly if I was first person to contact them tomorrow I'd still not have got same day though!), and the only option I was given was emergency, which it wasn't - was busy coughing down the phone at them and said I was hoping for a same day appointment. Oh, and not after "my" doctor - I have no idea who that might be.

Open clinic, see whoever you like, just turn up and be seen within anything from 15 to 45 minutes.

Frankly amazing tbh! (Bristol btw)

Lucky to have one of the new fangled GP practice centres.
Phone before 9am, seen same day - also "walk in" service for minor injuries, redressings, and referrals if required.
works very well, although I've luckily only had to use it once 😀

Unless you class it as urgent 5-7 working days. Last time I called it was 10 days !

Usually the same morning if I ring at 8am. the probelm is when I want to book in advance say in less than a week. I am told to call in the morning to see whats availible rather than be organised and plan my week. . I know why. To help the figures that prove that we can get an appointment on demand. Great if I have an emergency but a pain for long term or precautionary stuff.

My GP urgent - go in before 9am and get seen that day.

all doctors should have urgent appointments the same day you phone or the next day

3 weeks to see my own GP the senior partner, 1 week to see a 24 year old. ********** disgrace. Asked for any day any time and any damn Doctor still 7 days (5 working). My practice has really gone down hill in the last couple of years.

My last visit was to the nurse, was to have stitches removed from a 3 inch gash across my knee

You see, stitches removal is normally a DIY thing for me + I get an appointment immediately 😀

Ours hardly has any appointment slots, but open surgery most mornings and some afternoons. So you just go and wait.

Works pretty well for someone as disorganised as me. Most people usually go first thing, where it can take 45-60 mins if you are unlucky. However if you go late you are gambling slightly but you are quite likely to be seen within 5 mins.

all doctors should have urgent appointments the same day you phone or the next day

So am I supposed to say it's an emergency, as that's the only option I was given?

The really irritating thing is that if I'd known I'd have phoned yesterday, but didn't want to go in then as I have kids all day (and various things they go to) - I assumed the same as my previous surgery where I needed to phone the morning I wanted an appointment.

48hrs last time I booked one.

If I try to book a normal appointment, then it's around 1-2 weeks.

However, the phonelines open at around 8am every day for "same day" appointment slots, and I've always been able to be seen on the day I need to.

That's been the same set up in the last 3 surgeries I've been a patient of (2 in Leeds PCT and one in Glasgow)

I think that system works quite well. Those who need to see a doctor to discuss bunions or medication etc can stick appointments in the diary. Those who really need access to a doctor that day can usually get to see one within a matter of hours.

So am I supposed to say it's an emergency, as that's the only option I was given

I think that's the problem with the system most of them use
It's either urgent or non-urgent, they can't get their heads around 'maybe a little urgent'

Couple of days normally...but then I'm never usually in much of a rush, just as soon as it's mutually convenient.

Call mine in the morning for a timed appointment the same day.

If urgent,same day,otherwise online booking system,so you can pick where and when and who you want,ours is a rural practice with three surgeries,and it makes life easier to book in advance if poss.
Ian

About three weeks unless you ring at 7.30 am and wait for hours in a queuing system and then not necessarily the same day. Bad luck if you are a poorly old person with no-one to help you do that sort of thing.

My old doc was hopless. You could only make an appointment for the day you are ringing, and by 8;30 all the slots had gone. If you got through you'd probably get seen to but didn't often happen.

My new doctors in London are quite good, but again have a strange appointment system. If you want to book an appointment that isn't tomorrow then you will have to wait weeks/months. However to get an apointment the next day just ring around 8am and they can sort it out. Strange indeed 😆

Reading that back it doesn't make much sense to me, so i'll be impressed if others follow it...

If I drive dangerously fast and don't park considerately I can see my doctor in about 3 and a half minutes.

GaryLake - Member
Open clinic, see whoever you like, just turn up and be seen within anything from 15 to 45 minutes.

Frankly amazing tbh! (Bristol btw)

Last time I tried it was 8 days

Rob: Whiteladies Health Centre. If you turn up 15 minutes before the session opens (open sessions in morning and afternoon of a good few hours each) you're normally 1st or 2nd on the list and the GPs are mostly very good.

after a week of trying to get through by phone, i finally got an appointment; 2 weeks.

crookes, sheffield.

chuffing rubbish.

I know where all those Nazi war criminals are..... they work in my doctors reception. Total bleeding madness.... if you want to make an appointment you have to ring from 8:00 on the day. Which kind of overlooks those of us who will already be at work 20 miles away by then. Then you get into the vortex of Press 1 if theres an R in the month, 2 if its a leap year and so on. Eventually, after a period of toe curling frustration you might if fortunate get through to Hildebrand the SS Reichsfuhrer for the day which always goes like this....

HB) Vhat can ve do for you today?
me) I'd like to see a Doctor please?
HB) vhy have you not used the system?
me) Well I start work at 7:30 so can't really make an on the day appointment?
HB) Vhy not?
me) Well I work 20 miles away and I have to be there before the surgery is open.. so I'd really like to make an appointment rather than wait at home hoping that I might get in.
HB) Ve have no appointments until 2038
me) Well I really would like to get in before then
HB) Is it an Emergency?
me) Well I don't know, thats what I want to find out
HB) Vhat is ze problem?
me) Well I don't really want to discuss that over the phone.....
HB) Vell if you are going to be difficult I'm afraid I can't help you....click and the phone goes dead.

Same battle every flipping time. Madness