fakeman_pretendname comments on Where do you draw the line between "go to the GP about it" or "tank the damage"?

[–] fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk 4 points 8 months ago (5 children)

For me, one factor is always whether the illness/injury can be unarguably, definitely, 100%, no-doubt-about-it, proven to the receptionist who wants to stop you having an appointment.

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[–] Nighed@feddit.uk 4 points 8 months ago (3 children)

Doesn't every GP have to offer online booking now? You should just be able to book an appt, even if it's a week or so out.

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[–] fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk 3 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Doesn't appear so, sadly. Mine used to, but they got rid of it and replaced it with "same day appointments only - no advance booking" and "phone between 8:00am and 8:01am".

Admittedly, I've not tried to contact them for quite a few months, so maybe it's working again.

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[–] Nighed@feddit.uk 2 points 8 months ago (1 child)

Find a new one then. They make money off you being registered but not using them

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[–] fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk 5 points 8 months ago

(Apologies for the rant) The only accessible ones are either not taking on new patients, or insist you're not in their catchment area.

The one nearest my house (~5 minutes walk away), which I used to be registered with before Covid, decided I wasn't in their catchment area any more and kicked me off. We tried to sort it, but they just "computer says no" at me.

There's this "find a GP" thing on the NHS website, but seemingly none of them update it, and the ones which say "taking on new patients" aren't. They've pretty much all been bought out by these "healthcare partnership group" type things, and they're pretty much all as shit as each other now - the non-shit ones have no vacancies.

It took years to get this one. It's less then an hour’s walk away, and if you can get an appointment, they're actually quite nice.

It's one of those "postcode lottery" things. I live in a fairly poor "shithole" area, so we seemingly get the absolute dregs of service for doctors and dentists. The local council were trying to do something about it, so perhaps it'll get better sooner or later.