M
Mickymoody
To make an appointment with my doctor, I have to phone up an 0845 number at 8 o clock in the morning and take a chance that there will be the chance to see a doctor sometime that day. I had to make an appointment this morning and spent almost 1/4 hr on the phone (in the queue " Your call is important to us, please wait etc") No doctors available, all the appointments have been filled, but you can see the practice nurse at 11:15 if you want.
When I got there (in agony) I was told to wait in a corridor upstairs and the nurse would see me shortly.
After sitting there for over half an hour, I hobbled back down to reception, to be told, the nurse was running late. I asked if I could make an appointment to see a doctor only to get the "Phone up at 8 in the morning." routine.
I asked what time the doctors got there and was told, "They are here at 8." How on earth do they see anyone at 8 o clock if people have to phone up first?
Bl00dy stupid system.
Then the receptionist told me that they do advance appointments, but these are at least 5 days in advance. Ohhh I now have to plan ahead for illness. Grrrrrrrrr What on earth are doctors surgery's coming to these days? First time I want to see the doc in over 3 yrs and the system is a joke.
What's others experiences like?
I had a similar experience, eventually got a slot, and sat in the Doctors for like an hour or 2, the Doc walks in the door, takes one look at me, and sends me off to A&E, where I spend two weeks for Appendicitis(sp)..they didn't remove my Appendix, and I spent a further 6 weeks recovering at home for this mystery illness.
But my Doctor, who has been a Family doctor forever...I saw him in his new surgery, with Argos type flashing graphics, when I was called, there was a security door, so I pressed the switches next to the door, and turned all the lights off in this massive new building...OOPS! I saw my Doc, and had a right laugh with him, on his use of computers, as he is like 80+, and has no concept of computers. All I had was a blocked ear...and he prescribed..Olive Oil.
The other experience, was my lodger, who had terrible tooth pain, and he rang the emergency dentist, that didn't want to know. (I had previously and they ripped the bugger out), so he took loads of pain killing drugs, and also drunk loads of spirits, to numb the pain, and the answer from NHS direct, is if you've taken those pills, and that alchohol, then you are dead!
