My last GP (my family doctor for 17 years) ran a surgery where you simply turned up and waited. You could end up in a long queue, particularly on Monday, but you were guaranteed to be seen that day. Unfortunately he's now retired and appointments can take 2 weeks plus, even for the nurses - I have an appointment to see the nurse for a follow up ECG and it's 20th April, nearly a month ahead. When my symptoms started to really show themselves I first had a telephone call with Gynae Doc (a week's wait), followed by an appointment 2 weeks later(no HRT), followed by another appointment 3 weeks later (no HRT), followed by another telephone call admitting she was out of her depth and referring me to a Meno Clinic. This whole episode took 7 weeks start to finish and God knows when the clinic appointment will appear. By all means operate a triage system but at our surgery it simply to be pushing back patients. I've since seen another doctor about my heart rate and of course he knew little of what else was bothering me.
I much prefer to get to know my doctor rather than be pushed from pillar to post with locums or impersonal calls, I don't know whether the new system in our surgery is just a very poor example or whether this is the way things are run now. Sad if it is as you spend half the appointment bringing the doctor up to date.
GG x
