Menopause Matters Forum

Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: Postmeno3 on November 09, 2021, 09:51:02 AM

Title: Still no in-person appointments.
Post by: Postmeno3 on November 09, 2021, 09:51:02 AM
I'm confused as to why in-person, routine appointments are still not possible? Surely, if one has a regular, in my case quarterly, appointment arrangement, that routine is important without the need now for going through the tri-age system of phoning/queuing every morning at 8 and hoping you can be "slotted in" as I was told would be the case this morning. Mine is for Estring fitting, as brief as the gp can make it usually (!), so can't there now be tiers of priority for in person, routine scheduling? Sigh.....
Title: Re: Still no in-person appointments.
Post by: CLKD on November 09, 2021, 09:56:19 AM
R surgery apparently has slots but the receptionists aren't giving them  :o.  I don't think that GPs are often aware of what is habppengin  ::). (happening) front of house.

What do you plan, making an appt with the Practice Manager?  There's no reason why C-19 is still being an excuse for keeping patients waiting?

Title: Re: Still no in-person appointments.
Post by: CrispyChick on November 09, 2021, 10:17:17 AM
I've been offered my yearly respiratory review over the phone?!?! Pointless. They always have u blow into a peak flow metre... Can't do that on the phone!!!!  :-\
Title: Re: Still no in-person appointments.
Post by: CLKD on November 09, 2021, 10:36:00 AM
It's a ridiculous situation.  The BMA are now asking GPs if they want to strike and suggesting that they are needing more money to see patients face2face.
Title: Re: Still no in-person appointments.
Post by: Katejo on November 09, 2021, 07:22:21 PM
I think that sticking to phone appts is a false economy. GP'S must miss signs which they would notice face to face. Also many patients (me included) are avoiding contact with GP'S as much as possible because I hate phone appts. Totally ineffective for me. Late diagnoses will cause problems further down the line.
Title: Re: Still no in-person appointments.
Post by: Taz2 on November 09, 2021, 10:46:34 PM
We make n online request an the GP calls and then a face to face appointment is offered. It works well until you have to describe symptoms in front of other people if the phone call comes in at a busy time.

Taz x
Title: Re: Still no in-person appointments.
Post by: Jasmine20 on November 12, 2021, 04:36:48 PM
There was a recent very long discussion on in-person appts at GP surgeries on my local Nextdoor. It varied hugely from one surgery to the next, all within a few miles of each other.
My surgery will see a patient after going through an online triage process but anything urgent involves calling the surgery early in the morning. It seems to work reasonably well.

Menopause has acquainted me with my GPs on a very regular basis sadly!  :( I've called the surgery more in the last two years than the previous 20 years put together.
Title: Re: Still no in-person appointments.
Post by: Lyncola on November 13, 2021, 09:07:30 AM
I feel blessed to live in Australia and have the Medicare health system. All throughout coronavirus and our occasional lockdowns you can see your doctor face to face. Even in Melbourne (the longest city in the world to be lockdown) you can see your doctor.

I’m thankful as  I’ve seen my doctor, dentist, and have had ultrasounds, X-rays, MRI, and CT scans, operations. I don’t think I could go through menopause without my seeing my doctor