Probably a bit late now matey. Dreamboy resuscitating a several month old thread as usual. Maybe he could help out at A&E with those resus skills.
Alternatively, it has allowed GPs to hold over 1 million extra appointments per year, so more people are getting treated and allowing them to free up in-person appointments for more serious issues. I've had an attack of gout over the last couple of weeks. Last Tuesday it was so bad I rang the doctors. I had a phone call later than morning (from a separate service) and a prescription available to collect by mid-afternoon. I didn't have to take out time to go to the doctors (minimum 30 minutes) - and I couldn't wear shoes or drive anyway!, there were no issues with missing the appointment, and I'd do the same again next time. Same practice. My wife has had some health issues, but more serious so she had several f2f appointments at fairly short notice, and all dealt with. A lot of the issues people are experiencing are different standards and arrangements between different practices (and in England, these are all private now).
Yes it probably looks good on statistics but its just not the same and I'm sure there's been plenty more cases like this happening
I agree im sure that will have happened at times sadly and things will have been missed quite a bit. On the other hand, if a GP contracts covid from seeing patients in person and is out of action for 7+ days how is that going to help? Can't win either way.
They can't do their roles remotely though can they? It isn't quite the same. There does need to be a point when they return though I agree.
This thread is pretty odd for me to read as I’ve pretty much ignored all the Covid idiots whinging cos they couldn’t see their partner or go to the pub. But still better than reading their drivel.
People want to get in quick after ringing in sick and telling their bosses they've made an appointment.
Getting a go to see you is like it was try to get a dentist a few years back. They are literally getting away with murder and hospitals getting the blame
This is where the postcode lottery comes in - During mid pandemic I sent a photo of a "mole" to my GP and she wasnt sure so arranged for a face to face later that week - it was nothing serious fortunately and easily treated once she identified the problem - not Cancer or a mole as it happens, It seems some GP's are not doing face to face even when it is really needed - that seems a bit wrong to me In fact if I dont actually need a face to face I prefer not going into a doctors surgery and waiting in a room full of potentially ill others There is no question though that our health service is in a far worse state than it was when the Tories took over - waiting times for doctors and treatments have soared as has the waiting times for an Ambulance. There is no doubt that Covid is a contributor but there are other hugely significant ones staff shortages made much worse by Brexit probably the biggest contributor
All GPs are privatised (although they come under the NHS family umbrella), so you could have one GP down the road with terrible waiting times/service and one at the other end of the road with exceptional service. It's a bit all over the place.
i saw a practice nurse a few months back over a bunion, guess no doctor needed, she thought it wasn't severe enough yet, i explained that in my job it's bloody painful so she sent on my details anyway, a month later had to call the referral clinic and they deem it severe enough to operate without actually seeing my toe! got a pre-op in a few weeks and hopefully the op very soon after, xmas off work and the ashes would do nicely
A few years ago, I went to my doctor about a fatty lipoma in my arm. He said it was harmless but since he was retiring that week and no one could challenge him, if I wanted it removing he'd refer me to the hospital to have it removed. In my experience the level if service you get from a doctor depends very much on what mood he or she is in, and how nicely you talk to them.