Forum Topic

Do you believe iyou should be able to see your GP within 48 hours?

A lot of the strain on A&E is a result of people not being able to see their GPs, who after all are the  'shop front' for NHS services.If you think this is something we should at least be aspiring to, please sign this petition.https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/176412

Guy Lambert ● 3138d18 Comments

'On the news last night they said that A&E departments estimated that a third of people who attend don't need to be there, so why not tell these time wasters to go away once it's established that they don't need urgent treatment?'A couple of years ago, I had to take someone who was terminally ill to A&E a few times. On one occasion, the man at the next desk on check-in was complaining of a cough. When the staff member asked how long he had had it, he replied 'Oh, about six months'. And yet it apparently had to be dealt with as an emergency on a Saturday night!

Susan Kelly ● 3111d

I think that nurses can only write prescriptions within their particular area of expertise i.e. be nurse practitioners (in, say, respiratory problems) and have passed the prescribing course.

Anne England ● 3112d

Why they are there would be interesting.  I expect some are not registered with a GP.  Are there good enough systems for arranging for teenagers going off to university to be registered?  It is a bit of an in-between time for them.

Philippa Bond ● 3112d

"so why not tell these time wasters to go away once it's established that they don't need urgent treatment?"That is exactly the problem.

Steve Taylor ● 3112d

If there wasn't such a shortage of nurses then the GP surgeries could offer more appointments with them.  Pharmacists can't write prescriptions.

Philippa Bond ● 3112d

If people did not lie and/or evade the 10 yearly census then we would not have the distorted data that leads to decisions that politicians and decision makers use to create policy.Far too much reliance on dodgy statistics which often are not even originated in this country.The system cannot cope because there are far more people than the infrastructure can cope with and nowhere near enough people putting into the pot for long enough. Plus a blame culture that places liability on first aid and paranoia on any form of health abnormality be it a cold or a splinter or a boil that could be cancerous.The NHS has itself to blame this winter. Look at all the posters on bus shelters that advised people to stock up with medication. That caused a huge demand for repeat prescriptions and overloaded pharmacies causing delays on normal prescriptions and sudden shortages of medications.There was no need for that. It's just a few days but the way the bureaucracy is structured created the problem just to enable certain levels in the hierarchy to have a fortnight off.  Needless to say that's not those at the coalface.

Raymond Havelock ● 3135d

How do you get drunken teenagers who end up at A&E to be more responsible?

Philippa Bond ● 3135d

On the news last night they said that A&E departments estimated that a third of people who attend don't need to be there, so why not tell these time wasters to go away once it's established that they don't need urgent treatment?

Vanessa Smith ● 3136d

I don't believe for one minute in charging for visiting your doctor but I do believe in charging for missed appointments. If you cancel the appointment within the previous 24 hrs then fine, but to just not turn up should be chargeable.After all, it is easier these days to communicate than it has ever been. £20 might focus a person's mind..

Keith Iddon ● 3136d

NHS procurement may need extra input to ensure they do not pay too much for drugs since they are now no longer dealing with little local pharmaceutical companies but enormous global ones.  This no doubt comes with heavy marketing and heavy lobbying.

Philippa Bond ● 3137d

All true (re self-medication) but we are in danger of blaming the patients for the lack of resource being applied to our NHS.Customer satisfaction with the NHS doubled during the last Labour administration and dissatisfaction halved. Lord knows where it will be at the end of this administration, assuming there is still a version of the NHS in operation. At the end of the Labour period of investment our health service was still the second cheapest amongst developed countries (and by some distance the best overall, according to the Commonwealth Fund). Our spending per person will now be miles behind countries like France and Germany, and probably about a third of the US.Is it really so outrageous to suggest we should be able to see a GP within 48 hours?

Guy Lambert ● 3137d

A lot more people should be capable of self medicating in certain circumstances than do at present, after all there's no point in running to the doctor with a cold for instance. If you have something bothering you and you've tried over the counter stuff with no result then that's the time to make an appointment, don't neglect yourself just be aware and sensible.

Vanessa Smith ● 3137d

I don't think that the NHS should be sorting out the problems caused by private medicine in particular all the cosmetic surgery that is carried out - much of which appears to be  unregulated.  I was staggered when listening to a radio phone in recently about the numbers of people who seem to think nothing of putting themselves forward for this.We also need to make sure that our children understand about when they should be using the GP.  They really are very vulnerable when they go off to university.

Philippa Bond ● 3137d

Overpopulation and limits on resources and the means for so many to pay for it.Until this issues are seriously addressed the problem will never be solved.Too many people using the system, not enough paying in for long enough.This is why we need to increase National Insurance and anyone who has missed years need to pay a higher rate to make up for those years.

Raymond Havelock ● 3138d

You can sign as many pointless petitions as you like or even jump up and down in fury but this will never happen.

Keith Iddon ● 3138d

Signed.  A three week wait is not unusual for our surgery but the doctor will give you a call if your problem is urgent.

Pat Kingham ● 3138d

Our GP practice will always see you in an emergency and non urgent appointments can be made by 'phone or online for the current week and the week after. The service is second to none, However, where this is not the case it must be very frustrating, but when you hear of some of the pathetic things people rock up to A&E with there has to be a sense of proportion among the public, many could easily wait and are not emergencies. We all have a responsibility to treat the NHS with respect, as we do with all the emergency services which do get abused.

Vanessa Smith ● 3138d

Guy.  I have sent you a link to the communications unit in the local CCG as there is out of hours GP provision which people may not know about, particularly at weekends.

Sarah Felstead ● 3138d