So about a two months ago, I had a minor health problem. I know, I know, it's crap to write about to write about your health on your weblog. This isn't. It's about the health service.
My GP has changed their system: apparently, there's new government guidelines that means that everyone has to be able to get a GP appointment within 48 hours. Patently impractical, if you ask me. What it means is that you can only book appointments for the next few days, and when those have gone, you have to call back tomorrow. It's good for the phone company, but probably not for the patient.
So I had a few goes at getting an appointment, and finally got one with Dr X in mid-May. This is because Dr X, while probably a fabulous diagnostician, has (in my view) some kind of Aspergers syndrome, so is charming on the surface, but deeply difficult to communicate with. He diagnoses me, gives me some drugs, and tells me to come back in two weeks to check it's ok. I secretly think, I'll see one of the other doctors.
But the surgery computer is broken, so they can't make any appointments at all. I call the next day, and it's still broken, and then I give up. The drugs work, I'm happy, and then last week it comes back. I called three days in a row to be told "all the appointments have gone, call back tomorrow," and finally got an appointment for 1030 this morning, with a woman doctor, which is my preference, being a woman.
THe only thing she can offer me for Friday is to keep my Monday appointment as backup, try my luck in the emergency surgery (ie arrive at 9am, and get slotted in), and if I don't get seen in a couple of hours, I still have an appointment. I say my job isn't waiting at the doctors. She's kinda pleased with herself; thinks she's offered me a great solution.
So I get there at 1030 this morning, and am told she is running on time (she has a reputation for over-delivering with 45 minute appointments, which is why I've never seen her, there's always a queue). At 1040 she calls in her 1015 appointment. I ask reception, they're sorry, they thought she was running on time. I'm next, honest.
While I'm waiting, I chat with a woman, her daughter and grandaughter who've been there since 9am, trying to find out what's wrong with their toddler. I overhear them saying "sometimes you've got a sore throat, you just want the doctor to give you antibiotics," and I think they've not read the research about the overuse of antibiotics and its impact on superbugs. We all agree that the new system doesn't work.
At 11.15 the doctor calls in the women with their baby (in a women-and-children first move), and I think, I've been here nearly an hour.
When I go down to the reception, someone else is shouting at the receptionist, and I feel bad. It's not her fault, but it is a crap system.
She tells me there's nothing I can do, I probably will only have to wait another half an hour. I point out this will be an hour and a quarter wait for a timed appointment. I give up and go home.
Last summer I waited three hours to get seen with my sprained ankle. So this is not so bad, right?
Currently feeling: powerless in the face of the monolithic health service.
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