what do you think of your GP and the quality of service they provide?

Question

how long do you have to wait for an appointment?

Answer 1

mine is horrible, i have had the same health complaint for years and they never take me seriously, they had never run proper tests and don't seem to care. i have now switched doctors and am waiting for a check up.

Answer 2

We can get appointments pretty quickly, and our GP practice is very good at keeping an eye on elderly people.

However, they do assume that if you are middle aged then whatever is wrong with you is your own fault.

In the last 5 years my husband and I have both had (different) life-threatening illnesses. We could not get the GPs to take us seriously at all. We both had to cause a big fuss and bother to get further investigations done.

The GPs kept telling us we needed to eat less/drink less/ take more exercise - do they learn this from a tape or something?

What we both needed was emergency surgery, and thankfully we were well informed and persistent enough to get them to take us seriously.

Lucky we did - we'd both be dead by now if we'd listened to the ar*ehole GPs.

Ok, they seem nice enough folk, and I'm sure they're under a lot of stress. But they get very very well paid, and I think they should work harder than the rest of us given what they take home every month.

Sorry to sound bitter and twisted, but as I said earlier, I would not be here if I had listened to my GP.

Answer 3

MY GP is pretty good, we have 'discussions' about some of the more vigorous work outs I do and how to maintain my weight, but other than that my experience is that practically all GP are about the same. Its gotten to the point where the medical insurance companies govern a good portion of what a doctor can or cannot do. My appointments are generally well kept, maybe 10% late by 15 minutes or more.

Answer 4

Terrible. You can never get an appointment as they run that stupid thing whereby you have to call at 8.30 in the morning to get an appointment for that day. But by the time you have got through there are no appointments left. Also you just get fobbed off and they make you feel like you are wasting their time. The reception staff are like pit balls and the other patients just give you coughs and colds. My motto-don't go to the Doctors. I have been twice in two years and that was enough for me. And they wonder why A and E services are being used for non urgent cases.

Answer 5

I live in a rural area in Gower, South Wales and my local practice is a group one. It's really easy to get an appointment usually the same day. They also have a drop in session from 8.45 to 10.30 everyday but this means waiting for ages and ages unless you wait outside before 8.30 am. On the whole it's a very good service and all the Doctors are approachable and friendly. However, I was very disappointed that they were unable to offer a free counselling service when I needed it as they do not have funding for this.

Answer 6

My GP is great - wonderfully supportive, he doesnt give medication for the sake of it. My kids like him.
If the appointment is urgent we will get an appointment within an hour or two - if not urgent then sometimes the same day, or otherwise the next day.
I cannot fault my GP at all.

Answer 7

My GP is brilliant! She is Polish and runs a small practice, meaning very short waiting times and a good personal service, just like the old days!

Answer 8

My doctor is great!

The surgery doesn't have advance appointments (unless you need routine treatment) You have to ring up on the day and get an appointment. So i never have to wait for an appointment it is alot better than the old system where we had to wait up to a week for non urgent appointments.

Answer 9

I never actually see my GP, cos I don't like them and feel uncomfortable with them. I always make an appointment with another doctor in my practice, who is superb and never makes you feel like you're wasting their time with silly questions or rushes you. Appointment time can range from couple of days to a couple of weeks, but is often hard trying to get an appointment that fits around my working hours!

Answer 10

Usually can make a next day appointment. Excellent service here in Northern Ireland.

Answer 11

My GP is bloody damned excellent. I can see him very quickly usually same day. He is friendly, kind and very professional. And he listened to me when I was having serious problems that were affecting my health when no one else would. I have to say this has been my experience with most of the GPs I have had.