GP Surgeries - are you allowed in yet?

10-11-2021 2:34pm #1

As per the thread title is your doctors surgery allowing you to attend the surgery yet? Mine isn’t and hasn’t been since the start of covid in Feb/Mar 2020.

I’m asking as my elderly mother is currently on the way to the hospital as she needs checking out and a telephone call from the surgery at some stage this evening seems like a waste of time. How can you check blood pressure, temp, etc from a phone call. I think they’ll say she needs to go to hospital anyway and I’d rather she gets there in the day than be sitting in a&e at 4am.

I did ring the surgery last week about this telling them there’s something not quite right and could she be assessed. I was asked what exactly I meant by assessed and I explained that I felt that she probably needed someone that knows what they’re looking for to observe her. I was told there was none of these services available anymore. So she has got progressively worse during the week but still the surgery won’t accept her into the surgery.

Is the entire country like this?

HeidiHeidi · 10-11-2021 2:36pm

I've been to my GP in person a couple of times in the last few months, can't remember exactly when they started seeing patients in person again but it was a fair time ago.

I'm in Dublin city, if that makes any difference.

10-11-2021 2:37pm

That’s what my sister down the country said too, Heidi. She can see her GP no problem.

banie01 · 10-11-2021 2:39pm

I've been in to see my GP and Practice nurse multiple times over Covid.

Telephone triage and then if needed, an appointment.

ednwireland · 10-11-2021 2:42pm

I was in a few weeks ago in mine got appointment, bloods 14hr blood pressure monitor 3.appointments. ha d scandal in monday as well

10-11-2021 2:50pm

Sounds like it’s only our surgery so. Thanks for the replies.

BrianD3 · 10-11-2021 2:56pm

No blanket ban since about May 2020 - but our GP definitely tries to discourage patients from attending. Also, it can take a week or more to get a phone "consultation". If you think it is more urgent than that, surprise, surprise you're advised to attend A&E. GPs are a law onto themselves anyway and many are useless for anything remotely vague or complex. "A pill for every ill" seems to be the mentality - even when it's the wrong pill or when the symptoms are due to side effects of a different pill.

con747 · 10-11-2021 3:21pm

No problem seeing mine over nearly all of covid. You can try the after hours service most counties have here https://www2.hse.ie/Apps/Services/GpOutOfHours.aspx?county=Dublin just enter your county. I found them excellent in my area and saves going to the hospital. You might get referred to A&E if they feel it's necessary though. Worth the call to find out though.

arctictree · 10-11-2021 8:00pm

Was in the GPs earlier getting a cardiac check up. No issues seeing a doctor. Sounds like your GP is just very disorganised OP.

breezy1985 · 10-11-2021 8:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058217322/gp-surgeries-are-you-allowed-in-yet

" a telephone call from the surgery at some stage this evening seems like a waste of time. How can you check blood pressure, temp, etc from a phone call. I think they’ll say she needs to go to hospital anyway"

So your mother didn't actually ring for an assessment or an appointment you are just going on assumption.

What a load of BS

celt262 · 10-11-2021 8:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118147806#Comment_118147806

What doctors can check blood pressure over the phone?

Raichu · 10-11-2021 8:24pm

OP, to be fair it sounds like you were just looking for a routine exam, which some GPs haven't been offering as much due to demand. You were triaged over the phone and sounded like a waste of their time, you spoke to them and basically said..

"I want my mother to be assessed"

"and what exactly is the problem?"

"I don't know, you're the doctor!"

the point of the phone call was to actually find out what might be wrong and go further if necessary, a doctor can't check blood pressure or temperature over the phone, but they can definitely find out if they need to be checked..

breezy1985 · 10-11-2021 8:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118147862#Comment_118147862

If his mother had called which she did not and explained her problem then she may have been called in for a blood pressure check.

All of this is based on what the OP believes his mother needs and believes the GP will tell him

Raichu · 10-11-2021 8:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118147892#Comment_118147892

exactly, why is he ringing for her when he can't even tell them what is happening.. like no symptoms or any other clues? it reads like he was expecting the doctor was gonna sit him mam in a chair in the office and just keep an eye for something throughout the day 😂

10-11-2021 8:54pm

My mother wears a hearing aid so it’s me who talks on her behalf.

Last week I had spoken to a doctor after calling the surgery. She was wetting herself constantly, repeating the same thing and forgetting other things. In other words, she wasn’t right. This is why I thought she needed someone who is qualified in these things to assess her. I’m not qualified but I know something is wrong. The doctor prescribed an antibiotic and another tablet for her memory based on this phone call.

This morning she was pale, confused and unsteady on her feet. Do you think it was too much to ask that she was physically seen or should I have been happy with a phone call again?

btw She’s still at the hospital as her blood pressure is low and I hope it’s not something serious. Thanks for your concern, breezy.

breezy1985 · 10-11-2021 9:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118147911#Comment_118147911

Or it's another story needs to be filed under never happened.

If said it before but Boards really needs a thread for stories and one for "stories".

I see the OP is doing the suddenly embellishing the story after being called out routine

BrianD3 · 10-11-2021 9:04pm

Do posters actually read before jumping in? The OP clearly stated that they rang last week and got nowhere. Subsequently things got worse and now the person is on the way to hospital. It seems they decided that waiting for a phone call back from the GP was pointless and would only result in a later admission to A&E. A very understandable concern and many of us with elderly relatives have been in the same boat.

Looking for someone to observe her - again with the assumptions, observe is another way of saying "look at", it doesn't mean observe her all day. FFS.

celt262 · 10-11-2021 9:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118147892#Comment_118147892

The surgery isn't seen people though!

celt262 · 10-11-2021 9:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118148031#Comment_118148031

Don't pass any remarks it looks like a few didn't even read your OP.

breezy1985 · 10-11-2021 9:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118148030#Comment_118148030

He said he rang but told the GP no details. Then suddenly changed the story to giving tons of details and a doctors prescription.

It's BS the whole story. It follows all the usual BS Boards story lines.

If it's true then the GP is Sht and find another one but it's not true so dont worry

10-11-2021 9:18pm

You’re one cold hearted person. You think I rang the doctors and gave them no info on her symptoms? I GAVE THE THREAD NO INFO ON HER SYMPTOMS!

The Mighty Quinn · 10-11-2021 9:18pm

OP, I've two daughters, both arrived since February 2020. I have never been able to bring them to see a GP, as it would appear everything is a symptom of covid. "she has a temperature, she'll need to go to A&E to be checked, we can't see her". Bringing a sick child to sit in A&E for 6 hours to be prescribed some medicine for ear infections etc is no joke. What is a joke is our GPs refusal to see a sick child.

Sleeper12 · 10-11-2021 9:21pm

My GP practice never stopped seeing patients. During the start of covid they screened patients over the phone. The vast majority of cases they could cover over the phone and email in prescriptions to the pharmacy. However if the GP decided they needed to see you then you got an appointment to attend the surgery. They can increase your dose of meds over the phone but they also need to listen to your heart or take blood pressure & this was always done from the surgery.

The quality of care never decreased in my GPS surgery

breezy1985 · 10-11-2021 9:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118148092#Comment_118148092

"I did ring the surgery last week about this telling them there’s something not quite right and could she be assessed. I was asked what exactly I meant by assessed and I explained that I felt that she probably needed someone that knows what they’re looking for to observe her. I was told there was none of these services available anymore"

None of this suggests you gave a detailed account and also what does "anymore" mean.

If your doctor is not doing blood pressure tests which is what you wanted for a woman pissing herself are we to assume that the GP is never doing blood tests again.

If the OP wants an effective answer why is this in CA/IMHO ? Cause its BS that's why

Strumms · 10-11-2021 9:46pm

My GP has been seeing people and the surgery is back working normally..

I was back there for blood tests a couple of weeks back... the physiotherapist is working too as he is also a phlebotomist and can take bloods, took mine and was saying his physio room is reasonably back to normal....

mrslancaster · 10-11-2021 10:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118147986#Comment_118147986

Hopefully your mother will get a diagnosis and the medical help she needs soon. My gran had a similar incident years ago, she had a bad kidney infection and because her kidneys weren't working right it caused the confusion and odd behaviour. She was grand once she got the meds, but like yourself we were a bit worried as we knew something wasn't quite right. Best of luck OP, it's tough looking after vulnerable older parents especially during covid.

11-11-2021 12:47am

No.

Phone consultation first, triaged by receiptionist(!) and then you'd lucky if you get that the same week - that's if you can even get through to the surgery on the phone in the first place. A surgery visit only if Doctor decides. Then, you'll be lucky if that's within a week of the phone consultation. Pre-covid, you could get a face-to-face appointment within 2 days.

Its a totally pointless, useless service at this stage.

Basically, if I wake up ill on Monday morning, my options now would be to go straight to A&E because it will be two weeks before I've any hope of getting to see my own doctor.

Also full consultation fees must be paid in advance by card at time of booking or they will not offer appointment. If you miss your call (phone rings for 10 seconds max before they hang up) fee is forfeit, even though they don't give you a time except "morning" or "afternoon".

Im looking for a new GP.

Mrs OBumble · 11-11-2021 1:29am

Basically, if I wake up ill on Monday morning, my options now would be to go straight to A&E because it will be two weeks before I've any hope of getting to see my own doctor.

Or wait until 5pm, and ring your doctor's after-hours service.

11-11-2021 2:26am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118149070#Comment_118149070

You mean like everyone else who couldn't get a GP appointment?!?

Rinse and repeat.

GP Surgeries - are you allowed in yet?

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