Poor systems and processes in place
Getting an appointment is extremely difficult, just getting through on the the telephone is a task in itself. If you are lucky enough to get through you then have to divulge your personal and private information to the receptionist, who they have renamed 'care navigators', and it is at their discretion whether or not your matter is urgent enough to warrant an appointment with a doctor. It drives me mad that you are expected to tell a receptionist this information. Recently I did manage to get an appointment but first I had to speak to three different receptionists/care navigators, before I got to speak to a nurse practitioner who then booked me an appointment for the next day. I just want to be able to see a doctor when I am unwell. It should not be a battle to access primary care. When we try to access an appointment for something minor and are told that its not urgent enough, do the receptionists/care navigators not consider how long it will be before your minor problem becomes serious or even life threatening. They are not medically trained professionals, and no regard is given to your previous medical history. For three weeks I was fobbed off due to having anxiety before I ended up very ill and diagnosed with cellulitis. Booking blood tests at the doctors is near on impossible and you can no longer get them done at the hospital which is a real problem.