Getting a GP appointment is impossible!!!!!!-

[JsMum]

I am trying to get a GP appointment for J and we have a system where you ring at 8:00am.

The tone is a continued engaged tone and remains so until around 9:30am, I rang today at 9:45am and was told there was NO Appointments left for today and to ring again tomorrow at 8:00am, when I told the receptionist that the dial is engaged she said thats just the system.

 

what do I do,

 

I cant get J a GPs appointment?

 

I wondered if anyone here has difficulties getting an appointment for their children?

 

JsMum

[MichelleW]

Yes, we have the same system here. What complicates things is that I have to get J to breakfast club for 8:15 - and I can't phone the doctor surgery and take him to school at the same time. Also when I do phone it is constantly engaged. I've tried driving to the surgery to book an appointment in person - but other people are also doing that, so there is a long queue at the surgery at 8 in the morning. I don't have a solution - I've got to the point that if I can't get an appointment, and I think it is urgent to see a doctor, I'll go to the emergency doctors at the hospital which is open in the evening.

[Flora]

We have similar problems getting through to the surgery until about 9.30... however the surgery run a system where the doctors run a drop in session at the end of the afternoon surgery..so if I ring up for an appointment and they are fully booked but if it's for something not routine they put your name on a list and you get seen on a first come first serve basis in the evening.... I haven't had to use it often but the times I have we've had to wait a bit but at least we've been seen.

 

Why don't you ask if they have a system like this.... They don't always tell you about it unless you ask! In my experience many doctor's receptionists seem to think their job is to prevent you from getting in to see the doctor!!!

 

Flora

[JsMum]

Thankyou for your replys and I am glad to anounce I have finally got an appointment after dropping my Letter of Complaint the receptionist wanted to know why I hadnt managed to get an appointment she said that there is block bookings and she could arrange one of those if I wanted to have one of those?

 

Yes of course I did and took it and now have an appointment after lunch, so there you go, but it took actually going in and explaining the difficulties yet I said nothing different to this mornings conversation on the phone!!!!

 

well my letter of complaint has gone to them and I am not the only one who has complained so I was told when I went into the surgery.

 

I think its disgusting, that our first port of call for advice and referrals its blocked and a right challenge to get an actual appointment.

 

Well we do have one now so will stop my anoyance of the system!!!

 

JsMum

[hev]

I am trying to get a GP appointment for J and we have a system where you ring at 8:00am.

The tone is a continued engaged tone and remains so until around 9:30am, I rang today at 9:45am and was told there was NO Appointments left for today and to ring again tomorrow at 8:00am, when I told the receptionist that the dial is engaged she said thats just the system.

have exactly the same prob with my docs and i get so fuming listening to the engaged tone we can then try again at 12 for an afternoon appointment but rare to get through, by that time im all het up and need an appointment for high blood pressure!!!!!!

[JsMum]

GET A CUPPA LONG POST SORRY!!!

 

Took J to see a GP today and it was a different one that J normally sees and I got the feeling that at first I was maybe talking japanese as he wasnt really listening and kept on asking J what was wrong of which J shrugged his shoulders and played with his YU GI OH cards and then J said

 

" nothing really," and then smiled and continued playing his cards.

 

I sat there feeling like I wasting the gps time and then when I explained why I had brung J that he had been complaining of pains in his thighs and arms, he asked J if anything hurt and J said NO, so he asked him if his arms hurt agian J said

 

" No, I dont really get any pain, just growing pains!"

 

The doc did some physical movements with Js Knees and arms and verified hypermobility of which I already know, he then said that everything seemed fine, and J got back down and continued with his cards.

 

The GP noted what activities he does on the computer such as his swimming, running and cycling and said it is good that he is kept active as it will keep him fit and healthy.

 

I explained that lately he seems to fall over a lot and really hurting himself now he is bigger, the gp suggested that its a boy thing, its kids, I said

 

" yes I understand that however I feel that with J it could be more than that,"

 

I told him about tripping over a lot even up the stairs, bumping into door frames and that I am worried as he has been getting a lot more bruises lately from the falls.

 

The gp suggested I tell him to watch where he is going, to be careful, I said that I have been trying that for the last five years and it doesnt make any difference as five minuetes after he has fallen he is running off again until he has crashed into something again.

 

He checked over the brusies he had and said they are consistant with falls, and then did some more movement tests of which J had no problems doing and siad

 

" its a behavioural thing, he just wants to get somewhere now"

 

I said its certainly not a behavioural thing and that if it where then why has it got worse over the last few months and his behavoural issues arnt as severe as they where when he was younger"

 

The gp said he cant refer him to a peadatrition if he cant find anything wrong as he has good ballance and good co ordination there isnt anything wrong"

 

" I said so what do I do when he really hurts something and then someone asks me why havent I taken him to the gp, and then I will have to say that I did and the gp said its behavioural, its a boy thing, hes normal!

and I didnt like the fact he was getting lots of brusing due to these falls as I dont want people to be worried that he is maybe getting hurt by someone "

 

the gp then started to do other movements on his limbs and said

 

" I can see what you mean and I can verify that these are from falls so what is his learning like?"

 

J said " OK "

 

I then said

 

" Yes but J has a lot of help and he has a Statement of SEN and he has difficulties in many issues from reading to behaving"

 

the gp said whats his learning issues I said he does have dyslexia and he has obvious hyperactivity ADHD but lately the bumping into door frames the falls from no where have increased.

 

The gp asked J what had he had for Lunch and J took a long time to answer and then said

 

" oh an orange, and erm. " like ten mins later and the gp said to J " couldnt you remember"

 

he asked J if he had any brothers and sisters and J said No, he said to J

 

" you get spoiled I bet "

 

There was no answer from J and I was like feeling like I waisting my time as he had made up his mind thats its behavioural, attention, and because he is spoilt.

 

I had enough but then the gp said he would refer him to the peadatrition and see if they could maybe explain why he falls, trips and bumps into things.

 

I left with a feeling like I made a fuss of nothing!!!!!

 

JsMum

[Bambi]

Awwww hun <'> <'> <'> <'>

 

Not nice being made to feel like that & good for u to keep pushing with the things that u see are a problem, our kids dont express feelings like they should and the GP seemed ignorant to the fact which is wrong! KNowing he was special needs should been enough for him to show concern and not tell him he is spoiled! wow im shocked he said that to him.

 

Hope the referral for the Paed comes real soon and take care.

 

Bambi x

[JsMum]

Hi Bambi

 

Thanks for your reply, but I was thinking even if J is spoilt whats that got to do with Js Fals, bumps ect..

 

The GP said the referal will take only a few days but the actual appointment he said could take a few months so it looks like its going to take time yet again.

 

JsMum

[witsend]

The gp suggested I tell him to watch where he is going, to be careful, I said that I have been trying that for the last five years

 

Am speechless! <'>

Luv Witsend.

[Mumble]

Hi JsMum,

 

the gp said whats his learning issues I said he does have dyslexia and he has obvious hyperactivity ADHD but lately the bumping into door frames the falls from no where have increased.

 

I'm no medical expert, but this sounds exactly like a difficulty I have which has been described as a difficulty with proprioception which is related to my AS/dyspraxia.

 

Proprioception is basically an awareness of where your body parts that you can't see are in the space around you and in relation to other body parts. So, for most people, who don't have these difficulties, they 'know' where their arm/side of body is without having to look at it. However, I don't have this awareness and so mis-judge how much space to leave when I walk through doorframes. Hence, I often end up walking into them and have some wonderful scars and bruises on my arms to show for my efforts. I can categorically state that there is absolutely nothing funny about the funny bone! When walking up/down stairs I have to look at my feet otherwise I have the tendency to trip. Nearly took a tumble down the stairs at college last week when I was going down the stairs - one of my lecturers called me and I looked up at him, forgot to concentrate on my feet and missed the stair.

 

As for this increasing, has he grown at all recently? - just thinking logically - if he has then there's less space to get through the door, so less room for error - just a thought. I found this from wikipedia which sort of explains it:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprioception

 

Hope this helps,

 

Mumble.

[V1971]

{HUGS} I'm sorry your GP wasn't more understanding, to be honest I find that they do not know much about ASD, it's so frustrating! You'd better see a Paeditrician.

 

The other day I took my son to the doctor's surgery about his tummy bug and we saw a new dr who asked me twice if I was sure that my son was Autistic, he just didn't believe it, because he made good eye contact and waved bye bye. He didn't have a clue grrr!