Waiting time in doctors surgery.

I had to get a new prescription on Friday, so managed to get an appointment with a local doctor. I hadn't been to them before, so I registered with them, so I'd have a local doctor to go to. Where I live, the rail system is *rseways, as usual when you need them, the timetable never works out in your favour. I was due to finish work at 3, but I wouldn't make it in time for the train for the appointment - Murphy's Law, there was an hour between two trains! She told me that the last appointment she had, was 4.30. I told her that due to the trains, I wouldn't get in until 4.30 and then I'd have to walk to the surgery. She said she'd put me in for 4.30, but tell the doctor that I could be a couple of minutes late. I asked in work if I could finish up an hour early, just so I could catch the train, thankfully they said yes. I rang the surgery and she put me down for 3.45. I nearly killed myself getting to the surgery - couldn't remember how far it was from the station!! Got there with 15mins to spare, so I was a happy camper - for a while anyway. I wasn't seen until 4.55! Seven patients who arrived in after me, got seen before me. There were other doctors in the surgery, who were taking their own patients, but there were long gaps between some of their patients. When I finally got in to see the doctor, I asked if the receptionist had told him that my appointment time had been changed. He said they had, so I asked how come there was such a delay, and that 7 people had gone in ahead of me that had arrived after me. He said that a baby had come in, and had to be seen. I felt so bad then But what I want to know, is that how come the other doctors can't help out with the backlog of one particular doctor, when their surgery is free? It didn't help that I was starving by the time I got to see the doctor, so that didn't help the mood at all!

Thats very annoying At my doctors surgery, there are 2 doctors, and if you are booked in for one, and when you get there, if its really busy, they will ask would you mind going to see the other doctor, or even the nurse thats there,(if she can help). I don't understand why they took in a few patients that arrived after you though, thats a bit strange

Oh I don't know but this bugs me too. My doctor doesn't have any open surgery times, it's appointments all day, and it's near impossible to get an appointment (eg was off sick on a Mon couldn't get appt till Tues afternoon, and I rang on a Thurs morning for another appt and the earliest I could get was MONDAY at 2.45) Both times I was about 15 to 30 mins late going in for the appointment, so I'm not sure what the point is in having to make an appointment in the first place.

My GP is a walk in system, so first come first served, no appointments, he will see everybody. Fair play to him. But it bugs me if I have to go there, you would have to expect to be there 2 hours at least anyway. I hate doctors waiting rooms

That would have driven me mental. At least you had the balls to ask why you were left waiting. I am so cowardly in situations like that. I would never in a million years ask. In my doctors surgery (2/3 doctors), I have often been left waiting over an hour. So annoying when all Im doing is renewing my pill perscription. It literally takes all of 5 minutes.

[quote="mrsmcdreamy":3kvjkk5y]That would have driven me mental. At least you had the balls to ask why you were left waiting. I am so cowardly in situations like that. I would never in a million years ask. In my doctors surgery (2/3 doctors), I have often been left waiting over an hour. So annoying when all Im doing is renewing my pill perscription. It literally takes all of 5 minutes.[/quote:3kvjkk5y] I think the hunger got the better of me!! I'd never have asked before. I was only going into renew a prescription as well.

(My doc has retired recently, but this is the way he used to operate. I only remembered this after I had posted all this and I didn't want to go and change everythign to past tense!). My doc has a kinda walk in job in the morning and then appointments in the afternoon. In the morning the surgery opens at 10am but he doesn't usually arrive until 11 or, sometimes later as he does house calls first thing in the morning. So you could be sitting there from 10am but he wouldn't even be there. After that then it's first come first served. When I used to go to him sometimes I'd go at 10am and wouldn't get out until noon or sometimes afterwards. Appointments then were generally on time. Say if your app was for 4pm, sometimes it'd be 415 before you'd be seen if the previous appointment ran on or if there was an emergency or the doc had to take a fax or phone call from the hospital. But afternoon appointments were like gold dust as he only did two hours of them or so, every 15 mins. Now I see hubby's doctor as my doc has retired and because we know him we don't normally have to wait that long. In your case TFAC I'd imagine they didn't change the time of your appointment as the surgery was busy. I'm guessing you were bookd in for 4.30 and left there as more and more appointments built up. To be honest back in the day if I had an appointment for 4.30 and rang to say could you make it 3.45, they would have said no! Take the time you're given and stay quiet! Helpful people that they are! They could have told you that though, that they didn't want to mess around with appointment times, rather than have you come early and sit there.

It is frustrating to have to wait, most of the time in my gp's, it's at least a 30 min wait, but tbh, I don't mind because the three gps are just lovely and they will see you for as long as you need, not just the 15 mins you're scheduled for. I know there have been times, especially during my last pregnancy, when I was a bit worried about something and the doctor took all the time I needed rather than hooshing me out the door. Same a couple of times DD was sick when she was younger and they fit me in between appointments, which I know would have made other people late, but to me it was invaluable, especially the time she had pneumonia. I've been going to the same surgery my whole life so I know what to expect so I always bring a book, but I agree it is very annoying when you're going in for something routine and you end up waiting for ages.

once i was kept waiting at the doc's,i had made the appointment was there on time,there were 3 people in front of me and about 5 after me,i was kept waiting while people after me were taken before me,i got up to go to reception at one stage but she wasent there,when the doc came out to call the next person and it wasent me,i went over to him and said i had been waiting a while and what was the problem? he looked at the appointment book and said the receptionist had marked out my name in yellow meaning i had cancelled i was raging to say the least!

God maybe we got to the same one, my doctors surgery is a nightmare! Theres 3 doctors and really you can see any of them. I would love to change but too lazy to go find a new one. Theres always loads of free parking beside them and a chemist right beside them so it is handy. But I dont know why they bother taking appointments because they are never on time! A couple of weeks ago I went and got the first appointment after lunch because Id made it a week in advance and she said Id be in and out straight away. App was for 2:10 and I was seen at 2:50, so only 40 minutes late but I was the first after lunch. I was there a few days before Christmas and made an appointment and was waiting an hour. They just never seem to be able to stick to a schedule. Now I know someone much sicker than me might come in and take priority or they can be called out on an emergency but can it happen every time I go there? Some people must have gotten annoyed because now they have a sign up to say dont take it out on the staff!