Scheduling a GP appointment

By the way ksand24, you mentioned maternity appts.  These should not be unpaid leave or making up the time in the UK.  By law your employer has to give you time off for maternity appointments.  It is illegal to penalize a woman for proper ante-natal care.

By the way ksand24, you mentioned maternity appts.  These should not be unpaid leave or making up the time in the UK.  By law your employer has to give you time off for maternity appointments.  It is illegal to penalize a woman for proper ante-natal care.

Thanks for the info on that .  When I replied, I was mostly thinking about the time-off experiences of my other two colleagues (who have grown-up children), as they have had to take several days/part-days off recently for hospital appointments and tests, where as the colleague who is pregnant has only had to take time off to attend one short midwife appointment.

At our GP, you have to phone on the day, at 8:30am, and if you don't you won't get an early appointment, you'll just be SOL(s*t out of luck), and have to try on your next free day.

After my last appointment, last Tuesday(which was my 2nd day off; I tried on Monday, but, called after 8:45am. Not a snowball's chance!), I went to the reception counter and said that I had to make an appointment for my smear, as soon as, because of my work schedule and my biological schedule, that was fine, and I got an appointment for 9/9. What happens??? Aunt Flo came in for her visit this past Thursday.    She's always so random! So, now I'll obviously have to call on Tuesday or during the week (our GP isn't open on the weekends. Don't get sick on the weekends in our town, apparently!) and let them know. 

At our GP, you have to phone on the day, at 8:30am, and if you don't you won't get an early appointment, you'll just be SOL(s*t out of luck), and have to try on your next free day.

At my surgery, they only keep same-day spots open for emergency appointments and usually they are all gone by 8.30a.m. Normally I will make an appointment to see my doctor for at least a week ahead (especially if it's just for a repeat prescription and nothing urgent) - if they've got a free appointment sooner, then great, otherwise I'll just book something for the next week. If it is urgent, then I call or go in at 8 a.m. and hope to get an appointment that day.

(our GP isn't open on the weekends. Don't get sick on the weekends in our town, apparently!) and let them know. 

I don't think many (if any) GP surgeries in the UK will be open on the weekend (as least, I've never heard of one being open then). If you need emergency treatment on the weekend, you either have to call the out-of hours service, call NHS Direct, go to a Walk-In Centre or go to A&E.

At my surgery, they only keep same-day spots open for emergency appointments and usually they are all gone by 8.30a.m. Normally I will make an appointment to see my doctor for at least a week ahead (especially if it's just for a repeat prescription and nothing urgent) - if they've got a free appointment sooner, then great, otherwise I'll just book something for the next week. If it is urgent, then I call or go in at 8 a.m. and hope to get an appointment that day.

I don't think many (if any) GP surgeries in the UK will be open on the weekend (as least, I've never heard of one being open then). If you need emergency treatment on the weekend, you either have to call the out-of hours service, call NHS Direct, go to a Walk-In Centre or go to A&E.

You actually get to see 'your' doctor? I just see who ever they tell me to, I only know that I'm supposed to have a certain doctor because it's on my NHS card, but, I've never actually met her, I don't think. Is there something I'm not doing?

Didn't know about the after hours service-neither did DH, actually.

You actually get to see 'your' doctor? I just see who ever they tell me to, I only know that I'm supposed to have a certain doctor because it's on my NHS card, but, I've never actually met her, I don't think. Is there something I'm not doing?

Yes, I do. My practice has 3 GPs, two male and one female and you can chose which one you see, although it's usually between the two male doctors (all three of them are actually family friends anyway... two are husband and wife and their daughter is one of my school friends!). I just call and ask to make an appointment with whichever doctor I would like to see; if he is on holiday or not available, then I either wait until he's back or I make an appointment with the other one (or the locum doctor if there is one).

Our surgery is quite small and pretty close-knit though (I also know several of the receptionists because they are either family friends or I went to school with their kids), but I can imagine that surgeries in cities and large areas are busier and less personal.

What do you say when you call to make an appointment? Do you ask to see a specific doctor or do you just ask for an appointment without mentioning a name?

Just to note though that an entire surgery/practice might be under the name of one specific GP, but there will actually be several GPs working in the same practice - i.e. your NHS card may just give the name of the doctor who heads up the practice, not necessarily the doctor you are supposed to see (i.e. my surgery is under the name of one specific GP, but I never actually book my appointments with him, as I prefer seeing the other doctor).

To the OP, sorry if this is a dumb question, did you specifically ask for a GP or did you say you needed a smear test? The reason that I am asking is that a smear test would usually be done by a nurse, and it is usually easier to get an appointment with a nurse than a GP.

What do you say when you call to make an appointment? Do you ask to see a specific doctor or do you just ask for an appointment without mentioning a name?

Just to note though that an entire surgery/practice might be under the name of one specific GP, but there will actually be several GPs working in the same practice - i.e. your NHS card may just give the name of the doctor who heads up the practice, not necessarily the doctor you are supposed to see (i.e. my surgery is under the name of one specific GP, but I never actually book my appointments with him, as I prefer seeing the other doctor).

I say,"Do you have any appointments on today?" because that's what DH and family have taught me to say. Clearly that's wrong? I haven't been I've been to a "doctor's office" since I was 23-in the UK or US. In the States, I just went to Planned Parenthood for my gyno issues. After I had my T.I., though, they stopped seeing me. Before that, I was under my dad's military benefit. DH and family only go to see the doctor if in dire necessity.

Aye at my practice there are 3 or 4 gp's to choose from. You can ask for the same one I usually ask for one of two.. So if A isna available B usually is.

Saying that at my practice the Nurse Practitioner does the smears..

Abbygirl, certainly if there's a GP you like better than others, than ask for specific appointments with that person

At my GP's surgery, if its non urgent you can make an appointment with GPs you like for usually within a weeks time-

If its urgent, they guarantee you can get in same day, but you don't have a choice in who you see. 

The GP I loved left for another practice and I was gutted.  I haven't found one in the surgery yet who I like now.   

Abbygirl, certainly if there's a GP you like better than others, than ask for specific appointments with that person

At my GP's surgery, if its non urgent you can make an appointment with GPs you like for usually within a weeks time-

If its urgent, they guarantee you can get in same day, but you don't have a choice in who you see. 

The GP I loved left for another practice and I was gutted.  I haven't found one in the surgery yet who I like now.   

Thanks! I think I really need to be more assertive is all. The trick is.....actually doing it. 

Thanks! I think I really need to be more assertive is all. The trick is.....actually doing it. 

I always see my GP (unless it's something really important and he's not in...he doesn't work on Tuesdays and goes on holiday a lot).  When I call I just say "I'd like to make an appointment with Dr. MYGP please".

Also at my surgery, the nurse who does smears is a travelling nurse who works at a bunch of different GPs in the area...she's only there one day a week so it's a bit more difficult to get GYN-type appointments.  Although she's usually not busy so you can get an appointment for that week.