Scheduling a GP appointment

Hi--
just wondering about the general appointments system for a GP. I've tried booking an appointment with mine for a smear test, but basically it sounds like I'll need to take a day off work since they're unable to accommodate my class schedule and actually seemed annoyed that I made any requests for particular times. The prob is, I work at least an hour's drive from where I live, but of course can't register with a GP closer to my workplace even though it would solve a lot of these issues. What do people who are working full time do when they have to make frequent doctor's visits? Is the only option pretty much grab the spot you can and then request that time off work?
Thanks....

When I call to make an appointment, I usually ask if they have anything available when I'm free and then book for the earliest slot I can get. Our surgery doesn't seem too busy, so I can usually get an appointment within a week of the phone call, but although I work full-time, it's shift work, so I'm free to attend an appointment two mornings and one afternoon per week (I just ask if they have any slots free on those days).

Only once have I had to take time off work for an appointment (a filling at the dentist), but that was because it was a choice between taking 2 hours off that week or waiting another 3 months to get the filling done! I just made up the time I missed later on.

At work at the moment, we have one staff member who is pregnant and two others who have had to go for hospital tests recently... they've just had to take time off for appointments and either make it up another day or have it as unpaid leave. I believe the policy at my work is to make appointments in your own time if possible, but you are able to have the time off to go to them if necessary.

From my experience it really does depend on the individual doctors surgery as to what sort of appointment system they use. At mine you are able to make appointments whenever suits you as long as they have them available, but it is quite difficult to get same day appointments even if you call up first thing in the morning- so not much different to the doctors I used in the States.

My doctor's surgery offers an online appointment booking system (in addition to the old fashioned methods ).  I just log on, click the appt time I want & Bob's your uncle.  That said, I can usually get an appt for anytime the following day without too many problems, and for a time completely of my choosing generally within the week.

At least as of right now, and so far.  (It'll probably change once the government starts hacking NHS funds & services though, if they haven't already started.)

From my experience it really does depend on the individual doctors surgery as to what sort of appointment system they use. At mine you are able to make appointments whenever suits you as long as they have them available,

Mine's like this too. My surgery is also open in the evening which is very handy for people working full-time. But, yes. They're all different.

Hiya
My GP surgery allows booking ahead but often the appts go quickly for the following week. If they are gone there is always the availability of the same day appts that the keep open.
Saying that like others have said you have to have a finger on redial once 8 am hits as everyone else is trying to get a appt too. (shrug) lol
My GP practice also has hours till about 6 maybe 7pm ..
Every practice is a bit differant on how they work.

Yeah, my surgery rarely offers advanced appointment bookings. You have to call on the day you want the appt. It means phoning at 8 and trying over and over until you get a ring tone. It's a bit annoying but better than getting an appt a week later than you need it.

As far as what working people do to arrange the appointments, I just have to phone my employers to tell them I have an appointment at this time. I've never had any problems. Check out what your company policy is on medical appointments.

It's weird how different it is.  I mean, Ashley, you & I are in the same broad PCT catchment area.  I can book appointments like up to 4-6 weeks in advance even, and online.  And you have to wait until the same day?  Weird.

 

It's weird how different it is.

Mine doesn't even like you booking the same day! They really encourage you to book a week or two ahead. I think they save some same-day appointments for emergencies, so they don't want the rest of us clogging up the book, which makes sense I suppose.

They're open until 8pm.

My surgery also has online bookings...you can book from the next day up to several weeks in advance.  However, if you call them, you can only make an appointment for the same day...and you have to go through the routine Ashley described (call 20,000 times at 8am until you finally get an answer).  They aren't open in the evenings but they do have a Saturday clinic (think it's only half day) by appointment only.

For your smear test, you might want to look around and see if there's a sex health clinic near you.  I go there as it's much more flexible time-wise than my GP (lots of afternoon and evening times etc). That might work for you.
My GP doesn't have an online system, but they're great about trying to find a particular time.

I was going to suggest the sexual health clinic as well.  They are more workable. 

It's true though that it totally depends on the practice.  My GP works about the same as my US one and I wait about the same time to get an appointment and to see them once I get in for the appt.  My friends prefer going to the GP just up the road who doesn't do appointments--they do a walk-in clinic each day.  Then you can just show up and know you'll get in that day.  That did not appeal to me in the least because I'm working as well and can't stand the thought of possibly being stuck for hours in a waiting room if I got there too late in the day.  Mine has regular office hours, but they have one evening a week that they stay open until late for those who work days.

All that said, I thought that you can register for a doctor if you work in the vicinity.  I may be wrong, but I thought I remembered someone saying that you can use health things in the area of your work or the area where you live.  It might be worth checking.

Yup, I had my most recent smear test at a family planning clinic - I also go there to get my contraceptive pill. Mine are open 6pm-8pm and on some days they book appointments and on other days they have walk in sessions, loads better than my doctors surgery!

This is interesting. For mine, you have to call between 7-7:30 for an appointment, as they only take same day if your sick.

Wellness checkups have to be booked in advance at your previous wellness checkup, so if you are a new patient, its better to fake an illness and come in same day, so you can book a wellness checkup "while your there anyway".

Ask your manager about the work policy in regard to taking time off for a doctor's appointment. Like other people have said, if I have an appointment, at any time of the day, I just tell my manager I have to leave early/come in late, depending on the time of my appointment, and there are no questions asked. The time off is not taken as sick nor do I have to use my annual leave for it. Of course, I do try to book the appointments as early in the morning as possible so as to not miss too much work and the appointments are generally very quick...they don't waste any time with small talk and it is sometimes difficult to say, "Oh yeah Doc, I forgot that I have this problem also." In a way this can be a pain but also it means that I have always been called back at the exact time of my appointment, versus sometime having to wait hours, even though I had an appointment well in advance, when I was in the US.