A good friend of mine was on the radio this week. ‘You and yours’. It was about access to GP services during and now continuing through the Covid year (s).

She like many of us has been able to get hold of a gp by holding on the line from 8.00 am and doing other things whilst waiting hours to get to the top of the queue. Her husband like many has needed to contact his gp about a requested test. He kept hanging up after 30 minutes because he had to join a work call. Their surgery has no texting or email service.

My mother had to endure hospital cardiology tests and horrendous medication last year, until it was discovered she had no heart problem and should not have been through all that at all. That was a gp phone consultation. In fact she also had an ear infection diagnosed over the phone. How they examine the ear through the land line I do not know. She refused to take the medicine they sent.

Healthwatch England have just produced a report about this. The official line is: The move to remote appointments has allowed GP practices to keep services running for millions of people. Remote consultations have made getting care quicker, more efficient and easier to fit around their lives for many people. 

However, and of course there is a however, many people are struggling to access care from their GP practice, leaving them feeling frustrated and confused. Certain groups also risk being left behind, such as older people, disabled people and those with long term health conditions.

For the full report if you fancy a read here it is : Healthwatch England

My own GP has been extraordinarily helpful since that first Matt Hancock letter ordering me to stay inside and open a window. He had been ringing me on Thursday evenings. However, not always. He admits he has caused a problem at the blood testing service because he realised no one could get repeat prescriptions until blood tests, halted in the height of covid, now needed to be urgently performed. He sometimes sends texts but that is one way information. This week it was: ‘ I need to change your blood pressure medication urgent. Your recent blood test shows a problem.’

Hoping he would sort something I had another reason to try to speak to any doctor. I rang the surgery every day at 8.00 am. After listening to the long boring message about covid, then the list of options to press, which I never remember. Was it 1 or 2 or 3 or …>Tuesday, the message was we have a lot of calls at the moment. We are very busy. Please call later. Wednesday I got: ‘you are caller number 13‘ but that did not change so after 2 hours I gave up. By Wednesday eveing, I felt an email coming on. I managed a polite one to the practice manager suggesting the call system was faulty. I got no reply. Guessing GP, Dipstick, Awesome Infection Consultant and Clincial -Special- sometimes- grumpy- Nurse were all away on half term. Good for them. But….

Thursday I sent a spurious repeat medication request in. That is possible online. But no, that did not cause any communication either.

Friday my phone leapt into life a ‘ caller unknown’ it was some random gp. You have an infection she said. Ah said I that must be the urine culture from 2 weeks ago. Yes she said. I can see you have no allergies.

Seriously? am I meant to believe the screen doesn’t glow with red flag allergies anytime they look at it.?

I have sent antibiotics to the chemist. She rang off! The antibiotics were ones I cannot take. Good job I had self treated with whatever potions I had to hand already.

Lunchtime I managed to get a call with a receptionist not trained in the Rottweiler techniques. I explained I was actually concerned about a hot red patch on my back. Where the SNS leads go in and out. She seemed to have some medical knowledge. She seemed to have POWER. A doctor will ring you this afternoon. Wow. That’s amazing I said.

Well of course no doctor rang. A text arrived on my phone from an anonymous person. Please send photos of your back.

Have you ever tried to take a photo of your back? Anyhow using my pilates pretzel manoeuvers ( and Daniel) I duly sent photos.

The automatic reply was: your response may not be viewed immediately. For urgent queries please call reception!!

No way .

Another text turned up: You have a surgical site infection. I have sent antibiotics to chemist.

and that was that! I did tell Dipstick by text. He said send photos. I did. He said photos were not clear enough and that he was away and I should ring the Special sometimes grumpy nurse.. Ah I said. She is away too. Oh, he said, go to A and E.

I cannot possibly face A and E. I will swallow tablets and hope.