After receiving a letter asking me to make an appointment with my usual GP to discuss my depression and medication, I called the surgery and was advised that this would have to be a telephone appointment as per new procedures just introduced.
I felt uncomfortable with this as it is a very sensitive emotional problem to discuss and I would find it even harder to do this over the phone with a Dr I may never have spoken to before. I explained that the letter said I should see my usual Dr but the receptionist still insisted that it would have to be a telephone consult and proceeded to give me an appointment with a locum Dr. I say appointment but I was actually told that I could be called anytime between 8am and 12pm! I don't see how this is supposed to be an improvement in service.
Why should I have to wait in all morning for a call when it was the surgery who asked me to make an appointment in the first place? I was quite upset and unhappy after the call and decided to phone back. This time the receptionist I spoke to was very understanding and arranged a proper appointment with my GP although she did confirm that it should really be a telephone appt.
If my appointment had been to talk about joint pain or migraine etc, then I would have been happy with a telephone appt. but when depression is involved I think it is dangerous to try to force telephone appointments on patients.
"Telephone "appointments" not always appropriate"
About: NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
Posted by twist64 (as ),
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See more responses from Lisa Ramsay
Update posted by twist64 (a service user) 7 years ago