"unaccessible"

The staff are largely helpful, but the askmygp system is appalling. A call to the Reception staff, in response to a text message requesting that I do so, is met with impotence. There are no appointments available today. And nothing can be booked in for a future date. I'm not sure why I rang. There will almost never be an appointment available, logically, because of the askmygp system. All the appointments are gone by 8.30am. I am told to go to askmygp between 8 and 8.30pm tomorrow and hope that I get an appointment (I don't really know what it's for - it's in response to a letter or some results, but the receptionist isn't able to elaborate).

I have a long term condition which means that I need consistent care, . The one doctor who properly engages with my condition is only available for 3.5 days a month, so the chances of seeing them are slim to vanishing.

This would be upsetting in healthy times, but the reason for getting in touch with the doctor is because you are not well. Dealing with labyrinthine administrative tasks and appointment bingo adds to the problem.

I haven't managed to see a GP in person for years. When consultants tell me my GP will follow something up, I just laugh or I'd cry. Sometimes I cry too. Because it's a battle to even get into the system, let alone get an appointment, and probably if I ask for an email it will be a phone call and if I ask for a phone call it will happen when I and the doctor are both clearly exhausted and neither of us can think straight.

I asked the receptionist if there is a patients advisory team or a manager I could speak to at some point, because I want to get involved rather than snipe from the sidelines, but that request was met with a blank.

I don't blame the reception team. But the management team need to address this. You can't just keep telling us that 'this is how the system works'. Because it doesn't.