"Impossible to make an appt in an emergency "

The apointment booking system is impossible to access even if you need an emergency appt. The wait time on the phone can be up to 80 minutes. There is no apology ever and it feels like as a patient you are blamed for needing input of a medical professional.

As patients we stayed away during the worst of covid. In fact we were forced to. Even with cancer symptoms or for screening ( which is what I was calling about having already been a cancer patient). For weeks and weeks reception says the duty GP list is full. You have to call at 8 am and appts are gone by 8.05.

I have emailed to be told they dont allocate appointments by email and as a disabled patient I cant use the online consultation form ( its not compatible with assistive technology).

I have even been in person 3 x and told no appt.

Aside from my own case I also have family with cognitive impairment and severe MH conditions. They cannot manage the telephone or online system at all. They used to go in pre covid and be able to book but have given up and in mental health, where there has been NO input at all anywhere for 18 mnths as everything shut down, this puts people's lives at risk.

Would love to know who looked at this system and thought it was clinically safe. GPs need to stop relying on remote working because as patients we need to see a GP in person. The telephone system is a mess because telephone consultations simply dont work for very many and one 10 minute appt face to face achieves what 5 telephone attempts at appointment do.

Patients are ill. To not see someone when it is an emergency is awful . Instead of talking about how much pressure the GP is under change the system so that we ALL are under less pressure .