Why am I always triaged to the bottom of the list at the GP's?

Posted by Obvious_Armadillo_16@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 22 comments

I have some diagnosed health conditions and have made another appointment for some that are ongoing/GP's don't know what's going on basically I have two problems I need to discuss with them and was told I've been triaged and will be contacted within 7 working days or longer. It's been over that and I called yesterday after being in pain all day. The woman said they'll contact me tomorrow (which is today). That made me think why have they not contacted me at all if they can contact me tomorrow then? I've still had no phone call. I'm just thinking what are people going for the GP for that means they are seen straight away? I have two problems I need to be seen for but still am not prioritised

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22 Comments

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pixeltash@reddit

Chronic health conditions are lower priority than acute health conditions. As someone with chronic pain for 30 plus years, I'm grateful that they never seem on a hurry to follow up on tests etc. when you get the X ray or the MRI and they contact you the same day... Then worry. All that said, the online triage system at my GP is great and I get a response usually the same day.

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TippyTurtley@reddit

You don't want to be triaged as top of the list... Without knowing what's wrong with you its hard to tell sorry

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Chrykal@reddit

In my experience symptoms that may indicate cancer will get you seen pretty quick, but on the whole the system is so overloaded and underfunded that yeah, you'll be waiting a while.

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Obvious_Armadillo_16@reddit (OP)

Surely there cannot be so many ppl everday going to the GP with cancer symptoms? I've had this before and they just refer you to the hospital. It's not a GP issue

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Chrykal@reddit

They will refer you to a hospital, but my point was that they will see you straight away to check and get that referral sorted. Not all people who present with symptoms that **could** indicate cancer will actually have cancer. This is just an example of one thing that surprised me with how quickly it was handled, there are likely other serious conditions that also get this kind of treatment. I have a genetic condition that has left me in constant pain, and trying to get seen by a GP for that was and still is a nightmare, but when I got a lump on my testicle I was seen the same day and booked in for an ultrasound.

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NoNeedleworker5422@reddit

There's no reason to envy people at the top of the triage list. When I was 9 i was transported from the hospital to an eye specialist and paraded past all the people in the waiting room. I had been in the hospital for a week or so, wasnt getting better and they discovered that in addition to my fever and rash on my skin it had also spread on my corneas. I was a child, but when my mom later recalled it and said how worried sick she'd been about me while walking past all those people, it kinda clicked in my brain that you never want to be the urgent one in a doctors waiting room.

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Obvious_Armadillo_16@reddit (OP)

Where did I say I envied them?

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sockeyejo@reddit

Some surgeries offer same day appointments for patients displaying symptoms that suggest particular diagnoses or are already living with that illness or diagnosis. A couple of years ago, I was placed on the cancer pathway as my symptoms at the time were extremely unusual for someone my age. I didn't want or ask for the reduced waiting times and extra tests but cancer was ruled out, the ongoing pain that persisted for months faded away, and we're (hopefully) almost there with a diagnosis, though I'm no longer being fast-tracked. It's horrible when you're in pain but after so many years of chronic underfunding, the NHS is on its knees and I'd much rather be in the queue then the one they drop everything to see first.

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Timely_Egg_6827@reddit

My Dad got prioritised because he was in both heart and kidney failure and if he died when ignored, doctor would be in do-do. The only way i got prioritised for one issue is that a private health professional my work employed for limited healthcare to staff wrote a nasty letter to my GP saying X has this and if they die, this is now on their record as a call for your attention which you ignored and I'll be happy to testify at inquest. You shouldn't need to do this but doctors do prioritise by who's going to drop dead most and that tends to be children (also terrible optics) and pensioners.

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Obvious_Armadillo_16@reddit (OP)

I guess my age is one reason why I'm not prioritised. If people are about to drop dead as you mention, wouldn't the best place for them to go is A&E rather than waiting for a GP appointment?

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Timely_Egg_6827@reddit

Not really because then you need an ambulance crew to take them and patient usually stable for 24-48hours. But if infections untreated, then you get delirium, worsening heart and kidney issues and an overwhelmed hospital service screaming at you for not doing your job and heading it off early. In my case, A&E for mental health issues doesn't really work. I needed a referral to mental health services but because I work F/T, I must be fine - I mean if you have "proper" mental health conditions, you can't work. We are at moment trying to get my partner seen for ENT - they make his day-to-day life a misery but as he can work and they are chronic, then unless they become acute, his chance of a referral is low. Same with conditions like endometrosis, arthritis,or asthma.

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Constant_Crab4815@reddit

Would that not be an A&E thing though?

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Timely_Egg_6827@reddit

No, because he'd be there every day otherwise. Process was if he seemed ill, then we called the doctor. That would then be a home visit by doctor (rare) or nurse practioner to take vitals and urine sample. Rarely a district nurse. Then if he was suffering an infection (common with people with cathaters), the meds would be tried by GP. And then if he needed strong meds, he needed to be in the old and frail ward for a few weeks. This was life for about eight months until they put him on preventative antibiotics but those create a whole other set of issues. A&E tends to be for unpredictable emergencies. Slow dying is very predictable and under care of GP.

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Additional-Outcome73@reddit

Urgent care is not the same as an Accident (broken bones etc) or Emergency (immediately life threatening)

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buginarugsnug@reddit

Ring them at 8am (or whenever your surgery takes emergency appointments) and tell them you're in pain all day and need a same day appointment. If they still refuse to give you one, ring 111 who may be able to book you for an out of hours appointment.

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Pale_Slide_3463@reddit

I tell my receptionist the issue and get contacted by the GP straight away

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Skylon77@reddit

Why? Because people are presenting in a more severe triage category. It's not really possible for randomers on Reddot to answer more clearly than that.

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Party-Werewolf-4888@reddit

I dont know why your surgery are acting as they are, but you need to be more pushy and start complaining when they dont do what they have said they will do. I personally would be calling them today to ask what time should I expect my phone call. Obviously without being rude, just need to be assertive and if that gets you nowhere its time to start writing official letters of complaint. Its not nice to have to do but sometimes its the only option. Either that or change GP practice (not sure how likely it would be to find one not like this!)

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Legitimate_Abies_640@reddit

It'll be because there will be other people needing more urgent care. It also sounds like they're busy and in my experience you are far better off making an appointment on the day. It does vary from surgery to surgery though as they all work slightly differently. Is that a possibility for you? If I was in pain I wouldn't be hanging about tbh, I'd be calling up for a same day appointment. If it's for an ongoing condition that you want to discuss then they won't prioritise it if they have a lot of people calling in with things that need to be seen, because they may require more immediate treatment.

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Bel0902@reddit

Not really answering your question, but if you’re in pain all day it might be an idea to call 111 (can book appointments for you) or walk into and urgent treatment centre, if need be.

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CoconutCaptain@reddit

Because there are people sicker than you

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