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<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\nWe know how irritating it is to wait 2\u00a0weeks to see a GP (not necessarily your choice of GP) and then be limited to one\u00a0problem in a 10-minute assembly line of patients. \u00a0But as GPs we are on your side and want to help you avoid delays to your treatment. Our patients are important to us and we want to maximise the quality of our consultations with you.<\/p>\n
So here are some tips to help you get what you need from your GP:<\/p>\n
1. Is your problem urgent or can it wait\/be treated by another healthcare professional?<\/strong> Many people book \u2018urgent\u2019 appointments out of sheer frustration with the wait for a routine appointment.\u00a0 However, this means that we have less time to see those people who are very unwell – and this perpetuates the problem of waiting times. Please consider whether your problem can wait or be dealt with by your local pharmacist.\u00a0 Many surgeries are moving towards getting a pharmacist in surgery to deal with minor illnesses (e.g. colds, urinary tract infections, hayfever, travel advice) because our colleagues are highly skilled and useful additions to our teams. Check www.nhs.uk<\/a> for a symptoms checker and advice about common illnesses that will resolve without input from your GP.<\/p>\n 2. Arrive on time (or preferably, 5mins early)<\/strong>. We know we run late and it is irritating as your time is as valuable as ours.\u00a0 But if our patients run late the rest of the list afterwards will also run late leaving the last patient waiting an awfully long time.\u00a0 It also starts the consultation well, and will give you time to collect your thoughts and lower your blood pressure before we call you in!<\/p>\n 3. Dress simply<\/strong>. If there\u2019s a chance we will need to examine your tummy or legs, or even your blood pressure, please wear clothes that are easy to remove, loose fitting and allow quick access.<\/p>\n 4. If you have more than 1-2 problems ask to book a double appointment<\/strong>. It would be a dis-service to you if we tried to shoehorn 3-4 problems into 10 minutes (which actually often becomes 7 minutes if you account for dressing\/printing prescriptions\/doing letters) and there is a greater risk of something being missed. We will always spend more time with you if it is necessary and you are unwell, but you can help us run to time in this way.<\/p>\n 5. Write a list of questions or symptoms<\/strong> if there are quite a few, so you ensure you ask everything that you\u2019ve been worrying about.\u00a0 We don\u2019t mind lists if it gives us a better idea of everything that has been going on.\u00a0We may ask you to book another appointment if we can\u2019t deal with everything in one go.<\/p>\n 6. Prepare a bit more<\/strong>. Write down important dates or measurements<\/strong>. I sometimes ask how long a condition has been going on for, so it is useful if you have a rough idea of timings. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or problems with your periods please write any measurements for us to review – for example, blood pressure readings over the previous 2 weeks, sugar levels, or dates of your last three\u00a0periods.\u00a0 Some of my patients keep spreadsheets of their blood pressure measurements and I love this for two\u00a0reasons: I can be certain that I am managing their BP well, and it shows that they are involved and interested in their health, which means that we are working together to help manage the condition.<\/p>\n
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