YP Letters: NHS in crisis - Hanging on the telephone in attempt to speak to a doctor

I RECEIVED a letter from my GP asking me to contact the surgery to arrange a telephone interview with a doctor. I followed said instruction and at 4.30pm was number one in the queueing system. It was somewhat concerning that this prime spot resulted in a 24 minute pick-up wait.

As per usual, I had to get through the ‘jobsworth’ receptionist, it soon became apparent that advising I had a letter was not enough evidence for her, she needed more detail about why I needed this interview and those famous words “what is it about?”

It really does concern me that someone who has the qualifications to answer a phone at such a slow pace thinks they should know about my health.

“Only two doctors on at the moment, I should have phoned earlier,” was the retort. Why is it so difficult to speak with a doctor and how much money is wasted, writing and sending out letters which they cannot action?

From: Ian Traynor, Osbaldwick, York.

A GP I know in the South of England told me recently of a conversation in the practice’s reception area. A patient was asking for a same-day appointment and was told that she could have an appointment at 5pm. “Oh, that’s not convenient for me. I’ll just go to A&E,” said the patient.

Perhaps someone should have explained to her what the letters “A” and “E” stand for. And maybe, when the triage nurse decides that it’s not either an accident or an emergency, the target figures for the four-hour waiting time should exclude such cases. Or maybe such patients should just be turned away?

From: Peter Baxter, Springate Road, Southwick, Brighton.

BRITISH people spend nearly £4bn per year on providing licences for the BBC. Let’s stop this rip off and spend that money on the National Heath Service.

The BBC should be sold off to private investors and that money spent on the hospitals. Under private management, the BBC would prosper and start earning real money and provide real jobs.

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

I AM rapidly reaching the age where I may need elderly care. What I would like to see is all pubs that are in danger of closing turned into homes for the elderly, the disaffected young people be made to care for old people for a set period of time and the bars to be kept open!