A GP surgery’s appeal: We’ve never been busier, please show us some respect – Yorkshire Post Letters

I WORK in a GP surgery and have seen first hand the huge increase of patients wanting GP services with the same amount of GP and clinical staff to deliver good patient care, and facilitate the massive implications of the Covid vaccination programme (The Yorkshire Post, July 3).

Why ambulance crews and GP surgeries are integral to NHS shake-up – The Yorkshire Post says

Contrary to what people may believe, we have been open throughout with the additional difficulties of our surgery resembling a building site as a new surgery is incorporated into the building.

We do telephone/video and face-to-face appointments where necessary. Receptionists signpost patients to 111 urgent care centres/minor injuries or walk-in surgeries if felt that can be best accommodated.

We also have a number of same day appointments available at 8am. It is extremely busy and frustrating for patients (I have witnessed that at my own surgery), but not everyone who is ringing has an urgent need – they may just want to bring an appointment forward or require reassurance for an ongoing problem. All no doubt urgent to them, but we have to prioritise and try find the best solution for all. We don’t have unlimited slots to book them into. In my opinion (and my colleagues), the level of calls we receive is unprecedented with a lot of patients ringing several times a week.

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

IT will be interesting to see if the number calling in to say they’ve been pinged will fall now that the change in weather makes it less attractive to “isolate” on the beach. Just saying.

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