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That's only relatively recent though isn't it? I agree that waiting weeks for an initial GP appointment should be simple, straightforward and quick. In some places it's still a day or two as it should be but increasingly people complain of long waits. To me that service should absolutely be NHS provided and free and is something that should be fixed rather than left to private to pick up. I used to believe it was because the medical training filtered and produced fewer people who wanted to be GPs (as opposed to the more competitive specialisms) but seeing the proliferation of private services advertised in London, I guess that can't be true. It's not that doctors don't want to be GPs, it's that the system is forcing them out or is less attractive than private. Is it because practices became bigger? Or the job requires more practice management and less doctoring? What are the conditions that are the problem? I think most doctors would rather be NHS than private. (Not really questions for you specifically just a general response! Any GPs on here?)
hoefla-
Long story short, govt are cutting funding to GP's while asking them to do more and more (a lot of recent health policy relies on preventing/treating illness in the community). As demand has outstripped resources, the burden to try and close this gap has fallen on GP's, which has made their working life increasingly intolerable. Consequently fewer people go in to it as a specialty and practicing GP's burn out and leave. This has been compounded by a lot of older GP's seeing what a shit-show it's becoming and pulling the eject cord to early retirement.
I was on placement in a GP practice recently and there is some scope for improving working practices to avoid the kind of problems you had. However it really needs to be sorted out with proper funding and sensible workforce planning. Unfortunately the current govt. are ideologically hell bent against the NHS (despite it being one of the best systems out there when properly funded) and would rather defund it and let the private providers prey on the dissatisfaction of the (understandably) frustrated public. If this goes on long enough the public gets used to private provision 'saving the day' and being 'inevitable', and voila, mission complete for the Tories.
I'm really sorry to hear you had such a horrible experience - I personally think its absolutely reprehensible that the government are happy for situations like yours to happen as collateral damage in achieving their aims. They've been incredibly devious in how they've pushed through all the changes to get us to this point, and I can only hope that people wise up to it ASAP and vote them out before they cause any more damage!
kimchi
I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the NHS, so I literally have them to thank for my life.
However, when I first went to my GP, when I thought there was something wrong, I was told there was a 4 week wait to see a doctor.
I paid £80-odd quid to see a private doctor in one of those walk-in clinics, and they knew immediately what was wrong with me. They told me to bugger off back to the NHS and make a fuss until I was listened to.
How many people give up at the 4 week wait, or don't take it any further because they don't want to be any bother?
Once I was in the system, under an NHS oncologist, I was fine. But I really wonder how many people die of cancer because the initial meeting with a GP is such bloody hard work.