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Mick Fisher · 24-03-2008, 22:41

I have to agree with everything you say Arthur but would like to add that I feel people may have lost all faith in their GP's out of hours service which of course just adds to A & E Depts. problems without mentioning the alchohol related stuff.
I have had experience of my GP's out of hours service recently and it was dire. I phoned my local surgery on a Saturday morning as I was having difficulty breathing. I got a recoded message telling me to call a Kettering number. I got through to some service called Key Docs and was able to call out a Emergency Doctor. Well he arrived some 2 to 3 hours later with apologies that he couldn't find a TAXI. He explained he couldn't drive as he was banned for drinking and driving. He kept the Taxi waiting while he examined me. Said he didn't know what was wrong, phoned for an ambulance and cleared off.
Assuming he came direct from Kettering to Rushden just for me that's a round Taxi trip of about 50 miles plus the waiting time.
Utter madness, so I can see that's one reason why people go directly to A & E that could be eliminated with a bit of pressure put on GP's to organise there own out of hours service instead of sub contracting it out.

24-03-2008, 22:41	#2
Mick Fisher Inactive Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Northants Age: 82 Services: Sky Unlimited FibrePro Sky Talk Sky+HD Posts: 5,122	Re: A&E Departments stretched to the limit I have to agree with everything you say Arthur but would like to add that I feel people may have lost all faith in their GP's out of hours service which of course just adds to A & E Depts. problems without mentioning the alchohol related stuff. I have had experience of my GP's out of hours service recently and it was dire. I phoned my local surgery on a Saturday morning as I was having difficulty breathing. I got a recoded message telling me to call a Kettering number. I got through to some service called Key Docs and was able to call out a Emergency Doctor. Well he arrived some 2 to 3 hours later with apologies that he couldn't find a TAXI. He explained he couldn't drive as he was banned for drinking and driving. He kept the Taxi waiting while he examined me. Said he didn't know what was wrong, phoned for an ambulance and cleared off. Assuming he came direct from Kettering to Rushden just for me that's a round Taxi trip of about 50 miles plus the waiting time. Utter madness, so I can see that's one reason why people go directly to A & E that could be eliminated with a bit of pressure put on GP's to organise there own out of hours service instead of sub contracting it out.