When patients see their doctor is the subject of most NHS complaints. Some knowledge and forward planning can ensure that you see the doctor at your convenience.
Don’t forget your local pharmacy
Before you make an appointment to see your GP, consider the alternatives. The pharmacist behind the counter at your local chemist may be able to give you the help you need, so you won't have to spend time waiting for an appointment. Pharmacists are highly trained health professionals, and may offer a wider range of health services than you might think. Pharmacists can help with:
Many pharmacies offer a Medicines Use Review (MUR). This is a detailed review of the medicines that you take. It’s especially useful for people who take a number of medicines, and leads to better alternatives being prescribed. Ask your pharmacist for more details.
Getting a GP appointment
If you want to see a doctor, you'll usually need to make an appointment. Most GP surgeries operate independently and have their own booking routines. Your surgery should be able to offer you an appointment to see a GP or other healthcare professional quickly if necessary. However, if it is more convenient, you should also be able to book appointments in advance.
Familiarise yourself with your GP surgery’s appointment system, and try to plan in advance if you can. For routine appointments you may be able to book online, so check on the practice website or with the receptionist.
Be polite to receptionists. They are busy people who often have to deal with unhappy patients. Being polite to them will encourage them to help you.
If the practice is really poor (for example, if they never answer the phone) complain formally. You can also to rate and write comments about your GP surgery on this website for others to see.
Make the most of your appointment
Doctors spend an average of eight-10 minutes with each patient. Once you've got an appointment, plan ahead to make sure that you cover everything you want to discuss.
- Before you see the doctor, write a list of problems, starting with the most important. List your symptoms so that you don’t forget them. Write down when they started and what makes them better or worse during a 24-hour period. If you have a complicated problem, ask for a longer appointment when you book.
- When you see the doctor, bring a friend or relative if you're worried. Research shows that we forget half of what we're told by the doctor when we're stressed, so having a friend with you can help.
- Be honest about what you think may be causing the problem, and don’t be embarrassed. Your doctor will have seen and heard it all before.
- Be clear about what you want the doctor to do, such as refer you to a specialist or prescribe a different medication. Be assertive if you need to, but always be polite.
- Ask the doctor to repeat and explain anything you don’t understand. If there are words you don’t understand, ask what they mean or get the doctor to write them down so that you can look them up later.
- If you and your GP decide you need to be referred for specialist tests or treatment, you usually have a right to choose which hospital you go to. You can read more about this on our page about Your rights to choice.
If you're not offered a choice of hospital, talk to your GP first. If you're still not offered a choice, contact your NHS Commissioning Board Area Team's Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).
Checklist of questions to ask your doctor at your appointment
Tests, such as blood tests or scans
- What are the tests for?
- How and when will I get the results?
- Who do I contact if I don’t get the results?
Treatment
- Are there other ways to treat my condition?
- What do you recommend?
- Are there any side effects or risks?
- How long will I need treatment for?
- How will I know if the treatment is working?
- How effective is this treatment?
- What will happen if I don’t have any treatment?
- Is there anything I should stop or avoid doing?
- Is there anything I can do to help myself?
What next
- What happens next?
- Do I need to come back and see you?
- Who do I contact if things get worse?
- Do you have any written information?
- Where can I go for more information?
- Is there a support group or any other source of help?
Download or print the questions now and prepare for your doctor's appointment.
GP services are available 24 hours a day. Outside normal surgery hours you can still phone the GP surgery, but you'll usually be directed to an out-of-hours service if there is one. Alternatively, you can call NHS Direct or NHS 111 (24 hours a day, seven days a week) for medical advice over the telephone.
