Is there a crisis over GP appointment waiting times?

‘THE doctor will see you in a month’ is the latest bad news (Mail). At our surgery, a list is displayed every month showing the number of missed appointments. On the last occasion, it had 273 missed appointments. On a particular day I saw a male doctor who told me that I needed to make an appointment with a female doctor who specialises in my problem. I sat down and the doctor I needed to see called out a patient’s name but no one got up, so after a few moments she called the next person. So I’ve waited more than three weeks for an appointment with her and could easily have had the missed one on the day. Why can’t a charge be implemented for missed appointments?

Name and address supplied. The doctor will see you in a month (Mail)? So what’s new? I made an appointment a month ago to see my doctor next week. My grandson’s fiancee tried to see her GP because she felt very ill, but was told to go to A&e. On her arrival, she was told by an ambulance driver: ‘Don’t think you can come here and jump the queue. We’ve got 15 ambulances waiting out here.’ She persevered and eventually learned that she was suffering from undiagnosed diabetes.

JEAN JONES, Epping, Essex. OVER the last few years my wife and I have needed the services of our GP surgery more than in the past. We call the surgery about 8.30am and always receive an appointment for that day. Recently, I was concerned about a lump on my back. I saw a doctor within an hour and she immediately referred me to our local hospital. The next day I received a full examination for skin cancer, and within five days of initially contacting the doctor, I received a letter confirming an ‘all clear’. Long may these impeccable standards be maintained.

GRAEME PAYNE, Aldwick, Sussex.