Quotes for experience of primary care
| 2.1 Opening hours |
“I thought about walk in services…they used to do before but they have now stopped and there was nowhere I could go, so I thought to come to emergency straight away.”
“My GP’s closed, I can’t get through to my GP at all so I couldn’t tell you. I can’t get through to them at the best of times.” |
| 2.2 Access to receptionist |
“I tried calling my GP and I was very disappointed. I tried calling my GP after his first episode and I’ve not been able to get through and I reckon that’s because of COVID, I’ve not heard back for them, I left a message, nothing, and I was very disappointed with that because where are they when we need them?”
“There just needs to be better response, whatever their GP practice is, whatever they are doing, they need to change their policies in such a way, they need to be there to pick up phones as they normally are, because normally pre-COVID, if I were to call my GP I would get through, why did not get through, I called several times, where are they, they should be there” “I just can’t understand why the GP, so it’s so bloody difficult to get through to the GP, why they’re not picking up.” “So I spoke to my GP then they sent me out a link and told me to fill out a link through the GP service. But then that was a bit confusing” |
| 2.3 Being seen face to face |
“I think the GP should provide a slightly more open service. I know with the coronavirus it’s hard to go in but when a parent is describing certain symptoms, I think they should be open to looking at them”
“Seen through video and again it was quite difficult because of connection and stuff like that, and I did say to them it’s quite hard because it’s not an issue which you can talk about, it’s something that has be physically seen, it has to be physically touched…but you can’t physically see or feel those things because you’re not there. And I feel like his care would been a bit more manageable and we probably would have been managed correctly from the beginning, rather than having to have doses of antibiotics then come to A&E anyway. It would have been managed from the get go. “ “Yeah, I just don't think they should exclude completely for the face to face ones. I feel like yes there are somethings that you can manage any other phone and stuff like that but there’s other things that you definitely need to see people for. “ “Did you speak to your own GP at any point? No, because we know they don't see kids, so we didn't see the point of calling them.” “The GP just say don't come. If any cough or cold or anything ring 111 and ask their advice.” “Do you think if you had been able to see the GP in person it would have made a difference? I think they would have been able to see how bad he was.” |
| 2.4 False reassurance from primary care | “I called my GP and she said ok just sent me some pictures because this time all the appointment it was through the phone or video things like this and I sent some pictures and she said to me let’s come and see the baby the way how he looks. I go to her and she said to me that baby looks a little bit floppy and yeah in her opinion he should be seen in paediatric but just wait to see how things will go. I didn't go to the hospital, but during the night he have temperature 38°C and something and after that in the morning when I just check, his condition go down … so I decided to come to hospital. She didn't help me so much. I thought that maybe she would have helped me more honestly. But it was like an appointment for just a few minutes she just checked the baby and that’s it. Yeah it was too fast, in my opinion she didn’t pay too much attention.” |
A&E, accident and emergency; GP, general practitioner.