The National Health Service (NHS) is free to all residents and of course migrants and asylum seekers. So the doctors in the UK where you used to walk in and say hello and have a consultation prior to Covid have disappeared. I do understand that they have lack of staff and a lot of people seem to get very frustrated with the lack of front of house service. This is compounded by people not really needing to see a doctor.
Quite recently, I needed to see the doctor so I went on the website and filled in a form and had a call within two hours saying please pop in on the same day. The waiting room was empty however there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes.
When you follow what they ask you to do and you really need to get some help you get a good service. So if you are poorly (in any way) you have to go the practise website and fill in a form saying what is wrong. You are then triaged by the staff.
Triage, where patient requests are screened by the practice and signposted to the next appropriate step in their care journey. This can be done by: appropriately trained non-clinical staff normally in the form of ‘care navigation’
I can see the sense in all of it, as you often find that the doctors can get bogged down with patients that really could get information and treatment at a pharmacy.
If you are deemed poorly enough you will get a call to come in.
So hats off to the NHS and the free doctor service that we have in this country, I cannot say the same for accident and emergency. That gets clogged up with people who really don’t need to be there. (Story for another day)
I would be all for a two tier system where you can pay say £100 to be seen or have one of your children seen and I would gladly pay for any of my relatives that needed to be seen within that £100 appointment. People would think twice before pestering
Two years ago I was diagnosed with Cauda Equina and had to seek treatment urgently, a long story to be told on a different page.
So, I have found them exceptionally good, if you are really poorly.
Be polite to the receptionists, wish them well. Understand they get some difficult patients and you will soon be looked after
My most recent call to the doctors was to ask for a ‘routine appointment. I had a bit of a battle with the receptionist and she said it could be 6 weeks before being seen. I said I did not mind waiting.
I had an appointment after a 2 week wait so I was happy and I had a discussion about medication
Last updated January 2026
Easy life? 