The telephone scrum

                                                 Telegraph letters 11 May

                   Left hanging on the line for a GP appointment

1

1. It may well be that millions of people are pleased to use online appointments (Letters, May 7), but many elderly or vulnerable people cannot manage to do so. [[[ 1.1 here ]]]
2. GPs themselves may also be prepared to see patients face to face, but the sad truth is that it has become a nightmare trying to arrange an appointment by telephone.
3. One is usually expected to ring early morning and then face a long wait in a queue. 
4. All too often the result of the wait is to be told there are no longer any appointments and to ring again the  following day. [[[[ and join a yet another scrum  ]]]]
5. Nothing can be arranged for a future date and if things become serious, one is told to go to A&E.
6. Dentists, hygienists and opticians may no longer be able to see as many patients per day, but they are much easier to contact and appointments can be made for future dates.

Lauri Butcher  Leicester

2

1. I have no problem obtaining an appointment to visit my dentist, my optician, my audiologist, my barber or my chiropractor. This is not the case should I want to book to see my doctor.
2. I cannot help feeling that this has something to do with the way the two groups are remunerated. The former cannot earn their living unless they actually see their patients or clients face to face.
3. This is not the position for GPs. They do not have to treat or even see their patients to earn their living.

Ronald Burton  Essex

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