Appointment Wanted

Why is it so difficult to get an appointment with a doctor?

I really do wonder at times why life seems to get more and more difficult to even do the simplest things. Surely it should be one of the easiest and most accessible things to do, to be able to visit ones doctor when in need? I can remember in my childhood and youth (and its not that long ago – well, not really), you just went to the surgery on the day you felt unwell and wanted to see him, were given a number and waited until your turn came. Simple. Easy. Then it changed so that you rang up and made an appointment for the day you wanted – again fairly trouble free.

Why, in the so called days of progress is it no longer simple?

I rang our surgery yesterday afternoon to make an appointment for today. Straightforward enough request I thought. But, oh no. `No sorry, we can`t prebook any appointments, you`ll have to ring early in the morning`. (wonder how they manage to have patients to see at opening time if you can`t pre-book!!!) So, I rang first thing in the morning “I`d like to make an appointment to see a doctor today please” I said. (that sounded plain English to me!) “You could see the Practice Nurse, she deals with minor things and can prescribe antibiotics”, I was told. “No, I`d like to see the doctor please”, again I was told that P.Nurse was available. And again I insisted I wanted to see a doctor. In the end I got an appointment.

But, should it really be so difficult?