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GP surgery - how does it work? - Toby (12th Aug 2025 - 12:33:24) Thinking of moving to Liphook and I was wondering what the GP surgery is like. One of us has some very complex medical needs and needs doctor appointments regularly, but like many our current surgery is struggling with staffing. It seems like the Swan Group have the monopoly on GP practices around Liphook, but how do things work in reality? Things like: 1. Can you book non-urgent appointments in advance, or is everything via a 'triage' system? Do you have to sit in a phone queue at 8am or can you call at other times / book online? How long do you usually have to wait for an non-urgent appointment? 2. For urgent stuff, how does the process work? Is it an 8am phone queue or any other way to request an appointment? 3. Can you book a non-urgent appointment with a specific doctor? How long in the future do you typically have to wait to see them? Do they often 'run out' of appointments (eg this month is fully booked but they haven't set the roster for next month yet, you need to call back in 4 weeks to find the next roster is full)? 4. Is there any way to communicate with doctors other than booking appointments? Can you send a message - eg if you need to adjust a prescription or to chase up a referral? 5. When they inevitably mess up the prescriptions and it's urgent (you've run out of something critical) how easy/rapid is it to get someone to sort it out? 6. For hospital stuff, where do they usually refer? Or do you get to choose (Guildford, Portsmouth, Frimley, ...?) Thanks!

Re: GP surgery - how does it work? - D (12th Aug 2025 - 13:07:01) Excellent surgery, given the amount of demands placed on surgeries mistakes are bound to happen. If you feel they are going to "inevitably mess up prescriptions" then maybe you should go elsewhere. Go private perhaps. Always worth remembering you need them more than they need you.

Re: GP surgery - how does it work? - Gr (12th Aug 2025 - 13:15:40) Been using for over 50 years I have found them helpful . Appt phone at 8 use call back option always works just remember they get 100s of call to deal with a day some take time. Just been in to book nurses appt 2 weeks time , dad book flu and covid jabs plus another injection. You could get sent to one of surgerys not always your own preferred depending on what appts available. If you are kind and courteous it goes along way i think. Hospital we prefer guildford but could be another depends once again on where has appt or best treatment. QA has been very good to us lately as well as st marys. Had scans xray haslemere or milford or guildford. Nhs app doesnt work well no messaging but easy for test result script re order etc. You will always get some who moan they seem to shout louder?

Re: GP surgery - how does it work? - Luisa (12th Aug 2025 - 14:40:10) Based on my medical experience in Liphook, it is not the place for you. I wish it were otherwise. Hopefully others will have more positive feedback to share.

Re: GP surgery - how does it work? - Peter Rowan (12th Aug 2025 - 15:25:51) The NHS is broken - I don't think it matters where you live. I have had a few very good and a lot of very bad experiences, it seems to be who you get. I have a life disabling and incurable condition - the last time I saw my consultant at the Royal Surrey for a yearly review my appointment lasted all of four minutes. He didn't even examine me. He asked me if it was effecting my employment - I told him I am 74 read my notes ...... Rant over .....

Re: GP surgery - how does it work? - D (12th Aug 2025 - 18:28:27) This unprecedented praise and admiration of the N.H.S. during the COVID lockdowns didn't take long to fizzle out. What a fickle society we are.

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