Hospital appointments system NOT disabled friendly — Scope | Disability forum
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Hospital appointments system NOT disabled friendly

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Wibbles
Wibbles Community member Posts: 1,603 Pioneering
edited June 2022 in Disability rights and campaigning
I am a (virtual) non speaker and find NHS booking systems don't work for me
eg) Today, I received an email confirming that an appointment could be booked at my local hospital for an endoscopy - this is vital to check for an polyps in my "poo" tubes.
I tried to get my GP to book me an appointment - but was told to phone.....
The number has been engaged permanantly all day - saying "You are number one in the queue" - my wife is dealing with it - but what if she was not here ?
There must be many people in a similar situation to myself with no support at all.
Why can all appointments not be made on-line ?
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  • Biblioklept
    Biblioklept Community member Posts: 4,682 Disability Gamechanger
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    I often wonder this too and have the same trouble, I used to be able to book via an app but they got rid of it during Covid and now it's phone only. Which I can't do so I just can't go to the doctors :D 
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  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,652 Disability Gamechanger
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    Sorry to hear of your challenges @Wibbles, it seems to be really hit and miss depending on where you are in the country. In some parts, online services are quite good whereas in other parts there needs to be a lot of progress.
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  • Wibbles
    Wibbles Community member Posts: 1,603 Pioneering
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    Ross_Scope said:
    Sorry to hear of your challenges @Wibbles, it seems to be really hit and miss depending on where you are in the country. In some parts, online services are quite good whereas in other parts there needs to be a lot of progress.
    Yes but my local hospital is in the top 5% of hospitals in the whole UK according to CQC
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  • Cartini
    Cartini Community member Posts: 1,108 Pioneering
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    Biblioklept said:
    I often wonder this too and have the same trouble, I used to be able to book via an app but they got rid of it during Covid and now it's phone only. Which I can't do so I just can't go to the doctors :D 

    My surgery has enabled the appointment booking function now that the pandemic is all but over... but it`s not to book a Dr, it`s to book a blood test or asthma review etc.
    If I want to see a Dr, I have to do an online consultation, complete the questions and wait for a response (usually by the end of the next working day).  Even then I`m not guaranteed to see a Dr.
    It`s a difficult one really; an exploding population and a shrinking pool of doctors.  I think it will get worse before it gets better.
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  • Wibbles
    Wibbles Community member Posts: 1,603 Pioneering
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    Woodburner said:
    I don’t understand why you have to book your own appointment. Pointless bureaucracy. 
    DWP is exactly the same 
    All they are trying to do is improve stats rather than individual people (customers!!) 
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  • Wibbles
    Wibbles Community member Posts: 1,603 Pioneering
    edited June 2022
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    Woodburner said:
    What stats does booking your own appointment improve?

    It doesn't - what I meant was that the hospital is more interested in stats than giving its patients an "easy life"!
    ie They make booking appointments too hard
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