Anyone else hate doctor's telephone appointments?

So I’ve been waiting and waiting. My husband went down to the surgery in person and guess what? NHS111 and/or GP screwed up. No one allegedly knew I was expecting a call today. They told him someone will call me in the next hour. I hate inefficient bureaucracy. My stress level is now sky high and I will not be able to talk to anyone today. I feel like screaming. I feel utterly worthless and overwhelmed 

15 minutes would be a good day at mine! What I don’t understand is, if they’re running 30minutes late, why can’t they tell you? My dentist does exactly that so I can go outside and walk around. 

This is my situation right now. I phoned NHS111 yesterday because of passive suicidal ideation. They made appointment with my GP to call me today. My NHS app has listed it as a past appointment that should have taken place at 8.30am and whilst I know this just means they’ll phone me eat some point today, it has made my stress level so much higher than it needs to be. So yes, I feel and share your pain 

the problem is for me is that I rarely know if the number actually belongs to my GP or not, as they have several phone numbers

On the whole, I am generally okay with GP telephone appointments. However, what can cause problems for me is that I am notorious for procrastinating and putting things off. Therefore, even though it might be in my best interests to initiate contact with my GP practice to book an appointment, it can sometimes take me weeks or months to actually get around to it.

Answering the phone is always stressful for me, especially when I receive calls from unknown numbers. I always think that the call may be from someone I don't want to talk to or that it may bring bad news. I always check on the "who called me" websites to check the number and see if it has been previously reported by other users. It gives me a sense of security and control.

Personally, I am an introvert and it is quite difficult for me to come to the doctors in person, but for me this is just the way out when a doctor can help me without meeting me personally.

I'm the same. And doctors are always running behind so you can be waiting for like over 15 minutes sometimes!

Yes - I hate it. I also have a problem with waiting full stop - it makes me really tense. Time goes unbearably slowly in a waiting room. 

Agreed. It would be a lot easier for sure if we could text or WhatsApp, or if the surgery had an online chat feature. Phones are hard work especially if you're not good with people or have anxiety.

To be honest, I'd rather have a telephone consultation than be made to wear a mask.

But the constant redial is a major issue. "Mei Son hasta see the Dactar, so he does!" They're the types who get through first thing. Surely the most logical thing to do is request consultation by text/WhatsApp? 

Agree with you. Waiting rooms are horrible. They smell weird, so loud and busy, and I'm always aware of the fact that I could catch something sitting with unwell people. They are also really hot which then makes me extremely hot. I prefer the phone to actually going to the surgery but I can never speak so it's hard.

Yup, talking on the phone is almost impossible for me. My mind freezes and blanks and I say nothing. It's worse talking to a doctor or the receptionist because they ask so many questions and I never know what to say back. I'm not good at expressing how I'm feeling and when someone's asking me and waiting for an answer I just can't say or think. For this reason I avoid using the phone and definitely avoid the doctor.

I hate having to use the phone no matter who i'm talking to. But yes doctors are probably worse 'cos of the things you need to talk about. Later this month i've got a hospital 'appointment' and it's going to be by video via Skype, it's the first time i've had to do this.

But phones !!! as i've got older my hearing is going worse and it's so embarrassing asking people to repeat things, so many doctors are not British Born, i'm not predudice in any way, but when they have such strong accents, i just can't understand. But talking to anyone on the phone is hell. I'm very quietly spoken and when people phone they will  often say things like .......... Hello Mrs Culpepper can i speak  to your husband please.......And i'm embarrassed then to have to say, this is Mr Culpepper.

I agree with all of this Dawn - I feel exactly the same. 

I also have a massive problem waiting for a phone call when I don’t know what time it will be. I can’t concentrate on anything else bu knowing that the call is going to happen and getting stressed about that. The other week I knew the doctor was going to call me and I was massively stressed all day waiting for the call and they didn’t call until gone 4.30 - it ruined my whole day. I pace around when I’m stressed and waiting for a phone call - it’s horrible.

having said that I prefer it to having to actually go into the surgery - that’s much worse. I hate waiting rooms.

I can relate to much of your post, along with many of the comments.

What I'm mindful of when having a telephone consultation with a GP is that their time is precious. As an autistic person, there is the need to process and digest what the GP is saying, whilst also focusing on the information I need to be giving them. It can cause me to feel that I'm under pressure to respond promptly to any questions asked.

I hate talking on the phone full stop, especially if the number comes up as No Caller ID or Private Number. When I had a phone appointment from the Adult Autism Unit, I very quickly passed on the phone to my Mum as my anxiety hit me and Mum knows more about me than I do lol.

It's not just GP practices or hospital phone calls either - I get nervous of all calls, unless it's my very close friends or immediate family.

How on earth I manage at work sometimes I don't know! Everyone says I sound really professional and confident at work, but I know I am masking myself a lot of the time.

Mweekie xx

I finally summoned up the courage and booked an appointment on the NHS app as a face to face to start my diagnosis, I did have to wait about two weeks. Once I had seen the doctor I explained that I have big anxiety issues with telephones and obviously telephone appointments, I know I would just seize on phone appointments.

His answer was that someone only has to contact the surgery for me and I would be seen the same day face to face from now on.

Face to face appointments should be available on the app along with phone appointments with a set time

I've been putting off a doctor's visit for a while now because of this.  As much as I struggle with face to face interaction, telephone and (god forbid) video calls are 100 times more difficult for me.  If there was even the possibility to initiate contact with a trusted doctor via email or some kind of ticket system that'd be my go-to every time, even if I'd have to wait a day or two for a reply.