Lazy bones.

[cdave]

I can't get a GP appointment unless it's an emergency (in which case I would go to hospital, surely?) without being registered.

I can't register without filling in some forms, and attending in person. The registration won't be complete until I've had a separate check up. They will let me make an appointment with a GP as soon as I've handed in the forms.

My nearest GP surgery opens almost exactly the latest time I leave the house, and closes at the time I usually get home. They're not open on Saturday. I can't take any time off work to do this this month.

If I slope off work early, I may just have time to grab my passport and a utility bill and register tonight. Then hope they have a late appointment later, and slope off work early again.

If it wasn't for comments I'm not sure I could be bothered.

Comments

[agaj-d.livejournal.com]

Poor you,
you cannot count on doctors much in this country, they will give you paracetamol anyway.

I recommend stuffing yourself with 6-8 vitamin C tablets a day, eat as much garlic as you can take (or at least 2-3 cloves a day-vampires do not sleep), and strat using quality honey instead of sugar-add it to coffee, tea and warm milk, and for future of your immune system:
Wellness Formula from Source Naturals is quite good (it has all things from around the world for cold and flu in it), you can get in chemist.

Fingers crossed, and take care-try to sleep a lot :)

[fjm.livejournal.com]

Not true. Our doctors are pretty good, but cdave hasn't registered with one.

[cdave]

Thanks for pointing that out. My last GP was really good.

There was a month long waiting list for some minor surgery I needed, but when I complained that I couldn't even push a supermarket trolley all the way round the shop, he bumped me up to the head of the line.

Three visits, when I only want one is inconvenient to me, but I expect when I get it sorted they'll be fantastic.

[agaj-d.livejournal.com]

Hmm.. well, I am registered, and I know how the check up looks like. I had my share of visits here with my leg injuries, kidney problems and all sorts of colds. I moved places around London, so I have changed doctors, but I may have been simply unlucky. I know a tiny bit about doctors, because both of my parents are ones :)

[fjm.livejournal.com]

Changing may be the problem.

[cdave]

Thank you :)

I do believe in getting enough sleep, and make sure I usually get enough.

I already drink my coffee unsweetened, and avoid fizzy drinks (drinking water or beer mostly).

I do think that much vitamin C sounds excessive though!
(I must admit I I think I've got a cold I have one of those 1666% of your RDA tablets. Mostly because they taste nice, and fizz in an amusing way)

[fjm.livejournal.com]

Your local hospital will have a walk in clinic. Go there.

Then go get registered.

I did the same as you, didn't get round to reregistering when I moved house. Ended up at emergency walk in clinic with crisis asthma. Own damn fault.

[ozgirlabroad.livejournal.com]

This is what I was about to say - go visit a Walk In - where are you located? There's a really good one at my hospital that hardly anyone knows about so you won't need to queue.

[kaz-pixie.livejournal.com]

There's one in Liverpool Street, I think we've all had this registering with Doctor's fiasco at some point or another - whenever I move house these days I book a few days off to do all of this stuff (and I do count it with the house moving chores) - call the power suppliers, TV licence people, Dentist and Dr registration etc etc.

It's inconvenient but then from their side they do need to run the basic tests and they don't know how many people are going to come up and register if they don't have appointments booked in - I know it's frustrating but it makes the whole system run more smoothly.

Good luck getting it sorted, be thankful that you've got a job that doesn't mind you sloping off for these things.

[cdave]

Ooh, these are good points. I know there's a drop in centre in Soho.

Hmm, to beat the lunch time rush I need to leave.. about 10 mins ago. Hmm. May still try.

I am glad my job is slightly flexible. I think that the amount of times I've left early are more than made up by the times I've stayed late though.

[andrewducker]

It's a shame you can't register where you work.

[cdave]

In a slightly tangential matter; I'm mildly peeved at the people who commute in here, laughing that their council tax isn't paying for the Olympics.

[hawkida.livejournal.com]

When you say you can't take any time off, what do you mean? Holiday/flexitime? Because I'm pretty sure they're obliged to give you time off for health issues and needing to see a doctor is that, isn't it?

[cdave]

I can take time off sick, but since it's non urgent I doubt I'd get it approved.

I could book it as holiday, but they're trying to be super accurate about predicting monthly resource usage. Which means that booking holiday with less than 5 weeks notice is frowned upon.

[(Anonymous)]

My work has a less than 1 day sick/medical visit work code so I use that even for routine medical visits. Your work want you healthy otherwise they might have to pay out for lots of sick leave. Then again my employer is very flexible about working hours (currently trying to make up 17 hours of negative flexi-time - oops!)

[(Anonymous)]

Sorry that was me above - Fuzz

I really must get some kind of account thingy sometime.

[cdave]

eviljules has one now. The first one I had, was just to comment, and read locked entries.

[pinkhebe.livejournal.com]

It's always complicated registering new GPs: I was profoundly grateful that when I moved about a mile within London, my GP let me stay put! Mind you, I'm asthmatic, so I see him quite a bit.

Personally, I think a chiropractor is the way to go for your shoulders, but I've not found one I liked since my first one moved to Yeovil. Let alone one in a convenient location!

[sarahdotcom.livejournal.com]

Ring around your other local doctors, there are a lot of surgeries with a couple of late nights and/or Saturday opening now.

[cdave]

The nearest couple don't seem to be open late (on the local council's site).

I'll see if they can make an appointment tonight, otherwise I'll probably visit my nearest walk in clinic at lunch tomorrow. I bet they just say to go see your GP.

[arborophile.livejournal.com]

You really need to get time off to register and get to see someone, it looks like one of those things that doesnt seem that bad now but could get really complicated if its left. though may be something straightforward, but best to be on safe side! :)

[cdave]

Thanks!

Leaving the office now (15 mins early officially (and about 45 mins earlier than normal (but then I do tend to get in about 15 mins late each morning)))

[owlfish]

I hope you got the appointment you needed via walk-in.

I finally got around to registering post-move this month. It took most of a month, between initial paperwork and scheduling the followup appointment. Still, better than the two years I waited before registering in the first place. Still need to convince C. to get around to it too.