General Chat

The Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has admitted taking his children to accident and emergency because he did not want to wait for a GP appointment.

Jeremy Hunt has spoken numerous times to urge the public to avoid A&E departments in all but the most urgent cases and turn to pharmacies, doctors’ surgeries and walk-in centres instead.

But speaking during yesterday’s health questions in the House of Commons, he appeared to go against his own advice.

Mr Hunt said: “I took my own children to an A&E department at the weekend precisely because I did not want to wait until later on to take them to see a GP.”

Politicians always expect a better place in the pecking order.

It only highlights the difficulty of getting a GP's appointment, particularly at the weekend.

As parents, when it's our children's health, we tend to opt for the quckest route to medical care. A (for instance) ear infection may be trival in the great scheme of things, but distressing for both the parent and the child who is in pain.

And I am sure the Health Secretary and his child/children were seen well within the Government's target that patients should be seen and treated within four hours ;-)

Our GP works, like most, in a group. It is housed in a modern surgery built into ancient structures. It is warm in winter air conditioned in summer with a comfortable waiting room. A bit tight on parking.

The staff - doctors and others - are polite and friendly. They remember their patients by name how I don't know.

There is never any problem getting appointments. They offer early morning, evenings and Saturdays. The usual wait for your own GP is 2-4 days and if you don't mind another doctor max 2 days usually same/next day. Up to 9am no appointment needed! Kids and very ancient OAPs are prioritized. Home visits too!

The standard of health care and follow up is very good.

Judging by the expensive cars driven by most of the doctors ( mine prefers a wildly expensive bicycle ) providing a correct service is not a financial problem.

So why are so many practices such a mess ??? Or is it a rumour spread around by the press and politicos gunning for the public sector?

fwiw waiting time in our local A&E is about an hour until the evening when it goes up to 4+ hours esp Friday/Saturday.

I have lived and worked in several states of the USA inc NY and CA. Health care is poor and horribly expensive. The insurance takes a large bite out of yr paycheck. The US system is the last thing we need in the UK.

All the downbeat rhetoric being spread around by the press, the media, and certain politicians about the NHS, could well be as you put it, them gunning for the public sector, reading and listening to what they say about the current problems in the NHS, it is all the fault of the NHS and absolutely nothing to do with - The Health and Social Care Act 2012 ;-)

I would add that I receive an excellent service from my GP and from the various hospital consultants that I see on a regular basis, so no complaints worth mentioning from me - having said that I accept that others may have had different experiences.