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Patient Stuck in Kafkaesque Loop Over NHS Appointment
10 Dec
Summary
- Online booking system rejected a patient with serious symptoms.
- Receptionist refused phone appointments, insisting on the e-form.
- NHS England states urgent cases should still call or attend in person.
The introduction of mandatory online appointment booking for GP practices in England has led to significant patient frustration. Initially perceived as a sensible measure to streamline access, the system has been misused by some practices, trapping patients in a bureaucratic maze. One patient experienced this firsthand when an AI triaged their flu symptoms as potentially serious but then refused to refer them to a doctor, directing them to speak to the practice directly.
Despite the AI's directive, the practice's receptionist would not book a phone appointment, insisting the patient use the e-form. This created a Catch-22 situation, as the form had already rejected them. This occurred despite NHS England guidance that the online tool is primarily for non-urgent requests and that patients with urgent needs should still call or visit their GP practice.
