‘Virtually impossible to see one’s Westminster GP face to face’

• IT is virtually impossible to see one’s GP face to face in the surgery. Appointments cannot be made in person.

You must call for an appointment that becomes a telephone consultation but only if you can convince the receptionist that you need to speak to a doctor.

Somehow, without any training, the surgery’s receptionist is able to diagnose your symptoms, rate them and allocate you a three-hour window for a return call.

This phone consultation is more likely to be with a “clinician” than a doctor (no, not the receptionist with a stethoscope) but a non-doctor person who will insist that this landline conversation becomes a “FaceTime” call (despite your having no suitable device).

Failure to comply to a Zoom-like consultation and the clinician will insist on a photograph – online image – of the injury, rash, or symptoms to be despatched to them.

No doubt one can expect a picture postcard of your local A&E department from your surgery saying “Wish You Were Here”.

ETHAN POD
Address supplied