Hanging on the Telephone...

'I'm in the phone booth, it's the one across the hall
If you don't answer, I'll just ring it off the wall' (Parallel Lines, Blondie, 1978)

It's not often that I succumb to the temptation of making a BlipRant but today I gave in. Since I obviously wasn't winning my battle to rid myself of my persistent cold I decided to make an appointment at the doctors to see if some antibiotics could help shake it off. I was particularly keen to get seen quickly so that I had a chance to get rid of the cold before my upcoming travel on business (flying with a cold and a chest infection is NOT to be advised!). No problem I thought, the government had often promised that patients can get an appointment with their GPs within 48 hours....more fool me!

I started to call the GP surgery at opening time (i.e. 8:30 am) and wasn't too surprised to get an engaged tone, so I waited a few minutes and dialled again, engaged tone again. Left if for ten minutes and dialled again...engaged tone, again. Kept trying every ten minutes or so and on the twenty third attempt at 13:15 (ie over four hours after starting to call) I got through only to be offered the next earliest appointment which was in four days time!! So after promising that it was an emergency I got in at the very end of the day and, when finally seen by the GP, was dealt with promptly and very politely and left with the desired scrip for antibiotics. Perhaps politicians should concentrate on supporting the Health service acheive the service levels they had previously promised before reorganising the system yet again.....

Rant over.....feeling a bit better now....I think the antibiotics may be starting to work.