Valuable GP service for my family

“Access to our GP service is one of the employee benefits of our group insurance scheme. I first learned about it and used it when I experienced severe food poisoning. They gave me a hospital referral, handling all the necessary calls and logistics, which was incredibly helpful. I’ve also utilised the service multiple times for my children.

Since their health issues are usually minor, I prefer not to occupy a valuable NHS appointment for something that isn’t urgent. However, due to their age, I can’t always address their needs at a pharmacy, so I’ve scheduled several appointments for them, and the service has been fantastic.

The most recent instance was when my son developed a patch of eczema behind his knee that became quite inflamed. At his latest one-year-old vaccination, I asked the nurse about it, and she recommended seeing a doctor, as it might require steroid cream. The wait for a standard doctor’s appointment would have been a couple of weeks, so I turned to the app. Within two hours, I secured an appointment, received the necessary cream, purchased it at the pharmacy, and within one to two weeks, the issue was resolved.

Saves time

This service saves time by eliminating travel and lengthy phone waits, often spent on hold with my doctor’s office. Even before reaching the appointment, I saved considerable time by avoiding travel and long call wait times. Without access to this service, I would have had to wait for a routine appointment, which can sometimes take two to four weeks for non-urgent issues like a small rash.

Having this service accessible through my employer has been invaluable. I believe more people should take advantage of it. Often, the issues requiring a doctor’s attention don’t necessitate an in-person visit and can be effectively addressed via phone or video consultations. This would save individuals time and effort while benefiting the NHS by reducing appointment backlogs.If more people utilised this service for minor ailments, they could also receive prescriptions, which is a great benefit.

The service provides online access to doctors who can help diagnose issues, offer prescriptions, or give advice. You can take your prescription to any pharmacy that suits you, whether near your home or workplace. In my experience, the GPs can handle almost everything if you know you don’t require an in-person appointment.”