GPs are rubbish. Long live the NHS Walk IN Centre.

I'm ill and sitting at home bored, so what else to do but blog? Here's my tale of woe and wonder at today's NHS...

About two weeks ago I came down with a bit of a cold. With the aid of a freshly purchased thermometer I reassured myself that I didn't have swine flu as my temperature was normal, so I took things easy but got on with it. After a little over a week I was starting to feel a bit better and hoped I was recovered. But earlier this week a new series of symptoms started developing and by Wednesday I was off work with a rather swollen throat. With no improvement by Thursday I was fearing tonsillitis and decided a trip to the doctor was in order.

This, however, was easier said than done. I'm living for a while in Manchester due to my current project at work, but since it isn't a permanent move, I hadn't bothered doing things like registering with a GP here, as I'm still registered in London. OK, no problem I thought. I looked up a local GP on NHS Direct's website and gave them a call. They said I'd have to go in and register, and could then try to book an appointment. My mind filling with thoughts of the hassle involved, I trudged to the surgery, where I was informed that I could complete a temporary registration, which would mean my files would remain at my London GP and that they would be informed of any treatment given here. OK, that's not so bad, thought I. Until the receptionist suggested that the easier option might be to use the local NHS walk-in centre. Aha! Why did I not think of that? More to the point, why didn't they suggest that on the phone before I walked all the way to the surgery?

No matter. My new housemate Ryan helpfully drove me to the walk in centre, where a brief bit of form-filling later I was being examined by a very friendly nurse. My pulse and temperature were fine, and my ears looked normal apparently; she was just formulating a theory about laryngitis when she took a look in my mouth before screaming "Oh My God!" - not really what you want to hear from your medical practitioner! However, after a brief explanation of the visual difference between a viral throat infection and a bacterial one (redness verses 'goo', in case you were wondering) she told me I needed antibiotics. Yay, drugs! The only problem was that there is no doctor at the small local walk in centre, so I had to go to Manchester Royal Infirmary, where the larger centre has doctors who can prescribe. No problem, another car ride and I was there.

A short wait later and I was checked out again by a doctor. She was slightly more dubious about the need for antibiotics (there is some - probably justifiable - paranoia about unnecessary use of them these days) but on balance decided that some penicillin and a couple more days in bed would sort me out. Here's the killer though... On deciding I should have some penicillin, she simply went to a cupboard, unlocked it, grabbed a box, wrote my name on it and handed it to me. No messing about with printing and signing forms, no separate trip to a pharmacist, and no prescription charge. Result!

So despite having visited 3 separate medical facilities in one day just to get a brief diagnosis and some pretty standard medicine, I was pretty impressed with the experience. We'll discount the GP as if they'd been helpful on the phone I would never have had to go there in the first place. The local walk in centre was great - although they couldn't give me the antibiotics, they were friendly, helpful and I didn't have to wait at all. No appointment, no messing. And I suspect that in a lot of cases they can provide all the care you need for minor problems. At the Royal Infirmary I did have to wait a while, but here's the thing - no longer than I usually have to wait at my normal GP when I have an appointment! And all I did was turn up. Better still, the staff were friendly and helpful, and the process of getting prescription drugs was much easier than at my GP.

It really begs the question, what's the point of GPs?

In this day and age of big national databases, why on earth should I have to register with a local GP? Why should I have to book an appointment in advance? In some cases (notably when I was at university) I couldn't even get same day appointments. Wouldn't it be better if all GP surgeries were operated like walk-in centres? Wander in to any surgery anywhere in the country, tell them your name and date of birth so they can call up your medical records, and see a medical professional as soon as one is available. Seems like bliss to me. I'll be looking up my local walk in centre when I get back to London, that's for sure...