Don’t hurry your health: Extended appointments at YourGP

A new poll by Ipsos found that 40% of Britons thought there was not enough time to raise all their health concerns in 10-minute GP appointment. It’s a worrying response and begs the question – what health concerns are being missed because of this restricted time slot?

A representative sample of the population consisting of 1,094 people were asked the question, “The last time you saw or spoke to a healthcare professional at your GP practice, how much of what you wanted to talk about were you able to cover, if anything?” The results showed that 40% were only able to discuss “some things”, “hardly anything” or “nothing at all”.

The survey also indicated that 72% of people wanted consultations with a GP to last at least 15 minutes, of which one in five people wanted them to last 20 minutes.

Here at YourGP, we completely understand this. And that’s exactly why we offer extended appointments, so you can take all the time you need to discuss any and all health concerns in depth. We think this is vital if we are to provide effective and holistic treatment plans.

Top 5 tips to get the most out your appointment

Whatever length of appointment you choose, we want to ensure you get the most out of it. The following suggestions from our team might help:

1. Select the appointment length that suits you: The job of a GP can be a demanding one, but we would never want any of our patients to feel like they are taking up too much of our team’s time. Your health matters. And so if you think it will take a little longer than a standard appointment to describe your symptoms, discuss your medical history and provide any context that might aid a diagnosis, then please feel free to select a longer appointment time. We offer 20-minute, 30-minute, 45-minute and 1-hour long appointments.
2. Take a few moments to stop and breathe: We understand that visiting a GP can be an anxious time for many people. Feeling rushed can add to that anxiety. And so we are always happy for patients to take a few moments to focus on their breathing and relax a little before describing the nature of their visit.
3. Come prepared with a list: Write down a list of things you would like to discuss with your GP or keep a diary of symptoms that you can refer to during your visit so you don’t forget to mention anything that might prove to be important.
4. Bring a loved one: If you’re feeling anxious or worried that you might forget to mention something important, you might find it helpful to bring a loved one along to your appointment for added reassurance.
5. If there’s something you don’t understand, just ask: Don’t be afraid to ask us to repeat something you’re not quite clear about. We are always to happy to clarify any medical terms and we want you to leave feeling confident in any necessary next steps.

Book an appointment at YourGP, tailored to your needs

If you would like to book a 20-minute, 30-minute, 45-minute or 1-hour long appointment, you can do so using our simple online booking system. Or you can email reception@your.gp, or call us on 0131 225 5656 and we’ll be happy to arrange an appointment at a time that suits you.