How long do you wait to see a GP in the UK?
If it is urgent – you can usually be assessed by (or see) your GP within three hours during the day.
If not urgent – most people can see their GP in less than a week. A few wait longer than 2 weeks, but that is often because they want to see (or talk to) a specific GP.
This will time depending on what time/day is convenient for myself according to the availability of vacant appointment slots. Most are day time appointments between Monday to Friday.
If you need an appointment in the evening or at weekends – many GPs are part of a system of GP ‘hubs’ where it is necessary to attend a different local GPs surgery. This is very convenient for people that work during the daytime during the week. These can be accessed by NHS111.
If you need to talk to a GP (or require a home visit) overnight – there is usually an ‘out-of-hours’ telephone number to dial and a GP (not usually from your practice) will return your phone call soon – and decide if a home visit is necessary, or whether attendance at A&E would be better.
If it is an immediate and more serious emergency – please attend your A&E, or telephone 999 to request an ambulance.
Children, and the frail elderly, are always given priority both in terms of GP and A&E attendance.
Summary
We have explained how long do you wait to see a GP in the UK. Not that long for many people.
