Sadly the new specs.

[ColinJ]

Our GP has a similar system where you have to call at 8am. In my limited experience you have to keep calling constantly until you finally get through.

I go to the local health centre and stand for minutes in a queue of people at reception rather than spending many times as long in a queue of telephone callers.

 

[vickster]

I go to the local health centre and stand for minutes in a queue of people at reception rather than spending many times as long in a queue of telephone callers.

He does say above he couldn’t get an appointment despite going to reception in person?

 

[ColinJ]

He does say above he couldn’t get an appointment despite going to reception in person?

Oops - yes, he did...

Well, that is double-bad then!

 

[presta]

I've never really been content with my spex ever since first started wearing them, but I don't really know whether it's my spex or my expectations that are at fault. Specsavers are satisfied because I can easily read the smallest print on their card, but only with one eye, so I can't do any 3D work that requires stereo vision. The opticians will tell you it's because I have a congenital cataract in my left eye, but if it's congenital you could be forgiven for wondering why it didn't affect my sight for ~45 years. I was going to buy a lathe and make steam engines when I reached a time of life when I couldn't walk or cycle, but I can't see a thing, so there's no point. I can't do anything with electronics any more either for the same reason.

I walked in to try and book but I have to start ringing at 08-00 tomorrow.

Our surgery dispensed with the 8am telephone scrum recently, we now have a system where you answer a set of triage questions (the same as NHS 111: are you conscious, are you breathing, etc), then someone tells you whether you can have a call from the doctor. On the face of it it sounds good, but when you call, instead of being in a queue of ten 30 second calls (can I have an appointment......yes 11:35........ok, thanks), your now in a queue of people each spending 10 minutes answering triage questions.

He does say above he couldn’t get an appointment despite going to reception in person?

At ours, if you went in person you still had to do it at 8am.

 

[mistyoptic]

I've never really been content with my spex ever since first started wearing them, but I don't really know whether it's my spex or my expectations that are at fault. Specsavers are satisfied because I can easily read the smallest print on their card, but only with one eye, so I can't do any 3D work that requires stereo vision. The opticians will tell you it's because I have a congenital cataract in my left eye, but if it's congenital you could be forgiven for wondering why it didn't affect my sight for ~45 years. I was going to buy a lathe and make steam engines when I reached a time of life when I couldn't walk or cycle, but I can't see a thing, so there's no point. I can't do anything with electronics any more either for the same reason.

.

Congenital cataracts tend to be at the posterior face of the lens in your eye. They are often quite small and dense. As you age, your pupils typically become smaller. When you try and do close work, again your pupils reduce in size (and more effort is needed because your eyes are losing flexibility and thus focussing range). Thus the cataract becomes relatively bigger compared to the pupil that you’re seeing through. This means it has a bigger effect on the picture quality than it used to

 

[oldwheels]

Earlier this year at my Specsavers examination the optometrist spotted a possible problem at the back of my left eye . Initially he said come back and see me in 3 months then changed his mind I will refer you . Within 10 days I was seeing the doctor at the community eye care clinic , I’m on 3 monthly checks, so far all ok.
My point is I think Specsavers should be organising referrals , not you having to cope with the frustration of your GP booking system.
BTW I’m in South Hertfordshire.

It may depend on the franchise operator. Specsavers in Oban wrote to my GP and also phoned the local pharmacy to check on the availability of specific eye drops before prescribing. They appeared to be limited in what they can prescribe so got my GP to do it.