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The 8am GP phone scramble

What to say on the 8am call to your GP.

Hi, I'm ringing to see if I can get an appointment with a doctor.

Computer voice · not a real clip

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About 4 min Free, no account

All 15 phrases

Getting through3

  1. Hi, I'm ringing to see if I can get an appointmentThe natural opening.
  2. You are currently number fourteen in the queueThe recorded message you'll hear on hold.
  3. I was on hold for forty minutes and then they'd all goneThe national moan.

The receptionist asks5

  1. Can I ask what it's regarding?The receptionist, often called a 'care navigator', is sending you to the right person.
  2. Is it urgent?A triage question that decides between today and a later day.
  3. Could you fill in the online form instead?Many practices triage through an online consultation form.
  4. Would you be happy to see the nurse or the practice pharmacist?GP practices now have nurses, pharmacists and physios.
  5. Have you tried the pharmacy?You're being sent to Pharmacy First for minor conditions.

Finding a slot4

  1. We've got nothing left for today, I'm afraidThere are no appointments left today.
  2. Have you got anything later in the week?Asks for a routine, non-urgent slot instead of a same-day one.
  3. Could I go on the cancellation list?Some practices will ring you if a slot frees up.
  4. Can I have a face-to-face appointment?An in-person appointment.

Calls and cancelling3

  1. The doctor will give you a ring back this morningA telephone appointment.
  2. I'll put you through to the duty doctorThe duty doctor is the GP covering urgent same-day problems.
  3. Sorry, I need to cancel my appointmentAlways cancel.
Check yourself15 questions

Question 1 of 15

Which opening sounds most British?

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About this pack
Price
Free
Account
Not needed, saved on this device
Reviews
1, 3, 7, 14 and 30 days later
Moments
0 of 15 phrases have a clip
Sources
Picked by Talk, CC BY-SA 4.0
Phrases
Picked by Talk.
How Talk picked them
Part of Talk's themed British life packs. Talk wrote each phrase with what it really means, when to say it, what not to say instead and one quiz question. A phrase gets a moment only if Talk's spoken videos say it with the same meaning. One review picked each moment, and a second tried to reject it. This pack holds 15 phrases.
Licence
Talk shares this list under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Meanings and examples
Written by Talk in plain English.
Dictionary details
From Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Princeton WordNet, used under the WordNet licence. WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
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