So I have an eye infection / conjunctivitis. I went to the pharmacist and she wouldn't give me anything because I wear contacts, and was told to urgently see a GP or optometrist because an eye infection can be very disastrous for contact wearers.

I phone an optometrist thinking I wouldn't be able to get in to a GP today. They can't write scripts so tell me to see a GP.

I am listed with two surgeries. I phone the first one, can't get in until after Easter. I phone the second one, can't get in until next week.

So my choices are, a) suffer and take a risk with my eye infection or b) sit in a waiting room for hours with flu stricken people / people wanting certificates for probably a 2 minute consult.

Not happy. I know it is a problem we all face just thought I would put another story out there - more needs to be done!!!

Hats off to you all who manage to handle this situation with children!!!

i know how you feel. I had a vent last week over not being able to get my DD in for an appointment.

maybe talk to the optometrist and ask if there is any over the counter meds that you can use whilst waiting for the appointment.

Edited to add: Is there any chance you can stop wearing your contacts and wear glasses so that you can use an over the counter cream until the infection is fixed? I only wear glasses no contacts so I am not sure if this is possible.

I had the exact same issue & was told the same thing by my chemist (also a contact lens wearer) - I was advised to go straight to the hospital. I went to Calvary who then sent me across to the Canberra Hospital to emergency who sent me up to the eye clinic there (minor infection, antibiotic drops, cleared up in a few days).

Maybe just go the Canberra Hospital emergency to get checked out & hopefully they'll get you into the eye clinic (a runaround, I know, will probably take you all day!).

What side of town are you on? I've never had a problem getting into medical, it's never more than a day wait.

I was hoping this thread would be about quality of Canberra doctors... Up until recently finding one half-decent I have found their care-factor to be roughly zero. Haven't had to wait too long to see one though.

I could definitely add some snarky comments about that subject too Weezie79!!!

ETA - thanks to you all for your sympathy and suggestions, I am still too fuming to decide what to do next!

Does your GP have "on the day appointments" - ie appointment slots that they reserve for use on the day only? Ours does. So, if we need to see a GP fairly quickly, we start dialling at opening time on the day that we want the appointment and keep dialling until we get through. They open at 8am and we find that if we can get through by 8:15am-8:20am, we will usually get an appointment that day with our GP; worst case, it will be a different GP in the same practice.

Other alternative is to try one of the medical centres that do walk-ins.

Don't know if you're north side or not, but I've never waited more than an hour at Florey Medical when I've rocked up without an appointment. I've also had some shocking experiences with Drs around the ACT, but the guys are Florey are fantastic. You can usually get an aoopintment on the day. I have had two occassions to visit them urgently and both times I've rung them on the way and been met at the door by the practice nurse who has taken over from there. They have also been with me through two miscarriages and have been wonderful both times. Better than the hospital believe me! The other thing I like is that their waiting room is REALLY big, so you don't have to sit near some one if they are obviously sick/fluey etc . . . Hope that helps.

Thanks CanberraCath - that is really helpful and a great recommendation - off to Florey I go I think!!! I will keep that in mind for the future too..

If I can't get into my normal GP on the day, I will go to Phillip Medical Centre. You basically turn up and wait for a Dr. Whilst it may not be the preferred method of gaining access to a Dr, the longest I have had to wait is 1hr 20mins. I have waited longer for a scheduled appointment.

Ditto to Florey, they are great there.

Strange because when we moved in Oct, DP rang the local medical centre, and got a choice of GP and was offered an appointment that day. Mum and I also went and saw a GP (me mainly because I wanted to ensure that I go into that medical centre) and was also offered a choice of GP including male or female. I then got an appointment the next day (was offered same day.)

My GP has been good, I went in for a female checkup and she also did my papsmear in the same appointment (which I wasn't expecting, at my doctors in Syd you had to make a separate appointment, price gauging!!!)

Also wasn't too bad after the medicare rebate, it just costs us $36 to see the doctor.

I have been back twice and both times had a wait of less than 20min (10min first time, 20min second) and she apologised for the delay.

This is at Foundation Healthcare Erindale (now known as Erindale Medical Centre, I think.)

I've never had a problem at Erindale Health Care either - so if you're at this end of town they're very handy. I'm actually a lot closer to the Phillip Medical Centre but Erindale are pretty good about giving you an appointment time (especially if you call early in the day) so I prefer to go there.
The doctors have generally been pretty good too, and will sometimes even bulk bill me - no health care card or anything so not sure why, but I'll take it

I have waited for more than an hour at Florey when I HAVE had an appointment and was feeling very unwell with tonsillitis! I have also waited over half an hour there when I walked in without an appointment for an emergency that required me to eventually go to Calvary A&E.

I like my regular GP at another clinic but she is hard to get in to see.

My best experiences, if you can call them that have been with CALMS, and even then their diagnosis is usually dodgy, but if it's just for a script then they're fine.

I'm actually in Sydney for a few days at the moment and forgot some meds, so I had to see a GP today for a new script. I made an appointment this morning for a GP right in the heart of the city, they were running on time, very pleasant, easy visit.

I have been using Garema Place surgery for a few years and never have troubles getting in.

For something like this I would probably just go to one of the drop in centres and wait to see one of their doctors. There is one in Phillip and I think one in Belconnen. Would be better than waiting it out.

Or if you have them, wear glasses and get yourself some Bleph-10 from the pharmacy. It was until recently a prescription antibiotic eyedrop but you can now get it over the counter if you talk to the pharmacist about it.

There are other GP's that take appointments. The clinic I go to I can almost always get an appointment with my GP on the same day or the next, or I just see one of the others if it's urgent. For something like an eye infection I probably wouldn't be too picky about who I see as long as I get the help needed.

My experience with the Ginninderra Medical Centre at Belconnen is to turn up early in the afternoon. If you do not care what doctor you see the wait is generally only 15-30 minutes (I have experienced less than 5 mins on more than one occasion). Its usually only in the mornings that the wait is huge.

I stopped going to Florey as I hated that I would make an appointment and still end up waiting an hour plus.

Luckily I have gotten into a GP in Weston who I like and do not care that I have to drive there from West Belconnen. Only downside is she's part-time and if you do not call right on 8.30 for the appointments that are kept for emergencies you may have to wait days.

Rang yesterday for an appointment with my GP (in Gungahlin) and first available is 28th April - 9 days! Lucky it is not urgent. For non-urgent things I much prefer my doctor, but if it can't wait I go to Ginninderrra and wait it out.

I was going to suggest Florey. You also don't need an appointment there, you can just walk in, but you will have to wait a bit if you do that.

Thx everyone. I ended up being very naughty and doing what Nut suggested. I went to another chemist with my glasses on and got the antibiotic drops. It has just about cleared up now, still stinging a bit.

It made me think though, how many people in Canberra are mis managing their own health because they can't get in to a doctor, so they just do what they can??

Just food for thought.

I also use Florey and yes you can sometimes wait to see you dr when you have an appointment but I also like that I can get into see a dr 7 days a week without an appointment.

I am just thankful we aren't in the country! In DP's old town there was 2 doctors and you would have a min 2 week wait to get in to see the doctor and no other options. So having more than 2 days off sick from work was not possible, as you couldn't get a doc cert!

At least we have options here.

I was surprised at how hard it was to find a doctor when I moved here from Sydney. I was used to just rocking up at a medical center and getting an appointment in the next fifteen minutes. I tried this at Tuggeranong Square Medical Centre and was told they could fit me in two days later.

However, now I have worked it out such that I have my "family doctor" for ongoing issues and things that look serious - he squeezes in appointments all over the place. For things that seem more minor but still doctorworthy (like ear infections) I go to Foundation Healthcare at Erindale. I can usually get an appointment on the same day if I call in the morning. Some doctors are good, some not so good.

I think perhaps for conjunctivitis there is also the option of the walk in centre at TCH. I *think* the nurses can prescribe antibiotics for things like that ?? I have never used the service but I have heard good reports from a few people.

I agree - I really think twice about going to the doctor, not only because it is so hard to get in, but my doctor charges $75 for a weekday appointment and $100 for a weekend appointment. We have to be really sick to go to the doctor.

Same here, you need to have the money to go to the doctor. My doctor will bulk bill if I am desperate but I dont really like asking.

There is also the after hours CALMS service that runs out after hours and on the weekends. They are great when you know your issue and just need a bloody scripit.

They run on time (usually) and are open quite late at night.

I think that to use CALMS, your usual GP has to be on their roster and do some shifts for them. Because my doctor is open on Saturdays and doesn't subscribe to CALMS, I can't use it.

Anyone can use the Canberra After hours Locum Medical Service (CALMS) service, ACT and interstates visitors alike. You just need to pay for it on the spot. It does not matter if your GP works for them. My GP also doesn't work for them but we use it.

Thanks Tan, good to know

I've always been able to get in to the Tuggeranong Square Medical centre, plus they are opened weekends, unlike my old family GP, though he did work from his house. there are plenty of doctors there and you can always be squeezed in there I've found. But I only go rarely, like a broken toe or sick baby.

If you suspect to have an eye infection and you wear contacts the first advice I'd give you (as a pharmacist) would be to stop wearing it and wear glasses... BUT... I'd also give you some medication (even if it is only saline drops to clear up the eyes so you will be able to SEE the doctor... lol)... and can I also add a vent on Ginninderra Practice... SHAME ON YOU FOR MAKING US DO YOUR PAPERWORK and have to ring Medicare on your behalf so that Medicare can give the cheque to YOU!!! GRRRR