My GP's surgery was put out to tender two years ago when it became another cog in the wheel of this new market-focussed health service. I have no idea who owns it now but its probably being run by some offshore financier on a for-profit basis.
All the regular doctors have left or been sacked and replaced by GP-locums fresh out of med school.
I made an appointment with a female doctor last week but found out, after sitting with her for less than two minutes, that she was in fact a nurse practitioner in plain clothes and the only reason she told me she was a nurse is because she wasn't qualified to deal with my problem and needed to refer me to a doctor...another day...another appointment!.
"But I made an appointment with a doctor" I said
"oh that's ok" she said, "we can deal with most things".
I've just been chatting to a friend who lives in Croydon and she's had exactly the same experience at her own practice.
Has anyone else noticed recent changes within their own GP practice?