I work with a guy (bit of a dramatist so hard to know when to believe him but) he has had no problem getting scans and tests for all manner of things over the last 18 months including tests for Prostate cancer (twice) Spinal damage (three times) and knee damage (twice) plus the odd illness.That's you though mate. I'm no doctor, neither are the vast majority of people. They suffer from an early symptom, they're troubled by it, talk to a GP over the phone or online, but will trust what the GP tells them. It's only when it becomes significantly worse, and at the point where the treatment will be far more severe (maybe even irreversible) that they might demand to see the GP. It's the nature of humans. By then it's too late and that's what's been happening. And tbph if there's "always going to be cases of where things go wrong" as a result of not seeing patients face to face then bollox to it, go back to face to face. Even one patient suffering or dying as a result of something avoidable is one too many. It's not a failed surgery or a procedure where you can go "these things happen", it's something they were doing before and could go back to.
Man is a dreamer but has shown the appointments to management so they are available when seen as needed.

