Messages

[phone queue system]

Firstly it would be valuable to put a phone queue system in place to say you have reached such and such surgery you are now 15 in the queue, it would help a lot of folk especially older folk and give you some semblance of getting somewhere instead of redialling 100 times only to be told there is no appointment.  I would save some appointments each morning for very vulnerable people who ring in after the 8.30 deadline so they can be seen the next morning, it would be great if a doctor rang back instead of a receptionist to say go to A&E instead they are so protected it's impossible to get speaking to them.

Alot of surgeries have this already, but it depends on the number of phone lines coming in to the building. Digital lines are able to cover as many as you want pretty much and will be the norm in 5 years or so.

It also doesn't improve your chances of getting an appointment. There will still be the same amount of people dealt with in a day.

Mine has this. But it can only hold 6/7 people in the queue. Therefore when the queue is filled, you get an engaged tone.  200+ calls to hopefully get onto the queue. Half hour wait from there. Nothing worse than being the next one up and it disconnects.

I dont mind Ally.

I hate when sky have either Neville or Carragher on co comms for their respective teams.

Lee Dixon remains the worst.

Big day for Jeffrey and the DUP in Newry

Emery signing an extended contract with Villa today will put to bed any summer speculation in that regard.

Ten Hag out very strong in the press conference today about the comments after the Semi-Final.

Suppose he has other option but to come out fighting.

I think he's gone at the end of the season, no matter how the FA Cup final goes.

[but they are seeing people its not like they are sitting playing Candy crush all day]

My surgery is like that also, 200 calls, and still no appointments, but they are seeing people its not like they are sitting playing Candy crush all day

I'm lucky enough that the girl that's on reception went to the same gym and I'll send her a text and get sorted 

Not what ya know and all that

100%. Id say they are flat out and under serious pressure.  The whole health care system is surely at breaking point.

On a side note, I'd say receptionists are taking some abuse.

Yeah it's a similar story for me too. I understand there is too few GPs and now an increase in population in some areas. That said, GPs being unavailable has shunted people to the A&E.

Also, who wants to make over 200 calls in the morning to be told there's no appointments left and you'll have to try again tomorrow.

To even nearly get speaking to a GP you have to say that you are in an emergency. What about non emergency consultations? You used to be able to phone and book something 3/4 weeks in advance. That facility now seems to have completely disappeared.

Civil War is pretty good. Has some hard hitting scenes. Hard to imagine them making a film about half of America hating the president before the Trump era.

It's definitely worth a watch. 7/10

No balls in the VAR box. Afraid to tell their mates that they've made an error.

Nice for Villa to build a little cushion from Spurs. Let's see how they go with their games in hand. Ollie Watkins has had a superb year.

[it was the one slow song that you could at least still play air guitar to until the good stuff started up again.]

Back in the teenage discos in the 80's in the old cold rural dancehalls, when Wonderful Tonight came on, it signaled the start of the slow set. It had the added bonus that if you couldn't find a girl to dance with (or were refused), it was the one slow song that you could at least still play air guitar to until the good stuff started up again.

Peaches and Diesel
His guitar solo on While My Guitar Gently Weeps

And if you covet the singers girl on above song, sure might as well write a great song about her too.

Layla

might explain future refusals   

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-68851378

Ukrainian refugees coming this way and we are sending kids to Ukraine for brain surgery.

we'll soon find out. Do the shops still stock a load of Israeli spuds here?

[Probably not good news for English clubs having a 5th slot in the Champions League.]

Bad week for all English clubs apart from Villa. Probably not good news for English clubs having a 5th slot in the Champions League.

Yeah that's gone now.

It was clear from the 1st game at Villa Park that Lille had something about them and that the return leg was going to be a tough evening.  Martinez was outstanding in both legs and would probably be the main reason Villa are through. He's certainly the best keeper I ever remember Villa having on the books.

The margins on pizza's must be fantastic, surely.

Was told this before yes. People seem happy to pay money for a pizza that they wouldn't pay for say a Chinese or a chippy.

Mate bought the stove and all the malarkey that goes with it.. not worth the hassle, its far cheaper to order

I bought a stone that goes in the oven, wasn't dear but should of bought a paddle too. Works well but even with that there's a lot of work with the dough etc. They are really good when you go to the hassle though

Ah here I was at this last summer too. I bought a pizza stone and stuck it in the gas bbq. Made the dough and all that. It's defo worth doing as something a bit different for the family. An ooni would be better I'm sure.

If this weather ever wised up I'd be ready to give it another whirl.

I seen on Facebook the cafe in Rushmere Shopping Centre in Craigavon got their rates bill of £71k through the post! That is crazy money and when you throw in rent, staff, electric, stock and all the rest you would have to sell some amount of fish and chips to cover that on a daily basis.

I heard talk of that. Out of curiosity how does that compare to town centre rates in Lurgan/Portadown? Rushmere is flying at the minute and is usually packed. They'd have much more footfall there than in a town site.