Mumsnet Talk

Maybe you could get the fact that so many GPs are foreign nowadays into your piece Zoe? Your rag is often complaining about none EMT doctors. I bet you'd get a bonus if you could talk about foreign doctors sending the children of single mothers on benefits to A&E needlessly.

Is the Daily Mail being sponsored by the govt for this?

The dept of health (??? some official body) has decided that too many people go to A&E when they could be treated by GP's. I think GP's have targets and if their practice has too many attendees at A&E they get a slap on wrists (because obviously the number of ill patients requiring A&E appointments will be identical from practice to practice ). GP's as far as I am aware are not particularly impressed with this. Being clinicians rather than deskbound pen pushers who haven't ever examined a tonsil in their life they just want their patients to get better and receive appropriate care. But, well this is the NHS so targets rule, whether they make sense or not.

Or something like that. It's a bit half remembered but there is definitely a new target around A&E visits per practice. Maybe a GP who knows what is going on can clarify.

I think this is related

That looks like a stupid idea saintly

You know what, Zoe, if GPs recognize their limitations and want a child to be checked out by A+E because they're not sure if a headache is just a headache or meningitis, then that could save a child's life, and that has to be worth it. Or do you honestly think doctors should risk children's lives because your the government wants to reduce health spending to criminally irresponsible levels?

Why don't you do a real story about health in the UK today, Zoe? Why don't you do a story about my elderly mum, who died last year essentially because of the failings of a number of agencies, primarily her GP, the shit OOH service, the cardiac ward of her local hospital, and some appallingly disorganised home care? And then when we had an enquiry it was so factually inaccurate - at one point claiming she had recovered and left hospital, when actually she had deteriorated so much she'd been transferred to a better bigger hospital - that we rejected the findings. We've finally had an apology for at least the OOH mistakes, now I have to decide whether to go ahead with a complaint about the disgustingly poor nursing care.

And you know the big fucking irony? My mum was a bit of a conservative traditional sort who loved your sodding paper.

If you write the story Zoe I hope afterwards some poor GP who's dithering about sending a child to a&e doesn't decide not to for fear of been castigated and I hope that child doesn't then die.

I hope that some parent who's read your story doesn't decide to ignore a GPs advice to go to hospital. After all they re read in the DM about the crappy doctors making you go and wait for hours for no reason. I hope that child doesn't die.

Do DM journalists think about the implications of their "stories"?

No they just like to get Middle England frothing at the mouth and panicking about nasty foreigners stealing their money and heritage, and encouraging the givernment to make life as difficult as possible for those who don't have much money. That's the result they want.

All my baby & child common infections were treated by my GP at one or other of the daily under 12's drop in where you don't need an appointment.

They must have a funny way of showing their reluctance to treat children. But I'm sure this service will soon be decimated.

'because GPs are reluctant to treat children'

Oh are you sure about this? Or is this assumption based on the shite opinions of some of your colleagues?

What a load of bollocks. OTOH I wouldn't contribute to anything for the DM if they paid me

this sounds an utter nonsense story

Ds (who has complex medical needs) was sent home by a dr a few weeks ago, the next day he was admitted with pneumonia. We hadn't been able to see his usual gp, but when we saw her afterwards she was furious, and talked about the fact that they are being discouraged from referring in to a+e and the children's ward. Fortunately she is an amazing gp, and ds now has it written on the front of his notes to send straight to children's ward if there is any doubt.

I'm sick to death of seeing NHS bashing crap in the Daily Mail. It's boring. Bore off.

Zoe I know it's tough to find work, but surely you're better than this? Do your parents know you work for the Daily Mail?

If you need support or advice on how to find an exit strategy, there's lots of lovely people on MN that can help.

how about

more children are being sent to a and e

so the govt has decided to have more paediatricians eorking in a and e, thus shortening the waiting time snd delivering better care

oh wait, that didn't happen cos its cheaper to send kids back to their gp

i hope this rise in numbers does take into account the rising birth rate!

Wow.

Zoe, how are you feeling at the moment? A bit bruised maybe? Sorry about that and all, but as you can see, you'll struggle to find anyone here who is willing to give you or the DM the benefit of the doubt.

Still, you always have the chance to work for other news organisations that people here see as doing a more dispassionate job (and no, that doesn't need to mean the Guardian). We might be nice to you then.

Has your child been sent to A&E with a common infection or minor injury by your GP or NHS Direct?

No.

Have you an opinion on this subject, as a parent?

Yes. Please stop bashing the NHS.

I just love how hard DM journalists strive for a balanced and unbiased story.

I doubt she's even reading the responses. That or she's busy pitching an oh so original feature about the nest of vipers

We hadn't been able to see his usual gp, but when we saw her afterwards she was furious, and talked about the fact that they are being discouraged from referring in to a+e and the children's ward.

Yes this - which is what I was saying earlier. My understanding is GP's are not happy about it (as it's bureaucratic nonsense that isn't going to improve patient care). It sounds outrageous to me - just leave doctors to make clinical decisions - what's the point of giving them such an expensive education just for politicians who know nothing about health to come in and interfere all the time.

You may find that a more worthwhile story - WHY is there pressure on GP's to not refer on?

Worthwhile? For the daily mail? Not going to happen...

I think everyone has said anything I could think to say, most pleased with the reaction the op has garnered!

I think I will email her to let her know she has answers.

Do they pay more for threads to be stickered like this one has?

Our GPs saved our child's life by sending her to A&E fast. We had a fairly long wait. And it was cancer, a terrifically dangerous form of leukaemia. They got it right. She died of it, about 8 months later, but if they hadn't acted the way they did she stood a good chance of dying that weekend.

It looked like an infection.

It was an infection. Caused by her bone marrow cancer sabotaging her immune system.

Not sure these are the answers she's looking for...

My gps provide a fantastic service. Our local A&E is fab, sorry Zoe. As several people have recommended, maybe look for a job elsewhere. Everyone I know who's worked at the Fail found eventually their expected sense of moral outrage at absolutely everything failed.