To Think GPs Staff Should Have rang & Let Me Know???

[rockinhippy]

Just that really??

but its the 2nd time recently where I've had a similar problem, though last time round it caused more stress rather than actual illness

Background - several weeks back I started feeling very ill - more so than is normal for me & due to my previous medical history, recognised the symptoms as Kidney infection - I have some damage on my kidneys from past recurring infections - Saw GP (not my usual one) & he prescribed Anti B's & sent off a test to confirm.

I rang several times for test results, but due to being very ill & struggling to cope with DD who is on crutches right now, so needs most things doing for her - I forgot to keep ringing for the test results

On taking DD in for HER appointment - I remembered to ask - by this time I've been ill for weeks, REALLY struggling & starting to worry as nothing I do seems to shake it & I do have other health problems, & anything such as virus etc will cause flare up , so ALL of which are worse right now - I'm running in zombie mode

Receptionist pipes up - "Oh your GP has left a note to get you to organise an appointment - she needs to speak with you" - but won't give me any more info - can't get an appointment with MY GP for over a week - so see another

Turns out I've been given the wrong antibiotics & I DO still have a kidney infection -

Now my AIBU is - no body rang to let me know, but I've been too ill to remember to keep ringing - kidney infections do that to you - surely they should have rang me??? -

if they had I would be well by now, instead I'm facing organising DDs birthday party when I'm feeling like total shite - I'll get through it, as you do - but it P's me off as if they'd rang me I would be fine by now & not dreading it :(

AIBU to expect a phone call to let me know I need to see a GP - or don't they do that any more??

Thanks :)

[Sirzy]

Surely if you felt that ill it would have been the first thing on your mind?

Yes they should have rung but with the amount of patients each week having different tests it's easy to see why people dont get a call
Straight away

[themightyskim]

My Gp surgery rings with stuff like that so no YANBU

[meravigliosa]

I think they should have called you.

[rockinhippy]

sirzy I am ill all the time - Fibromyalgia amongst other things - so NO its NOT the first thing on my mind- if it was I would never get out of bed - with Chronic illness you learn very quickly to put it OUT of your mind, or you just don't survive -

[LoveBeingAMummyAgain]

Kidney infections can make you really poorly so I'm not surprised you were starting to worry.

I hate all this you have to ring us, of it's important then they should ring you.

[tyler80]

My doctors surgery only ring if test results are abnormal, need further action so I would have presumed that lack of a phone call meant nothing wrong/no further action. I have regular blood tests and never ring for results on the presumption that they'll phone me if something is wrong.

[NessaRose]

At my drs call us if there is a problem with the results. And normaly offer a same day appointment, saying that I had one where the dr called me, saw me and had me in hospital with in an hour!
Yanbu

[Sidge]

Well, yes and no.

Your health is your responsibility and the onus is on you to call for results. But if you needed a change of antibiotics it would have been good practice for them to call and check you knew you would need to collect a new prescription.

Where I work we can receive up to 200 results a day and it's not possible to call everyone. Often we don't have a correct phone number, or people aren't in when we call (many people change their mobile number regularly and we're not allowed to leave a message on an answering machine unless the patient has signed a permission form to do so).

[TheProvincialLady]

Your health is your responsibility. Unless you specifically asked to be rung, and they offer this service, or they told you they would ring you, it is your job to ring them not the other way round. I do sympathise with your condition and especially having a kidney infection - which is awful - but you kept forgetting, not them.

[tyler80]

I would have thought it makes more sense for the doctors to ring say the 50% of people who need follow up than have 100% of people trying to ring and get through to find out results?

[HeadfirstForHocusPocus]

YANBU they should have rang you. They are the medical professionals.

[PomBearAtTheGatesOfDawn]

Ordinarily I would probably have said you should contact them, but if the GP had left a note on your file to contact you and get you to make an appointment, about something they knew was wrong and was their fault (prescribed wrong ABs) and needed to be put right, then they should have contacted you. Even if they'd written to you it would only have taken a day or two...

[excitedLJ]

I would say that normally if you need to call for results then they tell you that and then it is your responsibility...but..if they have issued incorrect medicine and there is a note on your file then someone should have contacted you.
It is worth clarifying their procdures for the future methinks and possibly having a to do list stuck to the fridge
(saunters off to check to do list for the first time in weeks...)

[aldiwhore]

They should have contacted you YANBU.

[BootyMum]

YANBU.

Can't believe that some here feel it was OPs responsibility to keep ringing

If the GP had realised from test results that the ABs the OP was taking were not the right ones and she needed a different prescription it is THEIR responsibility to contact OP with this information. Not just to leave a note telling patient to make another appointment [on the offchance the OP would present at reception asking about her test results]

At my GP practice they would always contact me if the test results indicated anything abnormal or a prescription was required.

It's called good practice and having a duty of care for your patient.

In your situation OP I would complain to the Practice Manager. It's really not good enough.

I hope you feel better soon though.

[elesbells]

Yanbu...my gp always call if there is a problem. I would have assumed that all was ok if they hadn't...

They should have called you

[WhataTreat]

Having worked in a GP surgery I can say if we're told by the doctor that it's urgent we'll ring. If not the message gets put onto the system 'to do' list. Although generally unless the results are dire you are expected to ring for test results yourself! Shoddy system, I know, but with 10,000 patients in one surgery we can't ring all of them!

Personally if someone had phoned a few times before, I'd make a note to myself to ring them back when the results came in, but I'm a nice one!

[nailak]

i have never rung for results, they let me know if abnormal