When you have a GP appointment, do you actually see a GP?

[DeedIDo]

I've got some ongoing issues and have had two GP appointments in the last ten days. The first time I saw a GP registrar, so a qualified doctor, but still training to be a GP. The second time I saw a final year medical student.

Is this usual now?

A medical student I would not be happy with. Are you sure it was an undergrad?

A GP registrar is fine. And more common IME.

We’ve only ever been given appointments with a GP but my last one recently was with someone with some title which I can’t remember now - definitely not a nurse though. She looked terribly young and kept asking me what I would like the outcome to be despite me telling her what I would like. I told her I would like further investigation such as a chest x-Ray or blood test (as per NHS guidelines for my condition) and she kept saying she didn’t think it was necessary but she would check with a GP and let me know the outcome later that day.

I received a text later to say the GP had agreed to request an x-ray so it did make me wonder at her knowledge and experience and whether she should have been seeing patients initially under more supervision.

The only time I’ve seen a medical student there was a qualified Dr present as well but that was a few years back . We don’t see a GP anymore as everything is done by text or phone at our surgery , last week I was diagnosed with Achilles tendinitis over the phone , it’s amazing .

Nothing unusual. A previous GP surgery of mine was a work experience / training thing for medical students.

I've talked to paramedics.

My last appointment was with a physio.

OP, how do you think GPs become GPs?

I saw a GP last week, and it was only for an HRT check up so I was quite surprised.

Where I work, Medical Students will always be working under the direct supervision of a GP. The GP may not be in the same room, but the consultation & outcomes will always be discussed/checked with the training GP. Did they ask to record the consultation?

A GP Registrar is quite different because whilst they are still under the general guidance of a training GP, as you say, they are already qualified Dr's with their own registration number.

Quite a lot of same day appointments do end up being with the Registrars (large practice so we have 4) as the Partners are often busy doing admin, checking results, referrals, having follow up appointments etc. etc.

Yep. I’m 23 and I’ve been seeing the same Doctor since I was in year 7. Even during the Covid changes, I still see my GP whenever needed.

I just saw him a couple of weeks ago with no hassle

Medical student was supervised at ours. I did like the last gp but she was a locum. Im awaiting an apt re as I rather a female gp.

I've got an upcoming GP appointment with an FY2 doctor (so, second year out of university, first year that they can do a general practice placement). In August, so she'll have only just started the placement. According to my app they've scheduled me 30 minutes with her. My experience is that these appointments tend to be very… thorough, and by the book, as they haven't yet learnt all the shortcuts and heuristics that trained GPs have. They can also consult with one of the GPs.

To be completely honest, I'd rather see a GP than an FY2, really, as I appreciate GPs' skills as specialist generalists — people tend to think of GPs as just doctors who haven't specialised, and assume any doctor can do it, as opposed to, say, a rheumatologist or an anaesthetist who has lots of extra training. But general practice is no less a specialism than any other type of medicine, and requires particular skills and training.

Doctors need to train somehow, though, and there are safeguards built in, so it's just one of those things, and most of the time the trainee is fine, especially as they have extra time and the option to consult.

I've seen plenty of variation at our surgery - paramedics, physiotherapists, nurses and GPs.

I also met a medical student for a migraine discussion about the next steps of treatment and actually, I think it was the best appointment I've ever had - he took a huge history, checked lots of things others haven't, "presented the case" to the supervising GP who came I when he called her, recommended a long list of tests including MRI and new medication plus a referral to neurology. All things I had been begging for for years but got no joy. She approved the lot.

I also hope it means the student at least has a good understanding of chronic migraine now too as he was very thorough and effective which bodes well for others he sees!

All the appointments I had before the pandemic were with the 'nurse practitioner' not entirely sure what that means, then he was sacked and I dont think they have this role anymore

Had a couple with random GPs since, over the phone and a couple face to face

Then I was prescribed some medication for a condition that I 'think' I have, I was asked by the receptionist what the symptoms were and the next thing was a text from the surgery saying some tablets were ready for pick up

I have no idea if this the illness I have, the tablets seem to help at times though

Totally irresponsible.

I see nurses at the surgery quite often. And they more than often do better than the GP would. Better at taking bloods, diagnosing, advising etc. Obviously some things need to go through with GP like prescripts and referrals but they've been great

My gp surgery is a training surgery so you could see anyone really.
I work in pharmacy and when we refer patients back to their surgery I often tell them to see the nurse or practice pharmacist rather than the Dr because it’s often more appropriate.
So someone with an infected insect bite or an asthma check up could be seen by the nurse or a medication review could see the pharmacist rather than the Dr.

Yes, I understand this. Our practice is a training practice, so I am used to having students in consultations, but I'm going in again this morning , which will be the third visit in two weeks with the same issue and once again I will see a medical student, not a qualified doctor.

I am happy to see whoever is the right person for the job. An HCA did an ECG for me not so long ago and that was fine, but I can't help but wonder whether I would be making some progress with the current issue, if I were actually able to see a GP, or even better, one who actually knows me.

At the surgery I use you rarely get to see a doctor. It's either a nurse or a paramedic!

I've seen practice nurses, nurse practitioners, GP trainees and fully qualified GPs. I've never seen an unsupervised medical student, and I don't think I would want to actually.