What do you do if you can't get a gp appointment? TW mention of eating disorder

[DixieSinclair]

This isn't another NHS/GP bashing thread as I understand how stretched they are. But I'm getting desperate and can't get any help. I am currently really struggling mentally. I have always had depression on and off, and I also have a raging eating disorder. I desperately want help with them both. I contacted them in November, they booked me an appt for December with their mental health practitioner. I spoke to him and he was so dismissive and unhelpful. He told me to stop making myself sick (as if it's that easy) and said if I carry on then I will be fat and have bad teeth 'and nobody wants that'

I left it for a while as it made me feel so awful, but I really want to go back on anti depressants for a while as they've helped take the edge off in the past, and will help me get into a better place to deal with everything. I contacted them today and asked to speak to my named GP to get another prescription. They've come back to me offering me an appt on the 14th of March with the same practitioner that I requested not to see. What do I do? I've begged them to give me something sooner, even a phone appt is fine I don't mind not seeing someone face to face, but they said I have to wait. I'm not sure where to go next or who to speak to but I really can't wait that long as I can feel myself spiraling further every day

Have you tried contacting BEAT, the eating disorders charity? You can talk to someone on the phone for support. I think they also have a web chat facility. There is light at the end of the tunnel. I've been in your position and I know how hard it is, but please don't give up. I wish you all the best.

@Blowyourowntrumpet I tried them after speaking to the practitioner, they came back to me saying they don't operate in my area and to contact my GP so that was a dead end too

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. It's a really lonely place to be. It sounds like the mental health practitioner you spoke to was useless to be honest. I've encountered this too and was told that I was just being irrational. Are you in the UK? My GP referred me to a psychiatrist with an interest in eating disorders and that really helped. In my area, you can also self refer for NHS talking therapies. Would that be an option for you?

That is a very inadequate response from your GP.

Some areas have mental health services which you can contact directly. As an example, here is a phone number for Derbyshire.

https://www.derbyshirehealthcareft.nhs.uk/services/helpline-and-support-service

You could try googling your area and NHS mental health support to see if there is anything locally.

I hope you are able to get the support you need.

@CardinaldeRichelieu I had no idea about that, I thought things like this could only be accessed through a GP. Thank you

Can you ask to speak to the practice manager and tell them you only want to see a GP? My GP has been useless lately but as soon as I asked to speak to the practice manager and mentioned making a complaint it was all miraculously resolved.

Does your surgery do e-consults? Maybe 🤔 be of those would get the attention of a GP?

This just isn't good enough and you need to be seen asap, I'm sorry you're struggling so much.

A six week wait for a doctors appointment is utterly ridiculous. After following the practice’s complaints procedure (probably a email to the practice manager would suffice) you can contact both PALS - which might be effective, they are great in my area, and your local ICB. That is the new name of the health commissioning bodies that contracts GP services - easy to find if you google [your area] and ICB.

Consider changing to another surgery. I had this sort of issue a few years back and switched (it was quick and easy). New surgery is brilliant. I speak to my GP about once a month.

@noimaginationforausername I may have to go down that route, I didn't want to be difficult as I know how stretched they are but I'm not sure I've got much choice. We have to request appts on the online system, on there I specifically asked to speak to a GP and not the practitioner but they still booked me with him anyway

@dizzydizzydizzy I have been thinking about that. The other surgery in my area has just come out of special measures, it was very nearly closed down due to various different failings. So I'm not sure if they would be any better or not