Make it make sense! Telephone appointment for a cough?!

[AintNobodyHereButUsChickens]

My daughter has had a persistent cough for the last few weeks that’s just not getting any better (DH and I suspect she’s vaping 😑 not that she’d admit it). I filled out the online form at my GP surgery and they’ve just texted me an appointment for her, a telephone consultation. How is that supposed to work? Do we hold the phone against her chest and the Dr holds a stethoscope against the phone at their end?! Surely she should be seen for a bad cough??

It's probably so the doctor can get some general information and decide if they actually needs to be seen or not. Most coughs don't really need doctor based treatment, so they are probably trying to screen them out to save face to face appointments for those that will benefit.

I explained that it’s a chesty cough and she’s coughing stuff up so I’d expect her to need to be seen

It will be a screening appointment …..tell them at the appointment that you want her to be seen in person

If she's bringing stuff up, also suggest proving a sputum sample to rule out infection.

It's just how some GP surgeries work now. Ours won't do a face to face for anything, unless you've had a phone call. DD2 (11 months old at the time) had a persistent rash and they did it over the phone 🙄 (photos of rashes aren't the best at showing what they really look like). Unsurprisingly they then wanted to see her in person.

I had a phone appointment for what turned out to be sinusitis. Unsure how the receptionist thought the GP could look up my nose over the phone!

You suspect she's vaping.
You want to use NHS resources - even though you suspect she's vaping.
You're moaning about the NHS provision you've been offered.
Make it make sense!

Vapers, smokers, drinkers, addicts, obese people, those partaking in dangerous sport etc are all entitled to NHS treatment.

Vapers, smokers, drinkers, addicts, obese people, those partaking in dangerous sport etc are all entitled to NHS treatment.

Yes and I never said they weren't.

But the doctor is going to ask if she smokes/vapes.
If she says yes, the doctor will say stop vaping. See if the cough improves.
The daughter could do this for herself first without needing to be told the obvious by a doctor.
The telephone consultation could go to someone who needs it.
If the cough doesn't improve after a period of not vaping, that's the point to contact the GP surgery.

My GP is the same. It makes sense with some things but for others it's bonkers and just wastes time.

The problem is, she’s just turned 13. She won’t admit it because she knows she shouldn’t be doing it. I only know she’s done it before because school have phoned me twice in the last 6 months to say they’ve confiscated one from her. She swears blind it’s the only times she’s done it but me and DH don’t think she’s being truthful about that.

Hi Op

As others stated, just an initial appointment and see where you go kind of thing

Re you DD possibly "capping," I wish you can convenience her re the hard those can do and its not big, nor very bright to puffing away at those

The makers of this addiction add what they feel are nice smells to it to attract people of certain ages IMHO

I see your point. In that case maybe a warning from a medical professional might help to make her stop.
I hate that these things are marketed at young people, even though the manufacturers deny it.
Good luck!

We had the appointment last night, the doctor was confused as to why they’d given us a phone appointment. He’s put in a request for a face to face appt which should come through today. I did make him laugh though, he said he didn’t know why we were given a phone appointment and I said “I know, what did they expect you to do, hold your stethoscope up to the phone?!” And he burst out laughing and said “Oh that’s funny, sorry it’s not that funny.” 🤣

Once he has examined her do you think it might be worth her speaking to him alone for part of the consultation? She might be more open with him than she is with you. She is beginning to get towards an age where she needs to be able to advocate for herself with a doctor especially over topics which she doesn't want to discuss with you. Does he know you suspect she is vaping?

Yes I did say I suspected she was in my initial request, he brought it up and said there’s help for quitting available should she need it.

I’m not surprised. I was told my smear test would be a telephone appointment!
System is beyond broken.