Did I just hear this? GPs can't be expected to "specialise" in women's health?

[CheeseDreamz]

Listening to Women's Hour on Radio 4 - discussion on the HRT panorama programme now. Speaker was Paula something. Can someone confirm that is what she actually said? 51% of the population is not a specialism.

So there is male specialists and not female ones?

What?

100% of the population have lungs, but not every GP will be an asthma/COPD specialist. Different GPs have different areas of interest and specialism. There’s no sexism or misogyny to be found here.

Hmmn. That's not really the point I am making. Knowing about women's health is not something to specialise in it is basic medical understanding of half the population and their needs. Getting treatment as a woman is hard enough. What is it - 10 GP visits and 8 years to be taken sersiously about endometriosis?

In a world where almost all drugs and treatments have been predominantly tested on men until very recently, something that some medics are not even are aware of, and there is increasing research to show that women react differently with certain conditions (including heart conditions and covid), it seems pretty obvious to me that the health of half the population is not a specialism and something that GPs probably should have a pretty decent grasp of.

It a GP would never have diagnosed your endometriosis, that’s for a gynaecologist to do. A GP is a gateway to a specialist in whatever area the patient is seeking.

GP - GENERAL practitioner. Its all in the title. For example, a GP specialising in woman's health would be of no use to me and I'm female. Autoimmune diseases yes, bowel and stomach issues yes. These would cover 100% of the population.

GPs aren't specialists though - they were never intended to be.

I heard that and was also staggered.

Knowing the basics of how women’s bodies work and how to treat them at the various stages of life doesn’t seem like a specialisation to me.

I was listening too..think she said some were not interested in women's health!

And some probably aren't interested in men's health, lungs or kidneys either 🤷

Fair enough GPs aren't specialists but they are required to make decisions around women's health and menopause.
Most women won't be referred to a specialist for menopause even if they are struggling and there isn't the infer structure for all women struggling with menopause to see a specialist.
So it would make sense to have someone knowledgeable in every GP practice.

This. This is cultural and baked in, eg to training.

Pretty sure most GPs can treat the menopause without being a specialist in the same way they can treat tonsillitis without being an ENT specialist. It's a common things so they don't need to be a specialist. If it's a particularly difficult menopause then they can refer on in the same way as any other condition.

GPs are trained to be general practice.

In addition some have other interests. There are three permeant GPs at my practice and they also have trainees.

Two of them will inject steroids when I need them, the third doesn't.

One of them offers acupuncture, the two others don't.

It’s just another, massive, example of the default male.

To be honest I suspect GPs will be phased out in the next 10-20 years anyway. We’ll be able to use technology to diagnose rather than the guess work of GPs, plus access more data through wearable devices and quick blood tests.

Yes I think it was that some GPs were "not interested in women's health" and I was astonished to hear it too. It was presented as being a perfectly normal statement Not just not specialised, but like it was something they could just ignore because they weren't interested in it.

Specialising in women's health?? Ha! I'd settle for them knowing something about women's health. I saw two different female GPs about menopause symptoms, and was told I was too young for that and I should come back for HRT when my periods had stopped. Went private and turned out my oestrogen level was that of someone twenty years older, and I'd developed osteopenia and had insufficiency fractures of both shins by age 42 in the meantime. Thanks, fucking idiot GPs 🙄

There are GPs who specialise in men's health as well. That refers to developing a specialism in prostate issues, testicular and penile problems.

Men's health in this context does not literally mean what the words say it means a specialism in male genital issues.

I was coming on to say this too and this is the boat I am also in, though I have needed gynaecology at times too.

GP = GENERAL Practitioner. They aren't actually specialists, though some may have a stronger interest in some areas of medicine that others.

It's true though that it often takes far too long for people (particularly women) to be taken seriously. It isn't just on issues that relate specifically or only to women.

I don't mind GPs not being specialists in anything. What I object to is that some, and I will stress some, don't seem to know when to refer on. I've recently had issues with the GP in respect of my youngest who needs me to advocate for him. The 1st GP we saw was useless and appeared to hold the bizarre opinion that no one can have 2 different medical conditions at once!
I don't know if they feel they are gatekeepers, but for the love of God, just refer please!

There is a difference in not being interested and not specialising...you cannot dismiss half the population!

A GP will know the basics some maybe more but not all issues are basic and do require seeing someone who specialises in women’s health. I have kidney issues so my GP knew the tests etc that needed doing but referred me to the renal department because that’s what they specialise in….. isn’t that the same?

They'll still treat their patients though. Pretty sure a primary teacher isn't interested in every subject they teach but they'll still teach music for example. They'll do their job.

I get you @CheeseDreamz

It’s not specialised as in being a consultant, but specialised as in being able to do the evaluations needed as a GP. Like the couple of GPs in my practice that are specialised in skin problem and can evaluate of a mole is potentially an issue. (And then refer if needed).

And yes I agree, it’s not normal that, to see a GP that appropriately refer you for ‘women’s issues’ you need to see a specialist.
My endometriosis was misdiagnosed with IBS for years because of that. And knowing nothing about endometriosis then, I wouldn’t have thought about going to see a ‘specialist’ GP either.
So seeing a ‘normal’ GP meant misdiagnosis because they knew nothing about women health… despite the fact half of the people they see day in and day out are women.