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.

A GP that’s vaguely competent would be useful. In the last 18 months or so my female family members have had Parkinson’s diagnosed as anxiety, a DVT diagnosed as a calf sprain and a pulmonary embolism diagnosed as a chest infection.

My HRT review with the practice ‘specialist’ resulted in me being told my withdrawal bleed was my periods returning and I urgently needed contraception. I was 54, at least 2 years post menopause but prefer HRT cyclically as I don’t get on with the progesterone part.

Strangely, all the men in the family have been immediately believed and referred to specialists when required.

Exactly.

Having one day of training in 4 years to cover menstrual cycle and menopause is ridiculous.

This is no guarantee of expertise AT ALL.

Gps obviously aren’t specialists. Some will have a special interest, which involves further training- usually at their own expense. And an individual will only invest time and money in something they are passionate about. Which won’t be women’s health for some. GPs should be competent enough to manage a wide variety of health issues, including those specific to women and to refer on when needed. But to expect specialist knowledge from every gp on every health topic is simply unrealistic.

Your logic is interesting. I mean what CAN GPs treat? If they CAN'T treat women because they are specialists in women's health, then it follows that they can't treat anything!

Most people who present at GPs surgeries will have illnesses that won't need different treatment depending on whether they are male or female. Surely you actually see that "specialising in women's health", is not needed at GP level.

If they can diagnose tonsilitis prescribe without being an ENT specialist, or treat tummy ache and D&V without being a gastroenterologist, or treat a headache without being a neurologist, they can treat a woman without being a gynaecologist.

Hey news flash, sometimes someone maybe has flu and has stomach ache, feels sick, is running a fever, has a runny nose, sore throat, tight chest, ear ache, bad headache all at the same time, and the GP stills sorts out antibiotics for the ear and chest infection, decongestant, paracetamol to reduce to headache, fever and stomach ache... all at the same time with no specialists in any area. Like they can do all that and yet can't treat a women because they aren't a gynaecologist. RUBBISH