What happens if you annoy your GP Practice?

[PuddlesandWellies]

Please be kind, as I am already extremely stressed about it. I had an unpleasant exchange with my GP practice (mainly with the practice manager who was quite dismissive tbh). Whilst I was not rude, I was challenging something with regards to my child's medication and was asking for a second opinion. Long story short, we were made to see a Dr who issued the prescription originally and resolved that with them. But next day I receive a text from my practice asking me to provide a summary of what I want to discuss with the GP I have an appt myself with in a few weeks time. Their reasoning is that there might be a specialist who can help me quicker. I provided the reason and they just said they would add to files. I made this appt before the unpleasant conversation about my child's medication. And they queried it a day after that exchange. And this never happened in the past. Do you think they put some sort of alert on me, that I am now a difficult patient? I am really struggling with this and just generally find it very difficult to navigate....

I had a not too dissimilar experience. Pre Covid so a usually busy practice. Lots of drs and nurses so often a full waiting room. They liked doing phone appointments and long story short Gp on phone told me to take incorrect dose of medication. I ended up being taken to hospital that night for blood tests , which showed abnormal levels due to over medicating. Told to go to GP surgery 2 days later for repeat blood test. Next day I wrote an email of complaint to the practice manager. Phoned and was given a time for blood test.
When I arrived it was like the Marie Celeste — completely empty waiting room, nurse who took the blood barely spoke to me, only to confirm my name, DOB. I asked her something and she didn’t reply. It was all very odd, I got the feeling they didn’t want me to speak to anyone or them speak to me.
Upshot of my complaint was the GP tried to blame the receptionist, saying she’d not given her the correct information even though I’d described my symptoms clearly on the phone with the GP. I didn’t go back.

I am sorry you had to go through this. Did you switch to a new practice?

I do actually think that my GP practice are very very good, but this issue just snowballed out of control and as it was about my child I was really worried. I feel really stupid as I am not good in this situations.

I changed to a new practice before I received the response to my complaint.

I’m not sure if it’s a general thing to put some sort of marker on patients but I’d definitely been given an appointment between surgeries which is why the place was empty. The nurse looked very uncomfortable, I think they had to do the blood test but she didn’t want to get into a conversation with me.

You were advocating for your child and after my experience I’d always question medication and dosage and any changes.

I am a doctor (not a GP) and honestly so many things happen in a busy day of work I doubt any of them will be giving it a second thought. I highly doubt you have an alert unless you have threatened staff or something along those lines. I think when patients are stressed and worried you have to give them the benefit of the doubt and in any case it should not prejudice your future care. Try to draw a line under and move on as they will already be dealing with the next thing no doubt.

I fully expect I have some sort of marker on my file.

I made a huge fuss when they changed the format of my medication from a liquid to a tablet and they transcribed it wrong. So I received the incorrect amount which would have made me really ill. I told them this and it happened again and again. When I phoned up for the third time the rude receptionist tried to patronise me suggesting I didn’t understand my own prescription. I made a complaint to the practice manger and it was suddenly easily resolved - although they didn’t have the grace to actually apologise to me.

I couldn’t give a fuck to be honest. They’re not required to like me - they are required to do their job. If they can manage it. I check everything I receive from them now as I don’t trust them. I’m half a step from recording everything or taking my own notes.

I used to work as a GP Receptionist and in my experience, that exchange wouldn't trigger any sort of pop up alert on your account.
It would be more patients who are calling every day, wanting multiple appointments, spending a long time on the phone, taking up a lot of time every day where a pop up may be added just advising ways to signpost. Or a safeguarding alert etc but to me it sounds like they're more trying to get you the help you need faster than wasting your time if there's somewhere else that could help you.

I had a similar text from surgery asking me what my appointment with gp was about as there might be someone else who could help sooner. I said I had an odd patch of skin on my face that I wanted looking at. Was told I could self refer to a new skin clinic for suspicious moles/ lesions and was seen within a few days and treatment started.
so it’s very unlikely you’ve been singled out or on a watch list, just coincidence you got the text when you did.

Firstly, thank you for all of your work that you do, I work in a medical field and my parents are from medical background too, so I have my outmost respect for all in the profession. Thank you for your reply too. I think you are absolutely right. I was not abusive or threatening in any way but the way things were communicated to me (via receptionist at first rather than setting up a call or an appt with a GP) left me a bit on edge. When the practice manager spoke to me, it transpired that they didn't understand the nature of my concern and the medication label stated that in my toddler's case it could lead to potential lifelong disability as a side effect of that medication, so my emotions did run high. I did ask for a second opinion, and at the end of the unpleasant exchange with the practice manager did tell them that their tone was condescending. Something I regret but I can't take back. I strongly suspect that I am neurodiverse and I really struggle in the conflict situations and often can't communicate as effectively as my partner for example. If I was given access to speak to GP at some point as I requested when I called the receptionists, I think that the issue would have been resolved right here and then.

Thank you for your reply and for all the work that you do, I always thought that it is such a difficult role! You have to deal with so many upset people! I hope you are right. I was really shook after the exchange, I am sure they have moved on. I really hate to think that this would reflect bad on me or my child.