To be irritated by this phone call from the GP?

[BitOfFun]

I was just getting comfy with a cup of coffee, blanket on the couch and puppy cuddled into just so, when the landline rang, and 'Sharon' from the doctors' surgery told me that the GP wanted to know if I smoke...

"Why?" I asked.

"It's just for our records and he wants to know."

"Um, I would rather discuss it with him next time I'm in then. I don't really want to answer random medical questions over the phone, as I don't really know who you are, do I?"

"Ok"

Click, brrrrrrrrr.

So, was I being unreasonable? And is it normal for doctors' surgeries to ring you at home to ask you random personal questions?

They get money from the DoH for working towards Govt targets. There'll be trying to target people to get them onto some kind of education prog. to get some kind of cash. They even get cash for giving you printed leaflets.

So it's the context of the question then? You won't mind answering if it is part of a consultation?

So next time you go to see the doctor and s/he asks you if you smoke, will you answer?

GPs have to ask this stuff to get certain funding. If people refuse to answer/go to reviews the practice will lose money and services might have to be cut.
Or maybe healthcare professionals should work for free

yabu

Chuh. I got all bent out of shape about the census wanting to know exactly where I worked. I was all "HOW VERY DARE THEY?"

Also, fags are really expensive now. Really expensive. Stupid lovely fags.

roll-ups are all right if you get yer baccy cheap down the pub (off the back of a lorry)

baccy off the baccy of a lorry is the sweepings from actual fags.

Are you calling me some sort of POV?

Went for a smear once and the nurse wanted to know what contraception I used. Told her none, and got lectured about risk of pregnancy and then very intrusive questions about why I didn't use contraception. Eventually relented and told her dh had had the snip. She said it wasn't on his notes - I pointed out that if she had seen his notes I'd be bloody worried as he is in the Forces and has a Forces GP in Belgium.

Nosy mare.

BoF - I find MYOB/NOYB very useful when asked questions I don't want to answer.

Are you?

I have asked about this before,it is about cash and if these questions aren't answered.. the cash isn't forthcoming...that means in essence less appointments/services...this is part of the way the services are funded.
GPs don't set the questions and I bet most find it completely ridiculous to have to jump through these kinds of hoops set for them, so they can scrape together the quids it takes to offer a service but have to.

bof where you been? i pictured you knee deep in puppie shit and couldnt get to the pc?

i would have asked her if she smoked? just for my own records im keeping a log of how many doctors receptionists smoke?

I had this last night as well, only they had 'Peter' on it from my surgery.

Not half as bloody annoying as the man who keeps ringing me up to tell me I've been in a car accident and he'd like to help me claim compensation though...he says the 'government department for road traffic accidents' have given him the information.

Gps and HVs, strange convos I have had.

"hello"
"hello, it's the GP's surgery, may i speak to your wife please"
"she is out, may i help you if it concerns one of our children"
"I don't think so, can you ask her to call us back and tell us how your younger son is fed"
"umm, he's 100% bf, but I can get her to call you back if you like"
"no, that's ok"
"may i ask why"
"just for the notes"

Click.

And the best one, five weeks after our youngest had been discharged from a couple of days in intensive care on CPAP.

"hello"
"hi, it's the HV team"
"I hear N has just been in hospital"
"Well, he was over Christmas"
"Is he OK now"
"yes"
"well, don't forget to use us in future, we are here to help"
"Ok thanks (next time we need IV fluids, high pressure oxygen and a bunch of high tech monitoring, we will be sure to ask the HV team?!)"
"bye"

Well, the bit in brackets was thought but not said....

The introduction of targets has had a lot of unintended consequences!

I love the way you said "if it's about the children can i help?" and they said "no, you can't actually, because obviously you're such a hands-off father that you don't know how your DS is fed" !

Vinny

I don't mind answering if I'm actually seeing the doctor, but I find a phone call at home rather intrusive and Big Brotherish.

I got a letter from the surgery asking if my 14year old DS smoked. I ignored it. Got a phone call from the surgery a month later asking me the same question. I asked why and they said they had to ask all Asthma patients the same question.

So I asked my son if he smoked whilst she was on the phone, and he said no which I relayed to her. I then asked her if she really expected him to give any other answer - I know he doesn't as he has been housebound for the past 15 months, but if he had been a normal healthy 14 year old, out with his mates, then the answer would still have been NO as there is no way on this earth he would confess to smoking knowing my very strong feelings about it.

More NHS waste?

Oh, I forgot we were asked those questions- does he smoke or drink?
DS looked at the GP as if he was nuts

It's cos they want their QOF points by Friday.

Smoking status has to be obtained on a certain percentage of patients.

They must be getting desperate if they're phoning you at home!

If a GP is requesting you to go for a "check up", there'll probably be money in it for them somewhere...., ticking boxes.....QOF and all that!