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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonderwhy the GP feels he hasto ask loads of personal intrusive lifestyle questions?

69 replies

AtYourCervix · 06/04/2011 17:48

ANd then do nothing with the answers?

Why make me uncomfortable by weighing me and making me highlight my hazardous habits and then do nothing about it?

What's the point?

If I was offered advice about reducing my vast fatness or something I could understand but why just tap it into the computer and ignore it?

HUMPH.

OP posts:
MadameDefarge · 06/04/2011 18:45

well you should just then be grateful he didn't harangue you but simply noted your current weight.

Original poster
AtYourCervix · 06/04/2011 18:49

but had he harrangued me i would be justified in my outrage and affront.

I am b U aren't I? just a small bit.

i'm just hacked off because i am immune to antihistamines.

OP posts:
sillytart · 06/04/2011 18:50

I went to the Dr's about 2 small things and whilst there I was bombarded (sp?) with various questions. What I was really pissed off about was when I went to talk about the 2nd problem was told ' you will have to make another appointment as we have run out of time' wtf?? I was Shock and Angry especially when I then couldn't get another appointment for a week!!

noodle69 · 06/04/2011 18:53

I always wonder does anyone ever tell the truth when they ask about the alcohol? When they ask I always say 1-2 units a week. What I actually mean is binge drinking at the bar with my girl friends at the weekend. No-one is going to admit that to their doctor though are they, so whats the point in asking.

AngryGnome · 06/04/2011 18:54

I think the OP has a point - my local surgery has a habit of collecting data just for the sake of it. When i joined, I filled in a form that asked how many units i drank a week. I dutifully filled it in, and the next week was sent another questionnaire asking questions about how my excessive consumption affected my life Blush It was only 10 units....

Anyway i filled it in and sent it back, and since then I have heard.... nada. Now i totally take on board that it is my responsibility, and i don't expect my GP to do anything unless i specifically ask for help. However, it does all beg the question why do they bother wasting staff time and resources on data collection and then do nothing with it. Don't even get me started on the census....

Anyway, must be wine o'clock Grin

(hic)

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 06/04/2011 18:54

The nurse got me to waddle pop onto the scales last time I went for a smear test, which revealed that I was well into the "obese" category. Yes I know athletes/paratroopers/rugby players often fall into that category but I really couldn't put any of the excess poundage down to muscle, as I have none.

I knew I'd put on the odd lb or too but I was Shock

It snapped me out of my complacency tbh, for which I'm rather grateful.

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 06/04/2011 18:55

re units - there is absolutely no bloody way I'm telling them the truth about that.

fedupofnamechanging · 06/04/2011 19:09

I went for a smear test last week and the nurse weighed me and asked all sorts of pointless questions that have nothing to do with cervical cancer. I asked her why and she said they are under pressure to know their patients. I have no idea what they do with this info, because surely it is confidential and not available for any governing body to check whether the doctor really knows you or not.

Anyway, I think it is unnecessary and intrusive. Questions should only be asked that relate to the reason you are visiting the surgery in the first place.

fedupofnamechanging · 06/04/2011 19:10

And I am sure that heavy smokers/drinkers lie anyway

theghostofposhlymanor · 06/04/2011 19:14

Because they get paid for collecting all this data. I refuse to be weighed, have my blood pressure taken unless it's actually relevant to why I'm there. I just say no thanks.

ninah · 06/04/2011 19:16

Jenai I like your style!

maypole1 · 06/04/2011 19:16

dear god if your doctor cant tell you, you need to loose a bit of weight then who should.

to be honest weather he thinks your eating to much or to littlle he has a right to say because if you come back with any weight related issues the money comes from his budget

whitevanwoman · 06/04/2011 19:18

you dont get any symptoms for things like high BP, you are being foolish to resent having that measured

weight affects how much medication is prescribed and how often

Ragwort · 06/04/2011 19:22

I wish I'd had the same response - registering at a new doctor's recently and I was told (nicely Grin) that I need to lose weight, increase exercise and come back in a month's time as my BP is high - I guess I could have ignored them but I am taking the advice - to some extent - will see how I get on next time.

crystalglasses · 06/04/2011 19:29

No the money comes from our taxes. GPs run their surgeries like a business and they are paid by the department of health for services they carry out. If the department of health wants them to collect information about the smoking habits of all their patients, they will pay them, say, £20 for each patient they collect the information from.... Ker..ching! Similarly if the department of health wants them to give advice about weight gain/reduction... Ker..ching. or ask patients about thier drinking habits, once again the GPs will collect £20 each time they do it. Ker..ching. .

This is a simplistic explanation but you get the idea. That's why patients are being asked seemingly random questions. Of course no GP will volunteer that information but it's part of the GP contract brought in by the Labour government and is known as QOF.

crystalglasses · 06/04/2011 19:30

If a GP tells you you need to lose weight, he can claim another payment for that.

BendyBob · 06/04/2011 19:34

I have been handed a clipboard a couple of times with a sheet of 'lifestyle questions' to complete whilst I am waiting at the doctors. I always somehow manage to accidentally leave it blank on the chair next to me. I can't think how that happens Wink.

The best doctor I saw was a youngish chap with a big family who had spent time at home as a stay at home dad with toddlers. I said in conversation that I was a bit perturbed that I craved wine come tea time after a long day with 3 dc. He said he knew exactly what that was like and did the same Grin

I did fill in the 'how are we doing?' quiz though from the receptionists. I think they might've been sorry they asked actually. I almost asked for extra paper.

splashymcsplash · 06/04/2011 20:06

Op what intrusive questions did they ask?

Im surprised everyone is being so cynical about targets. These questions may well be part of your medical history. Many questions in a mh may seem irrelevant but are useful to know. For example patients are asked who they live with, this is so we know what kind of support may be available to them at home after discharge.

Original poster
AtYourCervix · 06/04/2011 20:29

i was there for an antihistamine (which may account for some of my irritability). not related to weight, smiking or drinkin habits.

I just think that rather than ticking a box by asking the questions it may be more productive (and save the starving NHS billions) if they use the flags to do a little health promotion.

OP posts:
Original poster
AtYourCervix · 06/04/2011 20:31

so

  1. it wasn't relevant so probably ticking a box and meeting a target

and

  1. being obviously chunky why not then follow up the weighing with some anti-fat advice or a brightly illustrated pamphlet?
OP posts:
moondog · 07/04/2011 00:00

Why?
You'vee already suggested you are beyond help.

timetosmile · 07/04/2011 00:15

So next time you go to the doctor and they notice a very suspicious-looking mole, you don't want them to mention that, just concentrate on the issue you came to see them for?
Half of smokers die from smoking related diseases, being overweight can be related to increased BP, diabetes, increased risk of breast and some gynae malignancies. Alcohol related liver disease in under 40's women is through the roof.
Yes, there are 'tick boxes', but they are not unrelated to your health - there's not one for you star sign, or colour of car. Maybe doctors ask questions because they care about people's health?

BlingLoving · 07/04/2011 10:00

I honestly don't understand this violent backlash against doctors wanting valid information towards your health? What do you think they/the government/mysterious and evil forces are going to do with it. Sometimes it's to track you as an individual. Sometimes, it's to track overall themes in a specific or general population. If they know that there are a high proportion of fat (yes, fat, not overweight) people in a specific area, then, if things work (which admittedly doesn't happen) then perhaps they can think about what can and should be done - eg beef up diabetes testing and treatment in local hospitals or campaign for better eating. or whatever.

Of all the people in the world asking me for personal and private information, my doctor is the one I am willing to give it to.

JaneS · 07/04/2011 11:51

Well I wish they'd ask me questions! Sad

When I joined the surgery I was drinking far too much and put down the amount on the form they gave because I planned to ask them for some help with it but was a bit chicken, so hoped they'd ask about it. They never did. I stopped drinking a couple of months ago, asked the receptionist if I could update my form and she said no. Confused Seems a bit silly to make an appointment in order to say 'er, hi, you know how you didn't notice I was drinking way too much? Well, now I'm not ....'.

I don't mind them asking me every time if I smoke either, although my mate used to get very cross during her pregnancy when instead of asking, they'd launch straight into the 'you must stop smoking' speech ... she's never touched a cigarette.

Prunnhilda · 07/04/2011 11:55

I think if you'd gone in and said 'I need to lose weight, please tell me what you recommend' then he would have.

If he has made you uncomfortable and has made you think about it enough to start a thread about it, then maybe he has made you take one step closer to doing something about it.

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