To think this letter from gp was really rude?

[ariane5]

Dd2 has a lot of health conditions and is frequently very unwell.

Last sat (2nd) she was terribly poorly and our gps were shut so we took her to the ooh walk in and she was prescribed antibiotics.

On monday she was worse and woke up at 3am in the morning extremely ill and with high blood ketones (she is diabetic) so dh took her to a+e, she was let out the following morning.

Yesterday I received a letter from our gp and the more I read it the ruder it sounds.

"I noticed you took dd2 to a walk in centre on monday. I am concerned and disturbed by this. We have her records here and can provide better continuing care. I am worried as to why you felt it necessary to take her immediately to a walk in centre"

"Please make time to explain this to us, make an appointment or telephone as this issue needs to be discussed"

For a start dd2 went to a+e not walk in early tues morn-surely if information has got through to gp then it would have stated the time date and reason?

I don't understand why they had to write a letter like that, would have been much easier to phone me and clear it up.
It has made me really annoyed.I feel like phoning tomorrow and telling them to check their facts before writing a letter of that tone.

AIBU?

Gallifrey: "My friend is a doctors receptionist and apparently the surgery get charged about £250 every time someone goes to A&E.

That's why if you need an emergency appt just say you are going to A&E and they will fir you in straight away!"

Thanks, Gallifrey, that is a v useful tip.

I do think for patients there ought to be some form of information to us about changes in govt policy which result in GPs being v v angry with us when we are just expecting what in the past we have been told to expect. I got into a big ruck for wanting to get my ears syringed by the nurse, and when she refused, I booked an apptment with the GP. He was really rude and said I could wait for over a week for syringing just like everybody else. I was going mad with itching in my ears, so went private and was found to have an advanced and nasty ear infection, which the GP in his fury had failed to notice in spite of examining my ears. Fgs.

All these posters jumping up and down and suggesting "demanding" an apology! What the hell good is that going to do? Likewise, changing GP. From what ImagineJL says, its the same for all practices.

And I am beginning to see why surgeries and hospital receptions have those signs up saying they will not tolerate ause of their staff. The way ImagineJL was addressed, given that she was attempting to explain the system she is having to work with, was appalling.

Another bad day for MN.

What Ballonslayer says

The whys and wherefores of structural changes of the NHS are irrelevant.

That letter is rude and bears no relation to what actually happened so is factually incorrect. I would be shocked to get something so unprofessional from my GP.

The surgery needs to know this

Poorly worded, yes. Not sure I'd go so far as to say it's rude, however. You could interpret it as them being concerned and disturbed that she'd felt it necessary to look for another source of medical care when they understood it to have been whilst they were open. It seems that they've got their wires crossed, so all that needs to happen is for the OP to explain the real course of events, at which point the surgery will probably say, "OK, so sorry to have worried you."

Can't help thinking that all this is a bit of an over-reaction.

I wonder (sorry if someone has said it) if the report from OOH / A&E said 'Diabetic care & advice' or some other nonsense...

It's not wrong but it doesn't say why you needed the help with her diabetes (because she was ill) and so they have read it as you attending A&E for routine diabetes advice (because clearly you nothing better to do at 3am).

Make an appointment to see the practice manager and ask for that letter to either be removed or your response (write one & take it) to be added to the original (most systems allow this)

Yes that is a direct copy except I left out dd2s name and the walk in centre name.

I didn't think it was particularly well written-it sounded like it was done in a hurry (or in a bad mood).

ariane - regardless of the reasons behind it the letter you received was rude, complain loudly.

Imagine - I had no idea this was how it works now, thank you for highlighting it. I vaguely remember news items at various times about changes in how the NHS is organised/funded - I should have paid more attention.

Those blaming GPs - imho most of them will be working as we'll as they can within the system they've been stuck with and I would rather my GP's main concern was for patient care than for a campaign to change the way the NHS is run. WE foot the bill for the NHS, the person we should be shouting at is the person paid to represent our views when these decisions are made - our MP.

I'm understanding this a bit better now and, dare I say, this may not be a bad thing. In this case A & E, OOH's was entirely appropriate and the only option, but it may educate people that there are other options than A & E e.g minor ailments clinic at the GP, minor injuries unit etc etc. Also it can enable the GP's to work out where there are gaps in service provision or if there are issues in respect of access to services e.g. lack of appts and so on?