to think you'll miss your GP when they're gone...

[macdoodle]

I have been roundly criticised on other thread for trying to express this. And whilst I admit that highjacking someone's thread may not have been the best way to do it, the crisis in NHS GP is very real.
I have bee around MN for a very long time now, and sometimes the anti GP sentiment is astounding and utterly depressing.
So read this...he is not a GP (I am), but this article absolutely sums up the current problems and morale in GP at the moment.
I have been a doctor for 20 years and a GP (or in GP training) since 1999 and can honestly say that NHS GP is in very real danger of being gone very soon.
For those who continually slate GP's , please tell me what your better suggestion is, because I trained in a country with no national GP service, and it really isnt better in any way.
www.conservativehome.com/platform/2014/03/from-adrian_hilton-the-looming-manpower-crisis-in-gp-land.html

Tbh chance would be a fine thing.

Haven't seen a GP in years (not through choice). I would miss the Walk In Centre far, far more. My GP's surgery is great for people who need routine appointments that can be booked weeks in advance. For people/children who get taken ill suddenly, or in the evening, Thursday afternoon or weekends no use at all.

There is an out of hours service but as I have to drive past the Walk In Centre to reach it I don't bother calling them.

This difference between NHS and private GPs is vast. My local NHS practice has GPs who are mostly polite (but not always), talk down to you, miss things because they're in a hurry, and are not terribly helpful. I appreciate that's partly time constraints/work overload/whiny patients all day. It doesn't make the service more efficient for the patient though, which is why people moan.

In contrast, my private GP is so helpful, always willing to look something up or phone a colleague if he can't be sure of the answer to a question. He makes sensible recommendations that really help, prescribes the most effective drug, and is willing to investigate things that the NHS would shrug off. Obviously, I'm paying and he has more time, but it does show what things could be like.

I worked for a GP for some time and can see many of the points made in the article purely because I was there day to day.
My old boss (senior partner) technically retire from the practice 3 years ago but ended up going back because of a lack of cover. He's still trying to retire properly. One GP left and they cannot get a permanent replacement anywhere, they are always at least one Doctor out of 4 down. There are 3 surgeries in our area and they're all in the same boat.
YANBU but god only knows what the answer is.

Bronya are bloody serious?? I saw 25 patients this morning, I have 10 telephone call backs and 2 house calls to do. I have about 50 results to check, half a dozen letters to send, a few urgent referrals to get off and another half a dozen less urgent. Thats before I even look at any business side of running my business with 25 employees.
Oh and I am supposedly half day today. I havent had time to pee or drink my coffee yet. When the fuck exactly would you like me to be "more helpful".
Most people will not be able to afford a personal helpful private GP. What happens then??

As I said in the OP, if indeed you think I am BU, and NHS GP will not be missed, please explain to me what you think an effective alternative is. Private GP ok fine, what about for those who cant pay??

God, I'll miss mine. I've had a variety of GPs in my life, after various moves, and almost without fail, they've been really really good. I've got a number of health issues and I'm dreading having to pay to see a GP or worse, not having one at all.

How much do you pay your private gp bronya?

I don't even know who my GP is. Whenever I try to make a doctors appointment I just have to see whoever is available at the time. GPs are massively overpaid, £100,000 a year+. Labour are at fault for that.

A couple of older ones have been a little rubbish, but in every preofession, you meet some stick-in-the-mud old-fashioned types! In both cases, they've now retired and their replacements were much better.

My sister and Mum live in Ireland, you have to pay Euro 50 there just for an appointment, never mind the prescription costs !!! I love our GP service, we have an excellent surgery and they've always been good to me, my husband and our DS (now 3).

However macdoodle, if you're that busy, why are you on MN ?? If I was waiting for a call back and realised my GP was on MN at the time I'd be a little disappointed (sorry).

GP's are NOT earning £100 000 a year. That may be practice PROFIT, from that they pay pension (BOTH employees and employers parts), medical protections fees (massive!) and any other business related expenses (increasing year on year). The majority of GP's are on significantly less. Please dont use Wail headline nonsense as a valid argument.

minibmnw, really??? I have worked flat out since 8:30, I have just been to have a pee (is that allowed?? or should I have a pad on while I call back numerous minor queries?), check who is doing which house calls, drink my cold coffee and neck a sandwhich so I can go and do my housecalls without passing out? Is that ok with you?? FFS. You do realise GP's are human beings as well ??

as an adult (I am 53) I have had just 2 GP's - they are both excellent, always have time for me (many health issues) and I was gutted that I couldn't carry on seeing the first when I moved - but grateful that I found another who is just as dedicated and caring.

I could not imagine not having a GP available when I need one. And I definitely couldn't afford to pay for my healthcare.

I'm with you OP. I went to the dentist yesterday and it actually crossed my mind to keep the receipt with 'NHS' on it because I honestly don't know how many more I'll see.

I really, really worried what will happen after the next election.

Macd - go and have your pee and coffee and come back to this later. Mumsnet will still be here this evening.

Of course you're human, but you're the one who pointed out how much work you have waiting for you. The call backs are people who are probably ill, worried, etc. so frankly I think I'd prefer it if you were concentrating on the call backs etc. while you're supposed to be at work, working !!!! So don't get arsey with me please.

I would miss my GP surgery greatly because they are fantastic.

That said, I don't think the NHS is particularly well run in general. I think it needs a lot better funding but also more sensible management.

But what do you want patients to do about this? I don't see how it helps to say 'You'll be sorry when....' - we are not the ones cutting NHS funding.

It also annoys me when people use the NHS's difficulties to excuse crap patient care, such as very long waiting times. Many other countries manage to properly fund and run socialised medicine systems of different kinds. It is not impossible and whilst yes, I am grateful for the NHS, I don't think this means I should not complain when it comes up short, or that I think it is the best possible system.

My GP is fantastic, I took DDto see her earlier this week, she worked out what the problem was and suggested some helpful non medical approaches and also took the time to talk yo DD.

I think it would be better to let gps band together to be cottage hospital type places to cover chronic conditions, sprains, minor injuries etc.

I don't think it's a problem to have a short lunch break and look online for 15-20 minutes

People are allowed breaks during the day!

We have all worked through lunch but shouldn't need to do that as routine.

My current GP practice is not great but it's very small and serves a fairly small rural community. I'm glad it's there but it's very much part-time, tricky to get an appointment, and pot luck who you see. It's a stark contrast to my previous GP, before I moved, who was amazing. Happy to discuss things over the phone - never condescending, genuinely caring - and quite possibly saved my dd's life.

"Macd - go and have your pee and coffee and come back to this later. Mumsnet will still be here this evening."

OP, you have a point that is getting lost in your angry and aggressive posts. I am glad you are not my GP.

OP I don't actually get your point. You are a GP and you are very busy. Yes? And what is the problem?

I think a lot of workers are extremely busy and under pressure from 8.30 until lunchtime. Lots of people only do half days and then end up doing extra hours because they are overworked. Being a GP is a very hard job, I get that, but you seem really cross with patients who moan about poor GP service - it's not their fault if GPs are overworked is it?

Oh, and I would expect you to be "more helpful" every single time you see a patient actually, as helpful as you need to be to do the job properly.

£30 a month, prescriptions and visits free within that. I pay for medicine/blood tests etc. Going there finally got me a decent antidepressant that worked for me so I could get well enough to come off them for good. It also sorted my asthma (again, more expensive drugs that worked).

I know that NHS GPs have no time, rubbish working conditions and no money to spend to prescribe decent drugs. I understand that is why I was told to put up with interesting side effects that were almost worse than the condition itself, with weeks of barely being able to breathe each year and other problems. My pets were getting a more effective standard of care because I was paying for it - so I decided to do the same for myself. I am now healthier, on fewer drugs and it has been one of the best decisions we ever made as a family. I have nothing against the PEOPLE who work as NHS GPs but needed access to better drugs, testing etc to give me a good quality of life. Paying for it just gives an NHS practice less work - I don't go so don't add to the workload or the prescription bill.