To complain about this GP? Long, don't want to drip feed.

[OriginalGreenGiant]

Ds1 (6) has had a minor sore throat for a few days but yesterday had woken up crying in pain, couldn't swallow, yawn or talk. I had a look and his tonsils were huge, felt his glands in his neck and they were like hard round marbles and he went 'ow' when I touched them. Felt a bit warm but no actual temperature at that point. So I managed to get a morning appointment in open surgery time and took him to see GP.

We waited over an hour for an appointment, in which time I could feel and see ds's temperature going up. He was tired and a bit lethargic and you could feel the heat radiating off him. So I stripped his top off and put him next to the window.

Anyway...in we went. The GP didn't look at ds at all when we entered, just maintained eye contact with me and asked his symptoms, then picked up the thing (light...magnifier?) and looked in ds's ears and throat. It's hard to explain how 'off' this seemed in words, but IMO you can tell quite a bit from how a child looks, so it seemed very odd that she didn't even look at him, let alone ask him anything.

So, she pronounced his throat red and ears fine. She then ran her hands lightly over his neck and said 'glands are normal' and took his temperature (in the ear) and declared it 36.8 and fine. Then asked me what treatment i was hoping for from then on .

At this point I could feel the warmth still radiating from ds so asked if she could test his temperature again. She gave me an indulgent smile and did...looked surprised and a bit shamefaced and went 'Oh it's actually 39! Sorry!'

I asked her about his glands and said to me they seemed very pronounced and painful. She felt them again a bit more firmly, ds1 visibly winced but she again said they were completely normal.

She then said that she understood I was probably hoping for antibiotics, but...and gave me a two minute lecture about the differences between viral and bacterial. I tried to politely interrupt (I'm not an idiot, I know the difference and had given no indication I was 'looking for' anti b's) but she was on a roll with her speech so on she went.

She then turned to her computer and brought up google, saying she would check if antibiotics were needed. She googled 'fever pain score', clicked on the first result and filled in a form. She said to me 'You can actually do this from home, to see if anti b's are necessary but obviously I don't mind completing it for you'. Well gee, thanks

She turned to ds (and just to point out, this was the first time in over 5 minutes in the room that she had looked ds in the face or spoken to him) and asked him 'So, would you say your throat pain is moderate or severe?'. Ds is a bright 6 year old but fgs, he's 6. He stared at her, obviously not understanding so she repeated it to him word for word. So I answered that it had seemed severe.

Anyway, this form came up with the result that antib's were recommended. So she completed a prescription after poring through some text book for a full two minutes to check dosage. And out we went.

It all just seemed so wrong. Other than the moderate/severe question, she didn't actually look at ds or speak to him/question him at ALL. I'm not a Doctor, but considering the painful marbles that are protruding from ds1's neck, I'm pretty certain they wouldn't be described as 'normal'. Plus add in the temperature mistake, and google telling her whether to prescribe or not.

I said to dh I feel like complaining. I know that Doctors are probably sick of people traipsing in kids with a sniffle at the moment, but ds clearly had more than that and I don't feel that she really examined or diagnosed him at all.

Dh thinks I'm overreacting. He is of the 'Aw come on, she's probably newly qualified or having a bad day' opinion...tbh I couldn't give a fuck and neither of those warrant not doing your job properly IMO.

AIBU?

The issue of 'Get A Note From Your Doctor demanded by all and sundry is a thorny one and has its own medical Wiki.

I wonder how many people would turn up on their solicitor's/accountant's doorstep needing 'just a signature', expect it there and then and for free?

Wow, I'd love to have macdoodle as my GP. She sounds awesome. I like GPs to be straightforward and help me to manage my own health.

OP just what do you think was sub-standard about your free at the point of access medical care? Was the GP's "bedside manner" a barrier to communication? It sounds as though you got the reassurance you wanted, and some antibiotics (probably not needed).

Why would a GP ask a child of 6? I was answered for till I was 10 or so, as was my DS. YOu got the reassurance you wanted that the fever wasn't serious. You could & should have managed that yourself. Don't you have a thermometer at home? If you had, you could have rung NHS Direct to give them details and double-check that there wasn't anything that you couldn't manage yourself for your child. Water, calpol, rest.

Although we tend to be a family of doctor-dodgers. I still only go about once a year and managed menopause with no medical intervention, for example.

As others say, when we're all paying £20 a visit & a separate 2-3% of our incomes for a butchered NHS, then your complaint will have been so productive. If you'd ever lived in a country where health care is not free at the point of access, you'd be bloody grateful for your GP. She sounds like a good one, thorough and tolerant.

I'm outta here. i've never seen such rank closing as has happened on this thread. It has left a nasty tast in my mouth..

Celtic, what does that comment actually mean?

She's using the phrase "to close ranks". Strictly speaking, "rank-closing" might be more correct.

Celticlass are you welshwitch of daily hate/torygraph anti GP brigade. Because your posting style is very similar?

celt No, you get over yourself. The self certificate period is SEVEN days not three. And GPs do provide sick notes after this.

I am not averse to being rude, no one is. I've not been rude on this thread however. I've been frustrated sure. But I will bloody well object when someone is so rude as to try and make out I'm a rubbish GP who treats my patients as an inconvienience when I've not demonstrated that at all. You're trying to put words in our mouths and it's quite pathetic. I am proud of my job and I'm damn well good at it and I will NOT have someone on here dare say otherwise when they clearly don't have a clue and deliberately misread replies to further their own Anti-GP agenda.

I would also like to point out that I detest charging for notes. I really really do not like it. But I'm not a partner, I'm an associate so it's not up to me.

Did anyone read ANY of the links I posted to?
There is PLENTY of info about school sick notes, perhaps you could point your schools towards them, or would that be taking on too much responsibility
Did someone mention adult sick notes, yup legally required (ie part of our contract) AFTER 7 days of self cert, again those employers who insist on a GP note for less than 7 days, cannot make the GP do it, and again it would be chargeable.
Most of us are actually human, and I suspect a lot of us have indeed helped out especially in the exam scenario. We really dont have to though.
And celticlass, did you read my link, because bonchitis doesnt need antibiotics or a GP appt either.

or even bronchitis, not sure what bonchitis is, but it sounds fun!

Yet again more misreading by celt GPs will not refuse you a sick note and make you lose pay if you have been absent for more than 7 consecutive days as then you are eligible for one as per government policy. If your employer is asking for one before 7 days of absence then they are in the wrong, NOT the GP.

However just like school sick notes if you must have a private note then a GP can do one but will charge you for it.

Macdoodle of course they didn't read it because then that means what we've been saying all along is true and we can't have us lazy, obstructive bastard GPs who see our patients as inconveniences being right now can we?

Did wonder if I should point out that bronchitis is just a fancy name for a cold. Requiring no medical treatment.

UpThe

Why would a GP ask a child of 6?
the OP states that the GP did ask the child (in a way they didn't understand).

The Fever Pain Score suggested that antibiotics should be prescribed. If the OP had completed the test online herself she would still have had to visit the doctors.

Its reasonable to expect health professionals to talk appropriately to the patient - even if its just to say "hello." She also misread the temperature.

I despair at the 'closing ranks' comment.

It's that kind of adversarial attitude that will be the end of the NHS, and likely primary care before that.
I try very hard to listen to what everybody has to say on this thread and no doubt some of your experiences as patients may colour who I deal with the next child with a cold and their mother I see - why not try to listen what we are trying to say??

I have learnt so much about other people's professions on MN (I always knew I'd not be a could teacher, and reading The Staffroom here confirms how right I was - to all teachers) and I understand that people have less than perfect to horrible experiences when they are in contact with their doctors and that is not something that should be 'acceptable' just because it's 'free' (which of course it's not - free at the point of contact is paid for by us all), but I just wish all that dissatisfaction and ire was directed at those in power.

I hate and detest some of the hoops I am made to jump through, some so-called 'patient safety' rules are making some things more difficult, not 'safer' and what patients IME value most (being listened too and feeling supported and respected by their dr) is NOT what gets rewarded. Box ticking does - last year we HAD to ask all diabetic men whether they had erectile dysfunction, this year we don't. I would argue that that question is an important and valuable one IN THE RIGHT CONTEXT and not to satisfy a tick box which will translate in to points which will translate in to pay which will allow us to pay staff, upkeep the building, heat it, light it and keep it water-tight. Oh, and of course pay us all a quarter of a mill .

I have never ever complained about what I earn and the 'whinging' is not about pay, but it gives me The Rage to be told I must shut up about things that are blatantly politically and reelection driven and wrong, because I earn far more than I deserve.

Pacific, we patients wish that all your dissatisfaction and ire were directed towards those in power - and not at patients, particularly when the patient is a child!

dalzell I think you'll find most of GPs ire etc is directed at the powers that be. However when the general public buy into the propaganda it's so demoralising :(

But surely there ought to be a general directive to all GPs not to take it out on patients? It is very widely agreed, understood and acknowledged that there is a humungous crisis in health care. All the major political parties are obsessed with it.

Are you joking dazzle? A directive, saying what?
Despite our ranting here, the vast majority of GP's are polite and compassionate. A bloody directive wont stop us from being human, and I have no problem telling someone when an appointment is inappropriate (after I have fully assessed them medically), I will also address any rudeness or inappropriate behaviour towards the staff.
Oh hold on I have an idea how about a "directive" to patients not to take out their ire on a strained, overworked, underfunded service on the frontline staff, now thats an excellent idea.

Macdoodle, there are such directives aimed at the public - pinned up in huge letters in every surgery.

There is no such guidance for GPs, it would seem.

Also, it's easy for you to remove from your lists anyone who displeases you. Not so easy for a patient to find another GP.

But surely there ought to be a general directive to all GPs not to take it out on patients?

Hahahahahaha. In the same breath, there should be a general directive to the general public to not take the fucking piss out of our overworked, exhausted, under appreciated GPs. And no, I am not a doctor or HCP.

Our amazing NHS is falling apart and it is Doctors like macd and pished that we need. Doctors who clearly care deeply about their work, their patients and our health.

Sick notes for a few days off school? Oh please.
Ill on the day of an exam? The exam boards will tell you what is required, and the school should be well aware of the procedure to follow. If they're not then they are failing the child, not the GP.

Doctors are easy targets for bullying..because they always want to help.

Hopefully Dazzle feels proud of herself.

Oh and something I missed earlier on.

Feeling hot to touch does not automatically = high temperature.

Im really struggling to see what the GP did wrong.

She listened ( maintained eye contact ) with you the Mother ( listen to the Mother they are always right)
She examined your child.
She explained why the glands were raised.
She asked what your expectations were.
She rechecked his temp when you raised a concern and apologised.
She gave you information about the various causes and then used all the information to hand to ensure your DS got the best up to date care.

I agree with your DH - you seem to want your GP to be Mary Bloody Poppins rather than diagnose your Son.
Sorry but you are being very unreasonable !