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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that this is dangerous practice

57 replies

OhTheDrama · 10/04/2015 09:22

I'm prepared to be I'm being entitled and be flamed but here goes. Like most places in the UK, it's impossible to get an appointment with my GP. There is a standard 3 week wait and at least a 4 week wait if you want to see a particular Doctor.

I usually only ever need to see a GP in an emergency, I don't have any health issues that mean I can book appointments weeks ahead. If I need to be seen it's usually that day. If you ring up with an urgent need to be seen, you are told a doctor will ring you back. Twice I have diagnosed and prescribed antibiotics over the phone. I wasn't happy especially as I was pregnant at the time but they solved the problem with no issues.

What is making me really uncomfortable is that they have tried to this with my 7 week old baby. They have been quite unhappy when I have insisted on her being being seen and only got an appointment when I asked how I could contact the practice manager to complain.

I live in an area with high number of European migrants, so I can see that they would be overstretched but feel it's only a matter of time before something goes badly wrong. So am I being unreasonable to think this is dangerous practice and should be highlighted, my GP's can't be the only one that does this.

OP posts:
Original poster
OhTheDrama · 10/04/2015 09:55

sirzy I had done all that by the time I had rang for an appointment, I had also asked my local chemist for advice but was told to get her seen by our GP as she was so young.

OP posts:
MadAsgardian · 10/04/2015 09:55

Is there an option for you to register somewhere else? Not all practices are like this.

I can only speak for my corner of the country but we are finding large volumes of patients moving to our practice from a local one that is not managing and they complain about this sort of thing. We would always see a baby no matter how streched we were.

I know not everywhere has a huge choice.

Latara · 10/04/2015 10:00

My gp surgery is in an area with high population growth due to a large number of immigrants both from abroad & from other areas of the country.
Also we have both the largest population of drug addicts in the UK & the largest population of elderly people.

But my surgery are very good - they have an emergency surgery, also they keep some available 'same day' appointments, the gp will phone you, the receptionists are very nice despite some 'difficult' patients... it's harder to get a practice nurse appointment, but when I hurt my foot the district nurse came out asap (and I'm young).

I think the problem with your surgery is that it's disorganised.

mousmous · 10/04/2015 10:03

nothing to do with immigrants.
just with (under) funding and bad management.

not seeing an unwell baby is madness.

Original poster
OhTheDrama · 10/04/2015 10:04

MadAsgardian no there isn't a huge choice close to me as the other local ones have restrictions on new patients as they are over subscribed, they also seem to have narrowed down their catchment areas as we were asked to leave our old (excellent) surgery because of this.

OP posts:
ragged · 10/04/2015 10:12

I agree with OP that prescribing antiBs for the babe without seeing is not good practice.

I live in a declining and ageing population (immigrant? What's that?) place & we have to wait 3 weeks for ordinary appts, but they have fast track systems for vulnerable (including the oldies & infants) or you can get in quick if you moan about going to A&E instead.

chocorabbit · 10/04/2015 10:22

I agree, under 2y.o. should be seen by a doctor and at the same day if possible. But I understand that out GP's practice is the exception to the rule in the area :(

The OP said that she was forced to leave her old GP. Is this even allowed??? I know of people who have moved out by an at least 30m car drive, a few boroughs away and decades later they are still registered at the same old surgery!

Candycoco · 10/04/2015 10:27

My surgery prescribes over the phone, whichever doctor is on callbacks that day will call you and triage over the phone. Either you get offered an appointment for that day, or they give you advice/ prescription that you can just go and collect.

I used to get tonsillitis continually until I had a tonsillectomy, and they would always prescribe me antibiotics over the phone but if it was something they or I were unsure about then I'd always be offered an appointment. I think this system works very well as there is no waiting for appointments, you can only get one on the day.

However, I do think your GP should have seen a very young baby in person, mine will always prioritise babies, so I don't think yabu.

dalmatianmad · 10/04/2015 10:34

I think that the comment about immigrants is actually relevant! I don't care who I offend by saying it.
I'm a HCP and it's very clear that the majority of them do not have the same common sense as the English patients.
They seem unable to try and self medicate or speak to the pharmacist for advice.
A lot of them demand appointments for the most minor illnesses and symptoms that are long standing.....
Flame away!

Salmotrutta · 10/04/2015 10:39

Oh dear.

You sound great dalmatian - where I live we also have a large population of European immigrants but I've yet to see them clogging up our GP surgery or demanding appointments at reception.

PourquoiTuGachesTaVie · 10/04/2015 10:39

My 15 week old was prescribed antibiotic eye drops over the phone for conjunctivitis. I thought it was brilliant because I didn't have to spend ages on hold to book an appointment at 8.30am and then spend ages in the waiting room surrounded by other sick people. I rang at midday, got a call back within 15 minutes and the dr sent the prescription to the chemist round the corner from me, who explained the dosage etc. It was all done in half an hour.

Salmotrutta · 10/04/2015 10:40

There should have been a Hmm after "You sound great dalmatian"

Idontseeanydragons · 10/04/2015 10:40

In that case OP it does really sound like a bad management decision. I would try and speak to the manager to ask if they really do refuse appointments to infants (and I do believe you but it sounds really odd to me!) or if there's some kind of communication error.
There's a website that gives ratings and feedback for each surgery maybe have a look on there and see if this is an issue that crips up with other patients. I'll try and find it for you.

Idontseeanydragons · 10/04/2015 10:43

cwgc.org.uk

Idontseeanydragons · 10/04/2015 10:44

Stupid fingers..

cqc.org.uk

Blush
Viviennemary · 10/04/2015 10:52

Change to a different doctor if you can. This surgery sounds completely inefficient. But I don't think a sticky eye in a baby is very serious unless left totally untreated.

MummaV · 10/04/2015 15:18

My surgery prescribed antibiotics over the phone to me after I called 3 times asking for an emergency appointment when I was in a lot of pain with what was evidently a skin abscess which was incredibly swollen. I collected the antibiotics but knew due to the extent of the infection they would not suffice. The surgery refused an appointment because they had prescribed medication. I went to the local walk in centre to get an opinion from a professional as to if I was being overcautious or not, within 10 minutes of being seen there I was in a taxi to the hospital to have the abscess lanced under General anaesthetic. Being 15 weeks pregnant at the time I was terrified and ended up complaining to the surgery as they ignored my concerns repeated and felt they knew best without ever seeing me.

I now refuse to be prescribed meds over the phone unless I am certain of what's wrong with me. The margin for error is massive and the over prescribing of antibiotics is ridiculous.

For a baby this is definitely a dangerous practice and they should always be seen. If your doctor can't accommodate this, is there a walk in centre or minor illness unit nearby you could visit?

GlitterBelle · 10/04/2015 17:14

Does anyone watch GP's Behind Closed Doors? They had a family on there - I think Polish, but can't be sure, where most didn't speak any English. The practise manager said if they need an appointment they had to book out six slots due to needing additional time for the interpreter. Why six, I don't know - but if there a high amount of non-English speaking immigrants in the area this could be a factor.

Partyringer · 10/04/2015 17:18

I may be a jaded old cynic but this OP sounds like a bit of ill written agit-prop.

McButtonwillow · 10/04/2015 17:20

YANBU, prescribing antibiotics to a newborn without seeing them is a whole different issue to prescribing to an adult who can clearly describe symptoms. I would expect a face to face examination in that situation.

Primadonnagirl · 10/04/2015 17:21

So your baby is more important than a European migrant? We all want to be seen asap but it's just not possible. Telephone diagnosis etc is a way of managing demand..that demand is caused by all of us not just migrants.

mousmous · 10/04/2015 17:52

tbh most eastern europeans I come across speak/write better english than the english no chester draws for a start

AlternativeTentacles · 10/04/2015 17:55

Like most places in the UK, it's impossible to get an appointment with my GP.

Not here. You can see a doctor the same day if you call at 8am.

TenerifeSea · 10/04/2015 18:13

YABU because a sticky eye is minor, even for a young baby. As a general rule, young children should be seen but sticky eye usually needs drops.

LaLyra · 10/04/2015 19:42

We have the worst of both worlds GP wise imo. A surgery that prides itself on their "Phone today - Appointment today" system, but so many patients that trying to "phone today" is fucking impossible.

You have to phone at 8.30am. If you phone at 8.29am and it rings they cut you off. If you phone at 8.30 plus half a milisecond it's engaged and stays engaged until lunch time and then you get "All appointments are gone, call tomorrow."

I think prescribing over the phone has it's place. I'm very prone to ear infections, have been since I was a child, and they know after years of appointments that if I have a certain pain/feeling then I have an ear infection so prescribe antibiotics without seeing me. Far better to spent 3 minutes on the phone than give me a whole appointment slow. Not necessarily appropriate for a very young child though.