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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Wasting GPs' time?

125 replies

buckingfrolicks · 25/05/2016 20:45

Watching Behind Closed Doors what amazes me is how people are going to their GP about things I would never think of going to the doctors with.

Athletes foot. A sore leg. A sore throat. Being scared of flying.

AIBU to think it is a waste of NHS resources to take these matters to the gps?

OP posts:
ToxicBits · 25/05/2016 23:23

And as someone with multiple piercings I would imagine these people don't follow the aftercare guidance tbh

bakeoffcake · 25/05/2016 23:28

My dh went to the gp with a cough that would go away. He was sent straight to A&E as he had pneumonia. So whilst somethings may seem trivial, you just never know- the Dr will know!

I think Behind Closed Doors is a fab programme. Everyone of those Drs has my admiration, they do an amazing job.

Myusernameismyusername · 25/05/2016 23:28

When I was 18, and actually I worked on a hospital site, it was a very hot hot day and my trousers had been rubbing on my (year old) belly button piercing. Over the next few days it started to swell up and was so swollen it was cracking and bleeding. My boss sent me down to A&E and they cut it out as it was so swollen, and butterfly stitched it. It was full of pus. I couldn't even put it back in ever again and have a nasty scar (thanks For the added stretch marks DC's) but I now show off the scar to DD's to put them off getting one

I also once got a big shard of glue from my new worksurface stuck in my nail bed when I was 37 wks pg. it swelled up with blood and was very painful and my GP refused to treat me as pg and sent me to walk in centre, who also refused to help and A&E had to dig it out
That was also horrible

bakeoffcake · 25/05/2016 23:28

Wouldn't go away

GraysAnalogy · 25/05/2016 23:30

Same, but I've never heard of GPs sending to A&E for trivial stuff like ear piercings as in my example. Plus they don't go to a&e if they go via GP they go through Ambulatory so half the time if they do go through a&e and claim the GP sent them (in my area) it's lies.

The point is it's sheer ridiculousness and people take advantage of the services offered to them. The clinic had 197 missed appointments in a MONTH. People going after a day of a sore throat, a days vomiting, a MINOR burn, a bruise from banging their knee on a table..

I love that we have a service in which people can come forward and seek treatment for their complaints without money being an issue, but I do wonder how many would actually bother with their trivial complaint if they knew they had to pay.

GraysAnalogy · 25/05/2016 23:32

myusername thats a bit different from my example though. It was an ear piercing that had gone 'crusty' and sore. AKA keep with it and clean it or take it out.

Myusernameismyusername · 25/05/2016 23:34

GP's can be funny about what they touch! With the glue it was ridiculous. Anyone could have pulled it out with some surgical tweezers but after 4 hours of it stuck in there I was tempted to cut my whole thumb off Smile

BeBopTalulah · 25/05/2016 23:42

Someone who visits their GP with a sore throat, or a sore leg might well end up being screened for a whole host of other things while they are there - haven't seen you in a while, let's check your cholesterol, take your BP. In short, that appointment for the gammy leg has possibly prevented that person having a stroke or developing heart disease. This is a much cheaper way of doing things in the long run.

The millions of GP appointments that people fail to attend or cancel is a much bigger issue than the patients who attend with minor ailments.

YoungGirlGrowingOld · 25/05/2016 23:43

Foo I have had cystitis on and off for 20 years. The only thing that has ever worked even once is Trimethomprim. Sorry but I cba with "wait a week" or "try this different antibiotic" when I already know what works. I need to go to work work and it's impossible with a temperature caused by a uti.

The GP will also try to persuade me that I "only" need 3 days of ab's and it always comes back - except I then can't get an "I told you so" appointment for 2 weeks. It's exasperating.

Sorry but I know best in this (limited) instance. The ab's are lawfully available in the country where I buy them and thank goodness, because I probably would have keeled over with a kidney infection before an appointment with my (part-time) GP became available.

Myusernameismyusername · 25/05/2016 23:45

That is true.
Where I used to work, which is health care setting I used to laminate a sign each month with the DNA's and calculate the hours lost and stuck it to the front of reception to make everyone feel bad about it. Especially those who complained about waiting times I also used to check their record and remind them how many DNA's they had!

JingleJangleJudy · 25/05/2016 23:58

My friend got turned away from the gp with a sore leg. They died within a week as it was a DVT. Not everything is as simple as it may seem.

Katymac · 26/05/2016 00:08

I struggle to know what to do

My GP hasn't got an appointment until mid July
My local walk in has closed - there is another 40 miles away

I have a sore arm....any suggestions Grin tbh I will do nothing because I can't see an acceptable solution

Myusernameismyusername · 26/05/2016 00:20

Ask the local pharmacist - they are usually brilliant!

bakeoffcake · 26/05/2016 00:25

I agree. Pharmasist are usually fantastic, i use them a lot.

Katymac · 26/05/2016 00:26

Do you think - I over extended my elbow in Feb it was bad for a bout 3/4 weeks then got better, worse again at Easter then better, now it has gone awful - so I think I must have damaged it

But it's hardly an accident or an emergency, I just think it needs looking as as I can't lft a cup of tea without pain

Myusernameismyusername · 26/05/2016 00:30

Yes ask them first and get their opinion. They really do know their stuff.

dulcefarniente · 26/05/2016 00:30

I don't bother going unless I've been ill for at least a fortnight. I can't see the point in dragging myself there when I'm suffering from viral symptoms, knowing that the gp will automatically say it's viral, antibiotics don't work on them, come back in two weeks if you're not better (when you'll get the self same antibiotics that are now suddenly effective on the virus). Mind you the last time that happened gp said it had been extended to 3 weeks. Presumably because they believe people to be claiming to have been ill longer than they have to get the prescription sooner

bakeoffcake · 26/05/2016 00:34

Katy, yes go to a pharmasist tomorrow. They may be able to help there and the, If they think you need to see a dr, you can use that when you ring, tell them the pharmasist says you need to see the dr. They may be able to fit you in quicker if urgent.

Lilacpink40 · 26/05/2016 00:45

When I go to my GP, fairly infrequently and usually to take a sick DC, the waiting room is mainly full of 75yr+ olds catching up. They seem to know each other and all the staff by first name and love to talk about what they have now and suspect they'll have next week. Just need a tea and coffee machine Brew

Absentmindedwoman · 26/05/2016 01:00

I have type 1 diabetes. At times it may seem like I go to my GP with minor issues, but I do need to be careful because things can shift and deteriorate very quickly with diabetes. So, for example, if I had a small cut on my foot that wasn't healing, and I woke up and it was red/ angry/ in early stages of an infection, I would be calling my GP and asking for an appointment that day.

I'd rather take preventative measures and get something nipped in the bud -- which might look like going with an insignificant ailment. In my foot example, I've known too many people with diabetics who struggle badly to get a wound to heal, a small injury winding up ulcerated.

Better to move quick. My point is you don't always know the reasoning behind somebody's decison.

DailyMailYobos · 26/05/2016 01:16

My friend works in paediatrics and covers in ED. She says it is surprising how many parents bring young children in with a slight fever. When asked how much Calpol or nurofen has been given, the parents say they didn't give the child either because they didn't know what was causing the fever HmmConfused

TemperanceBrennan · 26/05/2016 01:27

Absentmindedwoman as a student nurse who has recently done an assignment on diabetic foot ulcers I completely agree. They are bad news and as you've said, can wind up going downhill very quickly.

Back to the OP, I do hear about some hypochondriacs who go to the doctor for every little thing but as PP's have said it is better to get these things checked out as they could always be worse than they appear.

I just hope the GP's aren't prescribing unnecessary antibiotics with the resistant bugs about that seem to be rife and getting worse, that worries me.

holidaysarenice · 26/05/2016 01:59

katymac you need a good physio reading that! Quite possibly you can self refer for an NHS appt in your area.

Or ring the GP reception and say you have a recurrence of elbow pain from a previous overextension injury, could he do a physio referral, or telephone appt, or does he need to see it?

When you suggest these things it works better than just - can I have an appt?

honkinghaddock · 26/05/2016 06:01

I went to the Gp when I had athletes foot when I was pregnant. All the creams say you should consult a doctor or pharmacist before using and the pharmacist said to see a doctor.
We go to the Gp a lot with ds because he is non verbal and can't tell us what he is crying in pain about.

makingmiracles · 26/05/2016 10:37

^^ but again, athletes foot, could you have not just rang through and spoke to the doctor on the phone instead of going in?

I recently had thrush at 37wks, chemist wouldn't let me buy caneston over the counter because I was pregnant, therefor I rang the dr, he left a swab kit at reception and I did it and returned it and awaited the results.
Still got the treatment I needed but didn't waste their time with an unnecessary appt.

If more people triaged over the phone for minor problems perhaps people would be able to get an appointment without having to book it three weeks in advance!!