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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think if I want a blood pressure and cholesterol test I should be able to have one

89 replies

muttrat · 13/04/2017 10:19

Without having to wait until next Friday for a telephone conversation with my gp to discuss why before they let me book an appointment?

I'm 51, going through menopause, my grandmother died of heart disease. I want to start running but want to get everything checked first.

OP posts:
hhorvath · 13/04/2017 11:24

The receptionist can't invite you if you've not been invited by letter.

An administrator usually sends the invites because certain people in the age group are not eligible, e.g. if you've had one recently or already have certain diagnoses.

Original poster
muttrat · 13/04/2017 11:24

My surgery sent me a letter inviting me to go for an over 40s health check. I booked directly with the hca. Then I got called back to see the gp to talk through the results.

Yes, as I've explained, I didn't get a letter about it, I didn't know it existed, I was surprised that it didn't but now I do, I have booked in with no problems.

OP posts:
Edballsisoneniftydancer · 13/04/2017 11:25

And by saying it's not a medical emergency I am not belittling your wish to be seen asap. But with all possible respect, you have presumably known about your family history for a while and you didn't just wake up one morning and realise you were 51 and menopausal. Honestly a week or two, or even three, is really not crucial here.

MargotLovedTom1 · 13/04/2017 11:26

Of course a BP check and taking blood to check for diabetes are minor requests - we're not talking open heart surgery!

Original poster
muttrat · 13/04/2017 11:28

Conversation went like this:

Hi, I rang earlier about a blood pressure test? I've just seen that there is a health check available for people my age and wondered if it would be possible to book in for one? It's not an emergency but it might save the gp a call?

Receptionist : have you got a letter?

Me: no I haven't

Reception: name and address etc etc.... Waits.... Oh yes. Mm you should have had a letter I think. I can actually book you in for one on Thursday?

Me: YEEESSSSS

OP posts:
Original poster
muttrat · 13/04/2017 11:29

It wasn't the time to wait really. It was the absurdity of having to go through another layer of the GPS time and energy to book in for something that should be standard.

OP posts:
NabobsFromNobHill · 13/04/2017 11:30

It's not absurd at all, you simply don't understand how these things work.

hhorvath · 13/04/2017 11:30

Why do you think patients should be able to demand any blood test at any time as standard?

Lunde · 13/04/2017 11:31

It think you are rather unreasonable in expecting instant GP appointments for a non-urgent matter when it's Easter weekend

goose1964 · 13/04/2017 11:32

Our practice has a BP machine where you can just pop in bud blood tests need to be organised by a GP, they will ask you some questions to decide what tests need to be carried out, the cholesterol will probably be rubber stamped For instance I have cholesterol, live function, kidney function n thyroid all tested from the same sample

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 13/04/2017 11:32

I am actually laughing at the idea that checking your blood pressure and checking for diabetes is a minor request.

It is a minor request! Laugh as much as you like.

Original poster
muttrat · 13/04/2017 11:33

NabobsFromNobHill I do now and have my appointment Smile

OP posts:
RainbowsAndUnicorn · 13/04/2017 13:34

It just shows how entitled people have become with regards to the NHS, Most would have just paid the £10 and popped to Tesco unless they believed there was an actual medical issue. Usually the ones moaning the loudest are the ones who think everything in life should be down to someone else to sort and provide.

Original poster
muttrat · 13/04/2017 16:02

That is a really ignorant thing to say rainbows

There IS clearly a free NHS Health Check service covering blood pressure and diabetic checks. Are you saying everyone who uses this service is entitled?

Can you not see that if people take responsibility for their own health, by availing themselves of these checks, that it will do more to take the burden off the NHS later in life?

If I find out that I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, I can take steps to reduce both. This in turn means I am less likely to need 'open heart surgery' later in life.

The NHS should make it easy for people to have these checks - and they in fact do, I didn't realise that until today.

OP posts:
Lelloteddy · 13/04/2017 16:17

Oh give over OP. You didn't do any research about what healthcare screening was or wasn't available as part of your surgeries scheduled, targeted and budgeted for services.
Instead you throw your toys out of your pram online because your demand for a blood test wasn't prioritised. Entitled indeed.

hhorvath · 13/04/2017 16:56

If I find out that I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, I can take steps to reduce both.

But you can do that anyway. The advice is keep your BMI 20-25, exercise regularly (guidelines on NHS website), eat a balanced diet low in processed meat, don't smoke, don't drink much.

CantChoose · 13/04/2017 17:09

Minor or not, It isn't urgent.
If raising a blood form I'd want to talk to the patient to check their background and see if any other tests are warranted at the same time - a diabetes check, for example. To save you having to go back for extra tests at another date etc.

reallybadidea · 13/04/2017 17:15

You've probably spent longer whinging about it on here than the actual phone conversation with the GP would have taken 🙄

cathf · 13/04/2017 17:23

Do some people not understand that there are a lot of people in the UK? Every time there is a post along these lines on MN, these people always post that one little test/free meal for hospital visitor/check-up/home visit will not make any difference to the NHS.
They are correct - one of these will not make any difference. But is it so difficult to work out that if lots of people make these small demands, it aggregates into a huge problem?
The NHS needs to go back to its original purpose of treating the ill and injured, not try to meet demands from ever-entitled people.

AuntieMay · 13/04/2017 17:35

I'm a hca in a GP practice and I actually do the nhs over 40s healthbcheck. It's to work out a %risk for stroke and heart disease and at the surgery I work at you cannot just ring and get one, you have to wait until invited by letter. We cannot do everyone as and when as would have no appts left for anything else. Also not all GPs even run this screening programme - they don't have to! They can choose which screening they are part of and subscribe into.

lljkk · 13/04/2017 17:47

To get your cholesterol numbers, do they do a finger prick test? I'd like my cholesterol numbers, but not sure I can stomach the finger prick test. Too sodding painful.

AuntieMay · 13/04/2017 18:07

We do fasting venous lipids and glucose for this particular healthcheck

pigeondujour · 13/04/2017 19:44

God, why on threads like this do people always say 'no wonder the NHS is in trouble'? It's so patently NOT the reason the NHS is in trouble.

harderandharder2breathe · 13/04/2017 19:50

Either pay for it or wait.

You're being asked to wait a very reasonable amount of time. If you don't want to wait that reasonable amount of time then pay a very reasonable free to have it done asap.

It's a simple choice so make it and stop moaning.

TheNaze73 · 13/04/2017 19:55

Pay for it like most people. The NHS isn't a savings plan