GP is forcing me to go for an appointment

[alwaysprepare]

Don't like going to dr's or hospitals, never have. Moved to a new town and was told I need to have a dr appointment if me and the kids are to be accepted.
What would they find to refuse us a place? If I have cancer or an infectious disease, does that mean they won't accept us? Why is this linked to my children who do not have an appointment?

I ask because I have had 4 GPs in London over 15+ Years and have been advised to do a check up with the nurse, but never once obliged to take this appointment or else...........

Also, we are just not sick people. We had the usual coughs, noro, etc, nothing you cannot treat with over the counter medicine. Been to the hospital for a broken arm, but do not go to dr unless it's an absolute emergency- I am talking post baby years here. Still all this was no problem with previous GPs, they only saw us when we made an appointment. It seems like a waste, when that time could have been given to someone who actually feels they need it.

Not all practises do this, but some do. They will accept you as a patient once you've met with a GP (or practise nurse as it was at the surgery that I had to do this with) to introduce themselves, and have a quick chat with you about your general health so they know if there's anything that's immediately concerning you. It's a good thing - I haven't changed practice since we moved because when I asked about it the receptionist said that it would take up to 40 days to transfer across from our old/current surgery so we wouldn't be able to have an appointment there in the meantime. If you have DC it also introduces them to the surgery so it becomes a familiar building, and they can meet their GP in a setting where they won't be unwell or being examined. Children won't be registered without a parent/guardian at the same address.

Nobody is saying it is vital. What they are saying is that many surgeries require you to have an initial appointment when you are registering. The surgery you want to register at, has that requirement. Either go to the appointment or find a surgery that doesn't have that requirement.

GP's make money for each health check they do. They will link it to your registration because if you want to register then they will get some extra for you.

Uncynically - they will be able to point you to any special clinics they run - sexual health, diabetic clinic, nutritionist, pain management, COPD, etc etc. They may also run an anxiety clinic, or acupuncture, something that may reduce your negativity before your kids catch on.

It's a basic registration appointment. I don't see why you're refusing to go and then acting like the surgery are in the wrong for not wanting to register someone who won't even come in for a 10 minute chat?

A registration appointment is just that - to meet you; have a quick chat about your general health/do you smoke/do you drink etc; make sure any immunisations etc are up to date; discuss any issues you have currently; do a basic health check - blood pressure/height/weight etc - so they can have a baseline reading of your current state for if they have to see you in the future (because, as you pointed out you don't see the doctor regularly so they may not have current information which is important for the diagnosis of any ongoing issue).

I think it is very important to attend that appointment specially since you have an issue with the doctor and it would mean that, if you did have to go to the doctor with an issue in future, you would have at least met them before going in to tell them something potentially personal/embarrassing.

Puppy, no one has come up with a reason why you will be rejected for not coming for this appointment, just how good it is for me.

I cancelled my first one and the GP office told me, if I cancel again they will strike me off. And I was left confused because I did not want the appointment in the first place.
Did not cancel for the sake of it, I must add, but circumstances beyond my control dictated that.

This thread has been absolutely twisted.
So far no one has come up with a reason of why It's absolutely vital why GPs cannot register you without seeing you for an appointment first.

I'm sure it's not "absolutely vital". I'm sure, that if they wanted to, a GP practice could have policies allowing patients to register without check ups.

The point is, that this particular GP practice, and others, have the policy that they won't accept new patients who won't attend a new patient check up appointment. As far as I know, they're allowed to have this as a policy.

Which leaves you with a choice of going for a check up, or finding a different GP practice that doesn't have this requirement.

So now I am left with this pressure that nothing must go wrong again or else my kids have no GP.

They need to ensure you are who you say you are - make sure that you match up with what's on their records.

Maybe they could refer you for some CBT to combat your phobia?

Why don't you want to register with your GP though?

alwaysprepare

You are arguing about the wrong thing.
Its not whether or not it is medically necessary its can you get registered without it. As an appointment the entry requirement that that particular surgery has set for registration, it appears that you cannot get registered with that surgery without an appointment.

Your anxiety is making you try and argue why the surgery is wrong and you don't need an appointment. However, the surgery has made a rule and you can either accept it or not.

It is good for you to have even the vaguest relationship with your GP. I think on the post baby years especially, while the health visitor at the practice has a responsibility towards your DCs. It is also important for identifying PND, or contraception for example. Your argument of not having needed it before is very "race to the bottom," as surely people want a GP who recognises them and can offer appointments.

Do you have a DP? Could they register and take your kids along to their registration appointment?

OP, you are the one making a massive deal out of a routine GP appointment for your own kids and talking about not liking doctors or hospitals and being proud of your kids having no medical appointments for three years (which is pretty unusual - what about their jabs etc? Surely you've taken them for those?)

It's not really surprising that people are getting the impression that you have a phobia/anxiety over this, as you are giving very much that impression by still ranting after umpteen people have explained to you why the appointment is necessary. You are making a HUGE fuss about a small thing, so obviously people are going to get the impression that your issue is way beyond a minor inconvenience.

If you don't have any phobia/anxiety over it, just suck it up and go to the appointment and accept the multiple reasons you've been given for why it's needed.

You don't have to see a GP or nurse to register with a surgery. It's not compulsory. Many surgeries offer this appointment as a way to get to know you. Many patients at my surgery don't bother with an inital appointment. They wait until there are actually ill - especially if they are not on regular medication.

YABU

I've had this (with a nurse) at every surgery I've been with (five in 14 years as I've moved around a bit). It's normal. It's not a trick or a test.

It's great that you're healthy and may well not need to go again after this. But if you want to register with this GP practice you need to go to the appointment. You are of course welcome to choose to not register with them and either not have a GP or find a GP who doesn't do registration appointments (which may be difficult).

I think you should write your phobia down if that helps and go to the appointment and give it to the doctor if you feel you can't speak during it, as someone above said there are options like cbt, this would be a perfect time to mention this, as there will be a time you will need to use the gp so good to get the ball rolling on help you need to face that.

It's just to check you are the person you say you are and that sort of thing.

They couldn't register a child without a parent/ guardian present. They will probably just ask a couple of questions.

LOL at the pp who thinks GPs get a 2hour lunch. They will be working, just not seeing patients in that period. My friend usually doesn't get lunch at all as it's the only time to follow up test results, liaise with the nurse/other GPs, phone patients about urgent issues, write referrals etc.

Ds has just moved back home from Uni. He had to have one of these appointments despite being registered with these doctors from birth before he moved away to Uni. Just height, weight, blood pressure and urine sample. He actually has asthma and multiple allergies. None of these were discussed.
There is nothing to worry about. Deep breath...you can do it.

no one has come up with a reason why you will be rejected for not coming for this appointment, just how good it is for me.

How about - you will be rejected because you have not met their terms to have you as a patient. Just as the surgery closest to me would reject me for not providing two proofs of address and a birth certificate or passport.

Children are not accepted as patients unless parents register too (at my surgery at least) and all new adult patients need a basic health check?

I can see that you have a phobia of visiting the GP. But you are also concerned that, if you do not attend this initial appointment, your children will be left without a GP. So it is clear that, if your children need medical attention, you would be willing and able to take them to that appointment. So I can only assume you are not phobic of doctors in general, but instead reluctant - maybe even phobic - of seeing a doctor when you are the subject of the appointment.

That phobia/reluctance alone suggests you need the help of your GP. How about looking upon this as a chance to turn over a new leaf and have an open, honest and helpful relationship with your medical practitioner? It seems obvious to me that you have hitherto been hiding things from previous GPs. That's a shame as they are there to help you with all medical issues, not just physical ailments.

I'm similarly phobic and would struggle to register with a new surgery if I'm honest. I'd feel coerced and angry and vulnerable. Can you write to the actual doctor, I.e. Not a practise manager, and explain how you're feeling. They may be able to over rule admin side of things for you.

I have moved Surgeries three times (moved in with dp, we moved to a new area and again a new area). Each time I have had this. Basically they take height, weight and blood pressure and each time I've had a urine sample taken to check for diabetes and once they found traces of blood that weren't visible it was a urine dip that picked it up. I needed anti-biotics. They asked about my general health, did I smoke, how much did I drink. Did I have any health concerns I needed to talk about, did I have any long term conditions and did I need any repeat prescriptions issued. They also asked when I last had a smear and what type of contraception I used. All very standard and normal. You should get booked in for a smear at least if you haven't had one. Might save your life and you owe that at least to your kids!

"New Patient Medicals" are normal in General Practice.
There is no reason to be worried about having one.
Most practices require an attendance at a nurse or Health Care Assistant before the registration can be completed.
You old medical records can take weeks to arrive from your old GPs (they go to the health board first).

During the appointment you are likely to be weighed, measured if you don't know your height, your BP will be checked and many practices ask you for a urine sample which will get dipped to check for infection, sugar and protein. You will asked your past medical history, mainly wrt to chronic diseases like diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, high blood pressure etc. You will be asked what medication you are taking and what allergies you might have (see above - your records will not be there when you register with a new GP - it is the new registration that 'triggers' you old records being requested). Many places will only ask for children over a certain age to attend for NPM.

If you are truly unable to attend for a NPM speak to your new practice's practice manager and they can take it to the doctors.
It does sound like you are disproportionately fearful and a bit ?paranoid about the whole thing - there is no need to be worried about not being taken on because you have x, y or z.

Please register, then take active steps to address this fear of yours - it must be so stressful and limiting, never mind dangerous if you or your DCs were ill.

My son-in-law had this when he registered with a new GP. Afterwards,he said it seemed like an excuse for the doctor to weigh him and start having a go at him about his weight......