Doctors won’t see me (saga continues)

[TheCatsPaws]

Previous posts about severe anxiety, recurrent miscarriages.

Had a D&C on Wednesday. Yesterday had a raging temperature, coloured discharge and general unwell feeling. Rang EPU who said to make an emergency doctors appointment today re possible infection.

Got an emergency appointment today. Stuck in traffic for half an hour because road is covered in snow. Rang GP, stuck on phone for 20 minutes. Got told by a receptionist that “sorry you’re too late, we won’t see you”

I explained I had surgery on Wednesday and the ward thinks I have an infection, and wants me to see a dr today. “Sorry that’s our policy”. After much arguing, I asked if she’ll be personally responsible if I get sepsis to which she just quoted policy at me again.

AIBU to be fuming? I’m going down to the surgery and demanding to see the manager right now.

"Can you imagine what an inquest judge would say to a surgery who had turned away someone very obviously dangerously ill?"

I'd be very curious actually, given that they gave an appointment that day for the patient, have a duty of care to see all patients booked in, and may not have even known what the appointment was actually for (at ours you don't have to say until you're in the room with the doctor), and patients have access to A&E and an ambulance if required/walk in centres.

I suspect there'd be a balance of duty of care versus personal responsibility (the patient taking the responsibility to go to an emergency department), but it would depend on the circumstances whether they found a surgery negligent when they did offer an appointment, cannot simply fit latecomers in across the board (and can't discriminate) and alternative healthcare facilities are available to all.

It is simply impossible for a GP surgery in a busy area (often understaffed) to cope with seeing everyone whenever they wish while also acting responsibly towards patients who also need care and have made and attended an appointment. If they were expected to be all things to everybody it would be incredibly dangerous and unsafe.

Our clinic already runs appointments until 6 and doctors are sometimes finishing up patients at 7, then all of the paperwork, admin, catching up and chasing up, prescriptions, home visits, practice meetings, and they start clinic at 8. The same doctors all day (not in shifts).

To increase their workload further by seeing additional people not on their appointment ledger would be dangerous imo.

1. You shouldn't have missed the apointment. But at least you called.

1. But this sounds serious. I was once late because I had to sit down / felt faint and woozy. I called and the doctor understood that it wasn't on purpose and didn't just send me away (because it was an urgent situation and I was in a lot of pain.)

I'm really surprised they didn't try to fit you in.

I'm ok, thanks - but I'm so sorry you've had another loss. Please ignore the people attacking you personally - I think for someone who's been through what you have you're coping really admirably, and of course something like this will upset you greatly, and to some people disproportionately. As I think I told you before, I had some real mental health problems after my third loss, and I absolutely wasn't being my best, most rational self - and anyone who would blame or judge either you or me for that lacks basic human empathy.

She didn't have a termination. She had a surgically managed miscarriag

My mis-typing , for which I apologise.

The advice for contacting the unit on which the surgical management was carried out still stands. They have the equipment and expertise to scan etc. GP will likely just send you there anyway.

I hope you can get seen OP and I hope there’s no infection. You’ve had a rough week

Ffs - to all those saying she missed an appt so that's that - what bollocks. Regardless of messed up timing, the OP has an urgent clinical need which still needs to be addressed and should definitely come above routine appts for less serious ailments.

My mis-typing , for which I apologise.

The advice for contacting the unit on which the surgical management was carried out still stands. They have the equipment and expertise to scan etc. GP will likely just send you there anyway.

Your comprehension skills really aren't great, are they. This is right there, in the OP:

Rang EPU who said to make an emergency doctors appointment today re possible infection.

She called early pregnancy, who will have overseen her miscarriage care. They told her to see her GP. She's already done exactly what you're going on at her to do.

Lisa my anxiety has gotten worse recently and it really does make you feel shit to have repeated losses. I’m focusing on that at least they are doing more now to find the cause, if one can be found. Two have stopped at exactly the same point which seems suspicious to me.

She's already done exactly what you're going on at her to do.

Not quite sure why you’re having an aggressive pop at me - I am not any of the people on here having a go at the OP for missing an appointment.

I hope you can get seen OP. If you worsen or start running a high temp before tonight then consider AandE. Don’t hang round if you suspect sepsis.

Op, you’ve had a lot of flack on here. I understand that you are feeling anxiety and very stressed from the recent events. It must be an awful time for you.
We all know you shouldn’t miss appointments, but sometimes things are out of our control and for everyone to be kicking you when you are down is a bit unfair.

I never understand why the doctors surgery don’t send the next person in if someone is late. If someone is late at ours, it seems the next person still doesn’t get called until their time slot, which seems a bit daft. Quite a lot of people are generally a few minutes early, so I don’t get this. Maybe that’s not the same at all surgeries though?
Go to the walk in centre or present yourself at a and e and explain the problem. You will probably have more luck getting treatment there.

You've had a busy morning, op, you've managed to get a lot done in an hour.

Lemon talks a lot of sense.

Interesting that the GP practice is getting all the grief when actually the EPU initially passed the buck. Why no rage about them not seeing a potentially sick patient?
They did the procedure, they have a duty of care to follow up their complications.

One point here....

Thé receptionsists.

They get «kicked off» at for asking what’s the issue, they get «kicked off» at when surgery runs late, and they get whinged at and called names. Even on this thread they have been called self important.

Blanket policies about missing appointments have many benefits. One of which is to protect the receptionist. They are not health care professionals- how can they decide what needs to be seen? They can’t unless they speak to a Dr. And then the Dr is either disturbed during an appt- which that patient complains about- or talks in between patients, so then they run late, and people bitch at the receptionist.
And if the receptionist asks what the problem is, some people bitch at them anyway!

I’m sorry you’re having a shit time. But this is not the GPs fault. They gave you your appointment. You missed it. They have even given you another one.

If you truly feel this could be sepsis, as that’s an emergency, you should present to AandE. Though I really think this is an EPU thing.

Fitting in an emergency shouldn't be beyond them, I've often waited more than half an hour as GP is running late, we all know that happens and this is probably one of the reasons it happens.

As to going to a walk in centre, well the nearest one would take me nearly an hour by car, an hour and a half by bus but they only run every hour so if I just missed one it could take me two and a half hours to get there and then wait when I got there. Not a simple solution for everyone.

Hope you are doing OK and get things sorted TheCatsPaw.

I’m still surprised the EPU sent you to your GP. The GP can only give an opinion on whether the OP has a potential infection and then refer back to EPU for investigation. If OP does have an infection and the GP prescribed antibiotics she will still need a scan to check for retained products etc.

I stand by my original comment that the EPU or the unit you had the management on are the best people to deal with you at the moment. They have passed the buck here.

I do hope you can get seen.

The only gripe I've got with GPs' receptionists is when they presume to know more than the parent of a chronically ill child. They should receive some training in medical conditions. I shouldn't have to get angry to get my child's repeat prescription.

Personally I don't think blanket policies are helpful. My GP surgery has a triage system, so things like this would be emailed to the doctor doing triage and they would have a look between patients and deal appropriately. No way should a receptionist be making the call.

PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks I sympathise. Years ago one of my kids wasn't well, I phoned surgery and told I couldn't have an appointment, I argued but receptionist wouldn't budge. In the end I said, "Warn the on call doctor that he shouldn't bother having an early night, I think it will be an emergency by midnight." I got told to hang on and then to come down to surgery where I could sit and wait till doctor saw her. Got the cold shoulder when I checked in, doctor very short with me, then examined child and apologised to me, said she should have been seen immediately and I should have been listened to.

I guess no one has learned anything from past mistakes, my last GP wouldn't see a child, said it was a bug, yes it was the meningitis bug and child was dead in hours.

YANBU. In my experience GP's are often running late. I'd rather sit in the waiting room a bit longer than have them kick someone out after exactly X number of minutes because their connsultation time is over. Sometimes the person in that room takes longer, sometimes they are in and out. Yes, you were late for an appointment, but I doubt they were running exactly on time, and if they were then surely they are now ahead of themselves because of a "spare" slot. They should have just put you back in furthur down the list.

There are things that the receptionist should know are serious so they can act accordingly. Flu type symptoms and/or fever following an injury or procedure should instantly alert for cellulitis or sepsis, both of which can kill if not treated quickly enough.

OP should have been seen or directed to A&E

And where are all these walk in centres? A quick google shows that the nearest one to me is over 40 miles away and I'm not rural by any means.

I would have carried on to surgery and seen what happened - well if you couldn't get there on time surely there would be others etc. Sometimes despite best efforts you are late and once there they can't really say no when the need is clear rather than just a shouty person with a cold etc.

I can see both sides. OP just get someone to drive you to A and E instead. Hope you get sorted soon xx

In my experience GP's are often running late. I'd rather sit in the waiting room a bit longer than have them kick someone out after exactly X number of minutes because their connsultation time is over.

Me too. I’d rather wait and ensure people get treated, than send away ill people. I’m sure it didn’t used to be like this.

Thank you for your advice everyone. I’m currently taking it easy, with some paracetamol and lots of fluids. Hopefully it isn’t an infection but I’m glad they have rebooked me.

Why don't you go to your pharmacy? Often they have prescribers who can give you antibiotics.
Or ring the ward.
But that gp grannie might have to leave for childcare reasons. We can't expect and encourage parents to do these jobs if we aren't prepared that they might not be able to stay. A walk in centre is the place for that. Not a GP.

There actually was a case where a child died because the GP refused to see them because they were late for their appointment.

www.google.co.uk/amp/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/26/five-year-old-girl-dies-gp-refused-see-minutes-late-appointment/amp/

I’m sorry for your loss OP, I hope you get sorted out