to wonder if the GP should do more?

[DorothyL]

My son has chronic health problems.
Today we were sent for him to receive 24 hour blood pressure monitoring- he had been referred by the consultant. Unfortunately this could not go ahead as no cuff would fit which is to do with his condition. The nurses told me to ask the GP for advice, so I spoke to the receptionist at the surgery once I got home and she said she'd pass it on.

I just received a phone call from the surgery - not sure what the person's role was, but was basically told they had no idea why the nurses would say that, they could not help at all and I should call the consultant's secretary.

Aibu to think is this it? I thought a GP's role was to oversee a patient's care, especially when there are chronic health conditions? Could they not have offered either to monitor his blood pressure in surgery or to contact the consultant?

And yes I know GP's are overstretched of course - but they didn't say we're so sorry we are too busy, they basically made me feel like I was a nuisance for asking.

Consultant said "get your GP to do 24 hour monitoring" for a child?! have I understood that correctly? and you're angry with the GP?

why are you not angry with the consultant who should have arranged it themself, in hospital? Monitoring of a child's BP is firmly a secondary care specialist issue.

(I am a GP and heartily fed up with all the work that gets inappropriately dumped on us by secondary care, not leaving us time to actually sort out our patients).

No sorry - consultant referred to cardiology. Cardiology said can't be done because no suitable cuff, speak to GP. GP said nothing to do with me.

So now problem back with me to sort out, trying to get hold of consultant's secretary which is next to impossible.

It’s between the consultant and cardiology to sort. It’s not the GPs responsibility

What pigshavecurlytails said, the problem is for cardiology to resolve as they have requested the test. Maybe they could have wandered down the corridor to request a paediatric cuff from their colleagues on the paediatric ward, or gone to A&E where they presumably also have cuffs small enough for children.

Coincidentally, DS1 is getting 24 hour BP monitoring tomorrow. He was seen by his paediatrician, then the GP and was then referred to the renal department of our local children's hospital. We have to go in tomorrow and get the monitoring device.
It's to do with a genetic disorder he has which can result in high BP.
I think it's more of a specialist thing, and would assume any children's hospital would have the right size of cuffs?

So the consultant doesn't have the right equipment to do his/her job and you're angry with the GP? I really think your anger is misplaced. I would suggest you complain via PALS. This is nothing to do with primary care.

Apparently that wouldn't have helped as the cuff wouldn't fit the machine

So what did you expect from the Gp? If the cardiologist can’t arrange the suitable equipment for a booked in patient how would the Gp have it

I didn't expect the GP to have the equipment, but to liaise with the consultant.

Tbh I'm annoyed with the consultant as well because I had said to her cuff size would be a problem and she just brushed it off.

I'm tired of having to fight for everything and having to sort everything out.
My son is lucky that I'm "with it" enough to do that, what about those that are not in that position?

How old is your son ?

Be annoyed, sure, but I'm not sure the GP has anything to do with equipment issues at the local hospital!

He's 11

Of course not but he could take a teeny bit of interest!! I literally get nothing from the GP ever, no contact at all. I'm probably deluded but it would be nice if someone even once a year said "how are things?"
And maybe offered to get in touch with the hospital when there's an issue like this!

YANBU OP, but I guess it isn’t really the GP’s fault.

However, I’ve no idea why posters are being rude to you, all you did was follow the instructions given to you.

Secondary and primary care often communicate very poorly and patients are left stuck in the middle not knowing what to do. It simply isn’t appropriate.

The GP can't do shit about the hospital not being properly equipped and the nurses were foolish to suggest that. They have no link to the hospital and do not operate from the same pot of money. The person you should be going after is the consultant - if he doesn't have the right cuff, he isn't in a position to care for your son on this one and therefore should have referred on to another hospital that is.

It would be lovely if GPs had the opportunity to be the kind of doctor you describe OP. But it’s simply not possible with the staffing of the NHS and being annoyed with one GP for this (considering they suffer far more than the patients by working an unimaginable workload and stress and yet still being asked to deal with secondary care issues like this) is a bit silly.

I sympathise as there is no denying it’s incredibly hard to sort such issues out in our current nhs, but this is not the job of a GP.

I hope you get it sorted soon.

Thank you Cheby.

But this is the flaw in the system - I am meant to go after the consultant myself but I am not even given a phone number or email to reach her under!

Can you google the consultant list for the hospital? That’s how I get secretary numbers for ds consultants if I don’t have them, otherwise phone the switchboard but ask for the Number before you are out through,

GPs aren’t there to play the middle man though, as annoying as all the chasing is in most cases it’s not for the GP to be doing

I am a GP although ( thankfully) not in UK.
There same thing happens where I work - secondary care fails and it is up to GP to lease. Passing the buck to GP’s is poor medicine - hospital doctors have to take responsibility for organising their own tests and following up their own results. I physically and psychologically can not do more in the 10 to 11 hrs per day I currently work.

Sorry about the rant OP but it is not your GP’s fault - your consultant is being lazy.
I hope your wee person gets the test they need soon.

I work in a surgery just on reception but I can't see how the Gp could have done anything even if they had said ok well we will ring and speak to the consultant what would it achieve ? they can't make the consultant have the right cuff or make them have one at the hospital. They have to ring the switchboard and try and get them the same as you the Gp doesn't have a direct line to them it's the same when a consultant rings the Gp we have to see if they are in clinic and if they are just take details and pass message on. I do understand it's frustrating to you and not your fault but I really can't see what the Gp could have done.

I would advise the best way for you to find a way forward is to try and ring the consultant’s secretary. Should this not be satisfactory contact PALS and explain the situation. In cases like this I have seen them act fast, they can quickly email the right person in the department involved and help the patient. Communication between departments is often poor and because all professionals are overworked overstretched and stressed, as soon as they feel it’s not fully their reposts ability they may not be as helpful as you’d like. Having a child with a chronic condition is hard, well done for fighting for him.

Another GP here. We refer our adult patients to a service to have their 24 your BP don’t so we don’t even have that equipment in the practice for an adult never mind a child. I am sorry to hear you are having a rubbish time trying to get things sorted for your son but I really have to agree that this is not the GP’s place to sort out. The person who has arranged the test should be sorting it. Also as for calling up just to see how things are, I have patients who mention that kind of thing to me, if you saw the massive stack of letters I have to read & action each day on top of the increasing number of patients with more and more complicated health problems coming though the door etc etc It would be lovely to give all the people that have been to hospital a quick call to see how they are but unless you can magic up an extra couple of hours in the day there is no way that is going to happen.

Oh great, another go bashing thread. No wonder we don’t have enough of them.

This is purely cardiology problem and should have been dealt with at the hospital.