To make a complaint about my GP? *trigger warning*

[wictional]

This is my first thread, although I’ve commented on a few.

I’m just wondering whether you ladies think that I have reasonable grounds for a complaint or whether I’m just cashing in on the ‘sue them!’ culture. To clarify, I’m just wanting to complain, not sue!

Basically, I’ve been seeing a GP for clinical depression and social/generalised anxiety disorder. He’s not my usual doctor, but due to severe anxiety I’d not made an appointment for so long that I’d forgotten my usual GP’s name

Anway, after I’d told him that neither citralopram nor fluoxetine were working, he put me on sertraline 50mg.

At my four week checkup, I asked for it to be raised because I still wasn’t doing well. He refused. I asked him if I could be tested for autism because it’s something I suspected I had. He told me that I ‘seemed like an educated young lady (I have an MA) and could articulate my problems (as a result of previous therapy)’ so he saw no reason that I should be either autistic or depressed.

After my eight week checkup, I got the courage to go back to therapy. The therapist immediately signed me up for intense CBT and an autism test.

At my twelve week checkup, my GP dismissed my depressive thoughts as being due to work stress, told me that 50mg was still enough, and said that I didn’t need to see him again.

A week later (last Friday) I was so low that I considered ending my life. I didn’t. This Tuesday, my therapist rang up and said that the preliminary test had concluded that I’m in the bracket to be diagnosed with autism.

I’m so angry with the way the GP continually dismissed me. AIBU to make a complaint, or is it just down to the fact he only has five minutes with me at a time and so missed stuff?

My therapist has forwarded my test results to get me formally diagnosed

To whom, the GP or a consultant? If they were forwarded to the GP, did you discuss? Did you mention the results and go over them with your GP?

Hi all

• saying "I wanted to kill myself because you didn't do what I wanted" this is not at all what I want to do. I didn’t consider suicide because of him, I considered it because of a lot of other stuff in my life.

• I did explain this to him. I literally said, word for word, “on my commute I often consider driving head on into an oncoming lorry” and he said “well, you’ve not acted on that so I’m not worried. We all have thoughts like that sometimes.”

• it’s an NHS GP

• I am going to book with a different GP. I just get very anxious that he might see me in the waiting room and be hurt that i’m Not seeing him.

• I am prepared for neurotypical diagnosis. i’ve lived that way for nearly 30 years.

• I do not want to “punish” the GP. I want to complain that his continual dismissal was damaging and that he was wrong to do so. He made me feel stupid when my concerns were valid.

Thank you for your opinions so far!

My therapist has confirmed that my test results show that I am.

Hold on. It sounds as though you had a preliminary diagnostic test which is not the same thing as an assessment.

When I had an assessment, I had to go through two preliminaries before seeing a psychologist (this was at the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge). After seeing the psychologist, she contacted my father for my developmental history and it was then that I received a diagnosis.

I did explain this to him. I literally said, word for word, “on my commute I often consider driving head on into an oncoming lorry” and he said “well, you’ve not acted on that so I’m not worried. We all have thoughts like that sometimes.

The black and white question is: Do you have suicidal thoughts?
Your answer is 'yes'.
I think with this GP, you have to say the words: I have suicidal thoughts which I believe I will act on.
What you've told your GP should absolutely be enough. But I found with my own history of suicidal depression AND being married to a GP, that black and white, blunt, and to the point works.
See a different GP.

To whom, the GP or a consultant? If they were forwarded to the GP, did you discuss? Did you mention the results and go over them with your GP?

She’s sent them to the service that processes diagnoses. I can’t remember what it’s called because she told me over the phone and tbh I was a bit shell-shocked.

I’ve not seen my GP since he told me I no longer needed his services.

Another one here who'd like to know what type of therapist you're seeing. Who referred you - was it a HCP? Are they qualified to make a diagnosis? Are they regulated by a professional body?
I can't comment until I have that information OP.

@terfsup nothing like that was explained to me? She said I’d do this test, then she’d send it off to the service, and it would take up to a year to get the response...

Again, is your therapist nhs or private?

What type of therapist are you seeing Op? You haven't answered that. It's relevant...
Preliminary tests aren't an assessment. You might have an assessment and be diagnosed with something altogether different.
Complain by all means. I doubt it'll change much but you should express how you feel for your own sake.

I am not sure that complaining is going to achieve much rather than causing you to dwell on a perceived issue. If I was in your situation I would not complain.

With any health problem (mental or physical) you need to have faith in the person who is providing your care. Clearly for various reasons you have not connected with this GP. Therefore seeing a different GP would be a sensible course of action. GPs see sometimes 30+ patients per day and I would be very surprised if it bothered him at all that you were going to see a different GP at the surgery.

So basically I would try to put it behind you rather than dragging everything up by making a complaint.

Instead of making a formal complaint against this GP could you go and see him and talk to him about the whole episode and how you think he got you wrong ?

FWIW, my private (ex NHS GP) therapist told me when he trained as a GP, they spent precisely one afternoon on mental health. One afternoon, that's out of their 7years training. I'd also add, after visiting a very young vulnerable, friend in mental health unit, the staff's lack of knowledge re bi polar, schizophrenia, depression & borderline personality (the majority of the conditions which were obvious when you were a regular visitor) was frightening: and patients were suffering for it. I reported the Unit to QOCC. It was run like Prisoner Cell Block H, only more abusive. The totally lovely student Nurse who confided in me also reported it.

telling healthcare professionals that you're suicidal because of something they've done or not done is widely recognised as manipulative behaviour amongst healthcare professionals

This explains so much thankful. Feeling suicidal because of a neglectful service and there is no accountability ever for the professionals. Thanks for clearing it up.

Both my GP and therapist are NHS

I would go private for therapy but I’m out 7-7 for work and I can’t afford £45 a session

so as to appear neurologically typical not atypical....oops, so sorry.

nothing like that was explained to me? She said I’d do this test, then she’d send it off to the service, and it would take up to a year to get the response...

As it's a developmental condition it is important to have the person's developmental history.

I don't understand how a therapist - who is not a specialist in diagnosing autism - can do some sort of test and send it to a "service" for a response 12 months later. It just doesn't make sense.

She’s sent them to the service that processes diagnoses.

Eh? This doesn't make sense. No 'service' "processes diagnoses" for autism.

I wonder if wictional meant it was sent to something like an RMC (referral management centre) to be referred to the relevant dept.?

I think you should simply ask to see a different GP. Depression is a serious illness and your concerns need to be taken seriously. Getting medication right is a bit of an art; and also involves a bit of trial and error unfortunately.

I think that, as others have said, a diagnosis of adult autism seldom actually changes anything, but it might help you to understand your problems better to know the cause.

That makes sense, Verbena. Thank you.

Complain.

I am a mental health professional in the NHS.

Complain

Yes waiting lists are long - that doesn't give him the right to prevent you from access services based on his person and incorrect opinion

@OP I think he has done you a disservice. PLEASE please complain. Write exactly what you put in your post, its very clear and well explained.

It's not uncommon for therapists to screen for autism now a days. especially if that therapist is either a psychologist or supervised by the psychologist. I imagine they used the AQ questionnaire (you can google it) scores above a certain range indicate a likelihood of autism which the leads to a referral to a service who will put you on a waiting list for a diagnostic assessment.

I think the autism thing is a bit of a red herring tbh. You are free to pursue a diagnosis of this to help you understand your own brain.

On the other hand, if you feel your GP didn't take your suicidal thoughts seriously enough then write a complaint. It might just make him listen more carefully to another patient.

I'm sorry you're feeling so low. I hope you are able to find a way through. It will get better - it really will. Please just keep putting one foot in front of another for now.

@sourpatchkid yes, that must be it. I’m starting to think I got the ‘diagnosis for dummies’ talk from my therapist too!