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?

On it's own sourpatch? My local AAS (covers 4 CCGs) doesn't think the AQ is worth the paper it's written on and would reject a referral based on that. As PART of a comprehensive referral with narrative from childhood and adulthood they would accept it.

And they still end up diagnosing less than 50% of the referrals they accept.

OP. You should absolutely complain.
Twats calling OP manipulative, accusing her of wanting to punish her GP, generally being nasty need to have a look at themselves. Ignore them wictional, listen to the posters who understand, I've been there with the ignorant dismissal by so-called professionals.

Ok. I tried not to comment on this thread but felt I had to.
In summary I think you should make a complaint about the GPs general attitude. Clinically, he will have had his reasons for his choices. However what he didnt do was a) listen to your concerns properly b) explain the choices he made. Instead it sounds like he dismissed you, which is not acceptable.
Autism diagnosis - yes wait times are very long and it might not change anything for you OP, but they shouldnt have just dismissed it.
Suicidal thoughts - increasing the sertraline might not address these thoughts, so its rational for GP to keep you on same dose if he had other reasons (previous not responding, wanting you to work with therapist, worries about side effects). Again though he should have discussed this with you rather than just a blanket "no". Suicidal thoughts are common and the fact you hadnt acted on them is good, but there also needed to be a plan for you if they did become worse. So its not complaining that you felt suicidal a week after your appt, its the fact you werent listened to in the first place.
GPs have a stressful job and are rushed. Services are stretched everywhere but spending a few minutes doing this could have prevented lots of this imho.

I don't usually pass comment on other posters as I don't want to get into a fight with people but I feel compelled to stick up for the OP. Just because you are articulate and factual and don't 'look depressed doesn't make the symptoms any.less real. I know this as I have bi-polar type 2 and very few people ever see the depths of despair I feel as I am very.good at acting as if everything is fine. No one knows the extent of the suicidal thoughts I've experienced and only my husband has seen the extent of my breakdowns.

For a GP to be this dismissive after 8 weeks on a drug is dreadful. The point of check ups is to review medication - if it's not had an effect the dose needs addressing of the drug needs changing. The OPs possible autism is probably linked to her depression. Undiagnosed conditions (of any sort) can make a person think they're somehow 'wrong and this wrongness causes tension internally that can contribute to depression. A lot of autism symptoms are around interactions with people - feeling wrong, out of pkacr and like you dobt understand peopke is going contribute to to social anxiety and depression.

Yes a complaint should be made. I doubt it will change his dismissive attitude though.

@Cleaningthefours - yeah on its own. As it happens I dont really like the AQ either but I guess it makes the process of referral easier and then the specialist service do all the development/cognitive assessments.

@AnoukSpirit

Thank you. I was beginning to wonder what was wrong with people.

@Leliana
If you are a mental health professional, please consider a change of role.

@wictional
You are absolutely right to consider complaining. Your experience has been minimised and not validated. I totally get that wanting an explanation for your experiences will help even if there aren't any sources of help / therapy available. Understanding will help you to make sense of it and reduce the uncertainty around it.

Can I offer you a big ((((hug)))) as I can totally identify regarding the GP and antidepressant situation.

I have been in that position in the past and its horrible, in my case the psychiatrist changed me to X antidepressant and every couple of weeks I went to see the GP, I was always I understand this. Like you"my requests at 8 and 12 weeks were also dismissed", my partner and his family were literally dragging me there week in week out, I couldn't keep myself safe and was getting worse all the time. (was on it roughly 20 weeks in all)

They kept putting me in with the GP who specialised in MH but sadly for me he wasn't interested, he kept telling me I wasn't giving it time to work, that I was anxious (but ignored that otherwise), in my case the antidepressant was actually making me more and more suicidal as time went on,

after 4.5 months it came to a head, crisis team saw me at home one evening and had appt with psych following morning and when he saw how low I was and asked did I not link in with GP i explained "I wasn't giving it time to work and was anxious", he changed antidepressants on the spot, (which was very unusual for him, he is always reluctant to change anything) noted I wasn't anxious but very deeply depressed with had been ignored by the MH liaison GP and who he gave a bollocking to as far as I know esp when he heard it was him had seen me every time.

When I went to arrange new script the surgery became awkward with me and would only allow a week script to be written at a time (even tho I was willing to just have a week at a time from chemist but on longer script) and I had to be seen by a GP each week, (this was at the GP behest, not the psych) they kept changing my appointments about as "I wasn't in employment" and 95% of appointments were moved around at short notice - shortest time in advance was 20 mins (anytime between 8am to 6pm for last). I'm guessing this was to mess about with me, as I could then be sitting for ages while they did stuff on the computers, no patients in or out so it wasn't that, Often all 3 GPs working and walk past me with mugs of tea etc.

Physcial conditions were ignored too as they were "down to my MH" - obviously,

With encouragement of a friend I moved GPs to the other surgery in town and while have had ups and downs, more downs, they have been 110% more supportive over the last decade plus.

YADNBU to make a complaint. I would raise it in writing first with the practice manager, explain it but take any emotion out of it.

(following text borrowed from CSIBlonde) I'd put my concerns in writing to Practice Manager, and cc the Quality of Care Commission. If you have an ongoing or long-term condition he's also legally required to (preferably monthly) , review you and your meds - agree

(following text borrowed from Twombly)
I would complain, expressing it as constructive feedback and including a factual description of your suicidal episode. And see a different GP if you can, this one sounds awful. - agree

I can't and won't comment on a diagnosis of autism as I don't have the knowledge or experience re this. I have a v basic knowledge and that's it.

(following text borrowed from Thedutchwife )
The next time he dismisses someone it could cost their life. Yes the NHS is massively overwhelmed but it’s the GP job to make sure that people like OP don’t slip through the net
YES - YES and YES!!

I'm going to assume you are in the UK as NHS GP, write a detailed fact by fact summary with no emotive language for practice manager, depends on where you are in the UK, copy in as relevant, couldn't find Scotland one easily

This GP needs to be educated, as who knows the next time he dismisses a patient who is expressing suicidal thoughts and plans, it will have taken a lot for them to get there and speak in the first place and he may be the only person they feel they can turn too and when dismissed, feel there is nothing left in this world for them so they attempt or complete suicide.

Quality care commission Englandwww.cqc.org.uk/
Health Inspectorate Wales hiw.org.uk/about/whatwedo/inspect/nhs/gppractices/?lang=en
Patient and client council Northern Ireland www.patientclientcouncil.hscni.net/

(((hug)))

Since you seem to be getting the help you need I wouldn't bother complaining. Brooding and dwelling on his shortcomings will not help you and you're in a fragile place. It would just cause you stress and upset. Better to forget about him and move on with other healthcare professionals.