To think my doctor is ignorant?

[pippayyyt]

Went to GP today,as I started explaining my issues (what I'm worried sick about ) she's typing what I'm saying in the computer.
Didn't even look at me once,no eye contact.
She asked me to stop at one point so she could catch up typing.
Then printed a prescription and sent me on my way.
Aibu to think she should look at me whilst I'm talking to her or it's just bloody so ignorant?

I had this too for another set of issues, can I suggest you book a double appt with a different gp? I've only done it once, but I made such a massive difference to the resulting help.. I never even knew you could book doubles so I'm not sure if it's common or standard but worth asking?

Hope you get some support

My GP is very like this , I was crying my eyes out explaining I was suicidal and she typed for ten minutes and then shrugged and said , what do you want us to do then ? Unsurprisingly I’ve not gone back yet .

2019

From the GP POV she listened and she asked what you wanted. Not everybody is looking for the same solution. I don't think it's unreasonable for a GP to ask that.

Erm, ok Tony, thanks

potatoscone, I checked the definition too. You’re wrong.

Can people stop jumping on the OP? I know ignorant was the wrong choice of words too but when you are depressed it's not easy to think of the right ones sometimes. She'll be feeling fragile too. Give her a break FFS

Sounds awful. I have been recently for similar issues. She listened, asked questions and gave me her full attention. Notes done when I left I presume. Poor practice.

potatoscone, I checked the definition too. You’re wrong.

Erm, I know.

@potatoscone - yes, I know that ignorant does not mean ignoring someone. I mentioned it because it sounds as if the OP feels her GP ignored her, and it was this behaviour she felt was rude/ignorant.

However, used colloquially, ignorant does not solely refer to one person (rudely) ignoring another, but is also used to refer to other rude behaviours.

In any case, the OP’s meaning was perfectly clear - that she felt that the doctor’s behaviour was rude and unacceptable - and therefore your comment about the use of the word ignorant was, at best, unnecessary pedantry.

Why do people keep saying the GP gave OP what she wanted??? Did OP walk in and demand antidepressants? I doubt it. I expect the GP thought that would be a quick fix get rid of the patient solution.

When I went to the GP with a similar story she listened, held my hand, passed tissues, and wrote down some different options for me to go home and think about. She also asked me to book a follow up appointment for the following week. She’s one of 10 GPs in a crazy busy surgery.
I would have been more than a little disconcerted if she had immediately handed me a prescription without discussing why she felt that to be the right course of action.

Every doctor I've seen in the last 5 years have all been like this.

I feel like the word ignorant gets used incorrectly sometimes.
I don't think this is being ignorant, but perhaps just a little tactless.

Eye contact is very important for some, not so for others.

I don't see how this connects up with a dictionary definition of "ignorant". Totally understand you not feeling happy though, especially if you need more handholding. You should change GPs and find someone you feel is suitably attentive.

This is approach is reasonably fine for mild stuff, but not for delivering bad news or MH stuff.

She sounds incredibly ignorant OP. People are sometimes afraid to change GP's because of histories, notes etc., but in this case I'd be looking for a new one, particularly because of the issue you were seeing her about..

I don't see how this connects up with a dictionary definition of ignorant

lacking knowledge or awareness in general; or secondary meaning ''discourteous or rude'.

There is more than one type of awareness, the GP demonstrated a complete lack of emotional intelligence in this scenario, she also showed a complete lack of learned knowledge - I am pretty sure GP's are given a 'heads up' on basic patient practice particularly when MH is involved. And personally I always use this term as the secondary meaning, as all is intertwined.

I would change GPs. A discussion is necessary in this situation to see how you feel about counselling vs anti depressants. Often your GP can refer you to counselling although you do have to wait. They are very busy though and don't have a lot of time. Could you book a double appointment next time? What about looking for counselling for yourself OP. Places like Age UK do counselling in some areas for the community.

potato to actually talk back to me would have been a start , and to offer some sort of empathy or reassurance ? It’s very, very hard to discuss suicidality and what’s led you there when the other person is clicking away at a keyboard and just ‘mm’ing occasionally . She could have offered me a tissue , as trivial as that sounds when you are that distraught sometimes you just want to know someone cares and that you aren’t just a number in their appointment book with your allocated ten minutes and shopping list of options .

I work in a patient facing role and I’d be out of my job if that was the extent of my communication skills .

I can associate with this OP. I'm 50 and prided myself on the fact that I'd NEVER been ill, apart from colds and hangovers of course. About a year ago I had sharp pains in my chest and went to see the GP. I expected the GP to be super attentive as I'd never seen her before but she spent most of the consultation asking daft questions (how much do you drink, that kind of stuff) and typing on the computer.
Turns out I had pleurisy (when I took a deep breath my lungs rubbed together painfully, but nothing to worry about) but filling in the forms on the computer seemed to be the #1 priority for the GP.

I think gp's have a very hard job here. a went through a period of severe depression albeit i didnt recognise it at the time and told myself it was stress. I decided it was a waste of time seeing the gp for 10 minutes as they cant really process your history and issues/ background like old family gps may have done in the past. In my case that was not a good decision as i ended up in hospital after a suicide attempt lost my job and have never really recovered. Even seeing gps afterwards i always had a sense that they couldnt keep up with notes and letters and so on with appointments being so short but you could push for urgent referrals to mental health teams and if for example you told them you were seriously considering suicide every day they do have a duty of care and wouldn't have allowed you to leave. They know better than anyone that antidepressants take weeks to work and can be dangerous in the interim as they can increase energy levels but not mood. frustrating as it is i try and bear in mind that gp services are in crisis like a lot of public services and gps can apparently work 14 hour days and are only human too.

I expected the GP to be super attentive

Eh, how was she supposed to know you pride yourself on never being ill?

My family members find our one of our GPs rude, but I never see this. Think we have different expectations. I know GPs have back to back appointments so I get straight to the point. If my appointment takes longer than 10 minutes, I'm apologetic as I should have booked a longer slot. They appreciate it when patients don't take GP's time for granted.

To the OP, whilst they do have to check info online, type up notes, she should have made an effort to make eye contact and listen to you as it was related to depression.

It does feel like a kick in the teeth when you finally build up your courage and the GP is completely uninterested (or seems it) .

MH is very different to other sort of illnesses and I'd expect a GP to appreciate that- I don't expect to have them staring at me like this cat! but occasionally glancing and a bit of sympathy isn't too much to ask for really.

Bit weird that OP posted about a GP’s attitude towards her mental health and people are giving dictionary definitions of her choice of adjective...
GP’s are very hard-pressed and many of them stressed and depressed but evidence of some people skills in a patient-facing role isn’t a huge ask. Remember the ‘hello my name is’ nhs initiative? Anyway, OP, incase its of help here is a link with advice about GP appointments for mental health issues and specifically what to do if you feel you have not been heard or you want another opinion: www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/gp-visit-guide/

Ask to see the nurse practioner at you clinic, in my opinion they have a lot more time and care more. GP’s are sadly on a timer to meet goals