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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

GP (Doctor) visits

50 replies

bridgetjonesmassivepants · 06/02/2019 15:46

Does your GP offer home visits?

I asked for one and you would think I'd asked for the moon on a stick!

OP posts:
WarIsPeace · 06/02/2019 15:47

For housebound patients and palliative care, yes. But not for others, like almost all surgeries these days. They can see a lot more patients in the time it takes to make visits.

Is there a reason you felt they should offer a visit?

ChimpyChops · 06/02/2019 15:48

Yes they do, when warranted. My OH goes to elderly nursing homes/own homes, end of life plus anybody who cannot get to the surgery by any means.
We also get home visits at work for the residents, however only when they cannot get there.

ghostyslovesheets · 06/02/2019 15:49

yes - for people who can't attend the practice for health reasons

bigbluebus · 06/02/2019 15:50

My DM used to get them - but only after DF died and she was housebound. (lived 2 miles from the surgery)
I also had them occasionally for my DD when she was very ill - but that was usually at a point when she was also too ill to sit up and was on oxygen and at a point where she probably needed to be admitted to hospital. (live 1/2 mile from surgery)
For anything else you have to drag yourself around to the surgery.

dietcokemegafan · 06/02/2019 15:50

I'm a GP, we visit those who are bedbound or terminally ill. No time to visit others. You can get private GP visits for £150 or so.

Why did you want a visit?

NerrSnerr · 06/02/2019 15:51

Our surgery only do home visits for housebound and palliative patients.

welshweasel · 06/02/2019 15:52

Yes, for the genuinely housebound, terminally ill or nursing home residents. Not for unwell children or otherwise fit adults though. It’s a poor use of resources and it’s much safer to assess a patient in the surgery than it is at home.

Why do you need a home visit?

pleasepleasebequiet · 06/02/2019 15:54

In Scotland it's part of our contract to provide home visits - but it's for housebound patients. Housebound due to true ill health not a lack of transport or it being raining etc. We always find it amazing that some patients are "housebound" but can make it to the hairdresser and church Wink

ChimpyChops · 06/02/2019 15:58

By any means - I meant bedbound/housebound. Not just lack of transport.

Why did you need a house visit?

Mia1415 · 06/02/2019 15:59

Yes, but only if the person physically can't get to the surgery due to their condition.

The GP has come out to my DM twice in the past week as she is bedbound. They always do a phone consultation first and then come out if it is deemed necessary.

Home visits take much longer than a normal appointment so it makes sense to only do them when absolutely necessary.

dannydyerismydad · 06/02/2019 16:05

All the time. If you live in Leatherbridge.

Chickenvindasaag · 06/02/2019 16:06

Bedbound or palliative only. As it should be.

SandunesAndRainclouds · 06/02/2019 16:08

I’ve never requested one so wouldn’t know. I would expect the same as PPs though, our GP resources are so stretched they barely have time to see patients in surgery without adding on travel time.

dementedpixie · 06/02/2019 16:09

My mum has had them but only because she was bed bound due to pneumonia/uti

whereisthebloodypostman · 06/02/2019 16:13

Yeah for the elderly mainly. Not for healthy young/middle aged people with the cold/sore foot etc

BarbedBloom · 06/02/2019 16:14

I have had a bad flare up of my RA and am stuck in bed at the moment, but my GP only do home visits for elderly or terminal patients. I did ask for a telephone consultation but there aren’t any slots for weeks and I can’t get naproxen without seeing someone. It isn’t ideal but it is because they are so stretched

Hiphopopotamous · 06/02/2019 16:14

If a usually well youngish person is too unwell to go to the GP, they more than likely need to be admitted to hospital via ambulance.

As PPs, I'm happy to see the genuinely housebound or palliative, or on a quiet day the very elderly who struggle getting about.

Becles · 06/02/2019 16:16

A friend is fuming that her GP wouldn't come out to see her. Couldn't go to the surgery because the baby's naptime was at the same time as surgery hours.

Isleepinahedgefund · 06/02/2019 16:17

My surgery is very strict about who they offer them to. Basically you have to be very old, housebound or dead for them to come round.

apostropheuse · 06/02/2019 16:29

I think it's been the case for many years that only palliative or housebound patients got house calls. 19/20 years ago my parents both had terminal illnesses at the same time, the GP told me to tell the Receptionist that they were "Priority Patients" if I phoned looking for a housecall.

HungryHippoMummy · 06/02/2019 17:20

Not very often but if really necessary they do. I'm disabled with a chronic illness and as an adult I've only ever had two home visits from my GP (one the day after I was discharged from hospital after blood poisoning as part of my follow up care, and one when I had proper flu and couldn't stand). I wouldn't have got either of those if I didn't have a disability.

PinkDaffodil2 · 06/02/2019 17:26

Of course, for end of life patients or those who can’t leave the house. We keep a register of housebound patients. Has yours refused?

lazyarse123 · 06/02/2019 17:37

Ours came to my son as he lives alone and has severe anxiety and depression. He'd hurt his back and hadn't been out of bed for about 3 weeks. I must have sounded worried when I rang because they turned up within 10 minutes and it was a good thing because he had a blood clot.
I rang for an appointment before xmas as I was really unwell and she said they had no appts for nearly 3 weeks so I asked for a visit, funnily enough she found me an appt that afternoon. I ended up off work for nearly a month.
I think they only came to see my son as they knew his history.

Dolallytats · 06/02/2019 17:37

I'm severely agoraphobic and can't get to the surgery. I'm not allowed home visits, although I am allowed telephone appts which are also hard to get.

babysharkah · 06/02/2019 17:45

Would depend entirely on the reason in our practice.