To complain about this GP?

[stripeyronnie]

I have just had a telephone consultation with a GP and can't believe how unprofessional and angry he was, I'm considering complaining but not sure if IBU.
Sorry this will be long.
DS is 13days old. I was readmitted to hospital a couple of days ago and because of his age he came too. Whilst there he started showing various signs of reflux- screaming after feeds, projectile vomiting and being unsettled for a couple of hours after each feed. The midwife arranged for him to be examined by a paediatrician who diagnosed reflux and suggested gaviscon. All familiar so far as his elder sister was exactly the same. The doctor said though she couldn't prescribe this as DS wasn't technically an inpatient, so she would contact my gp and ask them to. The midwife also called the gp's reception to confirm. Today the gp receptionist said they couldn't prescribe for him as he is not registered and can't be registered until he has a birth certificate- this can't happen before Friday which is the earliest registration appointment I could get. From speaking to a gp friend I realised this was wrong and he can be registered without a birth certificate so today I went into the practice. The receptionist registered him, albeit with me having to push a bit, and said gp would need to call me before prescribing. I got a call a couple of hours later from a gp who I don't know well essentially ranting at me, he said that he was being expected to prescribe for a baby who was under 2 weeks old and had never been seen and could have xyz of horrendous conditions causing the reflux (he named them, I can't remember what they were). He hadn't heard from the paediatrician. I felt like he was accusing me of trying to dodge the correct protocol whereas I feel like I'm just trying to get my baby the medicine he needs. I had to stop his rant by suggesting that perhaps he should examine the baby if that would make him more comfortable. He agreed and this seemed to calm him down. I have always had a good relationship with this practice and know them well due to having a son with a complex heart condition, although have had a question mark over this doctor's professionalism before when he once answered a call to his wife and argued with her during my appointment!
So WIBU to complain about his manner or are my fluctuating hormones causing me to take this too seriously?!

I think the GP is correct.

You can complain about his manners yes if you feel this was unnecessary in how he spoke to you. It is ok to do that, even if he was having a bad day he should not have been rude to you and you will her an apology

(This is my job, area, remit of complaint resolution)

But he wasn’t clinically incorrect in not wanting to prescribe anything for a patient he has not seen. This is not good practice, for future reference all GP’s would be reluctant to do this. I would not argue against this element, it was his delivery that wasn’t correct.

*get an

Also a paediatrician calling about an unregistered child probably would not have got the message to a GP. Sorry they should not have got your hopes up and advised you actually book an appointment

I think the GP is right though. Especially with such a young child if he is prescribing he needs to be sure he is prescribing the right thing for the right condition.

I don't disagree with needing an appointment and never suggested that I wasn't prepared to bring him for one. I was just passing on the message. What he could have done was call and say I need to examine him before prescribing, rather than ranting at me about the protocol and telling me my baby could have had various serious conditions?

I have no idea who was right about the prescription but the GP should not have spoken to you like that. You can buy infant gaviscon over the counter if that helps

I think he was just trying to make his point about why it isn’t safe for him to do as you requested

GP here - hospital dr should have prescribed, doesn't matter if he was an inpatient or not, if he was officially assessed they can do a prescription, same as they would for a clinic patient.
Not appropriate at all to pass on the responsibility to a dr who hasn't even assessed.

Not excusing the gps manner by the way.

As a hospital Dr, I can confirm the Dr who assessed your baby could have prescribed for the baby. In fact, I would go as far as say she should have if she felt the patient she had seen required the medication- or sent immediate communication (in our trust can be done via online system) or a written note explaining her examination findings, clinical impression and recommendation(s). Not doing so is passing the buck somewhat. The excuse of he is not an inpatient doesn’t wash- she was asked to assess and did so, as a consequence she has taken clinical responsibility. GP’s do get irritated when this sort of thing happens. But he was wrong to have been rude and if you wish to complain about his attitude then do so.

The GP was correct not to prescribe without seeing the baby, particularly in the absence of any communication from the hospital Dr.

Projectile vomiting in a neonate is pyloric stenosis (a medical emergency) until proven otherwise, and I can only imagine the outcry if it turned out to be this and the GP had prescribed on this third hand advice.

The paediatrician was very likely to be a junior doctor, as a consultant would be well aware of the correct protocol.

None of this excuses how you were spoken to - you could certainly complain about this, but not on clinical grounds.

Thanks all, agree there is nothing clinical that is wrong here- I'm a vet and also wouldn't prescribe without seeing a patient. I think I will just give gp a wide berth in the future but won't make a complaint.

It’s August. It could have easily been a registrar!

No if he was rude you are within your rights to complain. When I receive a complaint about approach in this way I would always discuss it with the person in question, and make them aware of how the person felt when it happened.

He was rude, but he was right to say what he said.