My GP was literally angry and told me off..

[Sofi88]

I'm losing sleep over this, so hope someone has any advice. I went to my GP yesterday, I'm 27 weeks pregnant and have been feeling extremely run down and have had achy legs for over a week. It's become so bad that I even struggle to walk up stairs. One leg has also suddenly gone very purple, due to clear veins and spider veins, that have appeared out of nowhere. I thought I might be anaemic, as that happened to me when I was pregnant with DD.

Anyway, as I got in, it was clear that he was in a bad mood. DD was with me and she wanted him to say hello to her teddy and he didn't even look at her. I told him my symptoms and he said "why are you here? You should be seing a midwife". I said my next appointment with her is in two weeks. He then went on a rant about how I was now in the midwife's care, due to pregnancy, and that I shouldn't go to the GP for things anymore. The midwife should be the first stop. Then he went on for ages about the different types of funding given to midwives, compared to doctors, and basically, in so many words, said I was taking advantage of the wrong type of funding.

I told him my midwife is very far away, so it's hard to go see her apart from the set appointments. There is no midwife in my area, and the nearest one is quite far away. When I said this, he said "this is not about what is more convenient for you". He then said that for some people it might be very convenient to go to A&E with a cold, but that doesn't mean it's right.. I asked if I could get the blood test anyway, and he eventually said "yes, but I don't see the point".

I left feeling distraught and shocked. He was literally angry! No joke! DD needed the toilet, and whilst in there with her I burst into tears, and couldn't stop crying. I tried to speak to the lady in reception, but couldn't get a word out as I was crying so much. Luckily, a female doctor happened to be in the reception at that time as told me to come to her office. I still struggled to speak, but eventually told her what had happened and she said the other doctor was wrong and that I was perfectly entitled to see the GP that day. She even said that I can come there for anything, even stuff that's pregnancy related. She understood that the midwife is far away, and said that they actually do have a local midwife, but that she's on maternity leave and hasn't been replaced.

I'm now wondering whether to formally make a complaint against the angry GP. You'd think pregnant women should be entitled to more care, not less! Anyone can become anaemic, and they are supposed to see their GP for that, so why can't a pregnant woman? How am I supposed to know what I can see my GP for, and what I can't? If I break my leg am I supposed to call the midwife? If not then how am I supposed to know where to draw the line? And how the hell am I supposed to know about the different types of NHS funding?! Or is complaining a bit over the top?

Complain
I had a doctor that told me I wasn't neutropenic. I said "yes, not at present because I am on GCSF injections"
Him "so you don't have neutropenia"
Me "well yes, that's why I go to haematology every 12 weeks. If a diabetic uses insulin and has normal blood sugars, they're still diabetic"
Him "well you can't have that type, it's one that only children get"
Me "yes, it definitely is, they tested my bloods at bristol 3 times"

Long story short he ended up ringing my consultant who was not very happy and said that yes I do have that type, yes I do still have neutropenia and I knew my conditioner very well so please listen to me

This is because I needed antibiotics, if I hadn't got them then I was at risk of neutropenic sepsis

While I appreciate that the NHS is in a stricken state ATM ,and have sympathy for the many people working there ,this is just plain rudeness!Many Doctors seem to be able to cope without reducing anyone to tears!.My own Doctor is really cool and laid back ,and tells a little joke to help me relax!. This guy really has an attitude problem big time !.

CleopatraTomato what a spiteful post you should be ashamed of yourself.

It’s the same across most surgeries but this was a failure by the reception staff making the appointment or the website that didn’t display the warning. He shouldn’t have yelled but should have asked you to rebook with your midwife and to go to the ADAU or Labour ward for urgent problems. The reason why is that you need specialist advice for pretty much everything during pregnancy - even the standard dvt blood tests the GP would offer aren’t suitable for pregnant women. That’s why community midwives tend to refer most things to a consultant rather than a GP. I think you should make the complaint but next time also ask for the surgery to be clear about the procedure for booking appointments during pregnancy

Perhaps we should delete the notion that the nhs is free and we should be grateful for rubbish service and sub-optimal care.

We should all complain. Every time. Until this behemoth that is free only at the point of delivery improves - left, right, up, down and all the way round.

The attitude was disgraceful and no amount of stress excuses it. If I spoke to a stakeholder like that my job would be at risk.

I've had exactly the same in pregnancy, one of my legs is purple and blue. I mentioned it during a hospital.antenatal appointment and the consultant looked at it, took it seriously and prescribed anti clotting injections for 6+ weeks. I would have felt just as upset to be treated like you were.

Ask for an appointment with the practice manager.

Complain. He sounds horrendous. Don't buy the 'maybe he's stressed' line - so what if he is? Does he behave like this when patients are male, over 6 feet tall, and strong enough to lamp him? Or when he has meetings with senior colleagues he's trying to impress? Doubt it. More likely he saw a run-down, pregnant mum as an easy target. I have had so many experiences with misogynistic male GPs that I only see female GPs now, if at all possible.

He way way out of line. You were there for help, not to listen to his abusive rant. Definitely complain. Just state what happened matter of fact. Someone will pull him up or suggest he take a holiday which is probably what he needs.

He didn't even listen to you and didn't want to. A very common problem women patients have.

Agree with having your leg looked at properly and hopefully you can have a scan.

Ok so I've asked no less than 6 midwives that are good friends and they've ALL said if you went to them with this they'd send you to a doctor. A couple said things along the lines of 'this isn't a pregnancy issue, why would they think to come to us first?'

Contact the practice manager. No way was this in any way acceptable.

1. GPs are, still, the gatekeepers to the rest of the NHS. (It's not like Germany where you often decide in advance what medical professional you need and go straight to them.)

1. Your surgery will have a complaints procedure. GP surgeries are now businesses and in effect, GPs are business people now. They are, however, still subject to the NHS Constitution as far as I know.

1. Find his GMC number at www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/the-medical-register

1. More details of formal processes at www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-to-complain-if-youre-unhappy-with-your-gp-or-gp-surgery - there are also details of Healthwatch on there, who are absolutely on the side of patients.

1. Our GP practice is one of the busiest in town. The doctors are always overworked. There is only one who's a wee bit gruff on occasion, and even then, he's never rude or dismissive.

Good luck! (And with the pregnancy and baby, when s/he arrives.)

Bless you OP. His attitude was disgusting and very unprofessional. You did the right thing to go and see a doctor. If you haven't already, I'd complain complain complain!!!!
Hope you feel better soon

Although I understand where he is coming from...as a person in the medical field I know how funding works and who you’re suppose to see etc. however, even though you may have been in the wrong to see him, he was in the wrong to not just simply explain that next time maybe go to the midwife or call in to ask if it’s okay. He was wrong to not be professional and have attitude.

The prior leg is very concerning and would have freaked me out enough to go in as well

Every poster saying it’s not the OPs responsibility to look out for the GP and his stress is of course totally right, it’s not her job.

But, complaining primarily about his behaviour will achieve nothing good. Seriously, for the complainant the only outcome of a complaint that boils down to “bad attitude” is a formulaic letter of apology. The GP at best, from the professional point of view, will do some reflection, write about it and discuss it with peers etc. (Unless there does prove to be some actual clinical negligence resulting in actual harm, which isn’t clear at all here despite the speculation that a DVT might have been missed). Personally the impact on the GP could be enormous, and on the practice and other patients if there is prolonged sick leave etc.

It’s not victim blaming or asking too much of @Sofi88 to suggest a more emotionally intelligent response that might have better outcomes for everyone involved -her as a patient of the NHS, the population being served (or underserved) by midwifery services and perhaps the GP too i.e. a complaint about the lack of cover for the midwife in mat leave, addressing how this may have led to this terrible encounter.

We all own and depend on the NHS, if we want it to be better we need to think smarter about how we use it and depend on it (and complain about it). A complaint directed at this one person rather than the system that caused the problem will achieve nothing good for anyone. It will focus on him and get swept away and no enquiry will get to the real cause. Nothing can go that far because that problem (chronic under-resourcing) is too big to solve under the current government.

Incidentally, his response was absolutely classic for the burn out in circumstances where you are just asked to do more and more without the resources. Some of you suggest this is total guesswork and speculation, but it’s clear there are some experienced people here who see it exactly for what it is.

Definitely complain, there is no excuse for the way he treated you. Hope you are ok xx

I am very sorry that this has happened to you. It would have been very upsetting and could have reduced anyone to tears. Disgusting behaviour from the doctor. As patients, few of us know much about how NHS funding works (or doesn't, as the case may be) we rely on them to guide us and point us in the right direction. That doesn't give them licence to rant and snarl and take their frustrations out on us.

Definitely complain. Yes, he may be very stressed and burnt out, but there really is no excuse for speaking to you like that, and those are not minor complaints you went in to see him with. You may be anaemic. Anaemia can be caused by pregnancy of course, but it isn't always and can have many causes. There was every reason why you needed the blood tests.

I hope you have managed to get yourself seen now by a more reasonable person.

But, complaining primarily about his behaviour will achieve nothing good.

How so? What you say next contradicts that.

The GP at best, from the professional point of view, will do some reflection, write about it and discuss it with peers etc.

This is a good outcome. Perhaps this reflection will improve his behaviour in the long run.

I don’t get this attitude that people should sit back and do nothing if treated badly. All it does is perpetuate bad practice.

But, complaining primarily about his behaviour will achieve nothing good

Bollocks. His behaviour was shit and unacceptable. Of course she should complain about it. If the complaint makes him apologise (unlikely) or at least think twice before launching into such rants at patients in the future (hopefully) then the complaint will have achieved its objective.

Glad you are going to complain OP. At least it will be down on record somewhere and if a lot of complaints are made, I would be surprised if there was no comeback at all. He may be stressed but should not be taking it out on his patients.

With the physical symptoms you describe, I would have thought the gp was the first port of call. I imagine, if you had gone to your midwife first, she would have told you to go and see your gp!

Please don't listen to Cleopatra - there is always one in these threads

Please get your leg seen to, I had severe Pre-eclampsia and a post natal dvt with dd1. It was a long time ago, but echoing what midwives have said upthread, I mentioned a swollen leg to my midwife, who told me to go to my gp. I was referred up to the dvt clinic at the hodpital by the gp.

It is not ok for a gp to reduce a patient to tears, whatever the reason. I hope it gets sorted, I imagine the other gp and a complaint might help.

Sounds like he’s a GP on the verge of quitting with all the pressures on the service, but that is absolutely not your fault and no reason to take it out on you, no matter what is going on in his personal life. There should be more patient education by the whole team if they genuine want you to se your midwife first for everything.

I hope you got your leg looked at today properly to rule out a DVT.

I would definitely raise it with the practice manager. Whatever the reasons behind his attitude, you never know who else he saw that day and spoke to like that, and the knock on effects it can have.

I would leave it tbh. Yes he’s a GP but he’s human too and could have been having a horrific day. If it happens again then I would complain but a once off I would let go.

I once went into an appointment where the GP bit my head off for no reason at all, as I was walking out he shouted me back and apologised. Turns out he had verified a death 30 minutes before and was feeling awful about it.

Everyone has off days. Be kind