Why are people avoiding the doctor?

[Howdidido]

Based on this article but also my GP keeps putting out messages saying call us if you need us
Are people avoiding the doctor because they're scared of catching CV or dont want to put strain on the system or are people really just not hurting themselves as much?
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/23/accident-and-emergency-department-coronavirus-hospital-serious-conditions

My GP has said several times that the rationale for such extreme measures at the GP surgery, is, in part to ensure that it can remain infection free TO be operational for those that need it, when they need it. Not just for emergencies etc, but those with chronic conditions or a need to see a doctor should continue to utilise phone and video appointments. Our local surgery is no more overrun than usual at all and has a full staff. They opened on the easter weekend to support the needs of the community.

There is no strain put on the nhs from you calling the surgery and asking whether it is possible to speak to a gp, if it sounds like it isn't I'm sure you would be told so. I avoid going because I hate it but my GP has been calling me fortnightly and asking me to book in regular phone appointments.

I only knew my doctor was open because of this site! I had assumed it was closed. When I did have to ring they are not ‘seeing’ anyone. They are doing telephone consultations but when my partner had a health issue that required someone to physically see the ailment they weren’t able to do that. Same for my friend who has a dermatological issue. They can talk about it on the phone but can’t see her

Sounds like they won't, not can't. If someone has a mole on their leg they need to see it. A photo might be enough if they make the necessary referral. But they should absolutely be seeing people if they can't make an assessment over the phone or by video call.

I am hypothyroid and overdue my annual blood test to check my thyroxine dose but don’t want to bother them.

@HandfulofDust and PurpleDaisies thank you for urging me to do what I knew I ought to!! I have phoned the doctors surgery to be told that there are no appointments left for today and i need to phone at 8am Monday to get a telephone appointment for that day. Will try Monday

I went to the doctor yesterday. I rang and she triaged me on the phone and told me to come in and be checked. Our surgery door is closed , so rang buzzer and was let in , only one person allowed in waiting room. I was seen and left all very efficient.

@Blobby10 - another nagging about the mole... please get it looked at!! I was diagnosed with Malignant Melanoma 2 years ago. The dermatologist said I was extremely lucky as it was thin enough to "just" have a wide excision. I'm not a sun worshipper either, rarely go abroad, would never sun bathe. However I'm fair, strawberry blonde and freckly.

Please let us know how you get on

Don't be afraid to call the Dr if you need to, they can advise over the phone or if need be pass you on to a consultant. As far as I'm aware, & according to the Macmillan website cancer appointments have been cancelled until further notice & they cannot give a timescale due to the virus.

I'm not avoiding the doctor. If I need an appointment I ring them and speak to a doctor. They can give advice over the phone, and send a pescription to my local chemist. They are seeing people, it's just that the point they are considering that you need to be seen is higher than it normally is.

@FrameByFrame
GP are absolutely still seeing patients . Here GPs are running a Covid red site for assessing respiratory symptoms , we are running a covid visiting team for unwell people in the community, a care home visiting team as well as running our own surgeries . We are trying to do everything we can via telephone and video link to reduce virus transmission, especially within nursing homes , but there are times when we do have to visit .
Most GPs that were part time where I work have increased hours over the last few weeks to support these teams
Most of us are very aware that people are staying away hence please ring with symptoms such as moles etc . None of us want serious illness to be missed
I find photos of skin conditions very helpful . A lot of GP surgeries now have e consults embedded in their website so if you are not sure you can fill this in and attach photos

My sister works in non-covid A&E at the moment. She is seeing far fewer "this could/should have been dealt with at home" cases which tend to clog the system up but also more people who should have sought medical help sooner.

One of my relatives is a regular at the GP - rather than booking a double appointment to discuss her niggles she goes what seems like weekly (and moans if the GP is running late due to time wasters).

I think people are really thinking a bit more about if their ailment really requires a GP's attention or if it can be dealt with by non-prescription medication. But, serious stuff does need to go to A&E or GP, dont not go if you need to!

I know my doctors surgery regardless of covid always do phone consultations and for dermatological stuff basically the doctor said they're not particularly qualified to tell if it was an issue or not so you'd be referred to a nurse in the GP office for a dermascope which would be sent to a dermatologist and then you get the results back (and referred immediately for treatment if necessary). It was all very efficient - shame it doesn't seem to be a national scheme.

Because the Government told them to stay home to protect the NHS and gave the impression that the NHS was likely to collapse and there would be people dying in hospital corridors and in the streets.

Told to 'phone 111 and not the GP and not to go to GPs or hospital if having symptoms of COVID. And if they do call 111 they're often advised to stay put unless they have very serious symptoms.

Investigations, surgeries and cancer treatments cancelled.

Then they're surprised that people didn't realise that the NHS wasn't collapsing and you should still ask for help.

@TimeForChange123

People were told to stay home except for essential trips for food or medical reasons or exercise. So there was no advice not to seek medical help. If we hadn't stayed home there would have been scenes of people dying in hospital corridors as there have been elsewhere.

Are people avoiding the doctor because they're scared of catching CV or dont want to put strain on the system or are people really just not hurting themselves as much?

Yes to both, but more that people have absorbed the message that the NHS is under pressure and they think that means you don't seek medical attention unless your leg is literally hanging off, or you're having a heart attack.

I had to take my toddler to minor injuries a couple of weeks ago and we were literally the only patients there. Normally you can be waiting a good couple of hours. But she had her X rays within 20 minutes of arrival. Cast on and out the door in less than 45 minutes. Absolutely great for us of course.

Fuck off with your shame FramebyFrame.

My friend is a GP, very heavily pregnant so indeed not seeing patients face to face but still consulting with them by phone. Her colleague is imunosuppressed due to medication so has been told to shield. He too is continuing to work, but by telephone. Their remaining gp colleague is doing the home visits that need doing, seeing their patients face to face that need seeing and doing their shifts at the hot site for them, with a locum doing backfill in surgery when needed.

So two GPs are working in the only safe way and one is going above and beyond to see infectious people.

Fuck right off with your shame.

Oh and before going to minor injuries I did phone my GP, but they had a voice message saying that all injuries should be seen by minor injuries or a+e. I'm assuming so they have less face to face patients

I think because all the media are saying about how stressed the NHS is, how difficult the frontline workers are finding it, how much he NHS doesnt have space and that we need to "save the NHS". So they feel they're wasting doctors time and valuable space in the NHS if they go in for something that could wait.

My husband needs an urgent ECG and other tests - his GP has told him he's unable to refer him to the hospital due to Covid.

I am sick of hearing about 'hospital avoidance' when my experience is that you can't get near a hospital unless you have Coronavirus.

Make no mistake - I would not mind a consistent message that all but immediate life or death must be put on hold - but I keep seeing these news articles quoting high-ups in the NHS wittering on about 'hospital avoidance ' by people with other ailments, and it's complete bollocks.

I rang my doctor for an appointment as i kept getting dizzy and figured i would just be asked some lifestyle questions and be called in for blood tests, i wasn't offered blood tests i was told to go to A&E. I stressed that I didn't want to go there unnecessarily as I have bad asthma but was reassured it would be very quiet, safe procedures were in place etc.

When i got there i found it to be quite the opposite.

i was there for 12 hours, had blood tests, blood pressure, blood sugar tests done and then sent home.

I was astounded at the amount of people that were in A&E with "minor" issues that could have been seen by a GP but the people in there were told their GP's were just referring everyone to A&E if it was something that needed to be looked at and not necessarily life threatening/urgent.

There was over 40 people in there at one point - all sat next to each other, people coughing and sneezing in close proximity, all with friends and relatives, only about 1/4 people wearing masks - doctors touching peoples faces then touching other peoples faces without changing gloves or sanitising.

The reason i was in there so long is because genuinely urgent cases were coming in needing treatment and no beds were available for other patients so they were understandably being treated first and other people were left to sit there for hours and hours. We weren't allowed to leave and come back in so i hadn't eaten for over 14 hours.

Most horrendous experience.

I honestly don't know why this came as a surprise to anyone. The over 80's take up most of the hospital capacity presenting at A&E and at GP's. They have been told to stay at home.

I had infected eczema and did an online consultation. Sent pictures, told them I thought it was infected and said I thought I needed antibiotic cream. Doctor rang me back and agreed it looked infected and prescribed oral antibiotics rather than the cream. It was all very efficient.

However yesterday I had problems with my leg giving way suddenly and this morning woke up and my right arm and right leg were numb. It took about half an hour for the sensation to come back. I'm thinking it's a pinched nerve but in the back of my mind I'm worrying it's something else. Normally I might have made a non- urgent appointment to talk to doctor but not keen on doing this in the current situation as I don't want to use up resources and also don't want to risk catching anything from sitting in the waiting room.

I don't need a GP, I need a dentist. Dentists aren't allowed to be even be open, though. (sigh)

I have been feeling unwell (breathless) for about a week but waived it off. Then when it got bad I phoned 111 thinking I might have Covid. They said 'no, call doctor'. Called doctor and was told 'Go to A&E as you will need an xray'. 'Really?' I said, 'Are they not too busy?'

Anyway I went in there on Tuesday and there was no-one there so got seen straight away. I told the receptionist I felt guilty being there and he said 'no, you are in the right place'. Turned out I had a chronic Pulmonary Embolism with a large clot on the major artery into the lung. Am still here under the most brilliant care. But it was deffo 'I don't want to bother the NHS at this time' which delayed me doing anything about it.

Apparently they see five Pulmonary Embolisms each week, but now down to one per week, so they are worried that people are going to be very ill or dying at home due to the reluctance to come to A&E.

@lljkk my OH is a dentist and he is so frustrated at the lack of guidance both from BDA and NHS about what he can and cant do and when he can get back to work! Apart from the money side of it, he is getting several calls a day from patients in agony and all he can do is prescribe. He has seen a couple face to face in desperation but couldn't do any work on them. He feels so helpless especially as a lot of his patients are over 50 and he's been treating them for his entire working life of 30 years! He does quite a few domiciliary visits too for very elderly or immobile patients and really feels sorry for these.

Hope your teeth aren't too horrendous.