Utterly frustrated at not being able to see a GP?

[ismiseeire]

My health is detiorating! Sorry, in pain, so not a long explanatory post.

Can you try an econsult

Via the surgery website

@Jenthefredo

My friend sadly found a family member dead at home. She phoned the gp surgery to get a dr to certify death and was told to check for a pulse and to take a photograph of the body and send it I don't even have the words.

That is utterly awful.

@Jenthefredo

My friend sadly found a family member dead at home. She phoned the gp surgery to get a dr to certify death and was told to check for a pulse and to take a photograph of the body and send it I don't even have the words.

That’s just horrific

@SecretDoor

Can you try an econsult

yes, you get a one liner in response. Usually 'prescription sent to pharmacy'. Prescription for what? I need to talk to you!

schroedinger
Hard to believe isn't it?
In Britain in the 21st century?
We don't live in a huge city either...there is just NO excuse.
I'm pretty sure its not even legal...

It's like a lucky dip when I then get the prescriptions. 'Ooh, what goodies have they sent me now?' Fucking getting ridiculous.

It's probably another postcode lottery. I seemed to have really lovely doctors and dentists when I lived down south.

Why doesn’t everyone write to their MPs and the health secretary (people with the power) and get them to treat GP staff better and find better services so that they can RECRUIT enough bloody staff. I write often but strength in numbers and all that. Individual GPs and receptionist have very little power over the situation - they’re just trying to solve an impossible riddle of an appointment book.

^same for dentists - I’m just one NHS dentist trying by best but there are only so many hours in the day and not enough staff / services for the demand

I've had to call the GP twice and been seen after a phone call.

However dh kept being fobbed off with "it's a virus" despite being in hospital a few weeks before with a blocked bile duct. I made him call out of hours or I would take him to A&E. the out of hours dr took one look at his notes, called him back, then contacted his consultant and had him sent to the ward where a perforated gall bladder/abscess on the liver was diagnosed, this led to sepsis the next day.

I want to complain at them not taking someone who is never ill seriously. Dh doesn't as he now has direct access to the ward.

My mum had similar issues with my dad which led to a missed cancer diagnosis.

@Dugee thankfully I’ve got a script but it’s just to know what’s actually wrong and why . Receptionist just said - in the car park of surgery - you’ve some sort of vaginal infection, they think your cervix is inflamed and that’s why you’re bleeding, oh and you have a bit of a UTI too, so here’s the script and you’ll be fine soon - I’d rather a GP or nurse told me so I could ask questions !!

Maybe the 10s of thousands of GP vacancies (cus it’s such an easy and overpaid job...) are affecting the service???

And I say this as a chronic pain sufferer who receives atrocious care - but I can see the bigger picture and where the issues lie, and it isn’t with a few dodgy practice managers or a few uninterested GPs.

@Allsizes8to14 me too! I’m an optician and can’t believe we were working through the January peak, come one come all, routine and non urgent etc, the reason being we are ‘healthcare’ yet so many GPs weren’t seeing patients!

@NommyChompers

Maybe the 10s of thousands of GP vacancies (cus it’s such an easy and overpaid job...) are affecting the service???

If they're not providing a general practice service, fuck it, that's not my fault as a patient.

I believe you. DP is dying because Covid delayed his diagnosis. Initially the receptionist told him sudden onset, painless jaundice wasn't an emergency, then the GP stuffed up by not following NICE guidance then delay after delay in biopsies etc. By the time he was operated on the tumour had spread meaning his slim chance of a 5 year survival is now non existent and he will, in fact, be lucky to see his birthday in August.

It's not all practices but the fact is some are taking the piss.

Yesterday my practice manager decided to block the local shop to have a long gossip and show off. No mask. No lanyard. No social distancing. In the end I lost my temper and told the shop assistant to chuck her out - massive signs everywhere to shop alone, get it done and get out and masks must be worn unless exempt. Which given she refuses anyone who is exempt access to "her" surgery she cannot be can she? She operates a strict zero tolerance policy to mask wearing. As she left she went to say something to me but obviously my fury was showing on my face and she thought better of it, and, yes I would have gone for her. A friend of mine (at same surgery) died at the weekend from sepsis due to a treatable UTI which was refused anotbiotics until she'd been ill for seven days and taken over the counter treatments and drunk lots of water and cranberry juice. On day four her infection spread and her husband found her unconsious.

I've complained about my own treatment (nothing in over a year, consequent loss of all benefits and can't appeal due to zero evidence) and all I get are replies about covid restrictions from practice, needing to be patient, ombudsman and MP. Ive been asked why I don't just pop a new phone and computer on a credit card (because when I say I have no money I mean it and the block is in my name so appears on any device I own) or they can pop and see me at home (except they can't as my "home" is a bed in a tiny room). It's bloody stupid.

Last week I developed an absess under my nail. It took four days and more than eight calls from pharmacist to get antibiotics and if needed to be lanced. Now my nail is going brown, finger still swollen and nail coming away.

I wouldn't mind if the OOH doctors could refer to your notes and refer you on. They can't! Neither can an A&E doctor. Neither can a hospital consultant! It all has to be coordinated by your GP!!!

I've been in my GP surgery many times in the last year- for bloods, ecg, etc. Never seen doctor though, apparently nurses are immune. Ive been to hospital to have tests and see consultants, but GP all by phone. I have poor hearing so a proper discussion is impossible, even worse where strong accents are involved.

I've a terminal diagnosis with zero support and a family member diagnosed with terminal cancer due to her GP telling her that her bleeding every day was just UTI for six months (no tests done) and turned out she had advanced womb cancer.

I don't get it.

I’m a Nurse Practitioner in a London A&E and it’s getting so frustrating. I’m very lucky, and I have an excellent GP practice but I realise that this is far from the norm.

We are getting patients sent to our already crowded A&E by GPs who haven’t even laid an eye on them. And unless it really is an emergency, we are so limited in what we can do. If it’s something that needs sorting urgently (as in today), we can refer to a specialty. And we can do 2week wait referrals. But that is it, we aren’t commissioned to do any more than that. A&E is great for accidents and emergencies (funny that), but for anything else, anything that needs proper investigations and long term management, our hands are tied. Specialties will decline our referrals, and the patient will be left nowhere. The GP is meant to be the guardian of a patients care, the person coordinating and overseeing.

We even have patients coming for daily dressings now, something that was a practice nurses bread and butter, because their GPs are telling them to.

I am such a staunch defender of the NHS, but it really is getting ridiculous now. At least 2/3s of our patients are people who couldn’t get GP appointments and were just so frustrated that they had no where else to turn.

Sorry should add by zero tolerance to mask wearing I mean anyone exempt must wear one or is refused treatment, so it makes no sense that she is exempt herself.

Everything here must be coordinated by GP as well OP so I understand.

Totally agree. Have been in severe pain since June 2020.

How on earth can GP really appreciate impact of this over the phone.

Always been a huge fan of my GPs, but this is not Care.

@bloodywhitecat

I believe you. DP is dying because Covid delayed his diagnosis. Initially the receptionist told him sudden onset, painless jaundice wasn't an emergency, then the GP stuffed up by not following NICE guidance then delay after delay in biopsies etc. By the time he was operated on the tumour had spread meaning his slim chance of a 5 year survival is now non existent and he will, in fact, be lucky to see his birthday in August.

I remember your first ever post. I think I was one of the first to reply trying to persuade you to bring him to A*E. You did and he was sent home. Everyone was trying to tell you that it was normal. At the point of jaundice it should have been emergency treatment. What can you do when everyone tells you that you're wrong? I'm so sad about your DH as I've read your threads and you dearly love him. You sound like one of the good ones. It's fucking awful. What can you do though? It's policy. It's COVID. FUCK OFF!!!!