AIBU to just want to see a Doctor face to face?

[Trixiefirecracker]

It has seemingly become nigh impossible to see a Doctor at our clinic. Don’t get me wrong, I hardly go normally anyway but have recently wanted to chat about HRT and get some prescribed. I know it’s probably not life-threatening but it would have been nice to sit down one in one and discuss my options, maybe even had my weight and blood pressure taken ( which they haven’t done in years) and actually talk me through any medication/treatment options. I really would like GP practises to go back to normal but AIBU to think this is it now and they never will be the same again? My options here are full out a form online or text my condition to a phone number before I can be seen.

DH has terminal cancer, he hasn't seen a GP or his oncologist face-to-face in almost a year. The system is broken and I have absolutely no faith in the NHS.

@Warmduscher no mention of a menopause clinic round here but we are very rural.

@bloodywhitecat I’m so sorry to hear this. Yes, I think that’s what worries me. My grumbles are insignificant compared to this but I do worry that there’s something very, very wrong with the service at the moment.

No one can tell you whether this is how GP services will remain of whether they’ll go back to pre-pandemic services, so there’s no point asking really.

A surgery I know has reduced the size of its waiting room and used the space to build other facilities because they don't anticipate having lots of people in the surgery any more. I think this is going to be the new normal.

[quote Trixiefirecracker]@GreenLunchBox yep. I got it through today.[/quote]
That seems odd. I had a telephone consultation with my GP (who knows me and my medical history), and had to have a weight and blood pressure check first.

You'll have to do your own research regarding risks and do your own weight etc. Surgeries often haven't got time to do these things. The GP probably won't know any more about HRT than you can research yourself online. In my experience a lot of them are quite clueless.

@AwkwardSquad that’s the least I thought they would do…weight and blood pressure. I haven’t had a proper consultation at all so am just hoping it all will be fine, which I’m sure it will be but it’s not ‘insignificant’ medicine.

@bestcattoyintheworld yes, am realising this now. I have basically diagnosed myself. 😂

I think we're going to have to get used to checking weight and BP at home or in a chemist's.

You get more accurate results for BP at home anyway, has been my experience. I'm relieved not to have it taken in the surgery, feeling rushed and white-coat-syndrome-y.

Filled out an econsult form myself for my GP at the weekend simple to do and fairly in depth . GP called me today to discuss over the phone and I now have a face to face appt with her for next week . I know not all GP sugeries are great but give it a try I think its a good way for them to triage , remember it's probably just as difficult for the doctors trying to diagnose over the phone , but the econsult form gives plenty of oportunity to list symptoms worries etc , there was even a box to put your preffered doctors name in .

[quote Trixiefirecracker]@bestcattoyintheworld I guess so, I haven’t been for so long I’m wasn’t sure what to expect but not really expecting this. I haven’t had a chat to my GP about anything, I requested HRT snd have just got it but all been through the receptionist. I don’t have scales or BP monitor at home snd even if I did, am I supposed to just phone it through? I think the routine checks you get at the GPs are useful and I wouldn’t know what to fo with the results or if they meant anything that would mess with my perscription, that’s not my job, it’s the Doctors surely.[/quote]
I do hear what you're saying but just wanted to add that I have scales and a blood pressure monitor at home so I can track my BMI and blood pressure and make sure they stay in a healthy range. Neither were very expensive. I just phone or email my results through to my GP. I wouldn't want to wait til I needed a GP appt to get this information.

@Ajl46 with the greatest respect, not everyone can afford to do this though.

Yes you just phone the results through. Honestly OP, I think you're gping to have to learn to work with the new system.
E-consults are very useful. If you filled one in about your concerns you'd get a phone call back. You dont need to see someone face to face for this.

This is basically how my doctor has always been for emergent issues and I think it’s amazing.

I got sciatica a week ago. After a weekend of hell I called dr on Monday. Call back within an hour, seen 30 mins after that.

For routine discussions they encourage telephone appointments (why wouldn’t you?) and see you if necessary.

Why do you need a consultation for your weight?!

[quote Trixiefirecracker]@Ajl46 with the greatest respect, not everyone can afford to do this though.[/quote]
So to confirm, you dont have home scales, or you cant get to a chemist to check your BP?

I prefer it this way. Phone my gp as usual in the morning then will get a morning or afternoon slot to be called back. If they need to see you once they have spoken to you then they arrange a time for you to go in. Much easier and no sitting in a waiting room full of ill people coughing and spluttering.

You'll have to do your own research regarding risks and do your own weight etc. Surgeries often haven't got time to do these things.

That is really crap care if you have to "do your own research" to determine whether it is safe for you to take a particular medication. The entire point of a prescription is that an individual patient cannot be expected to do this and that the doctor takes responsibility for ensuring the medication is appropriate. I cannot believe the low standards so many people have for medical care.

OP, you are not being unreasonable at all. The country needs far more GPs and we should expect to pay more for it. Continuing to inadequately fund primary care is a recipe for disaster.

OP fill in the e-consult and where it says "what do you want to happen" say you want to discuss your peri-menopausal symptoms with a doctor. They will offer you an appointment (possibly by telephone or video call to start with).

My mother did an e-consult on Friday for a weird pink thing on her back. She had a phone call today from the GP and he is seeing her on Thursday morning. Admittedly she needed me to take a photo of it for her but otherwise it's a good system.

OP, YANBU. I tried to get my DD an appointment recently for something potentially serious. Filled in the form but heard nothing back. There was a link to click on the confirmation email to chase it up, which I did, but still nothing. No way to speak to anyone by phone. In the end I made her a private GP appointment and gave up on my NHS GP- they still haven't contacted me and it's now been weeks.

I don't think it's ever going back to how it was and, let's face it, it often wasn't brilliant even then. I'm switching us all to the private GP. This obviously isn't an option for everyone and I really fear for the future.

I wish we had econsult forms here! Or a text option. All we can do is phone at 8am (whether emergency or routine) and take our chances in the scrum. I did manage to see a doctor face to face a few months ago, but I had to really push for it, and then couldn’t even get a telephone appointment to discuss my scan results. Only found them out properly when I saw the hospital consultant, and I’m now waiting for an operation.

OP if you have received a prescription without discussing it with anyone then I can understand why you might feel uneasy but econsult is an excellent tool for contacting doctors and surgeries.
At our surgery there are currently prebookable face to face appointments some of which can be booked on line but for which you will have to wait a few weeks , prebookable telephone appointments again a couple of weeks wait, an on the day triage list which the doctors work through alongside their booked appointments where they will phone the patient, try to sort the problem and arrange follow up by phone or in person as needed often the same day, there is econsult which will be picked up and dealt with within 48 hours and is useful for lots of things including rashes and skin lesions s, there are physician assistants clinics in the early evenings that rotate venue between local practices and are particularly good for acute illnesses, there are several telephone appointments a day that 111 can book .This is all on top of visits and signposting to physio ,social prescriber, nurses and pharmacist who also run surgeries from the practice. The mix of services suits a lot of patients . We are inundated because demand has gone up but the number of doctors is dropping and staff are constantly off isolating. .We cannot have packed waiting rooms as Covid is currently rampant and social distancing for our vulnerable elderly and pregnant women particularly is still essential.
It's a shame that you feel your needs are not being met but in all honesty prescribing of HRT is generally something that can be discussed on the phone and I think that arranging your own blood pressure and weight in the community is something that most people would find reasonable. If btw it is difficult you could probably make an appointment at the surgery or the chemist's for someone to do these measurements.

My GP has been pretty good at seeing you face to face if needed. Howevet I was referred to physio due to some issues. Had an initial phone consult with the area physio & was told I needed an urgent full assessment face to face. Letter arrives this morning for - a telephone appointment. I rang to check it wasn't a mistake. No, it's correct. I will have waited 2 weeks for yet another telephone call. How can a full physio assessment be done over the phone?
I have now booked a private face to face physio appointment as I cannot continue getting worse whilst they faff around delaying proper appointments.

@ColdTattyWaitingForSummer text option is no option though when you are rural as most places, including our village have no reception.