To ask why GP's keep fobbing us off ?

[chattycaterpillar]

So, I was diagnosed with BV in 2019, and prescribed antibiotics by my GP. Warned it could come back, especially in pregnancy, and to return to the GP ASAP if I suspected it had returned when pregnant; as if untreated, it could cause complications e.g miscarriage/ premature birth, ( also the current advice r.e. NHS choices website).

Fast forward, 2022, 15 weeks pregnant, first pregnancy. Experiencing the same symptoms I've had in 2019, strongly indicating it's returned and I need antibiotics ASAP.

I call GP practice, receptionist extremely rude and dismissive, asks 1000 x personal questions on the subject and then tells me to hold the phone and see if it's something the duty doctor will deal with. Comes back, huffs down the phone, "it's not for them to deal with and I need to ring the midwife." I explain there is no point me ringing the midwife, as this needs antibiotics, and the midwife cannot prescribe these. She just keeps repeating "can't deal with this, need to speak to the midwife," so I lose patience and ring the midwife.

Of course, the midwife says this is something that needs to be dealt with by the GP practice , it should go via the GP and not the midwife as midwives can't prescribe antibiotics. Says they wasted m time telling me to speak to the midwife, but that within the past two weeks they have had a surge of calls from women who've been directed "to the midwife," by GP receptionists when it's something only the GP can deal with / prescribe. I eventually call back the GP practice, same receptionist implies I'm lying, but finally, finally after 15 minute phone call explaining the midwife cannot arrange antibiotics, they agree to leave a swab test at reception for me to complete and then send off tomorrow. I am feeling more and more anxious, as I know fi left untreated, BV can cause pregnancy complications.

I'm angry cos I can advocate for myself. But for the people who are vulnerable and can't, ( and may have even more serious health problems), are just being fobbed off by untrained receptionists with no medical training whatsoever.

YANBU, I was told by my midwife to see my GP a few weeks ago, and in the end she had to call up and insist I was called by the Dr as a matter of urgency.
I know the surgery runs out of appointments, but I don’t understand how a system where patients are told by maternity department/triage/midwife to see their GP that day can ever work when all appointments are gone by 8:05.

That is really poor. A waste of your time, the midwife's and the receptionist. Something is broken. Tempting to blame the receptionist but perhaps there is more at play here.

What is BV?

You can treat BV yourself with the stuff you buy from any supermarket.

It's not the GP fobbing you off, it's the receptionist. The government didn't have the foresight to include "triage nurse" in their new plans for how patients access a GP.

I feel your pain I had to share my personal details with my gp receptionist in order to try & secure an appointment with the nurse. I was told to go to urgent care at the hospital. It's really really SHIT.

And you can buy a test from any supermarket to check for BV.

Tory Britain

I’d make a complaint to the practice manager

Or to can go to any GUM clinic who will test there and then and give you what you need.

You really don't need to do the pelava of GPs.

@gamerchick

You can treat BV yourself with the stuff you buy from any supermarket.

Depends if OP knows what to buy & how severe the BV is.

If OP asks for advice at the pharmacy they will decline and refer her back to GP to prescribe due to her pregnancy.

I had the receptionist trying to fob me off a few times during pregnancy. In the end I emailed the practice manager, not with a complaint just asking how I was meant to access XYZ when they are GP led services. The receptionists were spoken to and it was much easier going forward.

@gamerchick - medical recommendations are rightly more cautious when you are pregnant. It isn’t sensible to suggest a pregnant woman just buys over the counter medication. The chemist is highly unlikely to sell this sort of thing to a pregnant woman.

@gamerchick

Or to can go to any GUM clinic who will test there and then and give you what you need.

You really don't need to do the pelava of GPs.

The GUM clinic in my large town is all prebooked appointments now, no walk ins, and booked weeks in advance.

[quote Sapphirejane]@gamerchick - medical recommendations are rightly more cautious when you are pregnant. It isn’t sensible to suggest a pregnant woman just buys over the counter medication. The chemist is highly unlikely to sell this sort of thing to a pregnant woman.[/quote]
Do you know what the OTC treatment is for BV?

I've also said go to a GUM clinic..all done there and then. There's just no need to see GPs, take swabs and send off anything.

@gamerchick

The NHS Choices website doesn't say anything about OTC supermarket treatment and says antibiotics need to be prescribed for all cases of BV.

I'm genuinely happy to be corrected, but didn't know you could buy antibiotics OTC without a prescription; and that's not what's suggested on the NHS guidance r.e. BV.

Antibiotics aren't the only option for BV.

The GUM clinic in my large town is all prebooked appointments now, no walk ins, and booked weeks in advance

Mines pretty quick. It's almost like it's not the same everywhere.

@gamerchick - yes and it says if pregnant consult a doctor before use

@gamerchick , www.nhs.uk/conditions/bacterial-vaginosis/, nothing here suggests OTC treatment for BV could be brought. If the receptionist told me I could get medication OTC , I would obviously happily do that but you cannot obtain antibiotics without a prescription.

The sexual health clinic near me has very, very limited opening hours. The eventual advice from the GP was to come in tomorrow for a swab test and they'd send it off.

@gamerchick

Antibiotics aren't the only option for BV.

The GUM clinic in my large town is all prebooked appointments now, no walk ins, and booked weeks in advance

Mines pretty quick. It's almost like it's not the same everywhere.

I know it’s not the same everywhere - you said OP should go to a GUM clinic and get tested there and then, I was giving a potential reason why that might not be possible.

Either the receptionist has been badly trained, or your practice isn't fit for purpose.

I'm the last six months I've needed to call my practice. Before you even get through to a person, there is a message from one of the doctors saying that their receptions have been trained and by asking questions they can direct patients to the most appropriate resource (gp, nurse, nurse practitioner who can prescribed).

On both occasion I've had same day appointments with health care professionals who were able to help. One was a suspected brain tumour diagnosed by doctor abroad (saw a doctor within hours). It was a cyst. Second was a rash I've had about four years ago that has suddenly come back. Trivial, but it was disrupting my sleep. I had a telephone consultation later that day.

I was more than happy with the way both cases were handled.

Supermarkets do sell Bv pessaries and gels. They work well.

[quote chattycaterpillar]@gamerchick

The NHS Choices website doesn't say anything about OTC supermarket treatment and says antibiotics need to be prescribed for all cases of BV.

I'm genuinely happy to be corrected, but didn't know you could buy antibiotics OTC without a prescription; and that's not what's suggested on the NHS guidance r.e. BV.[/quote]
This isn’t entirely correct. Not all cases of BV need treatment with antibiotics and can be treated with canesbalance to neutralise the vaginal pH.

However, because you are pregnant you 100% would need a swab to clinically check it is BV as prescription only medication for BV should only be used in pregnancy if it is essential! So it’s very important that they do check this and not just prescribe you with any odd antibiotic gel or tablet.

I had BV after my daughter was born and the GP was adamant you could buy antibiotic gel OTC and that I didn’t need a prescription, of course unbeknownst to her I am a pharmacist so corrected her 😂

Also..so many posts recently about entitled receptionists who think they know so much about what needs to be seen and treated by a GP! Advice for anyone who needs to get through to a GP, simply say it’s urgent and give the briefest description possible.

@NurseButtercup

It's not the GP fobbing you off, it's the receptionist. The government didn't have the foresight to include "triage nurse" in their new plans for how patients access a GP.

I feel your pain I had to share my personal details with my gp receptionist in order to try & secure an appointment with the nurse. I was told to go to urgent care at the hospital. It's really really SHIT.

In our surgery this is just simply not true.

OP says herself the Receptionist went to ask Duty Dr who said no, OP needed to contact the Midwife. Receptionists get a bad reputation but are doing/saying what the GPs tell them too. As you all say, they are not medically trained, so if the Dr says call the midwife then who are they to argue that?

I'm not for a moment suggesting OP was given appropriate help, but anyone thinking there are swarms of Receptionists out there making up rules depending on their mood that day are very sorely mistaken.

I’m a pharmacist, you can buy vaginal bv gel which ‘resets’ the Ph in your vagina therefore hopefully getting rid of the bv. It’s fine to use in pregnancy as long as you don’t use the applicator. Also it’s not suitable if you have a shellfish allergy. I would wait to use it until you’ve done your swab but then use it until your dr prescribes some antibiotics before it gets worse. You are able to use the gel still, whilst taking antibiotics. Also, make sure the dr does another swab in 1 month to see if it’s come back or not.