To expect a doctor or a nurse to fit my contraceptive implant

[Dalaidramailama]

And not a healthcare assistant?

Usually when I get my implant removed and a new one inserted I have a GP and a nurse who do this for me at my practice.

I would be happy for a nurse to do this, but I am uncomfortable with a healthcare assistant doing minor surgery on me, AIBU?

@Flossiemoss

Yes absolutely, I mean it’s certainly food for thought isnt it? If I have to go private then I will but I will not be getting another one inserted. I will just have the removal and then stick to the pill to avoid this issue in the future.

I am just not comfortable with it I’m afraid.

Inc for removal

@ABBAsnumberonefan

Yes I wasn’t expecting both the GP and nurse this time, but I did think it would be a nurse fitting it.

To a previous poster, there’s more to it than a quick grab and slide? That’s an overly simplistic description of minor surgery. If done incorrectly you can get nerve damage etc.

Well it is what it is I guess. If I can’t book in with a nurse at the clinic I’ll go private.

Thank you for all your responses.

I’ve had 3 implants. First two fitted by someone (nurse or HCA) at the family planning clinic. No problems at all.

Most recent one was fitted by my GP in the wrong position and got infected resulting in a very sore arm for a few weeks and a course of antibiotics.

The NHS needs to be efficient. Sometimes that means having different tiers of staff doing different tasks. It also offers the opportunity for more experienced specialist staff rather than just “general” practitioners.

Honestly, you’re just being a job-title snob.

I had a removal and insertion done a few months ago and there was a GP and nurse there at all times.

Maybe it's different policies in different areas but my removal was extremely painful and difficult (GP said it was one of the most difficult removals she'd ever done) so I'm not sure I'd have been happy with anyone else. Nearly 10 weeks later and there's still bruising on my arm!

Vote with your feet then. The NHS is on its knees. You have an appointment for the service you need.if you don't want it then let someone more grateful take it. And having a doctor and a nurse is for the birds. Wake up and smell the coffee.

MbatataOwl

They can remove one only if they have the specific training to do that. I was trained to be assisted by someone doing removals, other practitioners may have been otherwise. You can fit them with a ‘letter of competence’ but need additional training to remove them too, odd though it seems! It’s usually easy to insert one but sometimes be can be trickier to remove them. It’s quite a satisfying thing to do (only time I get to wield a scalpel 😂)

I fit and remove implants and coils. Training is quite involved and one can't do it without appropriate training and certification. Insurance is dependent on this. I haven't come across HCAs doing this but if fully trained would be confident that they could do it.

Because the PM has nothing better to do?!

@luckylavender

Erm I never voted Tory……

🤔

Training is everything. Sometimes speciaist procedures are best done by someone who is considered to have the ability and has undergone adequate training.
When I was working I was constantly dealing with really dangerous errors made by GPs and hospital staff.
I was an expert in my own field, they weren't.
If I was happy with the expertise of the individual, I wouldn't be worried about their title.

The main issue for GPs is the time involved in training, They just can't justify the time out of the practice at the moment. It isn't really a financial issue as such, money can be found for this really useful service.

I don't see a problem if they were fully trained.
I'd worry if they let the receptionist, or pharmacist, or the cleaner have a wee go.

Do you have an issue with phlebotomists taking blood? They don't belong to a professional body and lots can go wrong when drawing blood.

@endofthelinefinally

I guess that is my concern. The extent of their training. One GP on this thread has mentioned a HCA shouldn’t be removing them.

I was happy to get it fitted by a nurse and didn’t expect a GP. Although my last few implants have been fitted by both a GP and a nurse I know times in the NHS have changed.

Thanks you for replying Putkettleonlove, I'd have never have thought it could require two people. Does the other person do anything usually or just assist if it's a bit tricky to get out?

My sister is a HCA. Don't know about implants but she is trained to take blood samples and give vaccinations.
They don't just let anyone do it, honestly!!

Come to us!

We’re a lot more on the ball with contraception than most GPs these days (without the crazy waiting lists, too!)

@loopylum

Taking blood isn’t the same as a minor surgery though is it?

@JohnsShirt

I guess there’s time 😉. I have this implant fitted every 3 years so I guess the receptionist is up next 😂.

@WhackingPhoenix

im on it tomorrow 👍

I think in theory I'd be fine with it if everything was guaranteed to be uncomplicated.

But the reason you want a nurse or a doctor for some things, even seemingly simple things, is that they have all the contextual info and education that you can't get from the focussed training — a doctor will know all the anatomy and different layers of stuff in skin and around muscles and stuff, and blood flow and nerve locations and what to do if all the different possible problems happen. They're able to situate the training within a greater body of knowledge that's heavily embedded in their heads.

Then, yes, there's the matter of having a professional registration at stake, though the HCA will be operating under someone else's registration for that procedure, if you see what I mean, so you still have comeback.

I completely agree with you, op.

I am a nurse. I work with two healthcare assistants who are band 4 in the NHS doing degrees and are trained up to their eyeballs. In fact they are so trained they are a healthcare assistant paying an NMC fee so are registered. Just not technically nurses.

Also if I was a patient I'd much rather those two do procedures than some of the nurses I work with. Some nurses are poorly trained.

I’ve had a few of them over a number of years, maybe 4? I’ve never had more than one person at the insertion or removal. I’ve no idea if it was doctors or nurses or HCA tbh. The worst one was at a sexual health centre where they injected the local anaesthetic and immediately cut my arm for removal. No surprise I felt everything and swore loudly! Half way through she stopped to have a chat to whoever it was who came to the door, and it was a long and horrible process. All the rest have been fine though. I don’t care who it is who does it as long as they’re fully trained and do a good job, why would I?!