To think the GP surgery should follow NHS guidelines and offer a 6 week check?

[Disgruntledpelicanlady]

Lucky enough to have just had a baby. She is 6 weeks on Sunday.
I had severe pre eclampsia and she was delivered by emergency c section at 35 weeks. She was in SCBU and has been admitted back to hospital twice since she was sent home to treat jaundice and an infection. When I was discharged, hospital recommended additional checks and bloods for me after 6 weeks to correspond with 6 week check.
I rang my GP today to book our 6 week check and was told they don't offer 6-8 week checks (as is NHS policy) and they want to offer it between 8-12 weeks as that's their practice policy.
I've been told that I can't drive or exercise until after 6 weeks and when my GP OKs this. I feel frustrated that I have to wait longer to get back to normal when I feel fine.
This will apparently also push baby's 8 week jabs back until after the appointment.
AIBU to think the GP should follow the NHS policy and offer the appointments when is recommended?

I had a 6 week check but at 9 weeks in Central Scotland. It was a very basic check but the go phoned and apologised that they couldn’t fit me in earlier. That was only 8 weeks ago

My 6wk check was at 10wks with the nurse and was just a single question - 'are you on birth control'. That was all, despite the fact I'd been trying for weeks to see someone about my infected CS scar and they wouldn't even discuss it with me.
My baby's check was at the same time and a GP came in and just moved his arms and legs about.

2yrs ago my previous GP gave DD1 a full check over and I was also physically checked and asked multiple questions. This was during the first Covid lockdown so there's no excuse for my second experience to have been so shit.

If you were perfectly well though why did your family nag you to be seen? There must have been something that wasn’t quite right?

the “cure” for PET is delivery (though I agree the risk in the immediate time after birth remains) so it is true that if you are feeling well it’s extremely unlikely to be an issue now. Your concern seems to be driving and exercise rather than anything particularly urgent ( though again I agree these things are important to individuals!) so I don’t think the GP is unreasonable.

@YorkshireTeaCup not aimed specifically at you,, just can't believe people are expected to spend their own money, to police their own BP, when they've been seriously ill.

The thing is, what solutions can be offered here? This is a government problem, not a mumsnet problem and it's not really the time nor place to be getting into that.

Hang on - you make a broad negative statement about GPs, definitely not in any way saying you are referring to just your GP.

"That's a lie and don't try guilt OP with this. GPs are not busy with emergencies, they are stuck in Covid rituals."

And then when an actual GP with experience of their friends and colleagues committing suicide due to the amount of stress they are under in that job, shares their experience, you say they aren't allowed to talk about that. Why the hell not? What right do you have to say don't bring suicide into this. You just don't want to hear about the difficult bits? You only want the side of the story that fits your narrative! You've massively back-peddled saying of course you were only talking about your GP after you've been called out and then dismissed @passport123 s experience of colleagues COMMITTING SUICIDE as a GUILT TRIP! Jesus Christ I've never met someone so far up their own arse before!

@wlapdj my best friend just committed suicide so how about think before you bloody post

I never had a 6-week check! Once DD was out, she was all any medical professional was interested in – I was relegated to being simply the meat sack that brought her into the world.

I much prefer doing post natal checks face to face, worry about missing non-verbal clues about PND on the phone. but I find it quite hard to get women down to the surgery - most choose a phone appointment.

In England this changed about a year or so ago and it is contractually a GP job. I don't know about Scotland, Wales and NI.

Thank you.

There's little point trying to reason with those who think that the issues with NHS GP are entirely because we're being lazy. They just seem to have no ability to understand the bigger picture.

Well aren't you a peach?

What a load of crap.

@Hottt I had exactly the same scenario, also pre-covid. I was so out of it on sleep deprivation and pain I didn't push it and ended up with a nasty infection that went for much longer than it should have, because I was fobbed off on at least 3 occasions.

@passport123 advice is very useful but not how it operates in many parts of the NHS unfortunately. Not bashing the NHS or GPs, it may just be different rules for devolved nations or it might be GP practices different interpretations, hard to say.