To think that people have become completely incapable....

[memorial]

Ok so I'm a GP (yes yes I know I could be anybody) and have been for over 20 years.
But bloody hell our society have become completely and utter incapable of any kind of self care or self responsibility. I have never known anything like the kind of demand we are facing. And I'm sorry most of it is just complete and utter nonsense. Over and over again.
Genuinely ill and needy people are being lost in the deluge. It's absolutely impossible to offer any kind of decent care. And we are losing doctors, nurses and staff rapidly. And we cannot recruit. It's not about pay It's about absolutely ridiculous workload and risk.
Yes the system is broken yes we need more of everything.
But every single thing does not need GP hand holding. It doesn't need 2 page complaints because you didn't get what you wanted when you wanted it.
Some days I just think people won't be happy until I go and wipe their arses for them.
I'm done. And it's not just me.

Bullshit... who is getting a GP appointment for 'coughs/colds/sore ears/vomiting' within hours of onset.

If they are then its your practice booking system thats wrong, most people cant get an appointment for day or weeks so either your empty and give those slots to anyone or your booking team are prioritising those things.

Im curious how you think IBS self care is entirely on the patients but controlling their diabetes isn't.

The things you are complaining about are standard GP jobs sorting ear aches, 20 year long stomach pains, sore joints that have gone on for days IS your job as is paperwork and explaining these things to confused patients.

The definition of GP is litrally 'a doctor in the general community who treats minor or chronic ailments'

The other things are (strangled hernia - A&E, indetifying abuse - the main abuse services, dying patients - End of life nurse) are NOT GP standard jobs... maybe your in entirely the wrong field, sounds like you want the excitement of work in A&E or ICU.

“It's not about pay It's about absolutely ridiculous workload and risk.”

thank you for saying that. It’s so true but sometimes drs get completely distracted with fantasies about thinking they all (!) could be investment bankers.

i have to say I feel I provide as much support to GPs as they do to me nowadays - they end up telling me their problems!

• many abuse not main

@Quincythequince I've never once said I had high blood pressure.

Sorry but you are mistaken.

@mam0918 if they lie and say they've had it for 5 days etc they'll get an appointment

I voted YANBU based on the Thread Title and the first 5 words of your post. I'm a Paramedic.

@Goosygandy I'm sure lots won't, but I agree with you.

My Mum, GP-botherer extraordinaire has a dodgy hip. They're reluctant to do a replacement yet due to her age so off she pops to the GP regularly with it. I've suggested to her that a physio would likely be able to prescribe exercise and advice to take the pressure off the bad hip in the meantime so it's at least worth exploring since she can well afford it. She steadfastly refuses to book an appointment because 'GP knows best'. NOT ABOUT PHYSIOTHERAPY HE DOESN'T.

It's like banging my head against a brick wall

Wow, the people who do overuse the system are really exposing themselves on this thread!

@Windypants21 in which way did GPs not cover themselves in glory during Covid, but you did? Also, not all GPs are partners or on mega-bucks.

So you’ve met my mil then? Seriously she had a vomiting hug and had been sick three times and wanted to to to A&E, a stomach bug in a hospital is just wonderful. She had a uti and called at 2.30 as she thought she should go to
hospital, she hadn’t taken painkillers or the antibiotics as she ‘doesn’t like pills’. She took one paracetamol for her bad knee then said they don’t work…Erm you need to take the full
dose to get a cumulative effect.

Her latest thing is asking to be referred for a knee replacement. She walks miles and is always out and about but has slight arthritis in her knee and has decided she needs a joint replacement. Her friends husband had to wait 2 years so she wants to be at the ‘front of the queue’. She doesn’t qualify and never mind the people in front of her. She needs to take her medication and do her physio exercises.

I would like to thank you OP for all the work you and your colleagues do.

In the NHS, demand is infinite and resources are finite. So any intervention is like trying to 'square the circle'.

"People's expectations of life are completely out of kilter.
People genuinely seem to think that life is about feeling happy all of the time and having100% health."

^ this x 100.

People naturally get sick and eventually die. That's life. Medicine only delays the inevitable. Some people can't accept that.

We have eradicated most of the worst diseases (either by better hygiene, drugs or vaccinations) polio, smallpox, TB and syphilis are almost unknown in UK.

Instead we have self-inflicted health problems caused by obesity, alcohol & drug misuse, smoking, lack of exercise and elective cosmetic procedures.

We have a 'nanny state' mentality in this country which promotes a culture of victimhood and entitlement. This leaves the OP and other Health Workers spending their working days 'firefighting', and getting 'burned out'.

Before we had a Lockdown in response to the Covid Crisis people were berating the government for not intervening, "We need stronger measures, this government is murdering our elderly and vulnerable, they just don't care, why don't they do something?!"

When the government did intervene and we had a lockdown, there were cries of "This government is taking away our civil liberties/freedom, it's destroying our mental health, social life, affecting our kids education, no-one in Whitehall is going to tell me what to do !"

I wish I knew what the answer was. The only thing I'm sure of it that I'm glad I'm not in OP's shoes right now.......

I don't blame you in the slightest.

I have some idea obviously. It's pretty shit. I deal with the fallout every single day. What I don't do is blame the nurses and doctors working in the system. Even when the waiting lists are years long. Or patients are discharged with inadequate notes/meds/follow up. I understand the system is broken.
You however clearly have absolutely zero idea about primary care and what we have done or do. And as a colleague I find that the worst thing. You should know better than believe the rhetoric.

But these things would be situations you'd normally worry about over time. For example, if you've had an upset stomach for a couple of days, resolve it at home. If your bowel movements change for a couple of weeks, or you have other symptoms, then go to your GP.

If you have a cough, treat it at home, but if it persists for several weeks, or you have any other symptoms, like unexplained weight loss, go to the GP in case it's an underlying issue.

You can't go to the GP just in case it's something more serious. They wouldn't be able to diagnose you with that after a couple of days, anyway, so it's just a waste of an appointment.

It’s the same in the police - a spat over Facebook? Run to the police. God forbid they simply can’t a) not read it or b) ignore it. No, they have to have it investigated.

Meanwhile, the guy who had a trespasser in his house with an axe in his bag, got no response or callback and the job was just filed. 🤷‍♀️

I feel your pain OP.

Haven't RTFT sorry. You're directing your anger the wrong way. I can't get a GP appointment ever, for anything. There used to be two times a day I could ring up, they've reduced it now to just one. There are never any appointments by the time you get through, despite ringing constantly since the line opens. I've ended up in A&E twice because of not being able to get simple treatment and a problem escalating. Tried pharmacies, they do nothing. If you knew me you would know I will literally do anything to treat issues at home and avoid medical appointments, but sometimes they are necessary. The government is going to ruin the NHS and cost many lives (as they have already).

Bingo.

Hi OP, my best mate when we were at school is a GP. She tells me she makes sure her nails are nice so between patients she can look at them and think at least her nails are nice. To which I said, well noone comes to see you with good news do they?

She asked me to dissuade her oldest DC away from medicine.

I can 100% see what the job was like pre covid. Now with everyone showing at least some signs of mental ill health (even those of us who think we're OK have had a mental seismic shift) it's not surprising that you're inundated with trivial ill health.

My sister has discovered she has a v rare auto immune disease, its genetic, we think our DF had it, so I need testing. I haven't managed to get an appointment yet and am displaying some symptons.

My DD has an undiagnosed condition she's had it forever and was diagnosed with CFS and anxiety disorder at the age of 14, but with no help. on the IoM she is now on meds and in a programme - still no diagnosis but nothing Nada zilch help in England cos GPs are fending off ill health that could be treated by talking to a pharmacist and buying over the counter meds. She is one of the lost people you refer to OP. She's now 21 and cannot work. I have to support her financially and that's like me needing to earn 2 jobs worth of salaries.

I think lack of funding adds to the woes you describe. It's completely ridiculous where successive tory governments have taken the nhs. I fear it is sinking and there are no lifeboats.

Wow. I was thinking yanbu until this

I have a genuine question OP.

I fear I may be one of the patients you refer to. I feel like I see my GP more often than most of my friends, but honestly, I still have ongoing symptoms that I’ve not mentioned to them because I’m so aware that I’ve already had many appointments. For those of us who are genuinely worried, but don’t want to waste GP’s time, what are the alternatives? I’m happy to pay for a private check up if necessary, or to talk to a nurse rather than a GP, but what am I even searching/asking for? I really just want to have time to talk through all the many symptoms and see if there is a reason for them, rather than taking one thing at a time…

You are not the poster who said they suspected they had high BP?

@Moaningturtle1

GO. Please just go. For you, for me, for all of us who should be going.

Your marriage, your children, your mental clarity are worth pushing through the worry about what IF the GP thinks you're time wasting. It honestly is.

I know. I've packed my sister, husband and son to my osteopath with various knee/back issues. He's resolved them all within a couple of months, and they're all able to do the exercise they couldn't do previously, but with no pain.

I actually feel very sorry for all that work in drs surgeries or hospitals !
most problems are not urgent when people ring for urgent appointments !
my surgery is amazing thou ! U ring or message throu an app and they will book u in if u need to be seen !
if not you would have a telephone consult !
I think people are entitled and complain way to much !
There is no need to be rude to staff they are people just like us ! Doing a job I know I couldn’t do and unfortunately if it carries on we won’t have a healthcare system at all .
And it’s all free !!!! People with genuine problems wouldn’t mind paying £20 for an appointment time wasters and complainers won’t pay !! I know we are in a very strange place in the Uk at the moment with all the increases but if I had a breast lump or such I would pay to be seen ! Thanks Op for being a G.P x

@Quincythequince

No, not me.