To wonder what my GP Surgery is actually doing?

[bloodymosquito]

Since Covid my surgery has been very evasive about booking appointments, but now they say they will only talk to emergencies. Isn't that what A&E is for? I have a very ill family member with cancer and needs help but apparently it isn't classed as an emergency

Actual examples the last 14 days of people who "demand" a same day urgent appointment with ONLY a GP - instead of going to more appropriate place:

• I missed my pill (pharmacy) and had unprotected sex
• my false nail has come off and caught my nail bed (Urgent Treatment Centre)
• walked into building having an MI but refused to call 999 (hospital via ambulance)
• 30 year old with cold symptoms for 3 hours (self care or pharmacy)
• 35 yr old reached foe a high shelf and pulled a muscle (self care)
• Fakenham off bike - thinks has broken bone (UTC or A&E)

Naturally, we checked for red flags - MI person blocked our entire morning surgery for 2 clinicians as ambulances do not come quickly when a person is with a doctor. 28 appointments cancelled because they refused to call 999.

if more people used the right service in the first place GP access would improve dramatically. No one seems to want to do self care first when it is appropriate.

• fallen off bike 😅😊

@Tistheseason17 I think you have missed the point. The test requestor, the day hospital, refused to provide my results despite my consent being dependent upon, and agreed, that I would receive a copy of the results. The results are my personal data to which I am statutorily entitled. The day hospital said I could only have the results via my GP which meant mine and the GPs time was wasted.

The system overall needs to sort itself out. Much of its issues are self inflicted. All that was required in the first place was to cc me on the results and pop a copy in the post. 68p stamp rather than hours of everyone's time wasted.

@Tistheseason17 exactly why a continental system with a charging structure underpinned by social insurance for the needy must be introduced.

Regrettably my GP practice has failed to read letters properly on three occasions now: once when dd was cutting and overdosing (I didn't know) so didn't escalate. Once when I had broken my back, misdiagnosed at A&E, incorrect radiology report, and then refused to refer me for further tests. Hence why I expect to receive copies of all correspondence. GPs cannot be trusted to deal with it or communicate accurately/take the right action.

@RosesAndHellebores
But if the hospital is responsible for providing your result - what is your issue with the GP?

I agree it is a broken system. You can't provide NHS services without trained clinicians - extra GP training places have not been made available for 6+ yrs, issues with nurse bursaries.

Who'd want to be a GP based on most comments here?

@RosesAndHellebores
Cross Post- I see your further info - thanks 😊

Surely you are not blaming the person having a heart attack?! As if that's a good time to make rational decisions. There's been various messages as well to stay out of A&E unless absolutely necessary.

They will be paid for what days they do - and what does it matter if they are female. You should be glad they aren't stressed - if they were they might go off sick or leave the profession.

The heart attack sufferer probably thought they'd be better off at the GP than waiting 6 hours for an ambulance. Why didn't you just call them a taxi?

@CuteOrangeElephant
Nit blaming - just explaining that GP surgery not the most appropriate place - Cat 1 ambulance via 999 best

@SnackSizeRaisin
An ambulance has trained paramedics inside to ensure the person has best chance of survival en route to hospital. It would be a "never" incident to send a patient having a heart attack to hospital in a taxi without doctors with them.

Why couldn't one of the Dr's have jumped in the taxi then, freeing up the other one?

For reference every GP at my practice is part-time. Average GP earnings as quoted on the website £81,500. I assume that excludes the allowance the chair of the CCG gets, the private income for the two partners who also run GP sessions at the local private hospital for £110 a pop (both do two sessions of two hours for 6 patients each week so an additional £1200 pw, presumably less on-costs), one is a Director of two local private health companies, another is the named Dr for the local boarding school, covering their medicals, etc).

Personally I think £81,500 for a role that allows other lucrative activities to be followed is a pretty good deal. I note too their receptionists, whilst fairly horrific, are paid minimum wage by this small employer that is exempt from gender pay gap reporting.

The system has pandered to GPs since 1948. On many occasions the GPs have been the architects of designs that have benefitted them rather than the patients. There would be uproar if their employment became governed by the NHS as it should from the very beginning.

For far too long GP's have not been fully accountable.

I do have to agree. The private contractor model of primary care provision does not work and was only ever a sop to get GPs into the NHS in the first place. It has served its purpose and needs to be replaced with a modern, fully NHS controlled primary care system.

Access to primary care is an utter mess. We have created a system whereby we expect patients who are ill or injured to know whether they should call 111, make an appointment to see the GP, make an appointment to see the nurse, go to A+E, phone and ambulance or go to a walk in centre. A lot of options that have huge overlaps and don't work well together. We then get lots of primary care staff complaining (as on this thread) that patients are seeking help in the wrong places! Make it easier for them to make the right choices then!

The reality is that we can't afford for GPs to be behaving like lawyers - focussing on business management rather than being clinicians. We need doctors to be doctors and have clearer routes to access the right primary care options for patients.

Tistheseason17 Maybe they thought there would be a defibrillator or trained medical staff in the GP surgery who could help quicker, seeing as calling 999 doesn’t guarantee an ambulance turning up these days.

This reminds of the time I was in my GP surgery waiting room and an elderly lady came in and told the receptionist she thought she was having a heart attack and the receptionist told her she needed to call an ambulance. She asked if the receptionist could call an ambulance or if a doctor could help and was told no, it wasn’t their job, and sent her on her way. It’s one of the occasions when, for ages afterwards, I thought, why on earth didn’t I help her?

Anyway, for those complaining of “sneery posters” most of us are just relaying our own personal experiences which are pretty bloody poor. There is no agenda. You think we enjoyed watching our loved ones suffer?

Good luck Op getting help for your dad 💐 and I’m sorry to everyone else who have also been badly let down.

I'd LOVE to work for the NHS in a clinical role. But our local NHS doesn't offer training or locally linked Higher Education.

I think medical education needs to be more accessible. I know quite a few people in their 30s who'd love to become nurses (yes, even with the current issues!). But the NHS recruitment drives are regional.

I was offered an interview to do medical administration a few weeks ago - but it was just one day a week 🤣

Anyway, this really isn't the thread for a debate. The OP is clearly in distress and rightly so.

That’s awful… That poor woman 😮

I wonder if those people you know in their 30's have any idea what it's like on the wards at the moment, honestly the pressure is immense. The nurses on our ward rarely finish on time, if night staff don't turn up they are expected to stay, the pay isn't enough to make ends meet..... it's tough 😢

It shouldn't be like this, but it is sadly.

Please email the Manager of your GP surgery today. This is very poor continuation of care.

Outline what you've said on here, you've been clear and explained it well. Ask for a clear supportive plan going forwards as an urgency. Response required today.

This is not an acceptable level of support for someone so ill. The hospital have discharged him into GP care and GP aren't picking up this care.

You must put this in writing (email) and I'd cc in the local quality care commission as they oversee the GP practices.

Sorry you and you mother and father are going through this.

@bloodymosquito forgot to link you to my post. It's below.

@RethinkingLife that last link is terrifying.

Op how did u get on today. Any further forward? X

85 k for 30 hours a week is very good.

For reference every GP at my practice is part-time

Mine too. There was a big fuss about the surgery moving to larger premises years ago and becoming a bigger practice. Well, it moved and employed a couple more GPs, but there were no extra appointments as they all just work less hours. There are 6 or 7 of them working there, but only ever 2 there at one time, and often one of those is doing prescriptions and not actually seeing anyone. Meanwhile, there have been hundreds of new homes in the area, so less appointments than ever.

Reminds me of the time I was the only member of staff to turn up for a night shift on a busy 32 bed surgical unit!

But it wouldn’t be so tough if there were more staff.

@Throwncrumbs

Sadly I see it often. So stressful for the band 5's.