Stop telling people to go to A&E!

[Miriad]

I see it on here a lot. Someone is getting fobbed off by their GP and not getting diagnosed. So they get told to go to A&E, where they have the ability to do blood tests and urine tests and scans to figure out what’s going on.

I’ve been sobbing in agony for three weeks and my GP isn’t helping me, and I can’t get another GP appointment for a fortnight, so posters advised me to go to A&E.

I waited six hours only to get yelled at by an angry doctor, saying my condition is neither an accident nor an emergency. According to him I don’t need urgent treatment even if I’m crying with pain - because pain isn’t urgent. If I’m stable and not at risk then I need to go home and see my GP.

A&E can not be used to bypass a useless GP and access tests and scans. They will not diagnose you or refer you. Their job is to give you the minimum care to make you stable so you’re not at risk, then send you home.

So stop telling people to go there. Maybe in the olden days you could go there for help if your GP was rubbish, but not any more.

OP

It's typical recommendation by GP or their receptionist - Those words "go to A&E" covers them should thing go wrong and therefore the onus is up to up if to go or not to go

Our gP - you can often get an appt on the day or next day but you have to call at the start or wait outside to get appt - phone appts are a bit easier to get

You also need to stop saying you have a UTI - your tests have shown that you don't and it could potentially minimise/distract from whatever is going on. Calling your GP surgery and asking for an appointment for a UTI is going to be handled differently to unmanagable, unexplained pain in your vaginal/pelvic region.

A trip to the pharmacy may help in the meantime, either for stronger pain relief or topical potions. It sounds like your pain is more vulval than internal? Something like vagisil with lidocaine may help?

Your employer must be insisting on seeing a GP note if you've been off work for so long. You can only self certify for a period of time.

Have you spoken to a pharmacy ? They can sometimes help

Some time ago I requested an appointment and was told by the GP receptionist “The GP has already seen your son and doesn’t think he needs any further medical care. If you disagree then you need to take him to A&E”.

So I did. Said the GP practice had sent me. A&E was very displeased. Told me I shouldn’t have come because this was a long standing issue that the GP was already involved in treating. I said well the GP practice sent me? And they said the GP receptionist doesn’t have the authority to refer you for treatment and shouldn’t have said that!

So I did borrow money for private medical care that time, my son ended up having a minor surgery on his hand. But yeah, they are telling people to go to A&E then A&E is rejecting them.

A nurse practitioner can write that note. It’s impossible to see a GP unless you wait up to a month.

Thanks, I did try that. The pharmacy can only help with uncomplicated minor issues requiring meds that are available over the counter. If it’s happened a few times or has lasted more than a couple of days or you need prescribed meds, they send you to the GP (and you can’t get an appointment).

Register with a different dr

Sounds like your GP has you down as a time waster for your son’s ailments and your own.

Sorry about that OP
We are too old, many aliments to get private HC unless we pay thousands a month I guess. However, two of our children have got private health care for their families

During Covid as we came out of it early last year - our dear GC a toddler needed checks - there was a waiting list with the private docs/hospitals as well

RE the GP telling you to go A&E and they saying go GP - this happens daily to thusiands in the NHS sector and even councils - ie one dept telling a person to go to the others and vice versa

I'm glad your little one is better now

We had this. My elderly father had a bad fall, but didn't want to trouble the doctor, let alone the hospital. Over the next few days he deteriorated. A physio he spoke to on the phone recommended 'wait and see'. I contacted the GP. Paramedics came out three times. Finally, after two and a half weeks, the GP sent a registrar. He recommended going to A&E for an x-ray. I asked, could we book an appointment for a few days, but he thought it would be quicker to go to A&E. So we did. And the x-ray showed a pubic rami fracture. But A&E was not a pleasant experience. God help any vulnerable people who're there without anyone to advocate for them. In our case they took my Dad's details, then forgot to enter them into the system. We only found out after four hours when I asked what was going on.

I’m sorry you’re in so much pain. You either need to head to a walk in centre or ideally call 111 back and advise that A and E have advised that you need to see a GP and please can they arrange this due to your level of pain. They should be able to arrange an out of hours appointment for you.

The NHS dont give a shit about women in pain. You only have to read the hyserocopy threads to see that

That's really odd to me because my GP listened to my symptoms, gave me a prescription and asked me to do a red top urine sample to be cultured. I'd press them to do the same!

@Miriad where are you located? Maybe we can figure out somewhere to help you.

I'm sorry, but it's not impossible.

You can ring 111 and see if they can book you an appointment.

You could find a different urgent care or A&E in your area even if it means travelling a bit.

You could try the app someone linked wayyyy up thread.

Honestly @Miriad you've had a load of suggestions but all you're doing is moaning which, quite frankly, isn't going to help you at all.

How do you know you’re stable?

@Miriad I has a car accident last year and called my GP as I was suffering with whiplash. Gp surgery told me I had to go to minot injuries, they couldn't see me. So drove 45mims to minor injuries. There 30 mins before they told me I had to go to A&E, they couldn't see me. Duly drove another 40 mins to A&E. Waited 6+h (having asked the triage nurse if she really thought it was necessary I stay there versus seeing my GP, she said it was). Then told sorry A&E not necessary, not doing any scans or providing any treatment, see your GP. What a colossal waste of everyone's time and money.

I've been to a & e for excruciating pain recently i couldnt get comfortable in any position at all. They did x-ray, then ct scans then admission for 3 days. No waiting once I was triaged.
This was for sudden hip pain.
They were amazing and ruled out anything sinister like internal bleeding and I was discharged.
I since discovered the muscle tear I had could be fatal so they were thorough with me.
Do go to a & e but do listen to them is my advice.

Can’t help with the GP issue but it sounds like it could be interstitial cystitis - it’s not a uti, doesn’t show on a urine test but causes extreme pain. Google it and see if it sounds familiar.

You would need a referral to a uriologist for proper diagnosis but in the meantime doing an exclusion diet can help greatly. Cut back to only white foods - bread, white rice, cauliflower (I know, bland as f* but anything helps) then slowly reintroduce foods. I found highly spiced food, red wine and anything with tannins (proper tea!) could trigger me. Oh and cranberry juice was one of the worst culprits!

good luck to you.

https://www.chronicutiinfo.com/treatment/conventional-medicine/uk-treatment/prof-malone-lee/

can yo afford a private appt?

Remember that sometimes it’s not the individual wanting to go to A and E, rather a GP referral. I contacted my GP for an appointment, they told me to go to A and E instead and after 5 hours waiting there they told me I should have gone to the GP. Classic NHS inefficient waste is everywhere, it’s endemic.

Really think you should try the GUM clinic as you don't know you don't have an STI. You mention a son, he could be adopted of course, or you have had sex in the past.
Tick the STI box and go. I doubt many people know exactly what's wrong with them.

You should call 111

I agree but it is often GP surgeries telling people to go to a and e. They don’t have appointments for urgent stuff so fob you off.

can you ask to be referred to gynaecology?