To wish my GP practice had told me about this upward trend earlier?

[polarband]

I have used a blood pressure medication to treat migraines for several years now. As a result I need to go for blood tests and a BP check every 6 months as my BP tends to be low on this medication. The blood tests are mainly to check my kidneys but they do other checks as well, after each test I just call and they tell me everything's fine and I go again in another 6 months.

This time after my check I got called back in to speak to the doctor and was told I have high cholesterol and prediabetes. I asked him what could have caused the problem so suddenly and he said it hadn't been sudden and that if he looked at my blood test results over the past 6 years he could see that my cholesterol and blood glucose levels had been creeping up but its only now just crossed over into clinical diagnosis. I am fit, a healthy weight, a non smoking, non drinking, active woman with ideal blood pressure who eats a healthy whole food diet so when I was told my results were normal I thought that meant I was healthy not that things were getting worse.

I'm not mad that it's happened because these things do happen of course, I'm 50 now and there is type 2 diabetes in my family but I just wish they had told me earlier when this upward trend was noticed and I could have made some changes to prevent getting to this level. My GP just said they don't treat at anything below clinical diagnosis level and anything below that is in the healthy range and therefore normal.

Is it so unreasonable to think that they should flag up something like this to patients?

that is really annoying op
otoh they have only just reach the clinical stage you say,
what do they suggest?

@rosiejaune It has been clarified, there is no patient access, app or otherwise. Unless you happen to be a patient in particular specialist services, in which case you may be set up on a patient portal to access results. But it’s not routinely available in primary care. Even that is extremely glitchy and haphazard.

So yes, you genuinely do think we are all just a bit thick 😂. Fair enough!

(And that link is to 13 year old documentation for an appointment booking system.)

but we must all take responsibility for our own health,
exercise,
eat healthily

dh changed sugar in his coffee to sweeteners, is no longer pre-diabetic.

I don't think reviewing every result is the only way of dealing with it.

a) Patients could be given the results by default (in this case they refused to even when the OP asked, when they have a right to the data), by whatever means (certainly digital access should be a priority if it isn't available yet).

b) The system could automatically flag if it has increased (just like it flags if it is out of range), with e.g. a number by an up arrow. So in this case, by the time it had increased X times in a row, there could be a red up arrow with an X by it. Which shows a clear pattern without you doing any extra work. And then at that point it's worth reviewing the previous results.

i was given an appointment with the pharmacist as i have blood pressure medicine, blood tests arranged, cholesterol needs sorting.
my practice is pretty good i think

What about those who don't have medics in the family? For example I don't but I wouldn't bother them if I did, everyone deserves to be off duty.

Yes we do. There isn't a system for it but you can just ask for a print out- I get it every time.

No, I think if someone says X isn't available, then there's nothing wrong with asking if Y is. I don't personally know anyone else here who used the web version of the access (which there are various providers for, including now via the NHS website as well); they didn't publicise it very well, so there has been a lot more take-up since the app was released.

You can do everything via that system (if the GP surgery has all the features turned on), not just book appointments. It's the same system used in England.

can you not look on line at results without the app?
do you have Patient knows best?

anyway what iss the advice moving fowARD op?

What does walha mean?

Presumably they mean voila.

I'm in Scotland, I've asked for a results print out and been told that's not possible, in two different health authorities over the years. Generally the receptionist will tell you normal or abnormal, that's all.

Here's our prospective scottish digitl access thing. Was supposed to be implemented by now. It's not the same as the English one, it explicitly says it can't be due to IT differences:

https://www.digitalhealth.net/2024/10/scotland-s-digital-front-door-platform-to-go-beyond-the-nhs-app/

Hello I might be able to clarify as I am a nurse. The “pre-diabetes” range (42-47 hba1c) was invented so that patients were given a warning their blood sugars were creeping towards diabetes. From reading your post it looks like you're saying you’re unhappy you weren’t warned, but the phone call you had is the warning. It sounds like you would like the GP to give you a warning to tell you you’re going into the warning zone. If for example they phoned patients who’s blood sugars were over 38 for example, all that would happen is their workload would increase and what is the evidence to say that warning someone at 38 is better than warning them at a blood sugar or 42 when either way 48 and above is diabetic. There has to be a cut off somewhere and it’s 42 otherwise they’d be ringing people with blood sugars of 31,31,33,34 etc etc to tell them last year it was 31 now it’s 32 so watch out! Also hba1c only looks at blood sugars from the last 3 months so sometimes it’s only high because you’re been on holiday or it’s been Christmas and you’ve eaten more. Hope that helps clarify a bit.

@GentleSheep that's really kind of you. I'll get a print out and start a thread.

Oh! I was confused too!

Chat GPT is excellent for this type of thing.

If they apply the same competence, diligence and focus to the app as they did to the parliament building and the ferries, we might have it in, I don't know, 2035. Idiots, the lot of them. "Accessed via your ScotAccount". ScotAccount? Really?

Back on topic, I think @Babybirdmum 's answer sounds reasonable, OP. I agree GPs probabably don't have either the time or technology to review trends in blood results. I hope now you know, you can get your figures down.

ETR: stray 's'

I agree OP, it can be quite tricky to get a copy of your results. The NHS app is a recent thing, I have only had my blood test results put on there since last year. Previous to that I have had to ask for a copy and for some reason the receptionist at the surgery has been reluctant to give them.

My FIL from another country finds it very unusual as he is used to receiving a copy which he goes over and stores very happily along with all medical paperwork 🤣.
It should be standard really.

In a similar vein, I find it very hard in Scotland to receive copies of clinical letters, scan reports, etc. I had to jump through hoops in order to be cc’ed into documentation about my own health. It should not be so difficult to access your own personal data.

From speaking with clinicians about this, there is a fear that patients will become anxious if they know their exact blood test / scan results (resulting in more use of NHS resources, by patients calling clinics presumably). However research shows this is not the case. It’s unethical and patronising to assume patients cannot cope with information about their health, and disempowering.

Annoys me too. I just get told by the receptionist. Everything normal no action needed. I had an x-ray a year ago was told this. My walking got worse in desperation.two months ago I asked the surgery for a private referral letter with X consultant. Got the is it an emergency. Well no it's a letter. Then phone at 8am was her reply. But I don't need an appointment just a letter. 😱

Imagine my surprise when ten minutes later the GP rang to say no problem. The letter was sent to the wrong email address so lost. But that's another story. 🙄

Medical advice/guidance from chat gpt? That seems like an excellent idea. What could possibly go wrong? 🙄

@rosiejaune These do not appear to be access forms to a Scotland wide scheme to view medical records online but forms and info from individual practices who may or may not allow access to records online, again not something all practices provide by a long shot. In fact one of the practices the forms pertain to on their website under access to Medical Records have a page about how you have to do a Subject Access Request and provide two forms of ID and that you may get your records in 28 days but a SAR can take up to 3 months. In addition often but not always with a SAR they give you copies of everything, not just the item you actually want. In any case doing a SAR every time you need a copy of your test results is excessive. It's clear we need a better system up here. I appreciate your efforts though.

@Sundaybananas Thats just awful and so concerning for those who can't afford private treatment.