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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be angry that there are no female doctors..... untill wednesday!!!

139 replies

charlotte121 · 17/07/2008 11:48

everyone in the chat thread thinks i am but I have a right to see a female doctor and having to wait nearly a week to see one isnt good enough in my opinion. I have a valid reason for wanting to see a female doc and although im in a lot of pain I really cant see a male doctor!

OP posts:
cory · 17/07/2008 12:34

Have already answered this in Chat. Basically, I feel sympathetic to your problem, but think that you must also try to understand the difficulties of fitting patients in, particularly in a small surgery. I am sure they are not denying you access to a female doctor on any sort of principle; just trying to fit you in as quick as they can with the doctors they actually have available. A small surgery may not have more than one female doctor, if that, and of course even this one female is entitled to go on holiday/fall ill/have maternity leave. Getting a locum of the right sex can be well nigh impossible.

On the other thread, solutions were suggested: registering with a larger surgery/one with a high proportion of females/asking to be seen by a nurse etc. And of course letting the surgery know from the start that you have this need is essential.

We do understand your needs, but if (e.g.) a female doctor falls ill or goes on holiday or simply gets very booked up one week, then I'd say calling that a disgrace is hardly very helpful.

theyoungvisiter · 17/07/2008 12:37

sorry, I really sympathise with your problem, but if you have an issue with this you should have registered with a surgery that had more than 1 female doctor.

Are you expecting her to be on call 24/7?

Also TBH an appointment for a non-emergency within a week is bloody good going in our area!

mumblechum · 17/07/2008 12:42

Yes, but Muslims live by a very very weird, medieval rulebook, which doesn't apply to anyone else.

Original poster
charlotte121 · 17/07/2008 12:44

The doctor isnt ill or on hoiday she just not in untill weds. even the rectionist thought it wasnt very good.
surely the nhs should try and spread ths male female doctors evenly throughouot doctors surgeries.

OP posts:
MamaChris · 17/07/2008 12:45

charlotte - why don't you switch to a surgery with more female drs? i think your preference is entirely reasonable, but you can also help yourself by picking a surgery that is more likely to be able to match it

WilyWombat · 17/07/2008 12:45

At least you have found a way round it, could you not register with your mums surgery if they have more female doctors and it really is a major issue for you.

theyoungvisiter · 17/07/2008 12:46

They don't allocate the doctors to surgeries you know - the surgeries advertise a vacancy and appoint the best candidate who applies.

And perhaps she's not in until Wednesday because she's been on call over the weekend and hasn't had a day off for ages?

WilyWombat · 17/07/2008 12:49

I dont think they are like butter to be spread wily nilly where the NHS decides, I assume like most other human beings they chose where whey want to do their job.

My doctor lives 2 minutes from the surgery, is a partner there and has children at the local schools...she is off sick currently. Yeah inconvenient but she is also a human being

Sidge · 17/07/2008 12:49

Bear in mind that if you get referred to a specialist as you are hoping for, you won't get a choice as to who you see and the gynaecologist may be male.

TigerFeet · 17/07/2008 12:50

Sounds like you have very valid reasons to want to see a female doctor however if you are registered at a surgery which only has one and who works reduced hours perhaps you should think of moving? Is there more than one surgery in your area?

What happens if there are only male specialists? I would hate to see you cut off from getting the help you need because of your fears

I don't think the NHS have any authority to tell people where they should work, and neither should they.

MsDemeanor · 17/07/2008 12:51

The female GP has the perfect right to work part time you know. I might guess she has children and so what do you expect her to do? To say, 'sorry darlings, I'm going to have cancel our day together and leave you at home alone with a bit of toast as there's a woman at the surgery who won't see a male doctor so I'll pop in and do some unpaid work?'
You desire to see a female GP is totally reasonable. Your expectation to see a female GP when she isn't even working is thoroughly unreasonable. If you are strongly opposed to seeing a male doc you probably need to change surgeries to one with more female doctors.

Kewcumber · 17/07/2008 12:51

I thinkmamachris is right - we only have one male GP in our practice . It wouldn;t be fair of men wanting their prostate examined to moan if they can't have him if he isn't avalable when they signed up to a predominantly female prcatice.

OrmIrian · 17/07/2008 12:52

Our surgery has at least 5 female GPs. But then it has about 20 GPs on the books. I think you are being unreasonable although I understand the reason. I think moving surgeries would be a good idea.

Sidge · 17/07/2008 12:53

GPs aren't allocated to surgeries, the surgery is run like a private business in terms of employment. The practice advertises for a GP post and they select the best candidate. The NHS don't employ them, the GPs do.

Many female GPs work part time as they too tend to have families. So getting in within a week is (IMO) not bad at all.

And please don't call out-of-hours as someone suggested. That is an emergency service staffed by rotating GPs and locums and you have virtually no chance of being referred onwards - they will tell you to see your GP.

TigerFeet · 17/07/2008 12:53

I rather suspect there are more male GPs than female - that is my experience anyway - so it would be very difficult to guarantee a female doctor at every surgery at all times imo.

hatrick · 17/07/2008 12:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

theyoungvisiter · 17/07/2008 13:04

As a sideline, it would be interesting to know whether many Muslim women actually do insist on only seeing a female doctor and how far this is agreed to if, for example, they were in labour and an emergency arose?

I have several Muslim friends and know of at least a couple who saw male doctors during their labours - one for a caesarian and one for an assisted delivery. I don't think they were given any option to request otherwise as it was considered an emergency...?

Original poster
charlotte121 · 17/07/2008 13:05

no im not moaning about the other thread, i just wanted a varied opinion hatrick. I have continued posting on the other thread too. I have not ignored what people have said on the other thread in the slightest and agree with the things that have been said on the whole.

OP posts:
Original poster
charlotte121 · 17/07/2008 13:07

I dont have an issue with the female doctor having a life outside of the surgery, a family or going on holiday, but i do think whoever is running the surgery has a duty to provide people with a female doctor.

OP posts:
Kewcumber · 17/07/2008 13:09

but they don;t do they? Have a duty that is.

MsDemeanor · 17/07/2008 13:09

No, they don't. And they specially don't have a duty to provide you with a female doctor whenever it suits you.

TigerFeet · 17/07/2008 13:11

I'm afraid I disagree Charlotte. I just think there simply aren't enough female doctors to do that. What do you suggest? Uprooting a doctor and her family to manage it? Force them all to work long hours or locum? I really can't see how it can work tbh.

I do understand your fears but I also think that because of them you have to plan round it a bit... ring round local surgeries perhaps and register with the one that has the most female cover.

HermanMunster · 17/07/2008 13:11

"but i do think whoever is running the surgery has a duty to provide people with a female doctor."

and they are providing one at the next time where one is available.
they can't provide you what they don't have, so if the next free appointment is a week away and they are allocating you that slot, they have done all they can.

FrannyandZooey · 17/07/2008 13:13

'the people on the chat thread' are the same people who are going to be seeing this thread, you know

how do you feel the surgery can provide you with a female doctor before next week, if there isn't one working until then?

Original poster
charlotte121 · 17/07/2008 13:13

Like i said previousy in the thread, im not being picky. I was assulted a few years ago and dont feel comfortable with a man examining me. I think under those circumstances I have the right to see a female doctor. there are loads of people who ahve been through the same as me and worse who would probs also want to see a woman. y shud some1 need a reason as well whzat if they were extremly shy?

OP posts:
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