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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think this is a rather strange and stupid rule for a doctors practise to have?

120 replies

BigBadMousey · 31/07/2008 09:29

DD1 4.3 been up all night very ill with suspected tonsilitis. Been sick several times and had a high temp.

I asked the docs for a home visit (she gets car sick as it is and is feeling dizzy plus she would be incredibly upset if she was sick in public) and they said 'no, we have a policy whereby we don't do home visits for children'.

wtf?

I don't get it - seems ridiculous to me but AIBU?

OP posts:

ivykaty44 · 03/08/2008 23:09

When I took my dd1 to the gp when she was ill with an infection on her lungs the gp wasn't happy that in the waiting room she wanted to rest on the floor for comfort (she did look like a bag lady as I had her in pj's and all bundled up) he asked what was worng durr she is ill and can't get comfrtable, so is lying on the floor surronded with coats to stop draft from door. Iam happy to bring her to surgery but please dont be grumpy when she wants to lie down and is far to old and big for my lap. Please dont then complain that it doesn't look good for the practice, ill people in the waiting room having to wait their turn to see a gp should sit up properly.

Have done a couple of trips in the night with dd1 to the clinic and have to bundle dd2 up and take her aswell although really late and difficulkt.

I think op is yanbu but unfortunatley the cuts and cost etc mean that home visits dont happen in my area either day or night and not yours either.

overthemill · 04/08/2008 12:25

emma, phew! I genuinely dont want to upset anybody on here.

ime it is the reception staff who get the brunt of the complaints/pissed off people and have to defend rules. sometimes they can seem rude etc but they have hard jobs too.

what i wouldnt like is blanket rules taht cant work for everyone. flexibility is key surely?

i think gps work extremely hard and get paid well for what they do.

MsHighwater · 05/08/2008 21:43

Emma1977, I didn't mistake you for macdoodle (tho' "It seems GPs aren't allowed to have opinions on here" does seem a teensy bit defensive to me).

I work in a public service (Social Work and Housing) and we have to wrestle with the issue of "customer" service, too (we call them clients or sometimes service users). The thing is, our clients have little choice (in fact, even less than yours since yours can go to another doctor if they wish to). As far as I'm concerned that makes our responsibility towards them far greater than any business. It's precisely because we cannot jump at their smallest whim that we must be at pains to treat them with respect, consideration and fairness.

All I've ever tried to say on this thread is that a policy such as the OP was led to believe was in operation at her GP practice would be wrong. I'm not suggesting that her GP should necessarily have visited her dd at home, only that they should been prepared to consider her request on its merits.

emma1977 · 05/08/2008 23:58

Merely an expression of exasperation .

MsHighwater · 06/08/2008 13:02

At least people remember who you are after you've seen them ("Yes, doctor. Thank you, doctor."). I get called "the girl about the bath".

DaphneMoon · 06/08/2008 13:10

I think during the day when the surgery is open it is reasonable not to expect home visits when an adult can take the child in. However, I would not be amused if they refused a home visit in the evening when the surgery is closed. Does this happen, fortunately I have not had to experience this.

tiggerlovestobounce · 06/08/2008 13:21

In the evening you go to the out of hours centre instead of the GP practice.
You are no more likely to get a home visit out of hours that you are in hours.

DaphneMoon · 06/08/2008 13:26

We don't have an out of ours centre as far as I know. TBH if it was that serious I would call an ambulance or take my DS in car to casualty. If it is not serious enough for an ambulance then prob not serious enough for a call out. It would wait till the morning.

tiggerlovestobounce · 06/08/2008 13:28

You must have some out of hours GP provision? are you in the UK?

DaphneMoon · 06/08/2008 13:37

Yes I am in the UK, there is probably an out of hours number given out. But I am not aware of the availability of a centre or surgery to attend in the evening. Can't say I have needed to look into this only telephoned the surgery during the day. We have only lived here 18 months. As I said earlier, if it was that serious I would not waste time ringing a doctor, in cases like meningitis, too much time has been wasted in the past fannying around. Get them to casualty. Anything in my opinion which makes you ask the question in the middle of the night, I am worried about this, I need a doctor, etc this is serious, prob needs to be taken to casualty. A doctor will only come in take a look and then call an ambulance if it is serious.

tiggerlovestobounce · 06/08/2008 13:41

My surgery gives the number to call on the answer machine if you call them while they are closed.
It isnt just about middle of the night stuff, but evenings and weekends too.
I have found that at my out of hours place I wait about 5 minutes to be seen, and from what I have heard A+E takes a bit longer.

DaphneMoon · 06/08/2008 14:00

I have always found that in A&E they do seem to look at children first. I am sure I am not imagining it. But on the few occasions when I have been in with DS they have seen him immediately, I'm sure other people had been waiting longer. I had to wait much longer when I went in for myself.

FioFio · 06/08/2008 14:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

emma1977 · 06/08/2008 18:04

I'm probably known as "the girl about the piles/fanjo discharge/depression"

danielsmumlor · 09/08/2008 00:08

I can't understand why some people are suggesting that if the GP wont do a home visit, they should take the child to A&E. Surely if the child can travel to A&E, they can travel to the surgery or out-of-hours centre?

Quattrocento · 09/08/2008 00:12

This thread is really irritating me. The title keeps coming up in active convos and setting my teeth on edge.

It's a doctor's PRACTICE. With a C. Not an S.

I am with PPH on the subject as well.

ReallyTired · 09/08/2008 00:32

People like Macdoodle and emma1977 work really hard. They need to achieve a work life balance other wise they will make themselves ill.

A few years ago one of our elderly neighbours suffered severe depression after the death of her husband. She stopped eating and wanted to die so that she could be with her husband.

I am sure that concerned relatives arranging a home visit for her probably saved her life.

Mothers are very ego centric and their children is almost an extension of their ego.

MsHighwater · 10/08/2008 21:10

ReallyTired, is that last comment not just a bit of a generalisation? A bit like the assumption that anyone under 16 who is unwell is either well enough to be taken to the surgery or so ill they need an ambulance, in fact.

Blandmum · 10/08/2008 21:28

Home visits are for people who are simply too ill to get to the practice. Not wishing to seem nastyu but I don't think this is the case for your dd.

My dh got home visits when he was dreadfully ill, but when we could take him in, we did. And he was dfying, not having an unpleasant, but normal childhood illness.

LittleBella · 10/08/2008 21:44

Of course a blanket ban is unreasonable, it fails to recognise individual cases and the desirability of keeping some sick people away from others. EG in the case of measles. Not a great idea to take a kid with measles to a surgery where there might be babies under a year old, imo.

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