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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To complain about my GP practice refusing to see DS

28 replies

VeryHungryLennipillar · 15/09/2009 22:46

DS been up all night last 2 nights wailing but fine when awake or held upright. Think he has an ear infection. So I called GPs to make an appointment but because he has a temp and cold they won't see him because of swine flu. He hasn't got swine flu, he's had the cold 2 weeks and now probably has an ear infection. They have offered me a telephone consultation so I politely pointed out that it wasn't going to help diagnose an ear problem, so receptionist told me to take him to the urgent care centre where they are seeing patients with SF symptoms and he could be seen there. Er, yes, I'll take my 8mo to get swine flu then shall I Grrrr.

OP posts:
2shoes · 15/09/2009 22:48

how bizarre.
dd had a temp the other week(throat infection) the doctor insisted on seeing her.
so I would complain.

mummyhasnocar · 15/09/2009 22:49

YANBU

SecretNinjaChipmunk · 15/09/2009 22:50

sorry but wtf is the receptionist doing asking you why you are going there? its none of her business. i would never mention on the phone what the problem was just make an appt and go in. the only other thing i can suggest is your nearest walk in centre. maybe you could talk tot he pactice manager at your gps if they won't give an appt.

littleducks · 15/09/2009 22:50

tbh i think they have to do it

i would accept the telephone consult actually
you can then describe symptoms to dr they can rule out swine flu and prob book you in to check ear (they may even write prescription so you just collect it but i would expect them to want to check ear in this case)

SecretNinjaChipmunk · 15/09/2009 22:51

sorry i meant practice manager

InMyLittleHead · 15/09/2009 22:52

Make a fuss. It's the only way.

Wellywearer · 15/09/2009 22:53

I loves telefone consults - Dont have 2 drag rest of brood/myself 2 nasty infectious place with lots of sick people and wait 4 hours and hours to be told what I know already.

Original poster
VeryHungryLennipillar · 15/09/2009 23:00

Hadn't thought about the postive aspects of a telephone consultation. Think I'll accept it then. I can appreciate they have to be careful with SF, but its irritating. I feel like it is very big brother esque - ordinary people are no longer fit to decide if they should visit the GP.

OP posts:
WidowWadman · 15/09/2009 23:01

Phone consult re an 8 months old usually means that the doc will ask you to come in anyway, just to be sure. That's at least how it works at my GP's surgery.

addictedtomn · 15/09/2009 23:09

m recent had a problem with her sugery refusing to see my brother because he was presenting swine flu symptons - he had a chest infection. she needed to take him to get an inhaler as he has severe asthma and antibiotics to clear up the infection - he didnt have swine flu just a chest infection which was making his asthma worse.

my mum complained to the practice manager who had strong words with the nosey jobs worth receptionist

addictedtomn · 15/09/2009 23:10

that was ment to say you really should compain, my mum recently had a problem...

Wellywearer · 15/09/2009 23:10

''ordinary people are no longer fit to decide if they should visit the GP.''
There has been alot of ''anxious well'' & ''snifflers''overloading many surgeries

pickyvic · 15/09/2009 23:11

another one here who loves the telephone consult....it saves my time and theirs. i had cystitis the other week and on phone call is all it took - had a script done in no time. also when DS has an asthma attack or chest infection they tend to let me waffle over the phone and bingo - as if by magic a script is done without us having to leave the comfort of the sick bed! i love it!

ginormoboobs · 15/09/2009 23:36

YABU
Why not accept a phone consult?
They say "what are his symptoms?"
"he has bright red ears and pus running from his ears"
"Ah , sounds like an ear infection. Bring him in / come and pick up a prescrition"

They usually fit you in the same day if they need to see you.
Why would you want to drag your child into a doctors surgery which is full of ill people if he only has an ear infection? Why risk him catching something more sinister when his immune system is already low?

ginormoboobs · 15/09/2009 23:38

Sorry , that came across as quite rude.
What I mean is that they are doing you a favour by not asking you to go to one of those awful places!

tinkerbellesmuse · 16/09/2009 06:24

YABU (but kinda understand why)

Take the phone consult - they are great.

EightiesChick · 16/09/2009 08:27

YANBU but you do have to be a bit crafty and work the system as people have said here. Use the phone consultation to your advantage.

SecretNinjaChipmunk - for a same day or 'emergency' appointment at my GP's, you HAVE to say what the problem is, you can't just refuse.

In fact, the phone consultation is built into the same day system at my GP's. What happens is that you ring at 8am, the receptionist grills you takes details, then the practice nurse rings you back for a 'triage call' to determine whether you get seen that day or not. Can be dicey if you're an adult, but they have always given my DS (who is also 8 mos) an appointment, and within the next two hours, when I've done this for him. I think generally they do see kids quickly but the swine flu fuss is throwing a spanner in the works.

Jujubean77 · 16/09/2009 13:26

You need to be super pushy here YANBU

VulpusinaWilfsuit · 16/09/2009 13:30

In any case, i thought the advice is that all children under 5 should be seen by a GP to diagnose SF so am bemused by this response?

Perhaps you can dig up the guidelines and put that to them?

meltedmarsbars · 16/09/2009 13:36

We had a similar problem yesterday, I rang for an appt, was told they were full and open to "medical emergencies only", I described to details to the receptionist and left it at that.

To their credit they called me back and we were in a consulting room within half an hour! (but my dd2 does have previous)

Telephone consultations are great for them and for you - agree with welly: who wants to drag sniffly kids into a waiting room of expectorating geriatrics?

Is expectorating even a real word?

PeedOffWithNits · 16/09/2009 13:41

agree telephone appts are the bizz

but they are also trying to cut down on giving antibiotics for ear infections and the like here, and we would likely be told, dose them up on calpol etc and ring back if worse/no better in another 24hrs

meltedmarsbars · 16/09/2009 13:45

Except that ear infections can lead to burst eardrums and hearing problems!

OrmIrian · 16/09/2009 13:48

Telephone consultation sounds great to me. Gp surgeries are pretty awful places with DC in tow.

Sassybeast · 16/09/2009 13:54

Telephone consult should be fine - I'd rather do that at the minute than drag the kids into a waiting room if someone in there potentially has SF. Think most GPs surgeries are being completely overloaded with worried well at the minute so they have to use some sort of triage system. Unfortunately some receptionists are more experienced than others but they ARE under immense pressure so I wouldn't complain.i love telephone consults - they'll even arrange to have the prescription sent to the chemist.

Meltedmarsbars - a burst ear drum with an ear infection is fairly common and generally means that the infection is being expelled.

SomeGuy · 16/09/2009 14:22

GPs receptions are nosy, don't tell them anything.