Sorry, need a rant and somewhere to do it!!!

[Helpmyhair2019]

I apologise, I am ranting on here as if i rant in real life I won’t stop and I will end up crying!

I’m a teacher in an sen school. There is no social distancing, no PPE. I’m kicked, licked and everything else in between on a regular basis. There’s limited cleaning and frequent crossing of bubbles etc. I do it because it is my job and I realise the chidlren need to be in school etc etc. I do it without complaining and with a smile on my face.

It’s now half term. My 12 year old has developed a cough. I know it’s because of his asthma but I did the right thing and took him for a test. It’s come back negative. I phoned my gp to ask to speak to an asthma nurse about change in his medication as he’s really suffering. I was told that I couldn’t have an appointment due to to Covid but I may be able to get a call later. But maybe not as they’re busy with Covid. I asked what should I do in the meantime and was told if he gets really bad he needs to go to a&e!

I also asked about my 14 year olds spot medication and how to get a repeat. I was told due to Covid I couldn’t speak to anyone and had to write to them. I asked for email address and they said I had to send it by post as they can’t answer email due to Covid????? I said i would drop a note through their door post box and was told no - only by post otherwise it’s too dangerous.

What. The. Fuck

That's unbelievable. I'm not surprised you're on the brink of tears. Ffs. Sounds like you're really unlucky with your GP. Ours is nothing like that. I'm so sorry you're going through all that. Not really sure what to suggest other than to raise a complaint and/or to really exaggerate the situation maybe. Your asthmatic child in particular needs access to the GP.

Gps surgerys are shocking at the moment, ive had a similar experince trying to get a repeat prescription and my mum has history of pneumonia and chest infections and was also told to goto A&E when the doctors refused to see her.
I would keep ringing and make a complete nuisance of myself until they give you a nurses appointment!

That's absolutely rubbish. My GP complained when she had to see me with a breast lump about their "Noddy PPE". She told me she's only seeing about 3 or 4 people face to face a day. I pointed out that I see many groups of 30 kids for an hour at a time every school day without any PPE at all. Like you OP, I do it because it's my job. But I could do without GPs expecting me to feel sorry for them!

It's awful. I have a health condition that is usually "dormant" but I need meds & medical attention if/when it flares up. Really worried about the implications of COVID on GP appts and think it's so wrong that we could be denied healthcare. Not having treatment probably won't kill me but would make life miserable for weeks/months. The attitude last time "non-essential" appts were cancelled scared me, as if we're supposed to put up and shut up w/o adequate medical care because COVID patients need the care more? Yes COVID is bad but I'm sorry COVID shouldn't be de facto prioritised over other health conditions. It's unconscionable that a child suffering with asthma and in need of an appt and med change cannot see their GP. How traumatising is that?! You're supposed to tell your child that sorry you have to keep suffering because the doctors won't see you? Generation of kids not trusting doctors is what we'll end up with with that.

So you can’t put a letter though the door but the post man can? And they can’t answer emails because of covid?

Madness.

I gave up on the NHS years ago anyway and got good private healthcare (not that expensive at all, it’s basically the cost of a takeaway each month) and found a private GP. Best thing I ever did, they’ve handled Covid excellently at the private practice I go to (I am aware not everyone can do this, just pointing out the craziness and how it can differ).

I’m unspeakably angry at the (lack of) primary care. These last 7 months my GP practice has refused even phone appts with a GP. I was sympathetic initially (no PPE etc), but now I’m just disgusted and furious. You can speak to a nurse practitioner but that’s it. Unless you want an antibiotic - which now seem to be handed out like smarties by the NP, forget it.

It is absolutely dreadful. I am a teacher too - in a classroom daily with 30 others, but doctors can't see people while wearing PPE?

Thanks for all the understanding. Really appreciate it. I got my husband to phone later in the day and make a fuss (surprise surprise it worked 🙄) and managed to get a phone call from a gp for my asthmatic son which was the urgent thing. Still have to post the other sons letter! A trip to buy a stamp, Lick the envelope shut, put in a postbox, postman delivering letter after it’s been handled in the sorting office and then being posted through the gp door is still apparently safer than me putting it through the door. My husband questioned that and was just told it’s ‘the rules’.
If anything will make my son ill it will be his asthma - not Covid (though if he got Covid with un regulated asthma that would be even worse!!). I am so angry for the millions of other people being denied life saving appointments and treatments. Lots of love x

The problem is that GP surgeries are private (they're contracted by the NHS). That means the standard of service and care between individual surgeries varies greatly. This was an issue pre Covid.

Several years ago I switched.
I used to have similarly bad experiences OP. My new one has been fantastic - including throughout the pandemic. I've had a number of appointments no problem including blood tests.

It's not always possible unfortunately but if you can I'd say find a new (better) surgery.

People's experiences are so mixed. I am waiting on a phone call for my pill review. All day, can't tell me when. The main point is to check my blood pressure, but I can't go to the surgery.

The day before my expected phone call I will have a radiographer shoving my boobs into a mammogram machine, but a nurse taking my blood pressure is super risky apparently.

I'm amazed at some surgeries. My own GP practice has distancing, etc in place but has been available throughout and I work in a different surgery a few miles away. We too are all in work and, yes, more is being done by phone but those who need to be seen are seen

That's shocking, especially about the asthma bit.
Gp's still have to take calls and see ppl if necessary. They can answer emails if the practice has the correct system in place. You should be able to request the prescription online or over the phone. Do you use a regular pharmacy as they may be able to help you.

They can't stop you posting a letter through the letterbox....

The whole model of how GPS work is so outdated and ridiculous. For every excellent surgery with urgent appointments, excellent customer service and highly organised back office there’s a dump where they don’t do appointments, lose their notes and have totally irrational policies.

I feel your pain, some of them are really failing to do the basics. Yes a lot of people go to A&E unnecessarily, but equally I think a lot do so due to the failing of primary care.

Our haven't been great, can't get through and when you do are told gp will call you back, they don't. Not sure what they are doing but I am sure it is important because we have to go to hospital as tey won't speak🙄

Email the practice manager - the address should be on the practice's website - if that doesn't work (but hopefully it will, it did for me at my awkward practice), email your MP, and if that doesn't work maybe you will have to try the dreaded DM, but practice your sad face (not the angry one) first.

I feel your pain. Husband works in a PRU as an SEN teacher. He's been working right through. No PPE. No social distancing. Kids go out of their way to not socially distance. GP - no face to face. Dentists- no appointments unless in dire straights! It seems teachers are disposable. Doctors and dentists are not!

The receptionist at our GP is the worst. She thinks she's a doctor herself and has gone on a major power trip this year with covid. It's very fristrating especially when our Dr is actually lovely!

@12in21

They can't stop you posting a letter through the letterbox....

They’ve perspexed boxed around it so you can’t!!

Bloody hell.

I mean, that is totally ridiculous. As if they weren’t ridiculous enough.

I feel exactly the same as you! I too work in a SEN school. On a daily basis I am exposed all day long.
My dad passed away 2 months ago. He had a grade 4 brain tumour. My mum tried for 1 months to get him seen at the GP and they rejected her time and time again sending out postal urine tests time and time again, he lost his speech and was falling and they simply said it was old age and he needed a stick! W took him to hospital and they diagnosed a glioblastoma straight away! It took him 4 weeks. Its a bloody disgrace that education staff are expected to risk their lives but we cannot see a GP. I would bloody love the level of pay a GP gets!

I myself have endometriosis I had to have private surgery to clear it all out in feb as I was sick of waiting, and for the last 3 months I have been having pain behind my hipbone. I suspect it is a large endometrioma growing. Hell it could be cancer for all I know! My specialist says they cant scan at the moment and my GP for once is quite happy to throw painkillers my way as king as it doesn't involve them diagnosing anything!

Sorry for all the spelling mistakes above. I was feeling a little ragey typing it!

@Buttybach that is absolutely criminal. I'd be writing to my MP and to local and national press. For all the good it will do I know.. but just get it all on record. It makes me feel sick reading what you and your family have been through. I'm really sorry.

Go private if you can afford to. Totally worth the money.

Not all gps are like that. Any chance you can change?
I emailed my gp about a prescription at 4:30 on Friday. I wasn't expecting a reply until after the weekend. He replied at 7:30 that he has faxed it to the chemist.

I can email him directly about anything without any intervention from the receptionist. He is still seeing patients in person for any problems that can't be sorted over the phone. This is very busy East London practice. If they can do it, I don't know why others can't.