General question - changing GP within practice

[chocaholic73]

Our surgery has a strange system (in my opinion) where we are allocated 1 particular doctor who is "our" doctor and it is him we are supposed to see, other than if he is not there or if (in mine or DDs case) we want to see a female doctor over something female. Out of choice I would have always preferred a female doctor but when we moved to the area, we were told it was only the male Dr who had spaces. Anyway, we have lived with this system for a number of years now but we are not over impressed by this Dr - he is pleasant enough, but basically leaves DD who has a chronic long term health issue to her own devices unless we specifically ask for anything and he held back on referring her on for another issue which was then resolved very easily by a specialist but in the meantime had caused us all a lot of worry and her extra illhealth. I am thinking about asking to transfer (or go on the waiting list to transfer) to another of the practice doctors but I am wondering if this is likely to be viewed as "Mrs chocaholic is being difficult". Will we have a black mark against our names with the new doctor and is the current doctor likely to want to know why we want to change etc etc? Will current doctor know we ask even if the answer is "not possible"? I was wondering if there are any practice managers and/or GPs on mumsnet who have any words of wisdom (or anyone else of course!).

The surgery thinks it is offering you continuity of care by suggesting you stick with the one doctor. However the English system changed a few years back & we are all now registered with Practices not individual GPs.

My advice would just get into the habit of requesting an appointment with Dr 'you find sympathetic' and not actually make any sort of admin request at all.

The only time you may not get a choice is if you request to be seen as an emergency/that day.

While I could do that for the odd one-offs, I'm not sure it is a long term solution, especially so far as DD is concerned. We need letters, repeat prescriptions etc for her on a fairly regular basis which the current Dr does do as asked. She can't very well go and see someone else and get the paperwork from him.

Hello again. Feel free to hit me over the head if this sounds patronising - it isn't mean to!

The paperwork for your DD is on a computer and in a set of notes. These will be stored for access by all appropriate people in the Practice. That will include all doctors, practice nurses & admin for certain tasks.

When you ask for a repeat prescription a junior member of the admin team checks your DDs notes & then prints one off. A doctor then takes a cursory look and signs it. When you request a letter it will be another member of the admin team who is asked to produce it. (Worked in a large Practice for 10 years & never met a doctor who actually produced/printed letters, maybe dictated the odd one.)

Really, people do just start seeing other doctors. Nobody will bat an eyelid.

I am in the process now of changing Dr's in same practice, You need to put it in writing include name address date of birth.You don't have to give a reason,just request it. It's important to have a Dr you trust/respect as regardless what Dr's you see ,your registered Dr will be receiving your results ,tests etc

I'm wanting to do the same thing, but I did actually have words with my designated doc who was very rude and dismissive over a request for an MRI that I made.
I even got a letter from the practise manager ticking me off for upsetting Dr 'Arrogant'' - his favourite expression seems to be 'sorry I can't help you'. I have chronic diarrhoea and he 'can't help' me! Sorry TMI. A different GP arranged a consultant for me, but all his letters still go to Dr Arrogant, and I don't like it.