Dr appointment - is this what happens and is it OK?

[Hmmmwhatnametochoose]

I had blood tests a couple of weeks ago and the receptionist at my surgery contacted me to ask me to make a telephone appointment with a GP. She stressed the appointment should be within 2 weeks. I was aware that the results of the blood test could indicate a potentially serious condition.

The doctor phoned on Thursday afternoon. She didn't know why the appointment had been arranged and obviously had to quickly go into her computer to view the blood test results. She sounded flustered.

I was expecting her to lead the consultation, to be aware of the test results and to be prepared to suggest next steps. As it was I led the conversation.

Is this OK? It didn't seem right.

Was it your normal GP, or a locum?

Did she give you the results, explain what they meant and discuss next steps?

Thanks - no, not a locum. I've had a phone consultation with her previously. She asked me if I understood what the results meant (I suspect she was stalling while she looked at them). I came up with a plan going forward (to be retested in 6 months) and she thought that was a good plan.

It just felt a bit odd.

I think your impression that they were playing catch up was probably right OP. Are you happy with the plan you have agreed?

I really cannot grasp why my doctor, or any other doctor, won't see patients.

Doctors have been dealing with highly infectious diseases and flu etc in their surgeries for years. Now we are getting back to some normality and expect people to go back to work, children to go back to school, yet we are subjected to telephone consultations. It's not logical.
I accept we have COVID 19 but so much does not add up about this.

I'm required to wear a mask in my local supermarket while the staff go about their jobs without masks. People wear these visors, do they really think that COVID 19 will just bounce off the front? Not be drawn in from either side or under when they breathe in?

As for the extreme measures in Melbourne, that's very worrying. Its all so very depressing.

@Fosler it's because doctors see people who are unwell, so are more likely than most to come into contact with somebody who has covid. If one person comes into the surgery with Covid, it is highly likely that the doctors and the patients they see over the next few days will catch Covid. Supermarket workers can work almost normally keeping a 2m distance or using a plastic screen if at a till but doctors can't examine you safely.

If you are unhappy/don’t totally understand the results can you request to speak to a different GP? There’s about 40 at ours as 3 surgeries combined and each time someone different rings. I wouldn’t even know who my names GP is, or if we are meant to have one.

They have hundreds of blood test to go through and can’t remember either the results or the person having them. I think you are over sensitive.

Problem is that they haven’t much time for each appointment so they probably finished one call and immediately had to call you at agreed time without time to look at your notes etc. They also these days sometimes go too far the other way from the old-fashioned “just do what the doctor tells you” to just laying out all options and asking what you want to do. I always ask (a) benefits and risks of each option and (b) what they would do themselves. So sounds fairly normal.

They have hundreds of blood test to go through and can’t remember either the results or the person having them. I think you are over sensitive.

I doubt OP is expecting them to memorise her blood results. They would see who their next patient is... look up their record, have a read, then call the patient = know the result

I doubt OP is expecting them to memorise her blood results. They would see who their next patient is... look up their record, have a read, then call the patient = know the result

Thanks @OverTheRainbow88 - yes. Given the apparent potential seriousness, I was execting the doctor to at least know what the consultation was concerning, particularly as the request for the meeting had come from the surgery.

I guess it's fine. Bit weird though.

I've seen some discussions that suggest not all surgery computer systems are reliably alerting when a telephone appointment is GP requested rather than patient requested. The increased volume of telephone appointments at the moment is probably making this worse; they aren't overall quicker than face to face.

I’m a doctor and this has happened to me at work. A colleague will look at results and decide the patient needs an appointment. The patient is asked to book an appointment or reception calls them and the patient is booked in with a different doctor if original doctor not available. The reason for the appointment is not always communicated to the second doctor making the call. I agree it can be frustrating for everyone.