Need advice on how to deal with grumpy NHS GP

[Booooooooom]

I realise this is largely my fault. I work full time and find it impossible to see the NHS GP. I can never get an appointment unless I’m ill and staying at home anyway but if I want a regular appointment, it’s impossible as you can only phone/text on the day and I have to go to work.

i had a major allergic reaction when I was abroad and ended up in hospital. The doctor in the foreign hospital knew an allergy consultant in the UK and sent an email to him about me and the consultant’s secretary made me an appointment to have thorough testing when I got home. I bypassed the GP not because I wanted to but because it was easier and I knew under the NHS the waiting list is more than 12 months for allergies so there was nothing he could do anyway. I paid for the appointment myself and the consultant wrote to my GP with the findings. I then went to the GP to discuss (I took a day off) and he was furious - basically said he wasn’t there just to do what the consultant wanted him to do and had a go at me for bypassing him. I told him the reasons why but I left the appointment with him ranting at me (raised voice, visibly cross etc).

A few years ago I got long Covid. The GP did a referral for me to a long Covid specialist (for private healthcare) and I see him once a year. However I never gave him the GP details (not deliberately but I just forgot). Nothing has ever been found in any test they have done till recently when they discovered my cholesterol was super high. The consultant asked for my GP details as he thinks the GP should start me on statins and has written him a letter but I know the GP will kick off again and tbh I’m still so tired from working FT and trying to cope with long covid that I’m not sure I can face him. I know I’m partly being ridiculous but life is so tough when you have overwhelming fatigue and are trying to keep everything together. I won’t be seeing the long Covid specialist any more as there’s nothing they can do but I agree I do need the statin. He agreed to prescribe one box but wants the GP to take over as it will need monitoring etc.

Is there anything I can say to the GP? I genuinely don’t know if I have the strength to deal with him raising his voice and telling me off again. I’m not normally fearful of confrontation but anything to do with health makes me feel vulnerable!

Can you change GP or see a different one at your surgery?

First, the GP shouldn’t be like this. The GPs at our practice are always understanding - some even seen grateful - if I have had some aspect done privately as it cuts down their workload. So you could complain to the practice and then you might get to see a different GP at least.
Secondly, do you have any form of private healthcare through work? If so, I think statins are cheap so you could just see a private GP and then pay for the prescription. It’s frustrating when you’re paying tax for a universal free health service but it does cut down on the hassle!

You need a different GP! I do this kind of thing all the time because most of the things that are/have been wrong with me are ones the NHS don't do much about. The GP's never "told me off". Most normal GPs are glad if people are taking care of their health and not expecting them to do referrals.

When I changed GP some years ago I asked a friend at the primary care Trust which one they got fewest complaints about and went with them. They've been brilliant.

You may just have a grumpy GP, but it also depends a little bit on what the private allergy specialist wanted him to do. GPs are understandably getting fed up of doing things that consultants are perfectly able to do but choose not to, because "GP to do xyz".
Cholesterol treatment shouldn't be an issue at all! Have you had an NHS health check? If you havent, and you're worried about the cholesterol treatment discussion then ask for a health check or lipids check at the surgery and then take it from there!
Good luck, I'm sorry things have been difficult when they shouldn't be.

Get another GP. My GP in my opinion is totally incompetent and couldnt care less. I have VERY good reasons for saying this. I changed surgery and the new surgery is so much better. I dont know why I put up with this one for so long.

your GP has a very precious attitude
i agree, change the GP

although i agree there are plenty of grumpy GPs about,
annoyed at being asked to prescribe certain medications etc.,

Yeah my gp is like this.

there’s a lot of friction between my gp and my consultants. It’s very difficult at the moment as it seems gps don’t want to take over prescriptions consultants have started.

I'm amazed your GP is this invested tbh, mine forgets everything about me from one appointment to the next! (I don't mind this, I understand he has hundreds of patients and ten minutes with each). Can you not just request someone else at the practice?

Thanks all - you’ve made me feel a lot better! There are other GPs at the surgery but I always get allocated him for some reason. I’ll see if they let me see someone else, fingers crossed.

Definitely see a different GP, if you get allocated him again politely decline and state that you will not see a GP who raises their voice at you for following instructions of another healthcare professional. Awful that you have to go through this!

It'll be because he's the only one with appointments because he has a reputation!

I would have complained to the practice manager at being ranted and spoken to like that. The issues between private consultants and GPs should not mean that you are scared to see your GP. And then refuse to see that GP again. I wonder whether the reason you always get allocated him is because other patients also avoid him.

This:

Different funding comes from different areas. I used to work in a MH clinic and we'd often ask GPs to do an ECG, bloods, see someone for elevated BP for example and we'd often get GPs writing back saying they wouldn't do it, we had to do it ourselves and then they'd be back and forth letters.

One GP surgery just refused outright and there was nothing we could do.

I'm entitled to a flu jab via by employer, but due to a disability couldn't attend any of the clinics so emailed the vaccination people who said no worries, you can get it from a pharmacy or your GP. Both the GP and pharmacy refused and said they weren't commissioned to do it so wouldn't get paid for it.

Your GPs behaviour is beyond inappropriate, and I would have made a complaint at the time.

If the NHS provided a reasonable level of care for all, there would be little need for private treatment, however the sad fact is they don't.

Secondly if everyone currently being seen privately descended on the NHS, it would go under in a day.

I would see someone else, and if that's not possible, change practices.

But whatever you do, don't let your high cholesterol go untreated.

I personally pay for statin treatment as I am not eligible under the NHS - I don't know your age and medical background but generally as a young woman you can have any level of high cholesterol and not qualify for treatment until either you have an end stage CVD event or are deemed to be in the prodromal decade of one.

That isn't the way I choose to approach preventive healthcare.

Many online pharmacies sell statins very cheaply including prescription, I pay about £30 per year for generic atorvastatin.

I'd tell him to control his temper and get on with providing you the treatment recommended by the person who specialises in that area. If he disagrees with their clinical opinion he needs to take it up with them. And ask about him how best to make a formal complaint for his rude and unprofessional behaviour.

The direct approach is often best with these arseholes.