Doctors and how they come across

My son has been 'under' a doctor for ages with no improvement. However, a new doctor has joined the practice and has spent time really listening. Lo and behold he's come up with something nobody had ever considered before and instigated a new form of treatment. My son calls him 'that good doctor'. So do I.

No one will be surprised to read that research confirms patients do better if they have continuity of care.
We moved surgery after fifty years as it plummeted from outstanding to needing improvement. We’d experienced several problems, one of which resulted in three year old grandchild on a paediatric ward for five nights. Our new surgery is outstanding but as everywhere, continuity of care isn’t easy.
Urgent appointments are seen on the day but no choice which dr. It’s a six or older wait to see the GP of choice z(especially if it’s one of the female docs )

Does anyone know who I mean by Hugh Pym the BBC health editor. Years ago his late father was our family GP. His home and practice was just around the corner from us. He did home visits and even took me to our cottage hospital (long gone) to stitch my foot when I cut it at 10pm on Christmas Day. He also took my brother and I into his garden during our appointment so that we could see some kittens and choose one each. That was what you called a good GP who really knew his patients.

We have one that gets you in and out in 10 mins, doesnt really listen and is brusque. I kept going back and U was always given her. One appointment with a different Dr and he listened sent me for scans and was correct in his diagnosis. 4 months later operation and all sorted. That said my favourite Dr takes ages is always running late but is fab. Hard to get an appointment with her but she is so thorough, goes through everything, remembers past appointments and even follows up results by email. She got my husband to a physiotherapist who referred for an MRI and is now awaiting an operation 2 years after seeing numerous Dr's in our surgery. I also have been referred, quickly for tests for a new issue. She is like our old family Dr used to be. The practice receptionists complain about her as she overuns her 10 min appointments but I'd rather sit in the waiting room for a extra 40 mins to see her that get in/out with some of the others who just give you a prescription and shoo you out the door!!!

I have one specialist's office that I go to regularly. I have rarely seen the same doctor more than once. The visit seems so impersonal.They 're busy typing into the computer and there's little eye contact. It would be hard to change practices as there's at least a 6 month wait for an appointment. I just accept this office since I don' t want to start over and potentially have no better treatment anyway.

Luckygirl3

The loss of continuity is a shame. My late OH was GP in a small country practice. The patients knew him and he knew them. When they came in the door he knew who had died in their family if they were in work, whether they got on with their spouse... as well as all the medical history. And this all added up to a better more individualised service.

I now seldom see the same person twice and they spend most of the meagre 10 minutes trying to catch up on my history on their screen.

My father was a GP in an era, he retired at 60 in 1980 where a GP's practice was run as you describe.

It would be nice to be reminded of what the reasons were for bringing in Health Centres and group practices in the 1980s, As far as I remember it was not due to a shortage of young doctors, but to a cost-effective way of thinking, that you could see more patients, without them having to sit for up to an hour and a half in the waiting-room if doctors ran an appointment system, instead of having consulting hours.

As far as I remember no-one asked patients what they preferred, either then or since.

Perhaps it is time to drop the appointment system and go back to each doctor having his or her own list of patients, and having consulting hours, where you turn up and wait your turn, knowning that if you come with something simple it will only take a couple of minutes, but when you need to discuss more than one problem there will be time for that.

i have only had a couple of doctors that have been a problem and they have been in hospitals, i always make it clear that i will not be talked down to or as if i am stupid, i always give respect and i expect it back, after a bowel cancer op, i knew something was wrong, the registrar told me to shut up when i asked a question as he was to busy, it was the last time he came to my room when i complained to the surgeon...his boss, later that day i was on a drip for 24 hours, a drip i knew i needed.

I haven’t seen a GP for maybe 10 years or more . I saw a diabetic consultant in 2024 who commenced me on Mounjaro and since then I’ve had a 6 monthly appointment with the Diabetic Nurse at our surgery . The only contact with our GP I have had is a medication review by telephone. I’ve absolutely no idea what any of the doctors even look like .

That made me laugh Willow. Different times 😕

Aveline

I'm involved in training medical students. I' m a simulated patient for communication training and exams. A lot of work seems to go into how these new potential doctors come over to patients. Of course, some are better than others.

It would cost nothing to remind doctors that all patients, even those with a serious medical condition, would like to feel they are welcomed in to the surgery, that they are heard and that they go away feeling they have been comforted.
Very few actually 'see' the person in front of them.

Private GP appointment costs £160 at the practice near us plus extra for reports or referrals etc. A lot to pay but I gather that the doctors there enjoy the job as there is less time pressure and they can really look at all the factors potentially affecting a patient and take time to explain treatment/management. It would be lovely to go to that practice but it's just too expensive.

I'm very fortunate to be with a good practice. I rarely go to the surgery as I'm pretty much housebound but a phone call either early morning or mid afternoon the GP will phone you back to check my problem. If nessesary he will arrange a face to face same day ornit urgent the next day.
He doesn't seem to do home visits but our surgery employ 2 paramedics who do visits and report back to GP.
I get to regular B12 injections. The surgery nurse comes to my home to do it. Last time I needed a blood test too. Nurse did it at the same visit. I've really no complaints.
If I as I had a lady problem I was able to book with the very efficient lady Doctor.

We are so lucky with our doctors. We switched surgeries after going for over fifty years to the same one
as we could not get appointments and never saw the same doctor.
We now have three or four doctors and get to see the same one if we wish. My doctor is very well up on nutrition etc and gives great advice. Very kind and caring whenever I see him. Everyone in the surgery is lovely we feel very grateful.

We get to see the same GP here but we pay for the privilege. $92 for a 5 minute consultation. We get about a half back from the government but is is still a lot to pay. So you only go if it is urgent or you have run out of your prescription ( they won’t give you a repeat unless you attend in person ) Don’t knock your free service, you are lucky !

The doctors at my surgery are very pleasant but if you are female,over 80 with any kind of chronic health problem you are definitely at the bottom of the priority list.

Someone on my local Facebook page has just exploded because nobody from the medical centre would come out to see her young daughter who had fallen and had a huge bump on her head. In fact the receptionist told her to go to A& E, so it wasn’t a case of individual doctors or nurses refusing to help.

Systems have changed and our expectations have had to change too.

We had a lovely family doctor when I was growing up. A gently spoken Scottish man working out of his house where his wife worked alongside him, as was often the case. He would come out day or night and saw us grow up just as he had been there when we were born.
When I moved down to London with my new husband we registered with another family doctor but in a small practice, he also would come out day or night and knew our children. As they grew up. Sadly he died and the practice expanded and got a management team, it was not the same but not as bad as the practice we now have after moving to a different part of London after selling the family home. We mainly only ever see a practice nurse or assistant physician, and quite often we have explain our medical histories each time.

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Exit, Stage (Far) Right.

Good grief!

twaddle

Meandrogrog

twaddle

No, Meandrogrog, it doesn't "say it all". If you had a valid point, you would be able to explain/justify it rather than trying unsuccessfully to gaslight me. You can't even describe any damage.

It is perfectly understandable to have concerns regarding the level of immigration, you cannot expect to shut people down with a ‘nothing to see here’ attitude. You may be right that this will never cause change and that those coming into the country will respect our way of life.

You, on the other hand, are not prepared to admit that there may be cause for concern. Very superior attitude.

Pardon? You have no idea what I'm prepared to admit. I've asked you what you're concerned about but you can't even explain it. You're right I'm not concerned about people with different coloured skin being more numerous. Why on earth should it bother me? You don't even know what colour my skin is or where I was born.

The levels of immigration are a reason for concern only to some people - those with some kind of hidden agenda they don't want to admit for some reason. What's the problem?

You are very aggressive, I will not engage with you further.

That should have been sick note

Meandrogrog

twaddle

No, Meandrogrog, it doesn't "say it all". If you had a valid point, you would be able to explain/justify it rather than trying unsuccessfully to gaslight me. You can't even describe any damage.

It is perfectly understandable to have concerns regarding the level of immigration, you cannot expect to shut people down with a ‘nothing to see here’ attitude. You may be right that this will never cause change and that those coming into the country will respect our way of life.

You, on the other hand, are not prepared to admit that there may be cause for concern. Very superior attitude.

Pardon? You have no idea what I'm prepared to admit. I've asked you what you're concerned about but you can't even explain it. You're right I'm not concerned about people with different coloured skin being more numerous. Why on earth should it bother me? You don't even know what colour my skin is or where I was born.

The levels of immigration are a reason for concern only to some people - those with some kind of hidden agenda they don't want to admit for some reason. What's the problem?

Twaddle I guess he did not tolerate malingerers or those who just wanted a dick note. He did not believe in anti biotics on demand. Ahead of his time maybe Guess he became slightly more tactful in the way he put things. I also think those who wanted just a sick note or a script went to one of the other partners