Doctors and how they come across

I remember in 1980 when applying to adopt our son we got an appointment at 18.30. for our medicals. When we arrived we were invited into his house (attached to the surgery) offered drinks and had a talk! Yes we passed the medical! What relaxed happy days.

Our surgeries ( we have four in the practice) have really good listening GPs plus great senior practitioner nurses!
Yesterday I saw a GP at 8.00, by 4.30 I had had an X-ray of my pelvis plus blood tests are being done on Friday !NHS at its absolute best !

My doctor who looked after me with my third pregnancy was very famous, allegedly killed his wife, probably did, but when he was sober, morning appointments, was brilliant doctor, he really cared, in safe gynae hands, was exceptionally good when I had post natal depression, the drs I have to see now, seem not to care one iota!!

Sometimes our doctors we see are good on other times do not really want to bother with a patient! Have a problem tied to something I am being treated for so when I filled in the 3 forms we now have to finally got a text saying doctor thinks I need a routine appointment! What is that as filling in yet another online form I can have an appointment next week at 8am or one in 3 weeks at 9.30. So had to take that. Other appointments available all very early which is difficult for me as meds have to be taken hour apart then wait till they work. So would be up about 4-5 am to be ready for the walk to the surgery! Wish I was a child again with our doctor who was like part of the family. Good old days for sure!

My GP Practice has 25,000 patients..
I have been with them for nearly 40 years.

I found the two older Doctors,now left or retired. to be rude and arrogant and just in medicine to advance their careers in Primary Care.

I am still sorting out two medical conditions that were misdiagnosed or ignored by them over twenty years ago

They were rude and arrogant and patients were just treated as research fodder to advance their careers in medicine, medical education and Primary Care.

The female Doctor was very well in with being a Consultant to NICE and post COVID Research. She also received an OBE a couple of years ago.

The other is now a Regional Director of a National well known medical organisation.

Another other Senior Doctor did not send off several.referal.letters and it has taken me over two years to sort out this oversight and get appointments.

My medical Practice now has a lot of female Salaried GP's who are much better than the old brigade. More caring and down to earth and not full of themselves.

That is.my experience

In the practice I attend very infrequently GPs use Mayo Clinic site. If I think I have an issue I just check the issue myself. If nothing fits, I'd seek a GP appointment for probably 3 weeks' time.

I had lots of blood tests on 5he 10th February and no one has sent a letter with my results, do they let you die if you have no computer or phone

My local practice used to be so good until the retirement of the senior GP and now it's pretty dire. All GP's are part time, the only appts ever available are with trainee GP's who are at the surgery for a few months as part of their training. No appts ever advertised with the resident GP's.
Last year sometime all patients were allocated a named GP who is supposed to have overall care of them. We had texts telling us who this doc is but it was emphasised that this didn't mean we could always see this person or that they would treat us so no idea what the heck the point of the exercise was, probably just a tick the box exercise with no benefit whatsoever to the patients.

When my DH died twenty one years ago, our family doctor who knew the family well, sent me a lovely hand written cards saying his sorry he was and how much he admired my husband.

Sadly retired now and the doctors and surgery were never the same after he left,

The town centre GP practice I go to is so different from the way it was when we came to this town 46 years ago.
Most of the doctors now work part-time and as an elderly patient who is having to use the NHS services more, I feel like a unit to be dealt with rather than a person. No-one engages with my life as I want to lead it, they just want me out of the door with a prescription for another medicine.

I'm 'm not sure whether some if the problems described above are due to innovations, but rather, shortage of GP's in your area, or particular practice. Quite simply, mine has enough GP's and nurses, and it's very well managed.

Yes, by and large the 20 mins one used to get have gone except for the greatest need. One has to be a lot more on the ball and concise and self aware to get the best out of it, and generally not expect the level of "kind bedside manner" there used to be, which is sad, but a reality.

Astitchintime

Our GP surgery have done a complete turnaround lately……..appointments are relatively easy to get and waiting times are agreeable.

I do find that it is important for the patient to talk to the GP as in, ‘good morning/aftrnoon’ , ‘how are you DR?’ Not difficult to strike up a conversation.

I much prefer the online e- consult form rather than hanging on the phone for ages with ‘you are number x in the queue’.

Our GP surgery have done a complete turnaround lately……..appointments are relatively easy to get and waiting times are agreeable.

I do find that it is important for the patient to talk to the GP as in, ‘good morning/aftrnoon’ , ‘how are you DR?’ Not difficult to strike up a conversation.

All these innovations never seem to be for the benefit of the patient, do they.

Stand outside in a long queue at 8:15 to even get a phone call, then be assigned to any one of the nurses, if you complain you get a doctor, any one who happens to be there on the day.

You can book online if you want to wait for 1-3 weeks and go online about midnight. Then they may cancel or move this without letting you know.

If you get past all of this, they are mostly great and caring, but often not had time to read your history.

I had a major operation in 2002 which alters my health procedures.

Because medics don't read all my notes from years ago they are unaware of all my needs. I now have multiple copies of the situation vis a vis the operation in 2002 for handing out to relevant personnel such as the ward sister and my dedicated nurse when I am admitted to hospital.

I discussed this communications problem with a GP and she endorsed this is what I should do.

if I request an appointment with a female doctor it is at least two weeks wait.... the one I saw last looked like a schoolgirl! she was very good though but being an old lady I would like a middleaged lady if it's my nether 'regions'

When I was young our GP came out on house visits, sat on the end of the bed, had a cup of tea and chatted to my mother. He also had a garden party for his patients. Now I know the paramedic at the surgery better than anyone else. He is an interesting character and always goes for the worst case scenario first which can be a bit alarming, I wonder if it is his training. Before Covid we always saw one of two GPs on request.

I’ve always found the GPs fine. Admittedly I am lucky enough not to need them very often, but it seems to be a different one each time.

The last hospital doctor I saw - at least 3 times - the respiratory consultant when I had pneumonia/pleurisy, was a 10/10, or even an 11 - he was lovely.

What area has she chosen to go into Vintagewhine?
Did she think she might like to be a GP before?

GPs do a completely different job now and spend a huge percentage of their week doing paperwork. My niece who's a doctor said she'd rather work on the till in Tesco than be a GP as she'd get less abuse. This was after doing a stint at a GP surgery during her training.fwiw my surgery is excellent and I've no complaints.

When I was young our family doctor was a middle aged woman who lived a short walk away and held her surgeries at her own home. No appointments
necessary, we would just turn up and sit in the waiting room. She knew your family and medical history and would always do house calls if necessary. Only downside was that she smoked like a chimney throughout the consultation. We never thought anything about it at the time! We never see the same doctor twice now and they don't know you from Adam!

To see a particular doctor now I have to book at midday, on a Friday for 6 weeks hence.
So do I kitty - so I do that and am happy.
I'd rather have my favourite GP for non urgent things - and if it's really urgent I don't think I care who it is.

We have a few different doctors at our practice but whichever one you see seems to remember you. They also seem to have plenty of time for you. We have to book in the morning for a same day appointment but it is always possible to see the duty doctor in an emergency.

I had an appointment today with a 'Pharmacist'. He was like a robot and I found it a very strange experience. I would much rather have seen my usual doctor but the system has changed and now it isn't possible to book an appointment.

There is something very reassuring about seeing a doctor who knows your medical history and I think it's sad that the care isn't what it used to be.