What to GPs actually DO?

the thing is, the people most in need of medical attention are not best placed to make written complaints or join users groups.
some are struggling to get by everyday.
quite apart from the very seriously or acutely ill, there are the disabled, those with long term deteriorating conditions, some people cannot read/write English, don't have smart phones, may be of limited intelligence.
it often feels like a kind of obstacle race while wearing waders. with flippers attached. and distorting goggles.
being told, just hop along to a pharmacy, or somewhere...

Some years ago I had a frozen shoulder, went to GP who told me it wasn’t worth having treatment as it would fix itself, few years later the other shoulder did the same. I can now not lift my arms very high and dressing is a problem.
Had to go to hospital for something else and was told to raise my arms and when I couldn’t was asked why I didn’t get treatment for it and I was silly as now it was to late to do anything about it

GPs are lazy and must sit around all day doing no work whatsoever.

Who said that?

I've had good GP experiences and I've had bad ones. I complained to the Ombudsman about one GP who miraculously took early retirement, just as things were hotting up. I once complained to the Practice Manager about a receptionist who lied to me.

But I've never felt the need to come on a Social Media site and tell people that GPs are lazy and must sit around all day doing no work whatsoever. If you're not happy, complain to the surgery and remember this the next time you are given the chance to vote for a government that will chart the direction of the health service.

to the GPs on here and to those who have GPs in the family.

Be thankful you aren't in Afghanistan at the moment

Hang on a minute Mirren, that's unfair. No one, that I can see, has in any way compared their difficulties in accessing healthcare in the UK, to those poor souls in Afghanistan right now. But negating the concerns of people, right across the country, who have been trying for several weeks/months to get medical advice from their GP Practice, isn't comparable to a country on the verge of civil war. Patients do have a right to expect to see a healthcare professional if they have concerns and simply telling them why don't you think of the people in Afghanistan is, quite frankly, offensive; especially coming from a GP. As for seeing umpteen patients with umpteen problems all day it's actually your job isn't it? Like, what you're paid for?

I've had a bad knee for over 4 months now. By bad, I mean painful, can barely walk, woken up by pain every night, huge lump to side of it.
I was told the consultant at the knee clinic would phone me. I had a letter telling me the time of this phone call. He didn't phone (I literally sat by phone for hours).
When I phoned the Receptionist (on my husband's phone, lest they try to ring mine) I asked her why he hadn't phoned. She said: "I don't know. Today's his day off."
I said that was fine but I wanted to know why he hadn't phoned yesterday.
Her response (I shit kid you not): "I don't know. Yesterday was MY day off!"
My own GP is lovely and had referred me to the knee clinic for an MRI. I have to admit, I am curious as to how an MRI is to be performed over the telephone!

I’m sorry to say that it has become a default position that it’s almost impossible to see a GP in their surgery. There are continuous complaints about our surgery where patients are sent to the emergency department with none emergency disorders

There's not a lot of crowded waiting in hospitals at the moment. Can you make an appointment?

If everyone is being encouraged back to work, why are GPS exempt. Doctors in hospitals can’t hide behind a receptionist or a computer. It’s no wonder A&E is busy with non urgent cases when your GP takes weeks to call you back. You can’t diagnose something over the phone or FaceTime.

My GP’s surgery has proved almost impermeable during the pandemic with a fierce receptionist fobbing off patients or directing them to a paramedic.

A couple of weeks ago I slipped through the net and got a phone appointment with a GP who asked, most reluctantly, if I wanted her to look at the problem area. I had to take my courage in my hands to say I thought that was a good idea.

It was a good idea. She ‘red-lighted’ me to A and E with an instant referral and I spent days in hospital on a drip with a cocktail of very strong antibiotics.

It is not beyond the bounds of possibility to suggest that, but for luck that afternoon, my GP’s surgery could have consigned me to oblivion.

Mirren, ?

.
..
And thank you, Candelle. Well said xx

Here we go again.
As a GP who has just flogged her guts out seeing umpteen patients with umpteen problems all day I am constantly hurt and upset by GP bashing.
We work flipping hard for you all.
Be thankful you aren't in Afghanistan at the moment.

Goodness, Caro57! I would never categorize anyone as being ignorant because they couldn't look after themselves. Fortunately, most people are kinder and know that life can be harder for some, or maybe they were just brought up differently.

It’s impossible to see a GP at our surgery. Our adult son has been in pain and quite unwell over the last week with a sore throat, coughing and uncomfortable breathing. Negative Covid test. Despite calls to the surgery, NHS 111 several times, he has been diagnosed with viral bronchitis, no medicine to help. How is it possible to diagnose something like this over the phone? It’s been so painful at times he says he has felt like crying. I feel helpless not being able to help him and thoroughly annoyed and disgusted with these procedures in place at surgeries. Husband went through the same when it was thought he’d had a stroke. Told to take a photo!! Luckily he hadn’t. What are Drs doing when they aren’t seeing patients? I myself phoned to see a doctor for a hearing problem and told I need to make a telephone appointment first. I asked the receptionist how was I supposed to be diagnosed from a phone call. The answer was that all patients have to go through triage first and the doctor will then decide whether to see you. I find this totally inappropriate and hope that this isn’t the way forward. Sorry about long message, totally annoyed and disgusted with these procedures and hope the Health Secretary and NHS will order surgeries back to normal soon.

The GP who has treated me for the last 20 odd years retired this summer. Two months later he was back doing 2 or 3 days a week because they are so short staffed.

I think the Government has to review the GP pay etc. asap, of course that won`t happen

I heard/saw on tv, very recently
what to do if in need of medical advice/assistance

in this order

don`t go to A&E!

call 111, ,

can`t recall if anything in between
but finally
oh yes, your local pharmacy was in between

if really need help
finally, and as a last resort
call your GP

truly, that is what was on tv. BBC!

back in the day it was
GP first and foremost
wicked waste of NHS money imo

I was told recently that at my surgery there was one duty doctor working, two nurses and a paramedic.

Some doctors were either isolating or doing other things.

I recently had a large boil that decided to erupt.
Rang surgery only to be told to consult the pharmacist.

Pharmacist didn’t want to know and suggested I see GP.
Eventually spoke to a paramedic at practice and needed antibiotics. I treated the boil myself with saline solutions and dressings.

I have been trying to see a doctor now face to face since January. Keep being told, no appointments, try again in two weeks time. Finally got a cancellation this week after refusing to leave the surgery until I had an appointment. What is going so wrong? My surgery used to be brilliant.

Work more hours than they are contracted to do. Try to guide, advise and help people who are too ignorant to look after themselves. Get criticised and moaned about constantly, oh and try to diagnose and treat or signpost to specialists when they can't.
The majority of people in this country don't know how lucky we are to have the NHS that works its butt off for very little or no thanks

Grim reading...

Interesting reading.
I can only say our surgery have been pretty good with telephone appointments and getting one to go into the surgery if necessary.
Our dentist has been very good.

Our surgery is ‘the pits’ and I too agree this will be the norm.

I had excruciating stomach pain that lasted a month. I asked if the Rapid Access Clinic at the surgery was open and they said Yes, however no one would examine me even though my maternal grandmother and sister had bowel cancer. So I had to go private.

What a total disgrace and to top it all I’m told they have won an award. No doubt it was ‘The total incompetence award 2020’.

Excellent post, Candelle.

The UK has a population of around 67 million. Around 20% of the population is age 65 or older. Most people that age have one or more chronic (i.e. incurable but treatable) conditions that need regular medical attention to a greater or lesser degree. That’s over over 13 million people needing regular monitoring whether it’s for a blood test or a drug review and repeat. It's all work on top of patients presenting with new concerns.

Also bear in mind that around a million people age 65 or older have still not been vaccinated against Covid. Surgeries continue to call and call and call these and others to persuade them to get their jabs. That’s one or more staff members who might otherwise be answering calls and attending to other admininstratives tasks.

There’s another 54 million people under the age of 65 needing attention to a greater or lesser degree.

67 million people and over a year of diverted resources and having to work around Covid. There’s bound to be a queue.

The receptionists can only act as border guards when they are told in no uncertain terms, to do so by the GPs. The receptionist I spoke to, after spending a whole morning trying to get through, was polite and apologetic. The Practice Manager was extremely rude and offensive. They’ve taken off their feedback section on their website! Can’t have patients telling the true story!

They treat us like charity cases yet it’s our taxes that pay their wages.