GP practice

[Gemini]

During the pandemic I changed GP practices.
My then GP was 4 miles away with no parking but a pay at machine council car park nearby.
I had stayed with them for 10 years after moving here but they were so unhelpful about my knee pain that I decided to at last register with the local GP here They were initially a lot more responsive than my previous practice and I was pleased. Plus it is a lot closer with free parking.

However they are getting bad reports everywhere now and I know of several people who are very unhappy with them and have been neglected. Almost everything is deemed as non urgent and you wait weeks or months.

DD1 is with the same practice. Three months ago she requested an appointment and referral to the hospital for GS1 aged 10. He is really deaf and has recurrent ear pain. She contacted them last week to say he was still suffering and she had heard nothing. They said they had no idea when he would be hear, just that he was on the list.

Fed up with all this DD joined another practice, got an appointment for GS the following day. He has an inflamed ear canal and massive blockage pushing his eardrum out. They given him meds and have sent an urgent referral to the ENT department at the hospital.

I feel she has been very let down by our practice and I certainly feel they don't care at all about me.

[Daisy]

Gem, that really is appalling treatment, and I know DD1 has a lot on her plate at the moment, but I really think that neglect of GS1's ear problems should be reported. If she'd been less persistent and proactive in changing practices it could have lead to permanent damage of GS1's hearing. You wonder how many other child patients are being ignored, and they certainly were very dismissive of your knee pain, saying it wasn't urgent.

Thank goodness DD1 was able to move to another practice who have taken GS1's ear pain seriously.

Are you going to change as well?

[Lizzie48]

Gem, I can't start to say what I think, in fact, in one word, disgusting!

[Nanto2girls]

I'm glad she was able to change doctors and get a quick appointment.
Makes you wonder,just what is going on at the other practice.

[Oma]

Gem
I think it’s pot luck at the moment ,
Dr in Hospital when I told him our Dr had spoke to me on the phone and sent a Inhaler’s said that he didn’t know how the GPS were getting away with telephone consultations .

My DD is waiting to see a bladder Dr she’s been told it could be 18 month -2 years before she could see one .
B has told her if she thinks she can’t cope with her problem he will pay for her to have the initial consultation private .

She has terrible trouble with her hip but because she is only 50 in June and very athletic they are taking no notice
Just keep telling her to do light exercises, she does that anyway .

GSs ear could have perforated with all the pressure it must have been so painful for him poor boy and frustrating not being able to hear ,
You can’t mess about with children’s ears , I feel so sorry that he’s had to put up with it so long .
I hope the meds at least take the pressure away , he may need grommets in xx

[Daisy]

Oma, for most ailments, I'm sure doctors really do need to see patients. It's not just what they describe as their symptoms it's all the other little things - like how the patient looks, walks, explains symptoms etc. How can they check BP over the phone, or check ears, eyes or throats - all very routine checks. And now we are being told to bypass the GP and go to the pharmacist for 'routine' ailments. Our pharmacist is very good, but the shop itself is very tiny and the 'consulting room' is the shop window (blanked out from outside view, but minute).

[Oma]

Daisy I agree , B had his Asthma review by phone , how the heck can they test his breathing by phone , madness .

[Plantaholic]

No other word for it but disgusting and they are paid for giving this service. I must say I feel I am very lucky with my doctors. The lady who has been doing some gardening for me is one of the receptionists and she doesn’t know how some practices are getting away with poor service. I do hope there will not be any lasting problem with GS’s hearing.

[Sum1Ls]

A friend of mine who is very involved with NHS campaigns says a lot of the problems with GP practices is that they are owned by American consortiums and all they are interested in is how much money they can make from the NHS so that’s why they pick and choose and prioritise appointments and patients.
It’s privatisation by the back door.

[Oma]

You are so right Sum1 , We are heading that way fast and underhanded .

[Daisy]

Sum1, that is shocking (although not surprising as that is the way a lot of veterinary practices have gone).

[Plantaholic]

It is amazing how GP practices in my area can be so different. Fortunately mine is very good no complaints. Very alarming if that is happening Sum

[Enfys]

We are so lucky with our GPs practice. I usually use the Econsult service and have always had an appointment either face to face or on phone within two or 3 days. My last appointment re my bowel issues I phoned up,and was seen the next day and here I am a month later having had blood tests, bowel,screening test and colonoscopy. I can’t complain about that. GS phoned last Wednesday about a nasty rash on his hand and was seen the next day. We really are lucky.

[Gemini]

That's such good service you have Enfys, and thank goodness. It's how it should be.

[Gemini]

You have to lie and exaggerate to be seen within 4 weeks at our practice and its usually more. It has been 9 weeks recently.
DD1 had to invent more pain and bleeding to even be referred to hospital for what turned out thank goodness to be a polyp. Had it been something more serious the wait she would have had without exaggerating could have been dangerous at the least.