General Chat

'Doctors surgeries are losing the equivalent of one GP per week because patients do not show up for appointments, an MP has warned.

Around 12 million appointments are missed each year, costing the NHS £160 million'.

{Daily Telegraph}.

Because of the increasing persuation on non qualified drug company representatives
(there is undoubtedly a commercial interest) Doctors with little time to talk to a patient can and maybe do treat them with Valium and Prozac which quickly turns the patient into an addict, repeat prescriptions treating an addiction, not the presented symptom.

Since the beginning of this year, our surgery has been operating a phone triage system if someone wants a same day appointment. Not sure how well that one works. No wonder so many people clog up A&E with 'minor' complaints.

Last year a friend had a reoccurrence of a problem and phoned wanting a prescription. The receptionist insisted she made an appointment...in 3 weeks time. By the time they'd finished their discussion, the next available one was 3 weeks plus 2 days. :-(

They've also been locking the doors between 1 & 2 so now you can't even collect/drop off prescription forms or make an appointment in person. With more than one receptionist, they could easily stagger their lunch breaks.

An increasing population, the Baby Boomers well into retirement with age related problems, the current crop of GPs retiring and not enough new ones entering the profession.

'In times gone by, doctors accepted that people often died of old age'.

My GP does have a downside. Due to the close proximity of the University and the
Polytechnic they have a huge number of foreign patient on their list, with a duration of perhaps two years.
Life time patients have to wait a week or more to see their Doctor, while the students
get seen pretty quickly. I'd guess they are on a preferred list, in health check, out.

The Doctors have a communication problem with some of them. They may be able to speak Latin, or a little French, but what about Urdu, Hindu, Cantonese ?

:-S

Rang my surgery, last Thursday, for a non urgent appointment for my son with his named Doctor........Next available appointment 31st March!!!!

Must admit they are brilliant if you need an emergency one and will be seen the same day.

I do wonder if it is something to do with being able to book your own appointment online, as we can at our surgery.......A friend admitted her elderly parents book an appointment every week just to make sure one was available if either of them needed it (changing the name by phone if necessary). She did say that up to now they have cancelled very few but it does make you wonder how many others are doing the same!

As for those who book an appointment and don't show.... Our surgery has a big notice showing the figures each month...... I think they need a 'warning' for non attendance or maybe a fine if they cannot show good reason for their 'no show'.

Chris

These Doctors are well paid but have a busy responsible job earning it.

There job includes certifying some one dead or not right in the head. Very sad.

Drug company representative have come to exert influence over a GP...commission.

I am happy with the surgery I am with,though last year I only went a couple of times.

I was ill in Guernsey over Christmas and had out of hours Doctor to come to sons house on Boxing Day,when I had bacterial infection on chest and prescribed antibiotics and steroids .was really weak for 2 weeks,came home and 3 days later really ill and neighbour made me call doctor on a Saturday .Was weak and agonizing chest pains.

Young dr came and as I answered the door told me that if I could walk to the door I could have gone to clinic at hospital.it was an icy cold night .I felt dreadful and I said I don't bother the surgery I was so upset.his reply was I've been on call for 12 hours...
He examined me and I had pleurisy.he did go to car and give me a weeks antibiotics,
His bedside manner was non existent .

I felt like reporting him,.I have been going to docs recently as still have a few problems with a bad chest and high BP.I mentioned it,but not made an official complaint.

I have been with my surgery for 20 years and always had good service.
I suppose you get good and bad in all professions,but some of these young ones can treat it as a job and not a vocation.

I remember like AnnG when the doc came to the house and was like a friend and had a chat,which in itself made you feel better.

I am soon having a cataract op and found the staff very friendly ,and heard good reports from our local general hospital.The nurses do a wonderful job,also most of the doctors.i find that it's the admin and communication between different depts that need improving.

'Doctor Dolittle' could have been an apt title for my GP 'till I saw the light & moved to another one in the same practice.

I'm still alive - I think!

A suspected 215 victims, would have many more if he hadn't aroused suspicion in a funeral director who discussed it with one of his colleagues. Uninvolved Doctors had been co signing authorisation for cremation.

He wasn't a young man, he must have started of with good intention.

I have to say that I was pleased that I wasn't Mrs Shipman because he might have been eyeing me up with a view to trading me in for a younger model. :-0

Thinking more, perhaps she has already traded him in. :-D

Harold Shipman had an excellent medical manner and was well liked by his patients / victims. That is why he got away with his crimes for so long.

My Gp is fond of such solicitations as "you have problems with yr knees cos you are too fat", "half a bottle of wine a day is not OK" and so on. He has his Canondale bike parked in his surgery. Those who dislike his bluntness make other arrangements and check their life ins.

The overwhelming amount of medical Doctors and personnel are caring.

Harold Shipman was a sad exclusion to this rule :-0 :-|

The doctors I go to now are really nice

The ones we use to have were I live got closed down has he nearly killed several people giving them the wrong treatment

Yes I remember the doctor of my childhood who would come out to a house call carrying his black bag and draw up a chair at the sied of the bed (placed there by mother who had frantically tidied the whole house befor he appeared.) He was lovely, so gentle, he lived to a good age too. I had good doctors too when we had our children, they would also, without fuss, make house calls. All of these from the 1940s (for me) right through to 1973 with our son had surgeries where you went and queued to see doctor and where doctor would come out to the house. that was in first Hampshire and then Essex. Then we moved to The Forest of Dean, children I am pretty sure didn't see the doctor at all in the 8 years we lived there and no house calls and I only saw the doctor a couple of times but there was still no appointment system. In Bedford the doctor was ex RAF and really on the ball, busy surgery, no appointments.

And here, where we are now, we have an excellently run surgery, appointment system, forward booking on Patient Services on the internet for some appointments, so far I have managed to get the doctor I want with no problem. We can see any doctor now but I like to stick to 'my' doctor, he is lovely, very kind. All the staff are great, receptionists, nurses, specialist nurses etc and all the doctors I have seen are good too. Thankfully not needed a call out so don't know how that works here.

Pleased they are treating you all well to your satisfaction. Donkey's years ago the late founder of my GP's practice worked all day. He had a morning surgery, you didn't need an appointment, you just turned up and got on the end of the queue.. He had a nurse, Mary Nicholson, for dressings and injections. Then he would do house calls.
In the evening he had another surgery. No doubt he did house calls as necessary at night. He was much respected, lived until he was 87.
The senior partner at his much grown practice is his daughter.

Well ours are lovely and so efficient. If you have an urgent need to see the doc then you can ring in the same day for one of the post surgery time appointments

If you miss the morning ones you can ring later at 3.30pm

I have been seen several times since losing hubby with urgent problems that needed antibiotics

When hubby was at home but so ill the docs came in twice a week to check him and did advise and phone around for hospice care

The first time the doc visited him at home he said he was shocked on who it was when he got the hospital report cos he knew hubby was doing so well

Shows they knew who their patient were

After hubby passed I got a card personally signed by all the doctors and the nursing staff saying sorry for your loss

When I had to have a later appointment I was asked how I was coping and did I need any help or bereavement counselling

Am very lucky we have a well run surgery . Others aren't that lucky

GPs earn a fair whack supplying patient medical history details to Insurance Companies who transact health insurance.

A good Dentist's salary is similar to that of a GP, without the stress.

A lot of quailed Doctors and Dentists emigrate to US or OZ
for the climate and the superior salary.

The founder of my GP's practice (which began on his own) was also a MRCS
and Territorial army Doctor, busy man.

one never ending problem in the UK is that anybody earning over £ 60 K is some sort of plutocrat. Maybe the attitude reflects journo pay in the red tops. Partners may be well paid other Gp doctors are not hence the shortages.

even then the tabloids tend to take practice total revenue, divide it by no of partners and declare this to be their income!

Hosp doctors have a well trodden path via Registrar to Consultant, reverting to "Mr.", and earnings on the private sector side of their work beyond the wildest dreams of any Gp.

OTOH the upcoming Cheltenham Gold Cup will demonstrate that the earnings pinnacle of the medical profession is occupied by the horse doctors.