One Illness At A Time

[TheOtherHalf]

When I went to GPs last week, there is now a notice advising that you are only to discuss one illness with your GP and other problems should be a separate appointment. ???? Why ?? I sometimes dont bother going with something I think may be trivial but when I do go, I think that perhaps I should be mention this as well. But now we cant ! What if the symptoms are related to something else Ive had a problem with am I not supposed to mention it. I find this crazy, also it would save the Doctor time too, surely. Their 10 mins appointment slots are mad as they dont know what you are going to tell them once you get there. Do others have this problem at their surgery ?

[emmie]

that too, a grilling on the phone or in front of the receptionist and indeed those waiting, unedifying.

[bednobs]

but people aren't getting just 10 mins - they are talking about more than 1 ailment and so on

[DaisyNonna]

My doctor asked me to make an appointment in a certain week regarding a test result. Receptionist sad he was only available that week at a different surgery. Got there eventually, (walk, bus, walk) only to find a locum. She asked why I was there, had obviously not read my notes on the open laptop in front of her and proceeded to try to prescribe the drug I had been taken off two months earlier because of side effects.
What a waste of my time and hers. Was told to see my own doctor!

[emmie]

that is not what doctors say or want, they want to treat one thing at one time, they say so, mine has. come back later if you want to discuss, x y z

[jno]

emergency callouts for the doctor also mean delays, it's not just patients overrunning.

It makes more sense for patients to have 15 minutes for three problems than three separate 10-minute appointments. But it disrupts the GP's schedule.

[grumpy01]

And don't be ill at the weekend as a foreign doctor with very little command of the English language will probably be on call.

[Sharingan]

We don't have strict time slots at our practice theyre a loose 10 minutes and no-one minds because we have excellent unhurried drs that take the time to talk to you and find out what's wrong before they treat you. Sometimes you have to wait for a while but so what, the service is nothing but excellent.

[DTCwordfan]

And the NHS can't save money........pffffffffff.

[emmie]

wrong, our out of hours doctor service is a contract company called Harmoni, well known, awful....

[grumpy01]

Your lucky Sharingan

[stewey]

Our doctors give you as much time, within reason of course, as you like, and even ask if there is anything else that you would like to discuss. However, they are not hampered by any such bureaucracy as your NHS.

[emmie]

had to go once, it as i have mentioned on another thread at least 30 minutes away, a bus ride, taxi if you remember to keep money on you, and who does that you aren't well... why do you think people end up in A&E..
our GPs do nine to six and no weekends, the rest of our medical service is contracted out as i said.

[TheOtherHalf]

Very interesting reading all your posts, thanks.
My usual GP is a very good one and very understanding but hes now gone part time as hes also on the GP Board or something like that so I hardly ever get to see him these day
Our GP before him was a lovely lady from Birmingham who often used to keep ME by talking about the place we both came from. I felt guilty she was keeping me but she was a great GP. She knew all the health history also of OH and son and asked how they were too. Thats what happened in those days ( Im talking of 30 years ago). Shame its so rushed now that sometimes you cant even remember what you want to say or worse still, what they say to you ! I hate going which is why I dont for what I feel are small things, but sometimes these are what can build up into worse things if not caught early enough.
When I phoned up about results of my Xray, receptionist gave me the results and said no need to see GP again unless it got bad again. But there were so many questions I wanted to ask but couldnt.