If this is the wrong board, please tell me - I apologise in advance.
Last Wednesday (29/7/20) my GP asked me to ring him in a weeks' time regarding new pain meds he which he had prescribed for my degenerative disc disease condition. I phoned the Receptionist and told her Dr had asked me to make a phone appointment and (briefly) why. An hour later, I was grilled by a fast-speaking woman, whose name I couldn't make out after twice being told. She asked me Why did I want to speak to GP? I told her, you need these patches? Yes, and I think I may need a stronger dose; you are on 10mg she said (and we said together) "No, it's increased to 15mg" I continued "Dr wants to know how I'm doing" well, she said, you need to speak to him if you need a higher dose, and all the morning appointments are gone, it will be in the afternoon. Which number is best? (I was stressed now, looking for the piece of paper I had written my mobile no. on to speak to the receptionist in the first call, oh my goodness!") tried mob number from memory (got it right!) and that phone is best? "Yes!!" I'm nearly in tears by this point!
If there had been a packet of chocolate biscuits in the house I would have eaten the lot, but didn't cos there were none! So calories saved.
Dr phoned afternoon and was fine. Before he went I asked him was the chat I had with the woman who was quite abrupt with me, the normal way things were now and he said she was there to help them with their workload during COVID and would probably be the way with phone appointments from now on. I said I felt I was grilled by the nurse but would get used to it. Next step - phone him again next Thursday (ahhhhhhhh!! BP rise again!)
I will try to bypass her next week, as GP's instruction is to speak to him. Just be careful if you need a phone appointment in future!
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