If my GP refers me (or anyone) for a specialist consultation, why does the hospital then have to triage it?

the G in GP stands for general, they ain't experts. They suspect something, send the papers to a specialist THEY decide if they need more info, more tests etc. or even bounce it back to us as the minimum criterea is not met

My optician picked up an issue with one of my eyes and made a referral to local hospital providing them with full screening puctures and x-rays. She was told nothing could be done. Being determined that something could be done she asked if she could refer to a hospital 20 more miles away. Received an appointment very quickly, had surgery two weeks later. Deterioration in sight stopped. Great follow up by optician who takes pictures, x-rays of eye at usual check ups just to monitor. Hosputal gave me full details of how to contact department urgently should I notice any change. So thankful optician didnt accept triage on her referral to first major hospital.

You go to the wrong hospital!! Never had that at Harrogate District Hospital

Let’s face it, while the clinical care is often excellent, the NHS is becoming increasingly like an onion, so many dizzyingly complex layers, often with no apparent use or logic. It seems to lurch from bad to worse, yet we are still being brainwashed into believing that this service, which is certainly not free, is ‘world class’. Designed in 1948 for a vastly different era, it has been tampered with by various governments, all hoping to make their mark as the one that really ‘cares’ about the NHS. It’s not done much good despite the staggeringly huge amounts of taxpayers money thrown into this bottomless pit of bureaucracy and inefficiency. No one political party is brave enough to challenge it. We need a serious cross party commission, minus political affiliation, to examine it with a view to serious reform. Unless this happens, and soon, I shudder to think on how this sacred cow will continue to survive without collapsing and bankrupting the country! We should remember it’s a service we pay for and not an icon at whose altar we slavishly worship!

A few years ago I woke up with back pain so bad I couldn't straighten up, went to my GP who gave me muscle relaxants, painkillers and referred me to the hospital.
In Australia, apparenyly, the firdt thing they do is give you a scan, to see what is causing it.
I got had 18 months undergoing painful physiotherapy and taking some heavy duty painkillers, which really did nothing to help and messed up my memory and daily functioning. My boss said he came to visit me but I have no memory of it. He said I was quite out of it.
Anyway, after 18 months of agony, I had a scan and it turned out that I had a herniated disc which was operated on and instant normallity.
My right leg is still slightly numb from the long term sciatica.
I dread to think what all of the physio and drugs cost when a scan at the outset would have saved me 18 months of agony and a lot of sick leave which my employers has to pay me for.

@ M0nica, as in all professions, there are excellent and not so good GP’s. The main point to remember and take on board is that your GP is a ‘Gateway’ to other health services. We front-liners are at our wits end with overload of who comes into ED

@ Janetashbolt, thank you Janet. ??

There is probably some truth in the different explanations given - some of it is about resources and some us about a more specialised assessment.

Years ago my daughter suffered UTI's on a 3 week cycle which made her feel ill and affected her moods. This in turn, affected her education and bladder control which impacted her friendships. Not a very good situation when you are 6. Our GP, followed by the local consultant at the local hospital did a load of tests and decided to refer her to GOSH as they couldn't get to the bottom of the problem. To my absolute horror, GOSH said that they did not need to see my daughter as lots of little girls got these and she would grow out to it.
It is the only time I have ever shouted at a GP because I asked for a second opinion and he said it was a second opinion. Fortunately, that GP played golf with the GOSH consultant so he said he would have an off the record chat. Hey presto, we got an appointment with GOSH and they found out what was wrong. Unfortunately it was down to a congenital condition so it was something that couldn't be "cured" but they did manage to regain some control to give my daughter some dignity again. It is horrible to think she could have been left suffering.

Sad to say, I had a referral by GP to a cardiologist, when I saw the cardiologist he said that the referral had no information with it.

I noticed again when a GP ordered an ambulance for me because I couldn’t get my blood sugars down after *v*. I assume they know their patients will be triaged so don’t waste time on it.
My assumption though.

I’m pleased some can actually see their GP f2f.
I live near the surgery and the GPs are just not present.
Their cars are not in their car park, they have been their one morning per month. True. They all WFH and I’m not opposed to that but we do need to see our GP’s
One of the ‘never present’ GP’s went on Paternity leave for the second time in 3 years. He did when WFH do phone calls and of course we don’t know when he’s phoning- we then get a call from the surgery receptionist saying no one answered. We don’t answer ‘number withheld calls.
Our surgery has all other staff present, nurses etc but not the GPs
Why?

According to one of my GPs, it is largely due to the way costs are assigned. GPs, hospital departments, etc, all have to stick to their own budgets, so patients get passed from one place to another as each part of the chain tries to keep its own costs down. If they can pass you on, they avoid their share of the bill.

Inevitably, the constant waste of time to the patient is also a waste of time to the health service and drives overall costs up.

I know about the cars being there only one morning per month because I can see this from my home.

A lot of the NHS us just inefficient. My DH was assessed at home 3 times in a week by different factors, each assessment taking over an hour. The staff were excellent, it's the system.

My husband had a very similar situation to Corner gran - in pain for years with deteriorating knee joints, to the point of wishing he was dead, due to the pain, being unable to walk or work, and being fobbed off by the GP, who refused to refer him for surgery. Fast forward to him being in ICU with covid and a decent person in charge of the discharge process, who picked up on his mental state as well as seeing the x-rays of his knees. Those were several years old, and her opinion was that his knees were severe then! The outcome was a very strongly worded letter from her to the GP, and hey presto, both of his knees were replaced by the end of last year.
There is clearly no joined-up practice in patient records, as this week he has received a text from the GP practice saying as he hasn't had his blood pressure checked for over 5 years, he needs to make an appointment for that. Duh - he was in ICU covid ward 18 months ago, when daily blood pressure checks were done...... Sorry, but I have no faith in the GP system as operated by our local practice. No wonder once we've got past the hurdle of actually being referred, that the hospitals have to double check the GP's input.

GP’s are not experts in everything. Due to nurses and other clinicians working in specialist areas, there knowledge and training can be wider than the GP. They are skilled professionals that are capable of triage.
You may not see a consultant as it may be demeaned that another course of treatment or therapy is the way. After review it may be thought a consultant is needed.
This isn’t rationing, this is looking at the whole person and what is best for them.

I have had a recurring gynae problem. When it happened 4 and 2 years ago I saw a gynaecologist. This year I saw a nurse practitioner who did the investigation and biopsies. I have a worry about this. Gynaecologists have years of training and are specialists. I’m not confident that she is an expert in this field. What next? Nurses doing operations? I hope that somehow somewhere there is data being collected on this because I’m not sold on the idea of someone less qualified dealing with potentially life changing conditions.

A year ago I had to spend a boring Saturday in Casualty at Royal Surrey hosp after a minor accident. When I arrived in the morning I was sent to 3 different desks and asked exactly the same set of questions each time, so I assume that is what is meant by Triage!
I should add that when I was eventually seen by a medical person he was very kind and thorough.

I don’t understand it at all either.
I wonder how often the nurse doing triage says
Nah you don’t need a referral.
I bet hardly ever because it would be their responsibility if it was the wrong decision and the patient died or gut really ill.
I bet they automatically refer, in which case what’s the actual point and wouldn’t they be better served to do something more pressing.

I absolutely agree Amalegra!
It’s no longer fit for purpose. The nhs is an untouchable institution and so any political party suggesting any other ways of it working Wouid be run out of town !
Honestly I think the nhs should be for acute illnesses and accident and emergency. And the day to day stuff and consultant appointments we should have to pay into another scheme or something as most of us can’t get medical help anymore.
I don’t think there is iany health service apart from repeat prescriptions or the occasional screening thing with the nurse that the GP gets paid for. Other than that I feel abandoned by the GP and the medical profession. I haven’t seen a doctor face to face since before covid
.

I think the NHS would benefit by working how vets do. Case by case, essential tests done there and then - reviewed - treatment/procedure.

Secretsquirrel1

I absolutely agree Amalegra!
It’s no longer fit for purpose. The nhs is an untouchable institution and so any political party suggesting any other ways of it working Wouid be run out of town !
Honestly I think the nhs should be for acute illnesses and accident and emergency. And the day to day stuff and consultant appointments we should have to pay into another scheme or something as most of us can’t get medical help anymore.
I don’t think there is iany health service apart from repeat prescriptions or the occasional screening thing with the nurse that the GP gets paid for. Other than that I feel abandoned by the GP and the medical profession. I haven’t seen a doctor face to face since before covid
.

What about chronic conditions such as diabetes?

I was told yesterday that my triage appointment will take place next Sunday at 1233 am. When I queried the time they said, ‘you don’t have to attend, someone will look at your GP’s notes. A colleague of mine said that it’s all done in Australia hence the 0033 time!

What about chronic conditions such as diabetes?

growstuff, the majority of people with diabetes never get to see anybody except the Practice Diabetes Nurse and the service is extremely variable depending which surgery you attend. It's not even a joined up service. If I have a blood screen at the hospital for any reason (normally for nothing to do with diabetes but is always checked by the hospital) I have to have another review at the surgery as they do not look at the hospital results. Such a waste of money! There is also some evidence that pushes back at the message the Diabetes service tells diabetics too but that's a whole other thread.

I'm convinced all this piddling around costs more, in a lot of cases.