Not seeing a Doctor

I hope there is some improvement soon 1summer - I have had a terrible cough and lung infection and was seen by my GP the day I called as "breathing and chest issues" need to be seen in person.

If no change I'd phone again as mine was obviously bacteriological as it has successfully been treated with a course of antibiotics.

Our medical centre has put out a statement to all patients - a few days ago. It reads...

"Over the last few years, the funding we get from government has increased by 2.1% each year. This increase does not get near to covering our current costs," they said.

"Everything we buy costs more, our energy costs have spiralled, and our staffing costs have also increased.

"In recent months, four staff have left the practice and we cannot afford to replace them," they added.

... and then implores us to self-treat minor illnesses - and use the local Pharmacy for help and guidance.

I'm not feeling optimistic about any future medical problems that me and my partner might experience, we both have complex conditions but manage as best we can and have not 'bothered' the surgery for the last 3 years.

It's not looking good.

I read that you can go to a pharmacist and they could diagnose the problem and issue medication. I have not seen my GP since before Covid, even when I was very poorly I could not get an appointment so I rang for an ambulance and was diagnosed with double pneumonia, (both lungs). To be honest GP's are no longer fit for purpose so why are they still being paid.

Oh my. Lingering coughs potentially could be quite dangerous.

I had a terrible cold last year and went to see my G.P. in the Madrid Capital. She is wonderful.

I was given 3 pills of AZITROMICINA ALMUS 500 mg. and they were miracle workers ..

In Spain, we could complain about medical services at the National Health Care. I have never had the reason to; however, your son should complain and / or change doctors.

Speedy recovery wishes.

Incidentally phones at 8.00 am n was number 16 in the queue. My how things have changed n not for the better

Just had to phone my drs practice due to suffering really bad pain in my back and groin. Told have to see a physiotherapist first not the dr.

I prefer doing the online form rather than the 8 am telephone scramble for appointments, you could be hanging on for 20 minutes, only to be told no appointments left. At least this way you are triaged - I got a f2f appointment the next day this way, and repeat prescriptions just turn up a few days later.

I agree with Dickens. Also its difficult to complain. I am atm complaining on behalf of someone who's referral was delayed unnecessarily, and in my opinion the claims form for their particular surgery is designed to discourage complaints.

Lesley60

I feel that the way GPs work now is extremely dangerous and will cost lives.
I don’t understand the full reasoning for this way of working,
I remember the days you went to your surgery sat on a bench of the dr you wanted to see and just moved up a place in turn, when you then saw the dr he would remember all about you and your family.
And no I’m not in my dotage I’m 65

I feel that the way GPs work now is extremely dangerous and will cost lives.

I believe it already has. Though even with F2F appointments, that happened due to incorrect diagnosis. Or a doctor believing that a particular disease was "highly unlikely".

I don’t understand the full reasoning for this way of working

We are being acclimatised to accept that we will not, as in the past, necessarily see a doctor.

The technology exists for doctors to work via online services and telephone appointments. It is cheaper and easier - though GPs still have to be astute enough to decipher the consultation forms that they read. And the forms have been designed to this end.

Unfortunately, my surgery only has these online forms available at certain times during the day. You cannot, for example, sit down in the evening and gather your thoughts in order to do it - you have to do it while the system is 'open' and hope that you don't get 'timed out' halfway through - because there is a quota on the number of consults that can be done this way.

We will continue to see more and more people going to A&E for this reason.

Overriding.
That'll do.

That is what we have at my gp surgery.

I've no objection to seeing them, and think perhaps if my gp hadn't kept overhauling them then my health wouldn't be in the state it is.

Check whether this is actually a traditional medically trained Dr or a Dr practitioner or associate that does a 2yr qualification.

Like the OP I use e consult ...often saying I don't need to see a GP face to face ........however, more often than not I am called with an appointment later that day or the next (I cannot chose which surgery I attend as this is a group practice and has several surgeries around the district ....I dont mind I can either get a bus or a taxi ......but if not, such as in Feb when I had a very strange pain in my hip and called the doctor ...spoke to her, she said you probably need an X ray ...(I could not move AT ALL !) she said call 999 ...I said I am not that ill ...I would have called a taxi, but as I said, I couldn't move ! My neighbour kindy let the ambulance man in ...and they took me to hospital ....nothing broken, but more appointments given, examination scheduled, etc etc and now finally it is getting better and I can walk without a stick ! BUT I did need to go back to the Emergency department for problems ....I always apologised as feeling I was wasting their time ...but they were so lovely ...I didnt use the hospital resources, I got a taxi every other time (I used to work for the NHS and there is SO much waste of the use of ambulances and 999 and also, the cost of taxi;s for the NHS !) plus specialist doctor;s time ) having said this, the biggest expenses non medically are translators, and appointments not kept with no cancellation !! I also have a DNAR form for any eventuality....so my surgery is really excellent ! Sometimes I just consult LIVI the online Dr who has access to all my medical records, and is able to dispence a prescription based on consulting them ...which I pick up from my usual pharmacy the same day....in cases where it is possible I send a photograph of the problem (i e skin lesions, whatever) so the LIVI dr can see it ....if LIVI says it cannot deal with it, they then suggest I need a face to face appointment with my GP ......

I have wondered for quite a time whether a lot of GPs just prefer not to see patients in person and not have to conduct so many physical examinations. Many years ago I worked with a boss who used to joke, 'This would be a nice job if it wasn't for the patients.' Maybe telephone and on-screen consultations improve their working day. It amazes me when I go to my GP surgery now how quiet and empty it is, the two receptionists very busy with personal conversations.

Lesley60

I feel that the way GPs work now is extremely dangerous and will cost lives.
I don’t understand the full reasoning for this way of working,
I remember the days you went to your surgery sat on a bench of the dr you wanted to see and just moved up a place in turn, when you then saw the dr he would remember all about you and your family.
And no I’m not in my dotage I’m 65

Yes. I worked at one such surgery. If we hadn’t seen a patient for a while the doctor would phone them up to see how they were. I can’t believe what’s happened to GP surgeries since covid. And people wonder why the death rate is increasing.

I think this is poor diagnosis ! At my surgery they would initially give you a telephone appointment with your doctor, who would then decide if you needed to be seen by them later that morning . I would think your son would have needed to have a physical examination to determine what is actually wrong . The antibiotics may do the trick but if it was a different diagnosis then the dr is not accurately diagnosing and possibly delaying appropriate treatment

I feel that the way GPs work now is extremely dangerous and will cost lives.
I don’t understand the full reasoning for this way of working,
I remember the days you went to your surgery sat on a bench of the dr you wanted to see and just moved up a place in turn, when you then saw the dr he would remember all about you and your family.
And no I’m not in my dotage I’m 65

Nanatoone

I saw a doctor last year and was sent into hospital with pneumonia. I’d previously had a ten second conversation with the pharmacist (by phone) and given antibiotics. I assumed as I was no better after the three day course, that it was viral and doctor would not see me. I was wrong, I rang after being nagged by my sister (a nurse), and was seen the same day and hospitalised. I had no idea I was so poorly, until I was!

Almost exactly the same thing happened to me. I caught a viral cough but after 3 days it felt worse. It was a Friday so I decided I would wait and see how I was on Monday. By then I was feeling the most ill I had felt since the nineties. Luckily my GP surgery has an online triage service and a doctor came to my house. I couldn’t have driven to the surgery. Turned out to be mild pneumonia and I was given a 3 day course of antibiotics. I had improved but I could tell it wasn’t completely gone so I was able to use the triage service to get an urgent appointment. Another 3 days of antibiotics sorted it.

I am absolutely horrified that antibiotics were given on the basis of filling a form. Very unprofessional conduct

We really don’t have much of a health service now and the current government don’t seem to be interested. I guess most of them will have private healthcare or be able to be prioritised
I think there are thousands of people who give up trying to see a doctor and just get on. People try phoning and just can’t get an appointment. Many of those may be ok but there will be some with serious conditions that, if seen early , can be a matter of better quality of life and if not seen can have very serious implications.
The service provided also seems to vary considerably depending on where you live.
I hope your son is on the mend and it’s nothing serious. But he has the right to healthcare.

Our surgery has a triage system and is absolutely brilliant. We must be lucky, every time we’ve managed to see a Dr or Nurse Practitioner the same day, or had a phone call back from a Dr. I did ask on one occasion for some antibiotics, but wouldn’t give me until I’d seen the Dr, which I did about an hour later.

For me I’d rather not be in doctors waiting room with lots of coughing sick people. As long as he gave enough information, coughing up phlegm, wheezing when breathing, rattling sound, shortness of breath etc then being given antibiotics by phone will be fine. If he gets worse or symptoms don’t abate after a few days of taking meds he contacts doctors again. I’m 69, had a chest infection after Xmas, did econsult, then phone call, got meds, working but not completely better so did another econsult before I ran out of meds, got another few days meds and infection gone.

I'm very sorry that happened. Best wishes. A reader xx

I hate online forms, our practice uses one that goes offline at 11o’clock. I tried once and it kept timing out because I’m dyslexic I eventually got finished and I was out of time, switched off 10 mins early, try again tomorrow, sorry, after the weekend.
I’ve not tried again, clearly my surgery liked it when they padlocked the gate during lockdown and don’t want to engage with people anymore.

It is a bit odd that the doctor didn't at least talk to your son on the phone, although, antibiotics may be the first course action to take. Should the cough persist, then your son should pop into the surgery and try to book an appointment to see the doctor.
It's a shame more surgeries don't follow the same practises as ours. We have a triage system which works extremely effectively. We always get a call back within a couple of hours and, if necessary, can see a doctor the same day.
I hope your son's cough gets better soon.