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Exasperation with NHS!! - again ...

(12 Posts)
Luckygirl3 Fri 12-Apr-24 09:33:31

Just got results of blood tests and a call from surgery for further tests re cholesterol and liver function and a phone appointment with GP afterwards. All fine - except the blood test cannot be done for 2 weeks and the phone appointment for nearly 3 weeks - far from ideal.

I then get my results up online and there is a further abnormality which relates to an injection I am to have on Wednesday. The purpose of the blood test is to check my kidney function is normal before having denosumab injection - it is not normal and I do not know whether it is OK to go ahead with injection. Why am I having to check this? Why is the GP not checking, as they are meant to do?

Every 6 months I have to organise the blood test, make sure the denosumab is ordered in, arrange to have the injection, check that the blood results have been looked at - in other words I am leading my own care when it is meant to come from the GP practice. What would happen if I were beginning to lose my memory or did not fully understand what the process is? The hospital osteoporosis service says the GP should be doing all this.

Everyone at the surgery is lovely - but really, lovely is not enough!

luluaugust Fri 12-Apr-24 09:43:12

You have my sympathy, I have always had to ask for Dexa scans and cholesterol checks, as you say if we don’t remember presumably it never happens. I asked for the calcium in my blood to be checked as the hospital had mentioned it but was told it was not necessary. I have lots of things to be grateful to the NHS for but sometimes I just wish I had enough money to go privately. Good luck with getting everything sorted.

Athrawes Fri 12-Apr-24 09:54:46

It seems these days that we have to look after ourselves - which is a worry as we get older and possibly forgetful. I rarely see the same doctor now which isn't helpful but I suppose we're lucky to see any medical adviser at all. With new houses / flats being built the population is growing but the surgeries aren't increasing which I find concerning especially as we only have about 10mins with a doctor - though I have to say last time I visited the surgery I had a doctor from the 'old' days and he ignored the clock and took time to sort me out. I felt very lucky

annodomini Fri 12-Apr-24 09:56:26

At the beginning of the pandemic, my Dexa scan had to be cancelled and, what with one thing and another - like my plans to move south - it simply got overlooked. However, I asked my new GP about it and very quickly was sent an appointment. So I am now back on track.

fancythat Fri 12-Apr-24 09:59:48

If you didnt look it up yourself[I dont know anyone who looks their medical things up themselves, so dont know how that workds at all], would the GP then do it?

Fleur20 Fri 12-Apr-24 10:15:53

Can you speak to the practice manager?

Luckygirl3 Fri 12-Apr-24 10:32:56

fancythat

If you didnt look it up yourself[I dont know anyone who looks their medical things up themselves, so dont know how that workds at all], would the GP then do it?

Never have!

MissAdventure Fri 12-Apr-24 10:33:56

It's easy to see how people fall through the net.

I have exactly the same sort of issues.

New meds prescribed by hospital, then a follow up appointment to see if the meds are working.

Except I haven't had the meds, and now the hospital dept don't get back to me when I message.

Hospital reduce meds, gp doesn't update prescription.
I phone, they update.

Hospital appointment, they reduce meds or stop them, gp doesn't update prescription and I can't get an appointment.

Hospital tell ME off, so I finally get gp appointment, when he asks me "when were the meds reduced?"

It is so, so, frustrating!

Luckygirl3 Fri 12-Apr-24 10:34:30

I have had a conversation with the practice manager before (about 18 months or so ago) and they said they would streamline things and make sure patients would be recalled for their blood test and injection - but it hasn't happened yet!!

MissAdventure Fri 12-Apr-24 10:38:28

Practice manager doesnt even acknowledge emails at my gps.

Then when I get overwrought "here, have more antidepressants".

farmgran Fri 12-Apr-24 12:13:00

Can you message your gp via the on line health portal? You could ask about the injection.
If it was me I'd be giving the injection a miss till you can find out.

Luckygirl3 Fri 12-Apr-24 17:11:38

I have managed to get through to GP who sent a message via receptionist that it's OK to have injection this time and to be reviewed. I do not feel entirely happy about this.