Diabetes care in your health authority

[Cornflake57]

What type of diabetes care do you receive in your health authority. Mine is a brisk check up with the diabetes nurse and a hba1c check yearly, plus an eye check. No check up with the GP. If you want your test results this is given to you by the switchboard operator. If you have a question this is logged into to the system either by the nurse or operator, wait a week and phone in for the answer. If you want to see your GP it's a five week wait. I don't feel like it's a brilliant system and wondered if it was the same throughout the UK.

 

[Bubbsie]

n

What type of diabetes care do you receive in your health authority. Mine is a brisk check up with the diabetes nurse and a hba1c check yearly, plus an eye check. No check up with the GP. If you want your test results this is given to you by the switchboard operator. If you have a question this is logged into to the system either by the nurse or operator, wait a week and phone in for the answer. If you want to see your GP it's a five week wait. I don't feel like it's a brilliant system and wondered if it was the same throughout the UK.

Good grief Cornflake...whereabouts are you located?...sounds like they firmly believe in keeping patients at a distance... literally....firstly I log onto system online & check my results...order prescriptions...book appointments ...at our practice you can call the surgery...book an emergency appointment...get seen that day...if there is something you need to ask your GP you may ask for a call back...speak to them directly...presently I am still having HbA1c tests quarterly...usually appointments can take up to two & a half weeks...but as said if you need an urgent appointment...you can usually get one on the day if you ring before 11:30...you may not see your regular GP but you'll see someone...my diabetic reviews are with the doctor...not the nurse...I refuse to see her anymore...I would agree it's certainly not brilliant...cripes...should consider myself fortunate indeed!

 

[Amigo]

Your service sounds better than the norm Bubbsie. I get an annual diabetic check with the Practice Nurse (not a DSN). I get the usual retinal screening and foot check.
My GP surgery has an ‘open access’ every morning where you can be seen by one of the GP’s on duty and it’s usually packed. Appointments are released once a week if you’re wanting a specific GP. I can get repeat prescriptions within 24 hrs and blood taken anytime.

You can ring for a telephone consultation and because I’m on the ‘Care List’, I have to be dealt with the same day but I suspect they do contact people within the day anyway. Apparently the surgery gets an extra £2.47 a year for me! Whoopee Do! 🙄

Your system doesn’t sound very responsive cornflake but your diabetic care is similar to mine.

 

[scousebird]

We have a good GP practice. Triage system for daily emergency appts. so you call at 8am then Dr rings you back to ask symptoms then books you Dr or nurse appt. or advises going to pharmacy. We can book routine appts. online or via an app on smartphone & the app will remind you to take tablets (you have to log them first). We have 2 diabetes nurses (I must admit that I much prefer one over the other), but the DN told me yesterday that she can't refer anyone to the podiatrist unless they are really bad. Have to admit that I also have a daughter in law who is in her last year of GP training so we have many interesting discussions about NHS & treatments etc.

 

[Bubbsie]

Your service sounds better than the norm Bubbsie. I get an annual diabetic check with the Practice Nurse (not a DSN). I get the usual retinal screening and foot check.
My GP surgery has an ‘open access’ every morning where you can be seen by one of the GP’s on duty and it’s usually packed. Appointments are released once a week if you’re wanting a specific GP. I can get repeat prescriptions within 24 hrs and blood taken anytime.

You can ring for a telephone consultation and because I’m on the ‘Care List’, I have to be dealt with the same day but I suspect they do contact people within the day anyway. Apparently the surgery gets an extra £2.47 a year for me! Whoopee Do! 🙄

Your system doesn’t sound very responsive cornflake but your diabetic care is similar to mine.

My GP was a nightmare at first Amigo...caused me so many headaches...I get a good service now because I worked hard with him...letters...emails...so many discussions...navigating the surgery 'politics'...now I have a good doctor patient relationship with him...finally.

 

[Amigo]

My GP was a nightmare at first Amigo...caused me so many headaches...I get a good service now because I worked hard with him...letters...emails...so many discussions...navigating the surgery 'politics'...now I have a good doctor patient relationship with him...finally.

Oh I know, I remember you describing those first encounters Bubbsie. I had a major show-down with my GP many years ago, actually decades and now we have a great relationship. I’m probably one of the few people who can tell him off according to him!

 

[Mark Parrott]

We do have a few really good GP's at our practice, plus a couple I refuse to see, one of which is my official GP. We have 2 DSN's though I've only seen one, and she is really lovely. Booking appointments is impossible, but you can turn up before 10.30 on the day & be seen, though they have limited the amount they see per doctor, so really you need to queue up before opening (8.30) to get a chance of being seen. And no online medical records is disappointing, as I found out yesterday,

 

[Bubbsie]

We do have a few really good GP's at our practice, plus a couple I refuse to see, one of which is my official GP. We have 2 DSN's though I've only seen one, and she is really lovely. Booking appointments is impossible, but you can turn up before 10.30 on the day & be seen, though they have limited the amount they see per doctor, so really you need to queue up before opening (8.30) to get a chance of being seen. And no online medical records is disappointing, as I found out yesterday,

You might be able to resolve one of those issues this week Mark...ridiculous you can't see your patient notes/records online...might even save your surgery time & effort if you could...thought I was badly done to...until I read the initial post!

 

[grovesy]

It varies from surgery to surgery around here.

 

[Mark Parrott]

Another thing I want to add is that our surgery just isn't big enough for the area it covers. Our town is expanding with thousands of new homes & only one surgery. Currently, the population is 10,000 and expanding.

 

[Bubbsie]

Another thing I want to add is that our surgery just isn't big enough for the area it covers. Our town is expanding with thousands of new homes & only one surgery. Currently, the population is 10,000 and expanding.

Same here Mark...not too far from you...since I moved here it seems every spare plot of spare land has been built on...thousands of new homes have sprung up...more planned...did ask my GP if there were any additional GP practices proposed...as far as he knew there were none...worrying...who knows...perhaps we'll all end up waiting five weeks for an appointment!

 

[Lisa66]

Having read various posts on the forum, I think I'm actually pretty lucky in my area.

I have a once a year check at the surgery, feet, weight, bloods etc. This is done by the "specialist" nurse, although I think other nurses I have seen there are more knowledgeable. I don't see my gp for diabetes care, but he is pretty good regarding diabetes. I've never had a problem getting prescriptions, he always says better to spend the money on you now and head off any problems, than have to spend more later. Any other non diabetes concerns I've had, the surgery attitude is, let's send you for more tests/appointments as you're diabetic, just to be on the safe side.

I'm under the care of a consultant who I see once a year. I'm always asked after the appointment if I'd like to come back in 6 months or 12. This year because control went a little awry, I was seen by DSN 4 months after consultant appointment and am booked in for follow up in November. There's a group of DSNs at the end of the phone. Having only rung perhaps once a year in the past, I've had reason to phone them on several occasions this year. It's a matter of leaving a message and I've always had a call back the same day. On one occasion I got a call at 5.40 when officially they go home at 5. I also get my eyes checked once a year.

I am continually grateful for the service and care I receive.

 

[Copepod]

Welcome to the forum @Cornflake57. As you can see, care in GP surgeries varies greatky between areas - CCGs in England (Clinical Commissioning Groups). Diabetes UK list of 15 checks that everyone with diabetes should get every year is a good start for minimum level of care you should expect.

 

[Vince_UK]

n
Good grief Cornflake...whereabouts are you located?...sounds like they firmly believe in keeping patients at a distance... literally....firstly I log onto system online & check my results...order prescriptions...book appointments ...at our practice you can call the surgery...book an emergency appointment...get seen that day...if there is something you need to ask your GP you may ask for a call back...speak to them directly...presently I am still having HbA1c tests quarterly...usually appointments can take up to two & a half weeks...but as said if you need an urgent appointment...you can usually get one on the day if you ring before 11:30...you may not see your regular GP but you'll see someone...my diabetic reviews are with the doctor...not the nurse...I refuse to see her anymore...I would agree it's certainly not brilliant...cripes...should consider myself fortunate indeed!

Bubbs, in Newcastle mine is exactly the same. I genuinely cannot complain at all.
I did consider private health care but decided against it for a number of reasons.
Cost-extortionate
Expensive facilities but same Docs I see on NHS and actually had my cataracts treated by a private medical service BUT the operation was carried out by my consultant at an NHS hospital because the Nuffield doesn't have the facilities.
My experiences with the NHS over tha past 2 years for various issues has been first class.
I genuinely like my Doctor and trust him. I was given the opportunity to nominate a GP to see regularly which I did, but if for any reason he is not there, like holidays, I can see anyone and they are usually up to speed and informed. Call back usually within 1 hour if needed.
They release their appoints every week for 2 weeks ahead so if urget I call at 8 am on a Monday and have actually got an appointment that day. Appointments, prescriptions etc etc etc do online.
The only gripe I have is that one of the nurses who I feel didn't explain the in's and out's of diabetes to me wanted me out of the door asap. Busy I guess but that is my only quibble.
If my Doc is running late it is no problem for me I don't mind waiting extra time and I always assume he is busy with a patient who as some pressing issues. I do get annoyed at the patients who start complaining about their appointment running 5 minutes late and act as if they are the only people in the world who are ill.
The receptionists are again excellent and go out of their way to help even in the smallest ways.

 

[Bubbsie]

Bubbs, in Newcastle mine is exactly the same. I genuinely cannot complain at all.
I did consider private health care but decided against it for a number of reasons.
Cost-extortionate
Expensive facilities but same Docs I see on NHS and actually had my cataracts treated by a private medical service BUT the operation was carried out by my consultant at an NHS hospital because the Nuffield doesn't have the facilities.
My experiences with the NHS over tha past 2 years for various issues has been first class.
I genuinely like my Doctor and trust him. I was given the opportunity to nominate a GP to see regularly which I did, but if for any reason he is not there, like holidays, I can see anyone and they are usually up to speed and informed. Call back usually within 1 hour if needed.
They release their appoints every week for 2 weeks ahead so if urget I call at 8 am on a Monday and have actually got an appointment that day. Appointments, prescriptions etc etc etc do online.
The only gripe I have is that one of the nurses who I feel didn't explain the in's and out's of diabetes to me wanted me out of the door asap. Busy I guess but that is my only quibble.
If my Doc is running late it is no problem for me I don't mind waiting extra time and I always assume he is busy with a patient who as some pressing issues. I do get annoyed at the patients who start complaining about their appointment running 5 minutes late and act as if they are the only people in the world who are ill.
The receptionists are again excellent and go out of their way to help even in the smallest ways.

I feel exactly the same Vince...had a bad start with my GP and the surgery...worked hard with him...now have an excellent relationship with him...and the surgery staff.

 

[Lucy Honeychurch]

I'm under the care of the hospital, I can ring the dsn team between 9-5 mon-fri and leave a message and someone will always get back to me that day. If I need to see someone they always fit me in that day. I see Consultant every 6 months and he does all the usual checks and foot check, pulse etc. I don't have anything to compare with but I'm happy with the care I receive. Gp surgery will always give me an emergency appointment that day too.

 

[Beck S]

Mine's been good so far. I get a yearly check up at the unit, although they want me in for my first one in six months (five now) to see how it's going. Get my hba1c every three months, and at the moment I'm speaking to one of the specialist nurses in the unit every couple of weeks by phone to look at my blood levels and see how I'm getting on, but same as Lucy I can ring them up any time I have a question and they'll ring me back. Just had my appointment through for my eye test, and my referral from the dietitian. My GP can keep an eye on me too - I went in today as they wanted to run a patient review with me, so she checked how things were going with my levels and drugs etc... and gave me an envelope ready for my hb test in two months so it was all sorted. They're getting notes through from the hospital with all the changes in my drugs etc.

 

[Ditto]

In my case ours is rubbish. Gave me the wrong diagnosis after a year or so of never seeing anybody! Refused meter and strips and even my sister who is on metformin isn't allowed any strips now, yet they gave her a meter! Crazy. My other sister, on insulin, gets better care but she's long term diabetic and in total denial anyway as is her OH. They wouldn't be so complacent if they were given proper care and attention and told what to do!