Dr Ian Campbell: GPs are not gatekeepers for the NHS

[Northerner]

Dr Ian Campbell, GP at Park House Medical Centre in Carlton, on times when you can’t give a patient what they want

DEBORAH, a smartly-dressed lady in her early 40s, strode into my consulting room and took a seat.

"What may I do for you?" I asked.

Deborah didn't mess about. "I want a second opinion," she said. "I want you to refer me." Well, I still hadn't established what the medical problem was so my reaction was supportive, if a bit vague. "Sure, we can do that if appropriate. So, tell me, what's the problem?"

http://www.nottinghampost.com/Dr-Ian-Campbell-GPs-gatekeepers-NHS/story-24550546-detail/story.html

Trouble is, some GPs won't refer despite the fact they don't know what they are talking about

 

[trophywench]

So what she wanted was in fact a third opinion, bearing in mind a colleague of his had treated it already and he was offering to treat it again.

Bearing in mind his background in ENT - how many opinions does this Deborah want?

My dad opted for a third opinion once, by paying for a referral to a dermatologist himself. Off he trogs to the posh house in the posh neighbourhood to see the posh man in the posh suit.

Who diagnosed exactly the same reason for his itchy skin as the two GPs already had.

Dad just couldn't accept that this itchy irritation on his wrist was caused by his worrying about something, cos he said to them all that he wasn't worried about anything.

Not long afterwards he retired and guess what - the thing disappeared virtually overnight. It was probably 'fear of the unknown' IMHO. He'd never been without a job in his life before.

We never let him forget that and he was suitably chastised !