GPs prefer to see patients face to face, says UK family doctors' leader

[Gwynn]

Update:

From a bit depressed 5his morning to really impressed right now!!!

I felt a bit let down not being able to see a doctor f2f today.

The receptionist asked for a photo of the infection. (Horrible idea). My phone refuses to send photos!!! However, I decided to stop being cowardly and to tackle the tech problem head on. Fixed it after some faffing about. Took 5he photo and sent it off to them.

I thought that that would result in nothing. Expectations zero.

How wrong I was. Within 20 minutes a doctor rang me, he had seen the photo (but not read the text I had also sent with the photo describing all the things he went on to ask about). He said that he understood the problem and prescribed something for it. Within 30 minutes of that I had the prescribed medication.

I think the problem is simply not knowing how the new system will work leading to worry, panic, frustration, fear.

NHS 12/10

Gwynn 0/10 but a bit relieved smile and something learned.

And lets be honest, the NHS came through pretty smartish. No fuss and a good result.

 

[Lanny]

I'm not keen on phone appointments for the reasons mentioned by @Robin and @Northerner but I find the online referral system brilliant and was how I came to be diagnosed diabetic. It means I can sit down at my leisure and compose a message which includes all the relevant information without getting flustered or distracted perhaps by something the doctor says if I am face to face.... I get to say everything I need to tell them uninterrupted. I appreciate it is not for everyone, but for me, going down to the doctors is stressful (white coat syndrome) and I am not comfortable speaking on the phone and I take time to process information and if there is a strong accent, it can be awkward if not downright embarrassing trying to understand each other, but the written word via email seems an ideal means of reporting stuff or seeking advice and then the doctor can triage and assess whatever treatment or tests or examinations need to be done from there. It works brilliantly at my surgery. I sent my email off on the Sunday night. The GP assessed it first thing on Monday morning and I had a blood test booked for later that afternoon with the nurse. Got the result back the next day. Not had to see a GP for my diabetes yet!

I did have a telephone consult with my diabetes specialist in October and I was dreading it because he is of Asian origin and I have difficulty understanding him in person sometimes let alone on the phone but actually it went exceptionally well and I didn't struggle at all. Having LibreView really helped though.

I use the extra info box when ordering prescriptions online all the time to tell my GP’s anything I think they ought to know, changes in insulin doses, any concerns or worries & questions. I do have to think carefully for the most concise posts though as there’s a limit on characters used & I usually get answers either by a phone call from the health centre or a note with my prescriptions when they’re delivered. I also found, even before these cv times, writing down everything I want to say very useful as appointment times have shrunk even further to just 5 minutes with the GP & just hand them that to read!

 

[Sally71]

LOL @Lanny - I’ve tried using the extra info boxes on prescription requests but it doesn’t work very well for me, if I try changing the quantity of things they just ignore it. I ordered lancets but still had Multiclix on the repeat which was replaced by Fastclix a couple of years ago I think, I had received a new lancing device but hadn’t got round to ordering the drums for it because I still had loads of the old ones left. Finally got round to ordering the new ones, ticked the Multiclix box and put a note in saying they are replaced by Fastclix and yes we can use those, but what I got given were some entirely different ones not even made by the same company! Had to sort that one out over the phone! Other things work better online though, they have a system whereby if you need a sick note or doctors note for something or maybe advice that doesn’t really need a face to face appointment you can put a request in online and it’s quite efficient. I tried to order insulin vials for my daughter and there was a stop on them saying that we couldn’t order any more without a review, sigh, so instead of ranting on the phone or making a f2f appointment which would have only needed a minute to solve I sent an e-message asking exactly what needed reviewing as type 1 diabetes doesn’t get better and my daughter will need insulin for the rest of her life, and then went on to explain that we are using a pump which is why we use vials rather than penfills but please leave the penfills on the repeat also as we have to have a few of those for emergency backup in case the pump fails. Hey presto just a few hours later the insulin was reinstated and I was able to order them!

Our surgery has been doing telephone triage for quite a while before Covid came along, if you want an appointment they will get a doctor to call you back first, but if the doctor decides that it’s not the sort of thing that can be dealt with on the phone then he will make an appointment to see you in person. Seems sensible, i think they are trying to minimise the number of people who make appointments and then don’t turn up which wastes a lot more time! (I once completely forgot to go to an asthma checkup with the nurse, don’t know why, I don’t normally have a problem remembering appointments, and I felt so bad and would happily have paid a fine - well maybe not happily, but I would have deserved it and thought it was justified)

 

[trophywench]

I downloaded and registered with the NHS App last week to enable me to order scrips online and now, cannot get back into it. I think I know (probably) why, in which case I will have to register again, but it ain't exactly a rapid process on a laptop on your home wifi, if it is anywhere else.