Metformin

[Bruce Stephens]

I did. They said they'd love to but couldn't because their system isn't compatible.

But their website does now say we can view medical records online using "Vision Patient Services" so maybe they have now changed their system suitably. (By the looks of it "Vision Patient Services" might now be called "Patient Services", and it looks like many practices allow access via both if they do one, though I'm unclear about whether that's always the case. Which it ought to be, really: England really doesn't need two mostly interoperable patient access systems.)

 

[Sarahp]

I did. They said they'd love to but couldn't because their system isn't compatible.

Let’s hope they get it sorted as theres new releases happening all of the time, the last couple of weeks I can now see my up coming hospital appointments but at the start all I could do was order my meds, I can even see every message the secretary has sent me and she sends me documents through it at times as well. I would keep checking in with them when you pop in for appointments and ask for updates so you don’t miss out as is so helpful.

 

[Sarahp]

But their website does now say we can view medical records online using "Vision Patient Services" so maybe they have now changed their system suitably. (By the looks of it "Vision Patient Services" might now be called "Patient Services", and it looks like many practices allow access via both if they do one, though I'm unclear about whether that's always the case. Which it ought to be, really: England really doesn't need two mostly interoperable patient access systems.)

Completely agree re systems, would check with them as I know NHS England were asking for patients to test an update (I am on a mailing list re this) so definitely was a big update due over the summer!

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I would keep checking in with them when you pop in for appointments and ask for updates so you don’t miss out as is so helpful.

Yes, I'll ask again. I think I asked a few years ago now so it wouldn't be a shock if things had changed.

 

[Sarahp]

Yes, I'll ask again. I think I asked a few years ago now so it wouldn't be a shock if things had changed.

Hope it has but given how small some surgeries are and strapped for funding in some areas there probably are some that are still not all linked up yet!

 

[rebrascora]

When I was diagnosed 4.5 years ago my GP practice was using "Ask my GP" system which I quite liked and seemed to work very efficiently. They now have "System Online" which is fine for ordering medication although you need to know it's little glitches, but I don't find it as easy to contact a specific person at the surgery with a query and I can see my childhood vaccinations and allergies but they haven't inputted my medical reports or anything else yet. I imagine it takes a huge amount of personhours to input all the hand written reports going back decades from thousands of patients

 

[Sarahp]

When I was diagnosed 4.5 years ago my GP practice was using "Ask my GP" system which I quite liked and seemed to work very efficiently. They now have "System Online" which is fine for ordering medication although you need to know it's little glitches, but I don't find it as easy to contact a specific person at the surgery with a query and I can see my childhood vaccinations and allergies but they haven't inputted my medical reports or anything else yet. I imagine it takes a huge amount of personhours to input all the hand written reports going back decades from thousands of patients

Definitely agree re admin hours having worked on similar government systems it’s a bind!, they had a cut off date of last year as a starting point. With our surgery only prescriptions are linked for viewing as standard, you can ask for everything else and it then becomes available backdated to last year, so far can see reports, letters, allergies, test results, system messages from staff to me and their names, and in last two weeks appointment at the hospital and pending referrals and same appointments at the Gp surgery as well. Hope it all gets caught up to same standard across the board sooner rather than later.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I imagine it takes a huge amount of personhours to input all the hand written reports going back decades from thousands of patients

I'm sure that's the case. Really all I'd expect is what's already electronically held. Recently I'm pretty sure my GP just refers to the computer so presumably all the important stuff is there, though maybe for some things she'd need my paper notes.

 

[Leadinglights]

I'm sure that's the case. Really all I'd expect is what's already electronically held. Recently I'm pretty sure my GP just refers to the computer so presumably all the important stuff is there, though maybe for some things she'd need my paper notes.

I think you might be surprised how much is still hand written notes, I asked for my records from my knee surgery following my accident and I was sent a CD with 146 pages of hand written notes though to be fair there were load of blank pages as it was a standard booklet so some pages would not be applicable.

 

[Nayshiftin]

i override the Gp with the app “My chart “and get through to the hospital results that way.
i think there is a code you ask for but i just emailed. i love it . I can get it easy on i phone but a friend finds it better on computer.
i often have the results before my Gp .
So far it has been helpful.
i also looked into low carb and if you do it , it really lowers the Blood sugars.
ive come down a lot on the finger pricks but still have a way to go.
Freshwell is a good base but there are many other books and ways to go low carb, The carb n cals book from the shop here is excellent.
It takes effort but worth it in the end.
Good luck with the Metformin, hopefully you will once it settles down. I found probiotics can help with the stomach pain. It was like one had eaten razor blades. If you bleed as i did, stop and get medical advice as you get other problems if it really disagrees with your system. For others its the drug that helps .
I just cant take it.
i am on another drug now with fewer side effects and so far no bleeding , sickness , nasty pains.
You do not mention weight if weight is an issue then low carb really helps there . If not the swaps maybe all it takes to get your BS down.

 

[JohnS]

My medical team use a system called “Patient Knows Best”. It allows me to see all my past test results as well as copies of clinical letters sent either to me or my gp. Very usefu.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sadly it used to, but it stopped last Autumn when they changed computer systems and they have stopped allowing patients to see their results online. But thank you for the thought.

How frustrating for you @BernieF - and it must be causing chaos for the surgery too, with everyone now having to phone for results who could have previously just got them without pestering the surgery and taking up phone call slot