Trouble with Diabetes Nurse

[t2dan]

I'm looking for some advice regarding my diabetes nurse practitioner. For years I had the same diabetes nurse practitioner at my GP surgery and she was fantastic, she really understood diabetes being diabetic herself, sadly she retired a few years ago. The new nurse practitioner and diabetes "specialist" nurse is a complete nightmare. She has no working understanding of diabetes other than text book learning. She treats everything with a one size fits all, and when you question something about a treatment decision, or talking about something that has been a problem since the last review she completely glazes over and dismisses you, and doesn't listen to a thing being said.

I have my review in a few days and despite speaking to the practice about the problems with her and asking to see one of the other nurses, I've been told that I have to see her because I'm on insulin.

(Note: I've just had my insulin changed by community diabetes service to M3 and it hasn't even been a month and a half, really no idea why I'm having this review, but was told by my GP that I still need to have the review for the other checks.)
So great I said if I'm having the other check and this is nothing to do with reviewing my insulin then I'll see one of the other diabetes nurses. I've managed to get my way this time, and I'm seeing another nurse which I am familiar with, but have been told my next review must be with this practitioner nurse, there are no other options.)

Having already spoken to the practice about this situation and being given no other options, I find myself at a loss as to what to do now. I really don't want to see this other nurse as I have no confidence in her providing correct and adequate care tailored to me.
Of course another option to me is to change GP surgery, but I really don't want to do this, as I've been with my current doctor for over 20 years and we get on very well and he is a fantastic doctor.
Everything else is great with my GP surgery and it is really a fantastic surgery it's just this diabetes nurse that is a problem.

Has anyone else had similar problems?
What are my rights as a patient?
Do I have the right to request my diabetes care be managed by someone other than my GP surgery, like Community Diabetes Service?

Any views would be helpful, apologies for the long post, and thank you.

 

[Proud to be erratic]

I have no inside understanding of such matters. But it seems to me that you have at least 2 avenues to exolore:

Firstly you sound as though you have a strong relationship with your GP from the last 20 years. Perhaps you should test that strength and have a proper dialogue with that GP; explain that the current Surgery Nurse is simply wrong for you and ask that GP to resolve this. At the verybleastvit will flag up to that GP that this Nurse might be a wider problem for his patients

Secondly, since the Community Diabetes Service recently altered your insulin to M3, you seem to have a natural path to allow you to go back there for follow up review.

 

[CatsFive]

I had the same thing with the new Asthma Nurse. She put me on a different inhaler when I was struggling which was fine at the time, but her face a few weeks later when I went back for my review and told her I'd gone back to my original inhaler... I don't meet the NICE guidelines for the combined inhaler, and it made me shaky - not good just before going to bed. However I have a great relationship with one of the GPs, he uses me as one of the patients for medical students to meet during asthma week. I'm on his spreadsheet - that might be an up-to-date version of having a little list...

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I have my review in a few days and despite speaking to the practice about the problems with her and asking to see one of the other nurses, I've been told that I have to see her because I'm on insulin.

Nope you do not have to see her, in fact you can refuse the review. I do this every year. If they say you have to see someone because of being on insulin then ask for a hospital apt.

 

[t2dan]

Nope you do not have to see her, in fact you can refuse the review. I do this every year. If they say you have to see someone because of being on insulin then ask for a hospital apt.

Ok, thanks, I'll do that.
Also I am getting a follow up call from Community Diabetes next nonth so will ask if I can stay on their books.

 

[t2dan]

I have no inside understanding of such matters. But it seems to me that you have at least 2 avenues to exolore:

Firstly you sound as though you have a strong relationship with your GP from the last 20 years. Perhaps you should test that strength and have a proper dialogue with that GP; explain that the current Surgery Nurse is simply wrong for you and ask that GP to resolve this. At the verybleastvit will flag up to that GP that this Nurse might be a wider problem for his patients

Secondly, since the Community Diabetes Service recently altered your insulin to M3, you seem to have a natural path to allow you to go back there for follow up review.

I've spoken to my GP, unfortunately he doesn't manage the surgery as it's a very large practice. I've spoken to the practice manager but she didn't really seem that interested, I guess it will have to be a formal complaint.
The other staff there I spoke to about this nurse seems to indicate that I am not the first person that has expressed dissatisfaction with her. I get the looks of "oh yeah we know".

 

[t2dan]

I had the same thing with the new Asthma Nurse. She put me on a different inhaler when I was struggling which was fine at the time, but her face a few weeks later when I went back for my review and told her I'd gone back to my original inhaler... I don't meet the NICE guidelines for the combined inhaler, and it made me shaky - not good just before going to bed. However I have a great relationship with one of the GPs, he uses me as one of the patients for medical students to meet during asthma week. I'm on his spreadsheet - that might be an up-to-date version of having a little list...

It is a sad fact that we have to be educated and vigilant of our health issues, because some health care "professionals" aren't any good at their jobs.

 

[CatsFive]

It is a sad fact that we have to be educated and vigilant of our health issues, because some health care "professionals" aren't any good at their jobs.

I think even if the professionals are good, being educated & vigilant improves the outcomes.

 

[Tdm]

At the end of the day, we are the only people who are going to be there 24/7 for us

 

[bulkbiker]

It is a sad fact that we have to be educated and vigilant of our health issues, because some health care "professionals" aren't any good at their jobs.

I agree it's a bit sad but then again it's our health so we should be aware of what's going on.

I used to think that doctors were "all knowing" but since watching my parents descent into poor health and finally death I realised that many medics simply aren't especially well informed. They seem happier to treat symptoms with drugs rather than investigate underlying causes.
When I got diagnosed it all became a lot clearer.

 

[MikeyBikey]

I agree it's a bit sad but then again it's our health so we should be aware of what's going on.

I used to think that doctors were "all knowing" but since watching my parents descent into poor health and finally death I realised that many medics simply aren't especially well informed. They seem happier to treat symptoms with drugs rather than investigate underlying causes.
When I got diagnosed it all became a lot clearer.

The surgeon who did my bypass said my family history was appealing and that it should have been picked up earlier and relevant tests done.

My late mother's GP kept adding drugs to counteract side effects. When I pushed for a review she went from 8 drugs to 3! Silly man!

 

[bulkbiker]

My late mother's GP kept adding drugs to counteract side effects. When I pushed for a review she went from 8 drugs to 3! Silly man!

The doctor told my dad that mum was developing dementia so he took over running the house completely. When he died we took mum off her statins and within a week or so she was back to her old self.She lived on her own with a bit of support for another 4 years after he died. They missed out on 8 years they could have enjoyed themselves a bit more.
Very sad.

 

[Callista]

Oh, that is just so sad.....how complex the human body and brain are. We change one variable (eg, a medication) yet cannot accurately track the impact.....

 

[t2dan]

I believe that education is the

The doctor told my dad that mum was developing dementia so he took over running the house completely. When he died we took mum off her statins and within a week or so she was back to her old self.She lived on her own with a bit of support for another 4 years after he died. They missed out on 8 years they could have enjoyed themselves a bit more.
Very sad.

Wow, that's terrible, I'm so sorry. I'm very vigilant of unnecessary medications, and their possible side effects. I've voluntarily come off of about half of my meds due to undesirable side effects and long term effects. Most of these were for conditions that I've found other ways of managing. The diabetes is proving to be a stubborn mistress, I'm not beat though and have spent the last year getting fit and loosing weight and building lean tissue, which is no mean feat with the combination of issues I have.

Self education is so, so important, and I spent the first few years of being diabetic learning everything there is to know, and still do. I try and teach my parents this, but at their age they aren't interested and just let the doctor get on with it. I do monitor them from a distance though as they hate me interfering with their health, very frustrating.

 

[bulkbiker]

Oh, that is just so sad.....how complex the human body and brain are. We change one variable (eg, a medication) yet cannot accurately track the impact.....

Not sure about not tracking it as she was back to normal and laughing and joking pretty quickly..
Hence I'm very anti-statin.. we later got her off most of the other meds too but the contrast in her demeanour with and without the statins was quite amazing.

 

[t2dan]

I agree statins are just not for everybody, but they can be beneficial to some, unfortunately they seem to hand them out like candy these days. I think they need greater monitoring by health professionals though.