it will depend on the cause tbh. often its stopping medicines that were once important for them to reduce their long term risk, but might now be worsening risks in a different way. might be physiotherapy and engaging them in being more active, which can be a real challenge with very crumbly old folk. it might be diagnosing a cardiac condition as a cause that needs eg valve surgery. It might be looking at their vestibular system. Quite often it will be multifactorial and you will be addressing a few of these things at the same time.
NHS=Negligent Health Service
- Thread starter 1664kronenbourg
- Start date
That's interesting. For any private sector job it would be easy to terminate an employee after 6 months on the grounds that they were not competent to perform the role and so should not have been employed in the first place. As long as a token process is followed to ensure the employee can't claim they don't know why they were dismissed and/or that it was discrimination against a protected characteristic, there is little they can do.
I would hazard a guess at, any official government agency is just covering all angles. You would be surprised at how a careful you have to word things
Commissario
That happened to my old GP's practice about 20 years ago now.One of my local surgeries shut down in recent years which made absolutely no sense to me. You can clearly see the increase in demand on the remaining practices as those patients had to go somewhere after all.
I do feel for medical staff who are just doing their best, it must be exhausting. Those hours you mention aren’t sustainable and eventually something has to give.
The problem was IIRC two of the partners had retired/wanted to retire and the third spent about 4 years trying to get a new partner/long term GP, and ended up taking early/partial retirement and going to live near his children. I don't blame him, it was obvious the stress was making him ill (IIRC the large old house his practice was in ended up getting bought out by a developer who built something like 4 houses on the plot)
At the time the town was from memory short at least 2 or 3 full time GP's by the governments recommendation. I think we're now about 4 or 5 short given how much the town has grown and another practice closed, whilst two of the remaining ones merged and it's rare to actually see the same GP twice (from what I can tell they have a regular turnover of locums).
Caporegime
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I have an appointment with this covid doctor at the end of the month. Until now every appointment as been via the phone. My ability to get to appointments as been reducing throughout the year. Now I'm bedridden 24/7.
The plan was to have an appointment after the ct scan came back. It did, and using the trust app I can see the notes that it didn't show any significant issues. So I was expecting the appointment notification. It arrives. I was shocked to see the appointment is for 9:30am in person in the hospital.
In order for me to get there, if I was able to, I'd have to call for ambulance transportation which can arrive at 7:30am. I'd have to get up at probably at 6am because I have to get downstairs wearing a breathing machine and using supplemental oxygen. If I managed to get in the appointment room I'd be sitting with my machine on and interaction would be limited.
But trying to get in contact with this doctor so far as proven impossible. I was trying to get the appointment changed back to a telephone one, thinking there might have been a mistake somewhere along the line. But I ring the switch board at the hospital. They give me her secretary number. But the secretary is never in and hasn't called back. The trust app only lets me cancel the appointment. It doesn't let me communicate with either her or her team.
She had also arranged for a heart holter for me and said my gp will be able to do it by sending someone to the house. I get the trust app notification to come to the hospital for 9am, for an appointment lasting 15 minutes. I asked if someone could pick it up for me. But no they insisted I had to come I'm. So that would have been another 6am wake up, oxygen, machine, and ambulance transportation all for 15 minutes. So I had to cancel that appointment. Luckily I called the gp out to take readings when I situp. He said he'll arrange a gp heart holter and the nurse can come out. I think that is what the covid doctor was originally meaning.
But it feels like this covid doctor doesn't seem to take an interest in me, to the point she's not even aware of how things have progressed. She didn't come across as interested when I was trying to tell her my symptoms during the first calls.
I did write her a letter a couple of weeks ago in the hope that she would respond in some way. But so far nothing. Maybe the secretary is still off.
If I hear nothing from her as I approach the appointment I'm going to end up having to cancel appointments. This covid doctors situation seems very half arsed. No one doctor seems to coordinate treatment or are assigned a patient. Also even though she's in respiratory medicine she's in a different section to the lung function doctors I usually see in the same hospital, so one section can't contact the other section.
The plan was to have an appointment after the ct scan came back. It did, and using the trust app I can see the notes that it didn't show any significant issues. So I was expecting the appointment notification. It arrives. I was shocked to see the appointment is for 9:30am in person in the hospital.
In order for me to get there, if I was able to, I'd have to call for ambulance transportation which can arrive at 7:30am. I'd have to get up at probably at 6am because I have to get downstairs wearing a breathing machine and using supplemental oxygen. If I managed to get in the appointment room I'd be sitting with my machine on and interaction would be limited.
But trying to get in contact with this doctor so far as proven impossible. I was trying to get the appointment changed back to a telephone one, thinking there might have been a mistake somewhere along the line. But I ring the switch board at the hospital. They give me her secretary number. But the secretary is never in and hasn't called back. The trust app only lets me cancel the appointment. It doesn't let me communicate with either her or her team.
She had also arranged for a heart holter for me and said my gp will be able to do it by sending someone to the house. I get the trust app notification to come to the hospital for 9am, for an appointment lasting 15 minutes. I asked if someone could pick it up for me. But no they insisted I had to come I'm. So that would have been another 6am wake up, oxygen, machine, and ambulance transportation all for 15 minutes. So I had to cancel that appointment. Luckily I called the gp out to take readings when I situp. He said he'll arrange a gp heart holter and the nurse can come out. I think that is what the covid doctor was originally meaning.
But it feels like this covid doctor doesn't seem to take an interest in me, to the point she's not even aware of how things have progressed. She didn't come across as interested when I was trying to tell her my symptoms during the first calls.
I did write her a letter a couple of weeks ago in the hope that she would respond in some way. But so far nothing. Maybe the secretary is still off.
If I hear nothing from her as I approach the appointment I'm going to end up having to cancel appointments. This covid doctors situation seems very half arsed. No one doctor seems to coordinate treatment or are assigned a patient. Also even though she's in respiratory medicine she's in a different section to the lung function doctors I usually see in the same hospital, so one section can't contact the other section.
I'm not surprised at your situation, I only have mild AF and haven't seen a doctor face to face since before covid. I really hope you can get it sorted, good luck
Man of Honour
When I need to contact a department and I can't contact the proper person I keep ringing other secretaries or Departmental Managers until I get an answer.
Fair enough I have the Trust Phonebook in front of me which makes it easier.
Yes my wife could probably do the same but a lot of them don't answer or no longer work for the trust and the phone book hasn't been updated
Man of Honour
So if your wife has access to the Trust phonebook look for a recurring number in the department and ring it.
Like I say the Departmental Managers even if changed staff will be the same numbers on the desk.
Because I need answers 'now' I will also go to the relevant offices and deal with them.
@Malevolence has often seen me on a mission
She's on the main reception and she sometimes can't get through to departments and individualsSo if your wife has access to the Trust phonebook look for a recurring number in the department and ring it.
Like I say the Departmental Managers even if changed staff will be the same numbers on the desk.
Because I need answers 'now' I will also go to the relevant offices and deal with them.
@Malevolence has often seen me on a mission
Man of Honour
I don't disbelieve you for one second.I have the luxury of walking to them, luckily a lot of them are in the same building as me.
Recently I've been helping my Brother in Law with his problems and four times I walked into places showing my badge and asking them to deal with him because he couldn't get through on the phone.
He's lucky he has you on his side, the people the wife tries to put through haven't got that help
I have the luxury of walking to them, luckily a lot of them are in the same building as me.
Recently I've been helping my Brother in Law with his problems and four times I walked into places showing my badge and asking them to deal with him because he couldn't get through on the phone.
Why do you think you need to be seen?
Realistically no. The 'simple' stuff (tonsillitis, respiratory infections, ear infections, MSK issues) are now seen by nurse practitioners, physios, pharmacists, PAs.
The stuff that is left is the complex things that need much longer than a 10 minute appointment. And wouldn't fit nicely into a quick TV program.
We live in an entitled society. People demand immediate access without any consideration of the bigger picture. I find those who contribute the least to society, demand the most.
The system is absolutely abused, and it is being held together by the goodwill of clinical staff. I saw 51 patients yesterday, and must have dealt with another 80-100 letters/prescription requests/blood results. BMA recommend 24-25 patient contacts a day MAXIMUM to maintain safe care of patients. I get paid for 8 hours 20 minutes, yet worked for 13 hours yesterday, and will do 4+ hours today on my day off. In every hospital, every GP practice, there is a similar story. I am not the exception to the rule, I am the norm. My wife (also a doctor) talked about moving to New Zealand or Australia. We agreed we would feel guilty abandoning the NHS and want to do as much as we can, for it really is the last half-decent thing about being British. Most of my medical school friends have already emigrated.
Primary care will be the first to fold due to the government plan to utilise more allied health professionals (physicians associates, nurse practitioners etc) and not fund actual doctors. I know multiple fully trained GPs who cannot find a GP job. And as soon as GP fails, considering it does 90% of NHS patient contact, then the true two tier system will start. And I am horrified at the thought because patients will suffer, and patients will die.
This totally
I didn't say I needed to be seen just that I haven't been seen by a doctor. My condition as it's mild it isn't a problem, but sometimes it just seems prudent to do things all at once rather than piece meal.
Sorry, I forgot I said that,(I did say should not need, slightly different context)
but the principal is that yes they can do a diagnosis over the phone, but if you go to the clinic you get all the results on the same day. They can see how you are rather than just taking your word for it. Up until covid I was seen once or twice a year(2 separate hospitals).
but the principal is that yes they can do a diagnosis over the phone, but if you go to the clinic you get all the results on the same day. They can see how you are rather than just taking your word for it. Up until covid I was seen once or twice a year(2 separate hospitals).
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