Now that was strange...

[Timberman]

I just wrote about a needs assessment that I found via HU. But when I posted my response to it I found myself on the Arrythmia Alliance. So my post about the needs assessment may not get on here. So here it is anyway...

About my needs assessment...

No seriously. I took this assessment to see how i compared with others. And I got a shock because over 60% shared my lack of confidence in the care and treatment I am recieving. I know the cause and it is not the COPD team at Braintree - they have been excellent and I shall have to go back now, knowing what I have seen here.

The problem is my GP surgery. Fistly I am new patient there, having been undr a GP team at Reepham in Norfolk for about 12 years. I hardly ever doubted the clinical value of that surgery, even though it was at times bit unresponsive in management terms.

Here however in Halstead I do have worries. The practice COPD nurse is more about asthma than COPD for a start. Nice and capable but... hmmm. I have yet to see the same GP or nurse practitioner twice. I have asked about my meds and there was a review - carried out by a non-clinical person over the phone! SAnd their utter inability to provide decent appointments is appalling. We are expected to turn up around 8.30, queue to be triaged, then sit around and wait in a crowded surgery for a consultation with somebody. And on top of COPD I have a compromised immune system so sitting around alomngside sick people is not the brightest idea.

Thing is I am pretty good just now. The warm summer was a help - or rather the low humidity was. And our new flat and the ev=nvironment here seems to agree with me.

So given the above I shall take time to call the COPD tem at Braintree and see if i can talk to them.

[sassy59]

It’s often a problem to get decent treatment at GP surgeries though that does seem to vary from area to area.

We live in the South Coast but our surgery has no COPD nurse only an asthma nurse. Pete sees nobody other than a doctor at the hospital once or twice a year.

I hope you stay well and good idea not to sit in a crowded germ ridden waiting area. Take care xxxxx

[SORRELHIPPO]

It might be worth you writing to the Practice Manager about the appointment system, I have asthma, and another condition which means I have to take medicine to suppress my immune system, my surgery does have a small munber of appointments that can be booked ahead of time. Also if I am ill and do not need a home visit by a GP, they have the ability to do telephone consultations, by a GP to me at home. This combination of approaches seems to allow for most peoples' needs. Some hospital clinic appointments I attend, I take a good quality face mask, and have at least 1 if not 2 sets of antibacterial gubbins, usually hand wipes and a gel. May look odd and fussy, but I do not want to add to the issues I already have, I have a pet hate for people, adults and children, who just sit there and sneeze and do not even use a tissue, I often end up feeling sort of itchy as I think (and see)!! millions of little germs floating in my direction, with little grins on their faces!! I can almost hear them saying whoopee here is a nice new home.

Glad the move has been helpfulm+ good luck

[Timberman in reply to SORRELHIPPO]

Many thanks. I have done all that - even got my MP involved! Trouble is the practice is intransigent and believes it is under huge pressure. In fact the patient to clinician ratio is actually well below the national average! So I battle on.

[SORRELHIPPO in reply to Timberman]

The concepts of "best practice" and "duty of care" seem to have gone out of the window!!