Online GP consults

After a bout of AF and a visit to A&E consulted with my GP who said my blood pressure was on the low side and asked me to take a reading twice a day for a month. Emailed readings to GP on 31/05/20 (resent on 07/06/20) and have had no feed back or acknowledgement of emails. I was hoping that the online service would be more efficient than the old book an appointment system, but apparently not. Got my repeat prescription today less the usual beta blockers so a bit in the dark about what's going on!

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Have you rung to see if they have for the email. I once sent the DSN (diabetes specialist nurse) a set of BG (blood glucose) readings. It never arrived as their e-mail system blocked all attachments. So I had to put all the results in the e-mail body that did not look anything as good as my crafted spreadsheet. I also once had an e-mail sent to spam as the filters decided a technical term was a naughty word! The word was sextuple relating to a data set!

[Hidden in reply to MichaelJH]

Thanks had not thought of email been blocked, it was a pdf attachment

[Maisie2014]

NHS websites block large attachments. PDF files probably too big. Copy and paste information into a text format and email.

[Hidden]

Sadly the GP did not mention this when she sent the link to the pdf form 😟

[GracieOS]

I've taken to the old fashioned letter approach and posting it into the repeat prescriptions box. This works.

[Hidden in reply to GracieOS]

Thanks will keep this in mind for the future, just with the lock down and surgery been on the other side of town email seemed to be the ideal way. You live and learn

[Sunnie2day]

I'd telephone and ask if they've checked their spam folder. But the really big issue is the missing beta blocker in your repeat prescription delivery - that could be a 'simple error' but it's one that is imperative to remedy as most beta blocker prescriptions come with the warning not to stop them.

If your medic has taken the decision to stop your beta blocker, he/she should have discussed it with you first. As he/she hasn't (usually a through the post letter or at least something on the repeat prescription box online), I'd think it safe to assume there has been a mistake and it's one wanting correcting asap.

[Hidden in reply to Sunnie2day]

Bit the bullet and called to the surgery (masked and gloved) could not confirm if email had been received and doctor not in to today, not sure when she would be! Chemist delivered the Candesartan this morning but not Bisoprolol, so far this remote communication is not working well for me.

[Sunnie2day in reply to Hidden]

Thank-you for replying - I would telephone to the chemist about the missing beta blocker - he/she may be able to tell you if the GP has cancelled your prescription for it...but I think what the chemist will say is 'Oops, I'm so sorry, we'll get that right out to you!'.

There isn't a shortage as far as my chemist (Boots) is saying.

[Hidden in reply to Sunnie2day]

I can check online - last month the dosage was reduced and previous higher dosage was removed from the repeat prescription but the lower dosage not added. Suppose I will just have to wait until GP is back in the office, worse case scenario I will need to ask the chemist for an emergency supply!

[Sunnie2day in reply to Hidden]

Hmm. Now it sounds as though there has been a clerical error at the surgery. It happens even at the best surgeries but it does need correcting - clearly your GP hasn't cancelled, just reduced but someone forgot to put that lower dose order on your repeat prescription. (They did that with my GTN and it took a while to get it sorted)

Please update when you know something.

[Qualipop]

I would phone the GP. I was due some bloods results last week that never came; a quick phone call gave mehe answers. Because the results were ok they just hadn't bothered to let me know.

[Hidden in reply to Qualipop]

No chance of speaking to GP as she is not in today and you always have to wait for a return call. last time it was a text which does not give you the chance to question!

[Qualipop in reply to Hidden]

The ask for a return call or speak to a different GP.

[Hidden in reply to Qualipop]

A bit like when I was a kid at Christmas, I can ask but does not mean I will get