Discharged at last!: At last I was... - British Heart Fou...

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Discharged at last!

LindaLittleBear profile image

At last I was discharged from hospital on Friday after 3 weeks .

And now the stress begins. I called my GP surgery this morning to make a GP appointment. As usual my request is met with resistance. It seems my surgery does not accept advanced bookings to see the GP. I'll have to make and E consult. I explained I was unable to do this, experienced the usual cross examination as to why not and couldn't someone help me.

The receptionist reluctantly filled in the e consult for me which will be reviewed by and administrator in the next two days to determine if The GP will call me.!!!

I despair ... How do we get the much needed face to face appointment with the GP??? 😫

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LindaLittleBear profile image
LindaLittleBear
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49 Replies
BeKind28- profile image
BeKind28-

Hello :-)

Brilliant news you are now back home take it easy and hope your recovery goes well :-)

Not so good news about trying to get an appointment with your GP I had to smile though as it seems no matter where you live the procedure seems to be so much the same

I would hope that you will get one so fingers crossed and let us know how you get on :-) x

yellow731 profile image
yellow731

You have more chance of getting a ticket to see elvis then a face to face with GP ,the receptionist is always quoting something to me , then i ask her a question and get well im not a medical specialist ,no your not karen so make me an appointment with someone who is please 😁 i do get one in the end good luck with yours

LindaLittleBear profile image
LindaLittleBear in reply toyellow731

A witty reply. Thank you for making me laugh 😂😂😘

yellow731 profile image
yellow731 in reply toLindaLittleBear

Your welcome😄😘

Deejay62 profile image
Deejay62 in reply toyellow731

😂😂

Heyjude31 profile image
Heyjude31 in reply toyellow731

brilliant 😂😂

Heyjude31 profile image
Heyjude31 in reply toyellow731

having just said how brilliant your reply was, I think I might use that when I try and book an appointment with the doctor, and when they say no, I shall ask to speak to Elvis, as I might stand a better chance of seeing him! you have made my day………🙏

yellow731 profile image
yellow731 in reply toHeyjude31

You have to be cheeky to get anywhere nowadays , and it does work, but i think the receptionists dread me now ,cant think why 🤣

Hylda2 profile image
Hylda2 in reply toyellow731

Threatened to go down there the other day and make a huge fuss if someone didn’t ring and talk to my husband. Bingo five minutes later!!

yellow731 profile image
yellow731 in reply toHylda2

Yes very surprising isnt it when you put your foot down how they find the time .

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop

When you do get to speak to your doctor make sure you tell him how difficult it is and ask if your records can clearly say that you must see him face to face. I did this about needing to speak to one specific doctor if ever my pain meds need altering and it worked. They put a note on the front of my records. No more arguments with bolshie receptionists.

Sootyismycat profile image
Sootyismycat

welcome home little bear

I get very decent medical care but I don’t need to see my GP. Telepresence appointments were fine.

Now you are a cardiology patient, things might improve. Down here in deepest rural Essex, cardiology has sorted itself out beautifully. My last check up was unbelievable fast and efficient. Just scans. But the senior nurse gave me results minutes after the scans were complete. Wow oh wow. Isn’t that brill ?

I presume the stitches were taken out whilst you were in hospital.

My scar faded fast and now I need a bright light to find it.

Rehab/recovery was lengthy, like 3 months, but I felt a bit better every couple of days. I am now 3 years and have no problems with heart issues. Medication still heavy, but I can see a specialist at my surgery or make an appointment with the local pharmacy.

I also got to see a physiotherapist. Again, no waiting and excellent advice.

I like my GP but I don’t need to see him. My better half needed to see him and she got a face to face.

Look after yourself.

Sooty

Weetabixie profile image
Weetabixie

So good to see you are out of hospital and back home. I understand your frustration with the GP's receptionist or guard dogs as they are so hard to get past. Hope you can get to see a doctor asap. I hope the road to recovery goes smoothly x

LindaLittleBear profile image
LindaLittleBear in reply toWeetabixie

Ha, the road to recovery would be easier if the gatekeepers at the surgery could listen instead of following the tick box process. 😏

Yumz199725 profile image
Yumz199725

Glad you have finally been discharged! Sorry about all the bother with the GP, did you mention you just come out of hospital surely that warrants an appointment with your doctor?? Is it for medication?? Or just a check up x

LindaLittleBear profile image
LindaLittleBear in reply toYumz199725

Hi, hope you are well. Yip just out of hospital after heart surgery, I'm aking an appointment as instructed by hospital. It all fell on deaf ears.

Yumz199725 profile image
Yumz199725 in reply toLindaLittleBear

Ah that's even worse you was told by the hospital to make an appointment and there still refusing! Definitely call the hospital that just discharged you, you just had heart surgery and there treating you like this it's disgraceful!!! GPS aren't in the good books at the moment are they, it's a miracle that the gp I see I can get one the same day between 8-10 in the morning and if I try to make one in advance it's weeks you have to wait x 💔

Rachmaninov2 profile image
Rachmaninov2 in reply toYumz199725

When I was home after having a heart attack and angioplasty I received a phone call from one of the cardiology nurses. She asked me some questions and wanted to know if I had made an appointment with my GP. , I said I hadn’t been told to. She then rang my GP, made the appointment and rang me back to let me know when it would be.

I agree that LindaLittleBear should contact the hospital cardiology department to see if they can intervene on her behalf.

LindaLittleBear profile image
LindaLittleBear

I spoke to GP and the surgery manager over a month ago. Detailing my issues and it was suggest liked you my file was flagged GP face to face. 😏

A warm welcome home Linda and all the best for yr continued recovery

devonian186 profile image
devonian186

You need to go into the GP reception and then collapse dramatically. You will need to judge how dramatically, as rolling over and over on the floor whilst moaning loudly might get you a trip back to the hospital. Some light whimpering and staggering might be more effective in getting you the desired appt.

I THINK I am joking....

Noodlesalad profile image
Noodlesalad in reply todevonian186

Love your reply have me a giggle. Thank you.

Hylda2 profile image
Hylda2 in reply todevonian186

You’re not. Lady came in to the surgery the other day gasping for breath, four weeks after ha and stents. No-one took the slightest notice until I drew her to their attention

Noodlesalad profile image
Noodlesalad in reply toHylda2

That's disgraceful . This should have been a publicised event to show how broken the NHS is. Hope the patient made a full recovery.

Hylda2 profile image
Hylda2 in reply toNoodlesalad

She only wanted to know if she had a blood test the next day as they had cocked that under. Sat there long enough to recover x

Noodlesalad profile image
Noodlesalad

I had the same problem a few weeks ago and can only say the receptionists are only doing as instructed and when I did finally get to speak with a GP I said to him I thought this was a dangerous practice to expect the receptionist to screen what they consider to be a genuine reason to see a GP, my problem was a swelling on my neck and queried how is a receptionist qualified to say whether or not this could be potentially serious problem.I even said to the receptionist so my GP can see down the phone now? Clearly I was talking stupid but wanted to put my concern over that it's a swelling not a graze on my arm! My GP said we're one of the better practices in the area. I understand that some patients may make appointments that do waste time but again I have to say who decided when this new ruling was rolled out that the onus falls on the receptionist.

One of the many problems I see with this new way of screening is it will force many people to attend A+E when they are already working at dangerous levels and what happens when the patient who doesn't get to see a GP or have a telephone appointment and doesn't know how to access the internet and it ends up being a litigious scenario because the patient was deemed not ill enough to warrant seeing a GP. I expect they also have an answer to that scenario too.

You have been through major surgery and I sincerely hope this valid stress gets resolved for you.

LindaLittleBear profile image
LindaLittleBear in reply toNoodlesalad

Thank you for your support. I agree the receptionist is acting on orders from the practise partners and managers. Even when she reluctantly filled out the e consult she substitute the word operation for heart surgery. By this time I had lost the will to engage in further discussion.Scary times!!😱

Noodlesalad profile image
Noodlesalad in reply toLindaLittleBear

Very scary times for people like you who have had major surgery and those people with on going serious health issues.I guess it's something we will all have to adapt to.

Rosieapple72 profile image
Rosieapple72

So pleased that you are home and on the road to recovery.

Take it easy, one day at a time and you will get there.

My turn next…I am booked in for cabg x 2 next Monday after a very long wait!

LindaLittleBear profile image
LindaLittleBear in reply toRosieapple72

Thank you. I wasn't given much time to reflect on my procedure (6wks) so I can imagine you have been going through a stressful wait.Know you will be in good hands and then you can't start your road to recovery!

I'm sending you supporting hugs and best wishes for the best possible outcome!

Let's know how things go. 🙏❤️

in reply toLindaLittleBear

One trick others have used is to say, when asking for a f2f is to say it’s very personal and can’t be dealt with by phone. We have to fill in a form online and pinpoint the area of the body-but it’s often Better to say it’s a new problem rather than an ongoing problem- the gp will be more likely to see you or at least talk to you then! Problem is that if we all do that they are going to suss out what’s happening- but then it MAY make them look at the system more closely!! 🙄

Survivor1952 profile image
Survivor1952

I know exactly how you feel as I had a face to face argument with the receptionist at my surgery four days after being discharged. I even had to be quite direct on the day I was discharged when I took my discharge letter in to be greeted with “do you want the doctor to read this”.

Recently I’ve been asked to complete a feedback form for a more recent ‘encounter’, I suggested that they stop using Little Britain videos to train the receptionists.

Prada47 profile image
Prada47

Hello pleased that you home.

To see your GP you need to see your MP and kick his or her a**e ask them when they are starting to take your GP Practices Payments down as they are not seeing patients !!

US the people who are paying for or have paid for a Service we are no longer receiving are close to saying enough is enough. Time someone took a Practice to Court and challenged the Practices Insurance for either Physical or Mental suffering. That will make them jump when they think it is going to cost them with increased premiums.

Lets face it they are taking the p**s nothing much has changed since the pandemic we are all really back to pre pandemic practices, except the idle Medical Profession "We are burnt Out" won't wash anymore, they are just doing a job, and that Job is to Care for the Sick and to try to make them Better, But at the end of the day it's just a Job albeit skilled !

The NHS needs to be taken off it's Pedestal I never thought I would agree with a Labour Health Minister but he has that part of his remit right in my opinion.

Rant Over

Noodlesalad profile image
Noodlesalad in reply toPrada47

Rant was perfect.

momander profile image
momander

Oh dear!!!I'm do sorry this has been your experience. My GP surgery is fantastic. We are very lucky to have such a great practice in our village. I do hope you get to see a GP

andrew290171 profile image
andrew290171

Gp services are a disgrace these days. Government and NHS need to direct them to different ways of working

Sleepyzz profile image
Sleepyzz

I was discharged from hospital on the 26th September. Discharge letter among other things listed two referrals needed and a time sensitive blood test. I filled in an E form including a photo of the discharge list. Was told to monitor my blood pressure and given a telephone appointment on the 23rd October .

Two further forms and two phone calls, I was finally able to have blood test last Friday and managed a repeat prescription for the meds the hospital gave me two days after I’d run out. Still got to wait to talk to dr in 23rd, they are meant to be monitoring effects of new medication and I’m struggling with them.

Have since spoken to practice manager who apologised but they are at breaking point. She said the organisation that the gov has inflicted on them has made it worse and she is wanting the practice to change back to system that worked well two years ago but not sure that they can 😞

Noodlesalad profile image
Noodlesalad in reply toSleepyzz

How much longer do we as patient patients have to put up with this broken service. I totally agree with everything you say.

Sleepyzz profile image
Sleepyzz in reply toNoodlesalad

What is so frustrating is the practice want to sort it out, they are having to work with ing the gov guidelines but they are struggling with it too.

deano999 profile image
deano999

Hi Linda, not sure if this will help but I find that sending a message to my gp surgery via my NHS account using either the NHS app (on my mobile phone) or via the NHS web site (via my pc) is much more effective than using eConsult, as it seems to me that eConsult does not ask the appropriate questions to allow me to request help. However, the NHS route allows me to send a fairly simple message, e.g. Please may I have an appointment to either see or speak to a gp as I am experiencing pain since being discharged from hospital on xx/xx/xx. You should have been given a discharge letter by the hospital that was also sent to your gp so they should have a record of your situation.

Everyone has an NHS account but you need to be able to log in to it to access the facilities offered.

I think the best way to start is to log into your NHS account on the internet using a computer via this link nhs.uk/

and then set up the NHS app on your mobile phone.

This will by no means guarantee you getting a face to face appointment with your gp as these once familiar situations seem to now be very rare.

I hope this helps but I can understand it all being gobbledy-gook if you are not familiar with computers or smartphones. If you are not familiar with them maybe a friend can help you with this?

Best wishes, Steve

in reply todeano999

All well and good but my practice “does not allow messages to be sent to the GP” “ this facility is not available”.

deano999 profile image
deano999 in reply to

I am not suggesting you try to send a message to a gp. I usually send a message to the surgery and it gets picked up and responded to

Yellow26 profile image
Yellow26

Hi Linda

Glad you are out of hospital , what is happening to our GPs services, is it still covid or have they got into a routine on carrying out a service that isn’t up to the usual service we had before, this happens all over the country, something should be done about it.

Take care

scentedgardener profile image
scentedgardener

Our surgery answers the phone with "If it's an emergency hang up and dial 999." When you eventually speak to them to request an appointment they ask "Is it an emergency?" When they prattle their arrant nonsense and you respond by disagreeing, or, heaven forbid, being sarcastic, you are met with, in a long suffering tone, "Please don't be rude to me, I'm trying to help you."Oh boy, I could go on but it will only raise my blood pressure.

wischo profile image
wischo

It would appear that the NHS is wanting people to go down the private route which is the one I go through. A GP appointment might cost you between £50-£100 but what price is too high for your peace of mind and indeed your future health.

KIMMY60 profile image
KIMMY60

Is terrible GP's are not doing the job they are paid for they all seem to be part time

dikda profile image
dikda

I totally share your opinion of the current contact control systems employed by GP surgeries and simply flatly refuse to 'play their game'. They call it TRIAGE! If they think that I am prepared to join a telephone queue of 15 to 25 people, then cloud cuckoo land beckons. It is all about saving their costs and not employing sufficient call acceptors. The surgery systems work so much better with fewer patients AND fewer staff! Fortunately, my surgery is suficiently close to 'drop in' to reception and a face to face with me can be very difficult to refuse. You can't beat the sealed letter direct to the GP. I DO NOT WANT nor EXPECT preferential treatment, but I will not be ignored if I have a genuine need.

cappachina profile image
cappachina

Glad you are home As you have just been discharged your GP should be willing to see you I suggest you insist on one as the hospital had told you to and say you will be ringing the hospital to inform them That might do the trick It is becoming a joke now

Furryears profile image
Furryears

Good morning really please that you are now home but I am really shocked reading that you are struggling to get an appointment

Maybe have a word with the doctor when you do eventually get to see them or ask to speak to the practice manager and explain your situation, keep us updated good luck with the appointment 😊

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