Unless your GP practice only employs one GP you could arrange to be seen by another GP. In the ten years or so that I have been with my registered GP I have only ever seen her or spoken to her once. Otherwise I could be any seen or spoken to by any one of several GPs, more so since my GP practice is now part of a group which currently employs 20 GPs at four different locations.
Thankyou for your comments. Unfortunately you cannot choose who to but can book appointment for Diabetic nurse in 5 weeks. My concern is that someone might agree to switching or stopping medications without knowing what effect it would have.
The knowledge and experience of a Diabetic Nurse and who knows her patients more than anyone else should not be ignored
Sorry it's been like this for you. I fully understand when it's like this. If you trust your nurse, and this doctor doesn't know you, I would go with what is right for you. Especially if the new doc is talking about stopping a medication approved by your cardiologist, which seems odd. Maybe you could ask reception if you could bring your nurse appointment forward, as you have a few questions. That might help ease your mind. But remember, any drugs switched, changed, withdrawn, must be with your consent, and you have a right to ask about this, and refuse what isn't good. It's easier said than done, I got a horribly aggressive response for refusing a trial treatment a few years ago, but recently at a different appointment had an amazing discussion with a consultant who spoke with me about what doesn't work for me.
I think this Doctor who is new to the surgery,only a month, and is flexing her muscles. I do want to take this further as this isn’t the only time I have had a problem. She prescribed a nasal spray and wrote a prescription for an inhaler. Fortunately the Pharmist noticed and Intervene. We are lucky the pharmacy is within the practice
Discuss with your GP what their reasoning is.
The UK is a strange place. In Australia, the doctors have more training than the nurses. Their decisions override the nurses unless there is good reason otherwise. A GP has your ENTIRE medical, health and social history in mind (or should do) and is not just familiar with one topic - e.g. diabetes. If there are differences of opinion, they can be discussed. They may stem from recency of training, new knowledge (recent studies), familiarity with a patient and their family, knowledge of past responses to treatment, experience with people in general, etc. Medicine is not an absolute science, it is also an art.
I broadly agree with what you say, and in the UK doctors have more training than nurses too. However, the point ypu make about the GP having a patients "ENTIRE medical, health and social history in mind, ( or should do)" is the key. In the good old days a patient at a GP practice could see the GP of their choice, and in some places like my local practice you were registered with a particular GP, and that is who you saw unless they were away for any reason. It worked very well most of the time, there was continuity of care, the doctor knew you and your circumstances, but now that rarely happens as more and more GPs are leaving general practice, and they either don't have the time, or the will, to familiarise themselves with your history.This can also happen when you are referred to a consultant; I was referred to cardiology in 2021, to date I have seen the consultant once, his registrar once and an arrthymia nurse once, so you cannot build any sort of understanding with them.
At the surgery I am registered with there are about 4500 -5000 patients, currently 2 GPs and 2 nurses.I'm not sure how many days a week any of them work, only that it takes a while to get an appointment.
Here in the UK, we have nurses, midwives, paramedics and other registered health care professionals who after extra training can become advanced practitioners with the ability to prescribe.
Most have a Masters Degree some PhDs.
My Physiotherapist has a PhD.
Midwives are a separate profession, first registered in 1902.
Midwives actually train and teach medical students and doctors.
The UK perhaps values developing the role of nurses, midwives and allied healthcare professionals.
As a patient I value this development.
When the Paramedics arrive, I have an ECG performed , my vital signs taken, my admission plan read, I am given morphine to manage my pain before being transfered to hospital.
Others appreciate the continuity of care they receive from their experienced, well trained, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Heart Failure or Diabetes etc.
That's very true. Our GP doesn't get involved in my husband's heart health at all, the specialist nurses deal with all his meds, tests etc, they are far more knowledgeable. In fact, the one time our last GP did interfere with my husband's medication she caused a lot of problems! His cardiologist wrote & told her to put him back on his previous medication and told us that if she ever did that again to let him know & he'll sort it. Years later if my husband has had a change of meds his cardiologist still asks who made the changes, GP or the nurse!
Think I’d be thrilled that I had a GP that actually took an interest in me ! I’d love to have a single point of contact that was familiar with my conditions and offered alternatives, I’d relish the opportunity for those discussions. I’d certainly not follow blindly whatever they told me me do without discussing it first, but as u said , I would value that service from my GP surgery, it’s quite the opposite.
difficult one - on one hand it’s good the Dr is taking an interest in you so I’d ask them to explain why they want to make changes and see if this makes sense - you can always ask for your Cardiologists opinion as well. Diabetic nurses are great I have to say - I had a great one but she was on a contract and the practice seemed she was too expensive and let her go - since then my diabetic care has dropped off the cliff as I suspected - used to have a blood test every 3 months with the aim of getting much better control - since she’s gone I’ve had none so now 9 months so no idea if better / worse
What a tricky situation - You don't say whether the diabetic nurse is part of your GP practice or a separate service, this would affect how much communication occurs between them
Can you contact the diabetic nurse to let them know what your GP is prescribing and ask them to liaise over who should take the lead, pointing out that it is unhelpful and potentially risky for you to have contradictory instructions and decisions - also send a copy to the GP
It really is unhelpful if you have been stable and someone changes things without liaising with others involved
It is also perfectly reasonable to ask your GP why they want you to make these changes and point out that they contradict what your regular Diabetic Care Service is doing - it's your body & your health, you are an important member of your care team
A tricky situation all round and it does not get any better. I was diagnosed type 2 diabetic 12/13 years ago and it was all under control with a trained diabetic doctor and nurse. I moved to a different part of England and still had my 12 monthly diabetic review carried out by a nurse and if there was any problems referred to the doctor, but other than changes to medication all went well and them back in 2021, we moved again back to Lincolnshire and then it all went down hill. My wife had her second heart attack and after being taken to 5 hospitals it was decided to fit another 3 stents and she was discharged within 24 hours of the stents being fitted, there was no follow up.
My stress levels went through the roof and so did my blood sugar levels. After a period of time I was referred to the area diabetic team, who after discussions my medication was changed and I was put on insulin and 1 tablet was taken away. I had mt yearly diabetes review recently, having had it cancelled twice, from making the original appointment it was 8 weeks before I saw the nurse and then it was a case of referral to a GP. On seeing the GP who wanted to change my medication I pointed out that I was under the regional diabetic team and was told to contact them myself and get them to contact the GP. Which I did and the diabetic team were happy with my blood sugar reading for a 71 year old man and they would review my reading in December.
I am sorry that this has been a long spill, but I don't think I could say it all in 2 sentences.
Get hold of your file - just ask the surgery - there is no charge and they have to give it to you. Certain stuff can be redacted, but that is rare.
Then go through the file and highlight the points of disagreement. At this point tie a pillow to your head so that when you hit the roof over something you read, you dont hurt yourself! I changed sex twice in my notes and apparently had an operation for piles, which I did not! If you see the same GP, just bring out the file and ask why she disagrees with other doctors instructions etc. To me it sounds like she has only glanced at your file and gives the same talk to most patients.
Are you sure it's not the other way round? Usually the doctor would not get involved unless there was something to worry about, perhaps just wants to confirm something just to make sure about where you really are? Just checking in general.
Don’t think she reads my notes and has not taken into account I am under the care of the Diabetic Nurse for my diabetes and have been for many years. In fact the Doctor will ask you to make an appointment with her as diabetes is not in their realm
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Cardiology check up
Results of scan back to doctor
Update - after seeing my GP
Critical Illness claim rejected
rehab
