My Consultant wants monthly blood tests since I had a relapse for my GCA. My surgery does not do them. Previously before Covid I used to take the bus to the hospital, a half hour journey each way. Now that is no longer an option. I have been told by the surgery to go to another hospital and it is appointment only. This is a much longer journey and involves two buses each way. I have asked for Rapid Response. At the moment I have cited Covid as not wishing to travel on buses. The doctor has made it very clear as soon as Covid is over she expects me to go to the hospital. Life is not easy with my disabled OH, who is now ninety. She has his history and knows this. I feel I should be allowed to continue with Rapid Response.
What do people think?
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prunus
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My surgery has stopped doing blood tests as well. I think a lot of surgeries have. Luckily in my village we have a group who drive people to medical appointments and you pay them what you can manage. Is there anything like that near you? As you say we also have to book. I did manage to get the district nurse to do one blood test.
My local surgery closed for several months.....but reopened end of last summer and has stayed open....I email for appointments, and usually get a reply within an hour. It's nowhere as busy as normal......but I suppose like you say I'm lucky....
I really don't understand why some surgeries seem to have given up working at any sort of useful level. I/we seem to be extremely lucky in that ours is working, in real terms, as it always has. Yes f2f only if really necessary, but telephone appts. no problem, blood tests as needed and emails answered, usually in an hour or so. I do wonder if most are working like mine but we only hear about those with problems.
Yes my surgery is the same. Very proactive throughout lockdown and if urgent a Dr will see patients in the surgery. Necessary bloods checks are carried out too. Really sorry for all those who struggle.
Big one as 2 practices merged. Usually 12 part time Drs but not sure in the pandemic. A Dr actually called me when I had a sore back and told me to see him in the surgery. Most impressive. He also phoned me to tell me my dexa scan results. Dentist also working normally. Our town is 15000.
I don't understand one half of it - dentists here worked all through, emergencies only for the first month, then back to normal, my GP is in the practice every day and while somethings have been digitalised - I can ring her and now prescriptions for all medications can be sent direct to the pharmacy in the village for picking up, previously the ones paid for by the national government were a different form and couldn't be sent as e-scripts. For a while I had to ring for a time to go to the practice where I waited outside until it was my turn but now we can go and wait like it always was. Which means same day f2f consultation. Blood tests always were done at the hospital and were turn up and wait but now you request a time to go to reduce any crowding - but anyone unable to get to the clinic gets a visit from the equivalent of the district nurse but in our village you have to get someone to take the sample to the lab which can be a pain. In other villages they have a pick-up service. But much routine stuff is back to almost normal for anything that doesn't need an anaesthetist and ICU bed.
The problems are they are mainly working from home and if they do go in they are allowing much longer for consultations 20 minutes instead of ten minutes, because of Covid. It is lucky that fewer people are seeing them or they would have major problems. I am not sure they actually are pushing people on to A&E as that is just as much a problem. I went to hospital last week as an emergency and you can’t actually get to any of the departments indoors any more you have to wander around the outside in the pouring rain!
To get an appointment with a dentist is like gold dust and they won’t do various procedures. There have been stories of people doing their own dentistry in UK!!
Goodness me....My surgery hadn`t heard of email until Covid came along, then they went on a system which many other surgeries did....unfortunately for many patients like yourself, some surgeries are way behind....but why?....I remember going to the surgery for my flu jab in September last year, the nurses rushed us in and out very quick, but my doctor waved to me, excited to see her patients......I hope she stays there!....
I know how frustrating that can be! A quick email is so 'time-saving' but .... in order to acquire an email address for my surgery, one must complete a long, detailed (quite private) questionnaire. I just refused. I do not understand their year-long aversion to working to facilitate patients. Any request for a phone conversation with a GP entails joining a waiting list of "one or two weeks". THAT after being required to detail one's reasons for needing a phone call ... repeated of course, if the return call materialises. I have twice waited three weeks.
If you're lucky enough to get through on the phone and then to a GP, advice to go to A&E seems standard. I've had two problems in the past couple of months -one of which has turned out to be potentially serious - and went to A&E for both. But I think they're getting fed up with this as I heard the A&E receptionist asking someone why she hadn't asked her GP. I know some surgeries are busy with vaccinations but surely they could do some phone consultations.
What it means is that GPs are being paid for work they are sending to A&E instead of doing it themselves. GPs themselves should be brought into the NHS as staff and be more closely aligned with pre-hospital medicine - so a GP-style unit is also part of the A&E department with a walk-in centre that the stuff that should have gone to the patient's own GP doesn't get mixed with the acute stuff. Of course - having an IT system that means all units can share the notes would help!
They have been trying to get GPs into the NHS system since 1948. No one dares stand up to them. If Bevan failed God help everyone else! Don’t talk to me about their computer systems (in the plural).
Exactly - it was the one big flaw then and the computers stuff is just a whole other level. Though I suppose we should be impressed they treat all IT the same ...There are a lot of salaried GPs now though - and increasingly difficult to get GPs to set up practices. They just sell them to the USA ...
No not the USA, to people like Branson!! Their IT systems are appalling. At the hospital last week they had two systems for my data in the same department neither of which spoke to each other. I was there for a possible DVT with a positive D-dimer blood test, just after an Astra Zeneca vaccine! In UK we would not know if there were a problem with the vaccine, if there is anyway, which is unlikely, as none if the computer systems links up.
It has only just been found I have a positive D-dimer. They did not know why and think I don’t have a DVT but have a load of cells floating around causing it, that was their words! My doctor does not seem to have been able to access any information when I phoned.
I have in Norwich a "walk-in centre" can go there anytime also....it's several GP's in a large surgery for anyone to use.....Your surgery is fobbing patients off with what they should be dealing with. Adverts on TV says don"t go to A&E see your GP first if possible......complain....or at least ask questions when you get back to some normality with them......
You're absolutely right but A&E have to see you if your GP sends you. I really don't see why they can't do blood tests at the surgery - they have the PPE which they use when vaccinating. I used to live near a walk in centre - wish we had one now.
I have had several letter from Matt Hancock because of being extremely clinically vulnerable......I am sure there are numbers to ring for help etc...don't know if you have received them....
No, I haven't received anything like that. I am shielding on my volition because it seemed the common sense thing to do being immuno-suppressed after long term use of steroids.
That is a problem. During Covid my village set up an SOS service to help everyone who had problems generally such as hospital appointments, buying food, picking up drugs from the pharmacy, even dog walking. We even arranged laundry for sheets and duvets for people. It really brought the community together.
Yes, my sister with RA has them ring her regularly....perhaps all councils have to help, but not everyone knows it, especially if they aren`t telling people ....which wouldn`t surprise me with some!
How ironic is that...just got an email from local council asking if I need any help, and would I fill in a survey to say what I think of how they have helped, or what more they can do!
Wow! I would put something in writing to your GP practice saying you feel let down and fully explaining your personal circumstances. That is awful and completely unreasonable to expect you to travel like that. Maybe ask the Rapid Response team when you see them about what the criteria is, they may have some advice, also ring your consultants secretary and explain the situation and that you will not be able to do it after covid due to your GPs response to your request, they then may write to your GP on your behalf. You don't need the added stress on top of everything else. Let us know how you get on. Good kuck
Classic. I would ask your consultant if they can write a note to the GP explaining how difficult it is for you to travel that far and recommending the Rapid Response. You've nothing to lose. Also, maybe contact Age Concern and see if they have anyone in your area that volunteers to take people to appts like this. They may be able to suggest something otherwise.
I've had Age UK take me to the Dentist. At the moment I'm waiting for the bill. I was told the first hour was £21 and it took 2hours. Feel reluctant to pay that for a blood test!
Gosh, I had no idea that was how it worked. Sorry, I would never have suggested it. You have a need that is clearly not addressed. I really feel for you.
My sister has always used "transport plus".....extremely cheap.....if taken to the hospital she can go in and get a refund!.....she doesn't think they are operating at the moment...They will take you anywhere, mostly retired people.....
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