The antivirals run around

[AnniesRyder5]

I tested positive for Covid on July 23rd and 3 days later started an antiviral course without which I must admit I might have ended up in hospital. A clinician from a hospital 20 miles away rang me initially to test my suitability for the drugs which were then delivered by a local delivery service. I have no idea which hospital or the name of the clinician - it didn’t seem that important at the time!

However, trying to get my gp record updated to include this medication is far from easy. Neither the 111 or 119 services want to know - nor does my local gp practice who seem very surprised that I should want this information included anyway. But my argument is that if the Covid vaccination records are important then surely so is the treatment!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

You would think so wouldn't you! It would definitely be recorded here - every detail was taken for the vaccinations with tracking numbers for conditions and all sorts of stuff. No-one got a needle in their arm without having spoken to a doctor first. Which means they have a LOT of info for retrospective research if they want to do it.

[piglette]

I had a blood test done privately recently and wanted it on my patient records. I filled in an e-consult and a couple of days later had a message to say they had updated my records. I think they like things written down so they can do a cut and paste.

[HalleysComet in reply to piglette]

If only our surgery still used e-consult! They switched it off because too many people were using it…

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to HalleysComet]

Which says it all really doesn't it!!!!

[piglette in reply to HalleysComet]

I am amazed they have stopped it completely. Surgeries were going to agree to use it contractually, but I suppose Covid etc has allowed them to do nothing! You may be interested in this article from last year about options for econsult and what surgeries can do. pulsetoday.co.uk/news/techn...

[HalleysComet in reply to piglette]

The comments by GPs after the link show that they are overwhelmed with people trying to get help and answers to their health concerns, many of which are trivial. What a shame for those of us who welcomed & needed this sort of interaction with a GP.

The answer is surely a pay-as-you-go system for online consultations. If you can afford online access you can afford £10 or so for access to a GP . Those on benefits could be re-imbursed through the benefits system. ( I will be castigated for this as the NHS is supposed to be free at the point of need.)

[piglette in reply to HalleysComet]

I would have thought phone calls would have been more time consuming. Basically they are saying we don’t want people to contact us!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to HalleysComet]

The system needs tweaks - our system is free at the point of delivery with co-pays for people who have more than a certain household income. GP and inpatient treatment is free - as is treatment for chronic conditions. There are problems here - but nothing like the UK. If you can afford it - I see no reason why you shouldn't have other options.

[SheffieldJane]

How frustrating and old fashioned. It smacks of somebody not keeping correct records. Insist! They can do the digging.

[PMRrunner]

I had covid in February and was prescribed antivirals (Paxlovid) after phone calls with the NHS and my local hospital. The covid delivery unit at the hospital sent my GP practice a document with the details so it is on my record

[AnniesRyder5 in reply to PMRrunner]

I do wonder if the GP practice has that notification in the in-tray!

[Exflex]

There’s a worse run-around that happened to me. First I was told I should (note not would) receive antivirals or IV antibodies, then 10 days later told it’s too late, which of course it was. At the peak I felt really unwell, high temp, O2 down to 92 and incessant coughing.

[AnniesRyder5 in reply to Exflex]

Not fair is it! Same thing happened to a former colleague who has a colostomy and many other complications He even caught Covid last week in hospital. But was told it was too late to take the antivirals. Where are you based?

[Exflex in reply to AnniesRyder5]

North West of England.

[tangocharlie]

I'm surprised because when I had Covid every single test result (and I did them almost daily for 3 weeks) got recorded on my medical record as well as notes by the people on 111 and 119 saying things like 'tried to ring patient no answer', taking up pages and pages. Maybe it's changed since last month or varies in different areas, I know someone from my local team in Leeds rang me back on 119 .