I wondered if anyone else has had a run in with their GPs during the virus?
I have R.A. and was asked to go in for my 3month blood test. Because I’d been officially instructed to shield I was not keen. Anyway, I agreed to go along. I was anxious so I wore my mask and disposable gloves, took my antibacterial...not paranoid or anything! Got there - no instructions in entrance (it’s a small surgery but a busy one, normally). I go in and a bloke is sitting right next to the door and reception/book in. You couldn’t avoid him. He didn’t move. He was waiting to pick a patient up. Why wasn’t he asked to wait in the car park? Or a notice in Entrance to that effect? It’s a small practice. No antibacterial anywhere. Receptionist opens glass partition, no face masks whilst she’s talking in your face. Apparently I’ve got wrong day. She sends me home. Practice nurse phoned me later. I explained and apologised. She said receptionist should have fitted me in there and then, whilst I was there. But the receptionist told me the nurse wasn’t there that day, so she’d lied. That’s your medical receptionist for you (not all!). II was booked in two weeks later. Same as before - no instructions and couldn’t see any antibacterial. No face masks. A man was stood smack in the entrance doorway. You had to squeeze past him. Just stood there. Receptionist could see him but said nothing . I squeezed past with my back to him. Had to stand waiting for appt for almost 10 minutes. Eventually I’m in. The nurse seemed terrified and was shaking which didn’t instil me with confidence. The man is still stood in entrance. Another chap is sitting grinning at folk from a chair right next to entrance. Social distancing passed this lot by. I shouted at standing bloke to ‘get out of the way’. Which he did. Poor, though, isn’t it? From a GP surgery that surely should want to be right on the ball with this virus. So slack...
I’d had my NHS/Govt letter from my rheumatoid dept instructing me on shielding at end of March. I got my priority passes at two supermarkets.
However, 3 weeks ago, my GP surgery, at another location, who don’t know me , have never met me, upon receiving the Register Letter request (apparently 2 months late, this is), sent me a rather coarse, ungrammatical letter, unsigned, informing me I was not a critically vulnerable patient and therefore should simply socially distance. I phoned my R.A. nurse who was adamant it was wrong because they’d discussed my case (R.A. dept had been contacted by nhs/govt.) and my age was the ‘final box tick’. Quite right. I phoned the surgery, got a dreadful, shouty ‘nurse’ who dismissed me as ‘definitely not critically etc. etc...I know that! But I was in the ‘second wave’ of patients considered vulnerable. Her response was extraordinary if I’m honest. She refused to listen. The reason I’ve done nothing about a complaint is because, as I still have my official nhs letter etc., I don’t want to rock boats, as it were. Leave it as it is, for now. It rather upset me.
We / I stand out every Thursday night clapping for the NHS. At GP end, in my case (and there have been many other instances) sometimes it sticks in the craw! I clap for everyone out there keeping the wheels moving, as we all do. But NHS if you’re listening, can you tell GP surgeries to shape up? Or is it just me?
Sorry for length. I just find it disappointing that a GP surgery should be so ‘so what’ about this serious situation. When I attended appt. I was anxious enough but expected to be put at ease by strict distancing and protection by staff. I’m quite sure they are also very anxious so - all the more reason to make sure staff and patients are safe whilst at the practice. I sure hope I don’t have to go again.
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lilley22
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That's very different to visiting my GP's surgery. The door to it is locked and it's visiting by appointment only, you shout through the glass entrance door to a receptionist sat just inside, she checks you're on the list to be seen and then lets you in, reminding you to use the hand sanitiser. There are three different levels in the surgery and only one patient is allowed on each one. All staff are wearing masks gloves and aprons. I don't want to sound like I'm bragging but the surgery is graded 'outstanding'.
I'd copy your post and mine and post it to them anonymously. It may make them think!
What you could do is write a letter to the practice manager expressing your concerns regarding social distancing and lack of hand sanitizer at the practice and lack of following protocol and guidelines set out. 😊
That is appalling.Id be tempted to take the matter further with the appropriate organisation-would that be the local trust or whoever's in charge of the gp practices in your area.
I havent been to my gp but I know they will only let people in after a telephone appt if its deemed necessary.I have been very pleased with the service Ive received :phone call and letter re shielding then a follow up call to check Im ok.
Im sorry youve been put through this-the anxiety must be awful.
Thank you for reply. It's funny but, although I knew it was appalling, none of it surprised me. It was exactly what I expected which was why I wore my own mask, gloves and took antibacterial.
That was approx. 10 days ago now so I assume everything Ok. The other strange thing was the bloods themselves. Nurse was shaking so much she barely got any blood. I asked her if she'd got enough and she said yes. I had my 'consultation' with rheumatologist on the phone the other day, where she assured me (as they always do) that my 'bloods were absolutely beautiful and perfect'. I remember saying that I didn't feel that great but she said that would be worry/anxiety and she went on to tell me about her anxiety. That was it.
As I say, I don't want my supermarket slots to be compromised and I'm so worried about 'this lot' that I don't want to rock the boat. They appear unhinged, to be honest. I totally agree with me doing shielding as I have RA, inject 20mg methotrexate and am 71 years of age. Also, I am totally alone with no family, no one. That was the rheumy nurses decision to register me as vulnerable. Not according to some 'nurse' at GP surgery.
No it's not,and it shouldnt have to be like this.As you say though,sadly not surprising.Ive got to go to outpatients for my bloods next week.Last time I went 2months ago theyd got pretty robust procedures in place but I'll be wearing gloves and mask anyway.
Reading all these comments is making me think I should do something. Reporting it to practice manager is meaningless as she's the daughter of the main GP at the surgery (see how it works?). PALS are useless (sorry but they are) in our areas.
Look, if I'm perfectly honest, most of my RA treatment for the past four years has been pretty appalling, which is why I've changed rheumatologists so many darned times. I'm not or never looking for perfection as people make mistakes or sometimes get things wrong.
Again to repeat, to be honest, the people I've considered contacting are (oh dear!!) - lawyers. There, I said it...
It sounds like contacting the health authority migh be a waste of time.The NHS ombudsman?Dont know how helpful that would be.Might be worth a try.Although the last thing you need at this time is stress.
It's worth complaining because of all you've had to deal with, I complained about the lack of communication in the hospital following successful cataract surgery which has resulted in me losing all vision in that eye, my email of complaint was 3 pages long, their reply 5 pages!!! The reason I did this was to prevent it happening to anyone else, I even mentioned things like hospital wanting me to have preservative free dry eye drops, they never appeared on my list of meds from GP, one day while round there I mentioned to GP I wasn't able to get them despite the hospital wanting me to have them, she inputted the info to the computer, it was rejected as they're too expensive, suddenly hospital are liaising with GP and I've got them on my list of meds, so put all little things into your complaint if you decide to go down that road, and hopefully what you've been through won't happen to anyone else, good luck with everything x
How awful for you. The entire surgery should be reported. I'm so grateful that the district nurse comes out to take my blood test. She wears a mask, gloves and apron. When she's finished, she bags the protection and leaves it for me to put in my wheelie bin.
Well, funny you say that but, going back to these blood tests - originally, because I didn't want to go to the surgery (now you know why) I bought a home blood test kit which, to be fair, wasn't half bad. It appeared to show possible anaemia on some of the tests. Which is why, the rheumy saying they are all perfect made me slightly suspicious. But then, I've become that way, nowadays. I could ask the surgery for copy of blood tests but it's such a performance and, I have to go collect them. I really don't want to.
I didn't expect these sort of replies and it's taken me by surprise. I knew it didn't look good at my surgery but you great people have responded and woken me up.
Your GP surgery are wrong in asking you to got to the surgery for blood tests. My mum has Rheumatoid Athritis and is on tablets and injections. She received the shielding letter and the nurse has been out to the house twice to check her blood. She is supposed to get it checked every 2 weeks but with everything that's going on every 4 weeks is what she's having at the moment.
There is some people who do think they know it all and they do not.
So no you shouldn't be going to the surgery they should be coming to you. I hope you can get this sorted 😊😊
Sorry you've had such a bad experience my surgery closed unless they ask you to go in and only one person allowed in at a time. Consultations are by phone or video call and if they then want to see you given a time to go in. My neighbour has to have blood tests every month and he said has to wait outside door and press bell on intercom asked what there for let him in then close door behind him and don't open inner door till outer closed then he's met in doorway by nurse all masked and how new up who takes his temperature and if ok allowed into blood room which then cleaned for 20 minutes before anyone else allowed in.
Oh dear; looks like your surgery badly needs a shakeup! What a shower, and how badly organised.
A letter to the Practice Manager will start the ball rolling, then another to the Care Quality Commission, also your local PALS. Copy each of them to the other two; should set the cat among the pigeons nicely.
Your Surgery appears to be playing fast and loose with regulations and Patient Safety.
Thank you Midori. As I say, the problem (amongst many) is that the practice manager is, in fact, the GP's daughter. PALS in our area is fairly pointless (I have had need to use them in the past). Also, it is a very small GP practice with my only option being to move to another practice, which is another small GP practice in this small town and, from what I gather, no better than the one I'm already at! You see the dilemma? I make a formal complaint to a 'local' committee or whatever, and everyone knows about it and it runs the risk of going nowhere with me being the big, bad wolf. I don't particularly care about that if my complaint has serious impact.
If I was to complain, I need to make it worthwhile, if that makes any more sense (and I don't mean 'money'). Which was why my initial thought was lawyers but they tend to want a) a big case (which it certainly could be taken all in all), and b) almost cut and dried case. Not because I want ' damages' because I don't want any (lawyers will) but because it will only work if it's taken on board and ran with, with serious intent. The NHS won't like it, is what I'm saying.
The fact is there is a lot, lot more to complain about - serious stuff - and I would need to get it right. The consequence is I end up doing nothing.
Believe me, I very much want to complain. In fact, the circumstances of me and the 'blood test' appointment (or plural as there was another one) was worse that my original email stated.
There is also, the appalling, unprofessional letter and disgraceful phone call re: register of vulnerable patients list. That seriously upset me.
And there's more...!
Thanks folks for such support. I really didn't expect anyone to take it on board. It's made me think, it really has.
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