GPs as gatekeepers

[Jow11]

I've just come across this old article. How many people actually trust their GPs and how many have been let down? To reaffirm their power as gatekeepers of the NHS is so wrong.

homecare.co.uk/news/article...

[Duchy82]

I actually have a great gp and trust her explicitly there are some good ones around and i feel lucky to have found her.

[teacherspet]

If you have a good GP then it's fine but many of us don't so it's a nightmare.

[humanbean]

I think my GP and the other GPs I've met at my surgery would throw me to the lions without batting an eyelid.

[Clutter]

I've had excellent care from 2 GPs at the practice I'm registered with. Sadly, the first retired and the second moved to another practice.

I've seen Dr. A re thyroid twice and he has promised to listen and treat by clinical symptoms and not just by TSH. I forgive him for being a diabetes man

[Glynisrose]

I would never trust what any doctor says!! They have certain targets that need to be met to keep them employed, as long as a patient fits the target then they are OK, we as hypothyroid don't fit the targets, therefore doctors don't get paid ridiculous sums of money to care for us, ergo they don't!!

[silverfox7 in reply to Glynisrose]

Agree with that. Whilst ever a thyroid treatment is under the umbrella of one treatment fits all plus not diagnosed as such for many people we are not going to get a fair crack of the whip!

[Hidden in reply to silverfox7]

I have found that the younger they are usually they are still enthusiastic. They are still keen to treat the patient . A lot of the older GPS are from an era when they were Gods and so superior. Things are changing. Patients have access to information and GPs are not the fountain of all knowledge.

[deniD]

I don't, you never see same doc twice too many locums

[Glynisrose in reply to deniD]

I would not agree with the younger doctor thing as I am firmly convinced that most younger doctors are in it for the money not because they are dedicated to medicine. GP's are just that, they generalise and are overpaid to ignore the patient these days!! I refuse blood tests at the GP's surgery as I am on NDT and they would not know how to interpret the results, I cannot and will not allow a doctor to interfere with my dosage.

[cc120]

GP's in the past have misdiagnosed parents severe heart disease for years giving them a very poor quality of life in their final years. Also misdiagnosed a friends lung cancer for years, so that it was so advanced when finally treated, he went downhill rapidly and died 6 months after diagnosis. And another GP misdiagnosed my sister's cervix cancer for so many years, when it was finally diagnosed her cervix had to be whipped out immediately at 36 years of age, so that she never had children.

[Hidden in reply to cc120]

One of the GPs at my surgery told me when he was training they spent half a day on the endocrine system. That included thyroid. That's all. He said "we are not experts and know very little about the thyroid".Isn't that the truth I thought. I appreciated his honesty.

I am not sticking up for GPs or consultants I think a lot are overpaid, do the minimal to get by and are not dedicated to treating the patient. A great many are not cut out to be doctors and have chosen the wrong profession Not all but a lot.

I tried different GPs at my surgery. I have found 3 that I think are any good and they happen to be younger.

[Hidden]

At my GP practice their options seem to be so restricted. They're quite happy to shut you up by sending you to a specialist (for whatever, not just thyroid), but what the specialist is able to do, or what treatment may follow is out-moded and too little. Not surprising, given the over-priced drugs the NHS buys - there's nothing left (who's getting the rake off I wonder). And I stress, this is not just for thyroid troubles. The exact same thing has happened about my knees and my feet.

[Lindy123]

I have lost a great deal of faith in GP's as I went undiagnosed for years. I find the idea of this article frightening.