confused by the new website. Also rang and asked for someone to ring me back

[123Peaceworks123]

HAS ANYONE SPOKEN TO THEIR MP. Has any of you had a solicitors letter from you gp. Cause i think im heading for this. Please could you respond to this soon. I am finding it a bit difficult without the names it depersosnlises the site.

[Hidden]

Could you provide any more information about why you might be about to receive a solicitor's letter?

Regarding involving an MP, I have done it in the past regarding my Mother's healthcare, but without knowing more about your situation it's difficult to comment.

[Clutter]

Peace, usernames are still on Posts and the username of respondents on replies. You can opt out of the new style forum by clearing cookies and restarting your browser.

[LouiseRoberts in reply to Clutter]

Admin have also contacted HU to request a 'revert' button - we hope to see this introduced, it is fairly standard practice for websites during 'upgrades'...! xx

Can I confirm Peaceworks - have you phoned the Thyroid UK office...!? We have a backlog of telephone calls, but we are hoping to get to everyone today... x

[stephanie2424]

Why what's happened?

[anbuma]

have you contacted your MP and if so why?do oyu have problems with your gp?i have just done so to mine.why would you expect a solicitors letter from your gp?can you explain more.if not on here then please PM me.

[Afaghieh]

You need to contact SEAP in your area they do respond asp.

Good luck

[anbuma in reply to Afaghieh]

who are SEAP?

[Afaghieh in reply to anbuma]

INDEPENDENT COMPLAINT HEALTH ADVOCACY.

They help you to put out your comp[alint to your GP. Don't confused this with their mental help unit.

I am away from UK at the moment don' have their no

If you go to web put SEAP NHS should come up. Though are independent.

[Glynisrose]

Its a waste of time really contacting your MP, who do they go to for 'specialist' knowledge? Yes you guessed it the BTA who are dedicated it seems to keeping the majority of us too ill to do anything!!

[Hidden in reply to Glynisrose]

I've found my MP to be really helpful, she certainly gets things done

[anbuma in reply to Hidden]

hi Jigsawcat

posted copies to GP and PM but concerned that I have done so for fear of response.what did your MP do for you?(PM me?)made an appointment for this pm with my own gp cos pelvic pain is now keeping me awake at night and cannot eat cos of pressure on stomach and difficulty swallowing.will it get me anywhere?have written thinsg down to ask him and shown him (last time)but still no answers.ask him to tell me what it is if not OC or thyroid related and not dismiss me anymore.

[anbuma]

saw gp today .said first had diarrhoea 2 days -said would give Imodium.no questions about diet or any suggestion of infection etc??then said about havign IBS .(htought not cos only recent weeks not 2-3 years ago)said I had same few weeks ago and the dr said come back if it recurs.then he said is there anything else I wanted to say-said pelvic pain is persistent and keeps me awake at night as well as there all day-disabling-prevents any activity.taht i had pressure on my stomach whenever i eat and stop eatign -cos of it and feel full quickly.said about my neck being tight ,swollen hoarseness and difficulty swallowing etc.(only since august)said ENT said everything was fine.but that was over 2 years ago and all he said was its not sinuses.then he said I received a letter from you today what do you want to say about it.i responded what do you want to tell me?he spoke .I said in reply need to listen to me and accept what I tell you/consultants.had discussion and then I got "I want you to write down me 3 things that need to discuss).he said he didn't want to receive any more letters and i ahd some options-transfer to another gp,have a mediator involved to solve issues.said no to both.want to stay here.

[helen0701 in reply to anbuma]

Why did you refuse the 2 options he gave? You are obviously unhappy with the treatment you get from your gp and I understand it may not be practical to move surgeries but a mediator would give you the evidence that your gp is not taking you seriously. Unfortunately if you put in further complaints there response will be that they tried to resolve the situation but you refused, just concerned that you have made it more difficult for yourself

[Hidden in reply to helen0701]

I have to agree with Helen, he was obviously rattled by the latest letter, and has actually been sensible in his suggestions today. It is important when you have an appointment to focus on one or two symptoms and try not to go over old ground/disputes as ultimately you want a diagnosis, not a fight. The idea of a mediator is a really good idea. You said yourself you had no one you could take with you that you could trust to support you, but a trained mediator is perfect for this situation. It may be that they can see exactly what behaviour it is that your GP exhibits that upsets you, particularly when he is being dismissive. Also, the mediator could help move things on if they feel you aren't moving forwards (out of frustration and wanting resolution) and focusing on a positive outcome rather than what has happened in the past. The only other option is changing surgery, which it know you don't want to do, but from your GP's point of view, he can also decide the relationship is breaking down and that he can no longer treat you, if he feels you aren't willing to try and resolve matters. I think you should look at today as a turning point, you have his attention, it cannot go on as it is, and you don't want it to, which was the purpose of the letter in the first place. You've told him you are serious, he has given you reasonable options, I don't think you can expect much else from him. Mediation would be a really good idea, otherwise further complaints will fall on deaf ears. Please think about it x

[anbuma in reply to helen0701]

reverting back to the other surgery is not an option .the dr I had there as well as reception staff were rude and unhelpful.wasnt sure about mediator-does he mean the psychiatrist he referred me too before or is a mediator someone else.

would mediation involve me and my gp beign present at the same time?

[Hidden in reply to anbuma]

Yes you'd be there at the same time, you would write down the 3 ailments you wanted to discuss that day and then the mediator observes the following discussing interrupting where they see a problem with the away it's going x

[anbuma in reply to helen0701]

he gave others said no to reverting back to other surgery,couldnt decide about mediator without more consideration

[anbuma in reply to helen0701]

this wasnt an actual letter of complaint but seeking assistance about getting a diagnosis and referral to consultants.

[anbuma]

hi jigsawcat. are you aware that this isthe letter you helped me draft ?which i sent him a copy of.i do want to resolve matters but that involves him listening to and believing me.when I wrote " said ENT said everything was fine" that was his words not mine but thyroid(?) symptoms only occurred after gallbladder op.

[Hidden in reply to anbuma]

Yes, I know it's that letter. It's good that it's made his take you seriously about getting answers. It doesn't mean you are going to get a diagnosis for everything though as there might not be one to have. What it does mean is that he is saying he admits that you both struggle to communicate, and that you both need assistance to move forwards. He is saying, for his part, all of the emails and letters you send are getting him down so please stop, and that he'd like to focus on only a couple of ailments (not issues between the two of you) at each appointment.

A mediator isn't a psychiatrist, or anything like that, so don't worry. They will have had some training over Dr/patient relationships, so should know a bit about what is being discussed, but their main role is to act as a kind of referee between you. They won't take sides, they will be entirely independent, but if they feel he is dismissing you and not listening, they will pull him up on that, and he will have to be guided by them in changing his approach. With you, if they feel you are straying off topic, and going over old ground, then they would stop you and ask you to move forward and concentrate on the ailment and reaching a good conclusion. I hope that makes sense? It is a really good idea, because then you will have a witness to his behaviour who could ultimately back up your claim if it ever came to it.

Did you make many changes to the letter? X

[anbuma]

hi jigsawcat I did make a couple.just some rewording .will explain later (PM you )as have to go out this morning.meeting someone for coffee.i feel I would clam up if someone ther e i don't know. and he wouldn't say nayhtign like he has said in the past if they are there

[Hidden in reply to anbuma]

But that's a good thing, you don't want him to be dismissive. If you want to stay in his surgery you need to move forward and concentrate on getting the things that are making you I'll, resolved, not argue of what either of you has said in the past, because that isn't going to get you anywhere. You can't lodge a formal complaint and stay on as a patient, that's not how it works. Hopefully with a mediator, he will listen to you illnesses and symptoms and help you resolve those, you need to not go over the past - he is asking for that opportunity, and that is a good thing. You should hopefully get your diagnoses with a mediator helping you both to communicate rather than argue or be dismissive which is how things have gone so far x

[anbuma]

received letter from MP which said "i should be grateful to know whether you have already made a formal complaint to the practice and what response you received.if you have already made a formal complaint and are dissatisfied with the response I am willing to take up your complaint with NHS England".

that makes it awkward as I dont want to complain ,want them to recognize they don't accept what I tell them and to give me answers,let me see consultants.should I write back and say was dissatisfied but cant remember response only that still not given answers.has offered mediation in order to resolve issues and I will contact him again after 3rd july if issue s not resolved,..advice welcome(PM me)

[anbuma]

maybe wait til 3rd july and see how that goes.he asked me to write down 3 things (major points)to discuss.help needed ?

these would be(1)accept/listen to what I tell them-(and consultants) symptoms etc take me seriously and answer my questions.

(2)why will not refer me to consultants?why don't give reason fro visible noticeable symptoms.

(3) I don't know what else? investigate (maybe not right word as had scans etc)or at least consider all possible causes as lot of symptoms occurred /worsened since gallbladder op.

what does anyone else think.?

[Hidden in reply to anbuma]

He's asking for you to write 3 symptoms/ailments down, not 3 issues. If you keep chewing over past issues you won't get anywhere. I thought the whole point of letters to CCG, PALS and now MP were to complain about how he is dismissing you? I'm really confused now about what it is you want, as asking for 3 ailments to discuss with a mediator seems like a good way forwards to getting answers to what is wrong with you (not why things weren't done/how they were done before). Surely getting better is what you want from all of this?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

So for example

1) persistent pelvic pain that keeps me awake at night and what is causing it

2)what is causing size/hardness/swelling of stomach

3) pain in neck with choking episodes

Those are 3 things that I would want to discuss if it were me, you may have other priorities eg rashes, sores etc. but that's my interpretation from what you've said...that he doesn't want to go over the other old ground again, hence no more letters and use a mediator.

[anbuma]

I think I need to contact him and find out definite what he wants me to write down .should have asked him to at teh surgery as hsould have known I would forget by time I got home.