Urgent - Doctor Shopping

[lynmynott]

Hi Everyone,

Were you ever accused of 'doctor shopping' in your search for correct diagnosis & medication? Please comment below.

[Hidden]

Yes, by my employer. They virtually accused me of paying a private GP to make up diseases, claiming that since I was paying him, he would diagnose whatever I wanted. They claimed an nhs gp would not make up diseases since i was not paying.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Hidden]

We all pay for the NHS - taxes, lost wages etc. That sounds like an attack on the private GP's professional integrity - did they realise they could be sued for slander?

[Hidden]

My daughter contacted Dr Myhill when she kept meeting with a brick wall in the NHS. NHS docs didn't consider any treatment necessary as there was 'nothing wrong'. Turned out she had ME and a pituitary tumour. None of which was diagnosed by NHS until WE provided them with proof obtained via private testing. She still has to self help as now the tumour has been surgically removed as it has left her with all sorts of hormonal issues. NHS endos have been of no help at all. The most annoying thing is they will not listen. You can see the switch off when you tell them how ill you feel.

[Glynisrose]

I'm on my 2nd GP and 7th endo!!

[belwom]

We could counter this attack on a private GP's integrity by pointing out that NHS GPs are increasingly governed by NHS budgeting constraints and regulations rather than by medical practice. Another argument is that even within the NHS diagnoses/treatments may vary depending on the local health authority/part of the country and might be challenged. An employer accusing someone of shopping around has no legal case at all.

[Mabes]

Also about the private versus NHS - lots of consultant level doctors work for both! So that makes no sense unless they only work for one, or the employer is saying that if they were wearing their NHS 'hat' they'd have not diagnosed you with the problem they are diagnosing you with while wearing the private 'hat'. :/

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

A doctor who is ill would not usually doctor shop - because most likely they already know which of their colleagues would give them answer they want.

Blaming a patient for doctor shopping is hypocrisy. (Or, obviously, a parent.)

I wonder what doctors would actually do if they had no say whatsoever in who treats them - say they had to rely on rolling dice to select? Can't believe they wouldn't move heaven and earth to ensure that the person they think a useless idiot gets nowhere near them.