GPs Practices - Return to Normal? not convinced!

[Investigator1]

So here is a short story about having bloods done. So I drive 60miles round trip to see my Consultant from the Dales to Middlesbrough every 6 months and in between have a telephone consultation. No problems with that, she is very good and it’s worth the trip to see her. When I have the F2F consultation I have my bloods done and then ready for the telephone consultation I have them done locally at the GP practice about 2 weeks in advance so she has the results.

Recently though my GP practice has been unable to do my bloods, if I call to book over a month in advance they tell me the nurses rosters aren’t done, if I call within a month they tell me it’s at least 2 months before they have an appointment, so when I say to them “that’s a contradiction” how can you book me in if you don’t know the rosters they just hang up. Thanks for that! In fact getting a face to face appointment with any GP is literally impossible, getting a telephone call from a GP is a little easier and the system they have in place now is a “walk in” three days a week which means hanging about waiting for up to 3 hours.

Because of the above, I now get the paperwork from my consultant and drive 14 miles to Northallerton to the Outpatients Department which yesterday was really quick. A comment was made to me yesterday when I commented how I got seen so quickly. The reply was “get here before 10 (apart from Mondays) and you should be ok because GPs start referring people to have bloods done at the hospital after 9am. Thanks I said, it’s so difficult to get my bloods done at my GP practice. To which the reply was “we do twice as many bloods as we did prior to Covid” GPs got used to being less busy during the pandemic and don’t want to go back to where it was. Now I am sure that isn’t the case everywhere but it does make sense from where I am standing. Anybody any comments? Nick.

[PMRpro]

I would contact the local commissioning group. Your GP should be doing better,

[Investigator1 in reply to PMRpro]

I think I should and will.

[PMRpro in reply to Investigator1]

They are all struggling - but some still manage to do their jobs and when you are in the back of beyond and it needs a day trip for such essentials they need to step up to the plate. OTOH - a little trip into NA now and again isn't too bad

[Investigator1 in reply to PMRpro]

Definitely back end of beyond. We don’t have a Village Idiot here…..we just have a roster😂

[PMRpro in reply to Investigator1]

I used to live in Durham and my daughter worked for YAS for years - know the Dales!

[Bluey-1]

You’re getting terrible service. I experience the complete opposite. Bloods prior to consultant appointment at docs, telephone medical secretary at hospital following morning and am given my results in preparation for my appointment, usually a day or so later.

[Investigator1 in reply to Bluey-1]

Honestly Bluey it’s a disgrace. I think a lot of it is down to the practice Manager, I posted about 18 months ago how I was unable to get a Covid booster because I had to be referred by my GP or Consultant, the Practice Manager refused to even send me an email and told me to ring 119 and lie to them. In the end I rang the Pharmacy in desperation and the Pharmacist took pity on me by saying they weren’t doing it locally but she was doing it in Kirby Steven 40 miles away, so I thought at least I will get one. In the end my Consultant arranged one at the NHS Staff facility.

[Bluey-1 in reply to Investigator1]

Dreadful and stressful for you. Suspect you’re correct re practice manager. Our practice had wobbles when our previous wonderful husband / wife GPs retired but picked up as the new regime settled down. Interestingly, the caring culture we were used to returned and both my husband (who has his own health issues) and I have brilliant support. They are under a lot of pressure in the current climate though..

[Investigator1 in reply to Bluey-1]

I think when the NHS strike it adds a further burden on them to be honest.

[piglette]

My cleaning lady has trained to be a phlebotomist and is looking for a job. She is finding it near impossible to find any locally and the very few jobs advertised are offering around £11.87 an hour. I pay her more than that as a cleaning lady! She says she will carry on working for me too!!

[weathervane]

I had difficulty getting bloods carried out for rheumatology at my gp , the reason was costs , they agreed to do them if rheumatology sent the blood forms .

I recently had to make an appointment to get stitches removed, receptionist told me they were all booked up . I informed her that surgeon said i had to get out no later than 10 days so she immediately gave me an emergency appointment. Sometimes mentioning consultant/ surgeon opens doors.

[Investigator1 in reply to weathervane]

Yes weathervane, tried that one, unfortunately the Practice Manager has had a Charisma Bypass so it’s like moving a large boulder with a cocktail stick.

[weathervane in reply to Investigator1]

They act like gate keepers but in truth they are obstructions ☹️

[May7]

Oh what a terrible tale, I do feel for you. Our GP Surgery lost a lot of services after government cuts during the austerity period, but fortunately still provide phlebotomy. Again, you can't book too early same as yours, but a fortnight in advance is about right. Leave it too late, like the same week (when needing the two weeks before consultant appointment), and they're fully booked. Our general hospital's Blood Taking unit can be booked via Swiftqueue online as an alternative. I feel I'm lucky in these respects, grateful for small mercies!

[Investigator1 in reply to May7]

Nice to hear from you May, I think you have it about sorted,

[zoe69 Administrator Volunteer Vasculitis UK]

My personal experience is much different, but I always thought the service at my GP surgery is above average. You should ask to speak to the manager of the surgery and explain the situation. It usually resolves the problem.

[Investigator1]

Thanks Zoe, I think the Manager is the problem but if it means me having a trip to Northallerton that’s fine. I also think that because my Consultant at Middlesbrough treats her patients like her children (ime not complaining) I have tended not to use my surgery much.

[Mooka]

I feel your pain. I have a 150 mile round trip to see my MDT. When I need bloods taken locally I tend to use my local hospital as the practice HCA don’t understand the needle system that my hospital send me 🤷🏻‍♀️. I moved last year and my surgery is a big improvement on my last. Still a three week wait for a general appointment but my husband managed to get me a same day appointment when I had an infection recently that I couldn’t deal with myself. The receptionist was extremely helpful and went above and beyond. I’m afraid it’s a postcode lottery. It’s great that you have a really good consultant. I have no complaints about any of mine. It’s just a pain that the appointments are getting moved back now which I guess is inevitable. I hope you’re keeping well.

[Investigator1 in reply to Mooka]

Yes keeping well, still out on the pushbike and just enjoying my retirement. Take care. Nick.

[ErnieP1960]

phlebotomist at Saltscar surgery is brilliant. Always on time, in and out in two minutes and my next appointment written down for me on a post it. Also get a text reminder a few days before.

[Poshcards]

Sorry to hear you are having problems with bloods, mine are still being done at GP every 3 months, but I have a round trip of 7 hours to see my consultant x

[Main1234]

unfortunately I don’t think your experience with your GP surgery is unusual.

We have completed avoided ours and now see the nurse at our local hospital for bloods every 8 weeks.

We have lost confidence in the surgery completely.

Best wishes to you Nick

[Investigator1]

Thanks Main1234, I am really glad it’s all working out for some people, it’s means the system isn’t completely broken which is good news. Just soldier on I guess.

[012703060610]

I'm in the US and also struggle with blood draws. My Rheumatologist is out of state and the big labs are different in the two states. I found a local rheumatologist who has no clue how to treat my conditions, but she will do the blood draws and sends the results to my lead guy. I essentially positioned it as she is my local back up if I have an emergent health issue. I literally do not see a GP/PCP for anything. I luckily have insurance that doesn't require a referral for anything. Sometimes you just have to push really hard. I have sent certified mail (this scares the crap out of them) when service is really poor. I also send it to the highest person in the food chain, not just my local clinic. I go to the lead of the hospital system. I am relentless when it comes to getting the care I need. It seems to be about the only thing left I am good at....or feel like I'm good at! I had a doctor who refused to schedule me or respond to portal messages when I was on high dose prednisone. I went three months with no sleep and lost my mind totally. This was at one of the most recognized facilities in the US and my mind was blown. I figured out how to make a complaint, spoke to someone in charge of the facility and all they cared about is if I was going to sue. I said no, I just wanted responses to all of my questions and a true care plan put in place. This led to me getting a proper referral to an even better Rheumatologist. When I put all the portal correspondence into the complaint, everyone flipped! Never my intention to sue, but I needed to get off the meds and I didn't know the impact or how to do it. My now primary rheumatologist helped me taper and it took a whole year. I now have an actual care plan in place and he even calls or texts on weekends.

[Investigator1 in reply to 012703060610]

Yeah and this is where it differs for us in the UK who are under the NHS, you probably know in the US how it works over here but we pay mandatory contributions through our tax system that funds the organisation. If we want private health care we pay that additionally. If we get a poor service, we can report it but generally have to grin and bear it, taking our business elsewhere isn’t an option. So when it works it’s fantastic and when it’s broken it’s desperate and there is very little we can do about it. Nick.

[012703060610 in reply to Investigator1]

I'm sorry if my post was offensive in anyway. I do know the differences in the health care systems. I was just trying to say that when it comes to MY own health, I will go to the ends of the Earth to get care, even if I go into debt. We only live once and because of this, I just won't let the system fail me. We have our own struggles with medical care. I have to fly 3000 miles to see my doctor.

[Investigator1 in reply to 012703060610]

No worries at all, it wasn’t offensive, we all have struggles in many different ways.