Contacting GP

2oldcodgers

Bettahm said:

That's disgusting 
Is this a situation where you could complain to the Patienr Liason Service

I suppose so, but in doing that every time my GP tells me that he will let me know what the results are  they would have a thick file of my complaints plus I don't want to rock the boat as they are the only GP in town.

Bettahm

2oldcodgers said:

Bettahm said:

I guess the gps have told them to do it to keep the heat off them.
My gp practice has made mistakes with my stuff like referring me to the wrong hospital dept also sending a urine sample off to test for infection when it should have been tested for blood.
Yes they are under pressure. I live rural but the very small town the practice is in has had, so I'm told, thousands of new builds and more going up.
So drs are under pressure and mistakes and delays, possibly life threatening, are going to happen.

We too have that problem. It was a village up until 2000 when the government handed over a disused WW2 airfield to developers thus increasing the population by over 12,000 plus all of the children. Still have the same GP as was before all of this happened.

It's crazy
Guess this is another problem that's going on up and down the country

Jimm_Alumni

It's less the amount of new houses and more the lack of proper infrastructure and local services planning and funding.

There's a new build town near me where the developer was supposed to also build a GP surgery, a small shop location, a council building and a sports facility all in it's planning.

When the houses were done the developer said it had met it's obligations, SOLD the land to the council and shoved the cost of building many of these things on the council. 

I'm not sure if there was a punishment or fine, but if there was it clearly didn't cut into the profit of the houses as much as having to build everything they promised would. That or the contract wasn't strict enough, which also wouldn't surprise me as private corporations can dish out a lot of money for good lawyers to go over documents while councils cannot.

JayDN

The only way I can be sure of getting a message to my GP is to write a letter & hand deliver it.  This usually prompts an unannounced phone call.  However, after the most recent letter, having heard nothing after 2 weeks I called the surgery to find I had been given a phone appointment that nobody had told me about.

The phone appt took place 6 hours late & at the end he said we should have a follow up "in a couple of weeks".  I rang the surgery the following morning to set this up to find that he had no free slots.  The next batch of appts were to be released in "about a week" (nothing more precise) so I should call back then.

I can see this going on for a while yet.

Bettahm

Jimm_Scope said:

It's less the amount of new houses and more the lack of proper infrastructure and local services planning and funding.

There's a new build town near me where the developer was supposed to also build a GP surgery, a small shop location, a council building and a sports facility all in it's planning.

When the houses were done the developer said it had met it's obligations, SOLD the land to the council and shoved the cost of building many of these things on the council. 

I'm not sure if there was a punishment or fine, but if there was it clearly didn't cut into the profit of the houses as much as having to build everything they promised would. That or the contract wasn't strict enough, which also wouldn't surprise me as private corporations can dish out a lot of money for good lawyers to go over documents while councils cannot.

What I dont understand for this area is theres nothing here to attract people but they come. Its middle of nowhere, no work they have to commute by car, nothing that people seem to like these days like bars, clubs, restaurants etc.
Houses used to be quite cheap round here so if they still are guess that's the draw.
I dont get out much now so dont see. But know the town has hardly any shops left, no cinema.. nothing really. That was 2020. Cant think things have improved much.
Just an awful lot of houses and no services etc
All about somebody making money.

MarieBarl

Bettahm said:

Its frightening
Our lives in their hands.
I'm learning its receptionists up and down the country that are like this.
Thought mine were the only rottweilers 

No. It's increasingly common. One of ours tried to tell me I was to wear a face mask as my screened hat was insufficient. She got worse when I burst into tears and took it off because I had gone into panic mode and couldn't breathe. None of the others even commented before.

Fortunately I  haven't had to go back into the  surgery since. 

Bettahm

MarieBarl said:

Bettahm said:

Its frightening
Our lives in their hands.
I'm learning its receptionists up and down the country that are like this.
Thought mine were the only rottweilers 

No. It's increasingly common. One of ours tried to tell me I was to wear a face mask as my screened hat was insufficient. She got worse when I burst into tears and took it off because I had gone into panic mode and couldn't breathe. None of the others even commented before.

Fortunately I  haven't had to go back into the  surgery since. 

That's awful 
I'm struggling with mental health issues and find they have no tolerance in that area at all. Receptionists or gps.

OverlyAnxious

Wibbles said:

I love this sort of challenge 

I don't!   It takes me a huge amount of effort to even attempt accessing health services and I was repeatedly declined or discharged because I couldn't travel to places or use telephones or cope with a crowded waiting room or manage physical issues well enough to be ready for a specific appointment time etc...  

I know I'm a very unusual case, but I spent most of 2019 trying to access various services as I knew the abilities I had left were slipping away (particularly regarding travel and speech)...  Every attempt just got worse and worse and by the time the pandemic hit there was no chance of me accessing any services.

One thing that really did irritate me is that pre-covid I had asked for what I consider reasonable adjustments (such as an alternative entrance to avoid the waiting room) and was flat out refused, told it was impossible, and made to feel like I was wasting their time...then that became not only possible but mandatory during the pandemic!

It's too late for me now, but I do hope there is a considerable and progressive improvement in reasonable adjustments for others over the coming years.

Threepetfam

Why do you say : it’s too late for you now ??

OverlyAnxious

Threepetfam said:

Why do you say : it’s too late for you now ??

I can no longer manage direct contact with any person, can no longer drive or travel in any moving vehicle (or lift) and can no longer speak or walk more than short distances.  Even from a basic practical perspective, I've got no way to physically attend any medical place or speak to any healthcare professional.

Bettahm

OverlyAnxious said:

Wibbles said:

I love this sort of challenge 

I don't!   It takes me a huge amount of effort to even attempt accessing health services and I was repeatedly declined or discharged because I couldn't travel to places or use telephones or cope with a crowded waiting room or manage physical issues well enough to be ready for a specific appointment time etc...  

I know I'm a very unusual case, but I spent most of 2019 trying to access various services as I knew the abilities I had left were slipping away (particularly regarding travel and speech)...  Every attempt just got worse and worse and by the time the pandemic hit there was no chance of me accessing any services.

One thing that really did irritate me is that pre-covid I had asked for what I consider reasonable adjustments (such as an alternative entrance to avoid the waiting room) and was flat out refused, told it was impossible, and made to feel like I was wasting their time...then that became not only possible but mandatory during the pandemic!

It's too late for me now, but I do hope there is a considerable and progressive improvement in reasonable adjustments for others over the coming years.

I cannot attend my gps or call them on the phone. Just cant deal with it. Have anxiety and agoraphobia so going into places is out, no waiting rooms. Have eye clinic this month and a support worker is coming with me. Dont know if this will help, first time. I have found no one in the medical profession, gps, dentists etc even mental health professionals understand a person struggling with mh issues. Believe my issues may stem from my autism. But yes, no tolerance if you dont conform to the norm.
Dont know if I will ever get over the agoraphobia etc. Been so long with nothing done about it now.

Bettahm

OverlyAnxious said:

Threepetfam said:

Why do you say : it’s too late for you now ??

I can no longer manage direct contact with any person, can no longer drive or travel in any moving vehicle (or lift) and can no longer speak or walk more than short distances.  Even from a basic practical perspective, I've got no way to physically attend any medical place or speak to any healthcare professional.

@OverlyAnxious
Do you have an autism diagnosis?
Just wondering, know you would struggle to get one now.
Health/mental health care professionals would have to come to you! Must be a way.
We are failing people so badly in this country at the moment. 

OverlyAnxious

Bettahm said:

@OverlyAnxious
Do you have an autism diagnosis?
Just wondering, know you would struggle to get one now.
Health/mental health care professionals would have to come to you! Must be a way.
We are failing people so badly in this country at the moment. 

I now believe I am on the autistic spectrum, but by the time it was suggested to me, I was not able to manage the telephone triage for an NHS assessment or travel to the nearest centre for a private assessment so I do not have a diagnosis for autism.

I cannot manage any person at all in my property (after several bad experiences in the last few years) so home visits are not possible for me either.

Wibbles

OverlyAnxious said:

Bettahm said:

@OverlyAnxious
Do you have an autism diagnosis?
Just wondering, know you would struggle to get one now.
Health/mental health care professionals would have to come to you! Must be a way.
We are failing people so badly in this country at the moment. 

I now believe I am on the autistic spectrum, but by the time it was suggested to me, I was not able to manage the telephone triage for an NHS assessment or travel to the nearest centre for a private assessment so I do not have a diagnosis for autism.

I cannot manage any person at all in my property (after several bad experiences in the last few years) so home visits are not possible for me either.

Do you have a wife/partner who can help you ?

OverlyAnxious

Wibbles said:

Do you have a wife/partner who can help you ?

No.  I cannot manage ANY person at all.  I have never had a relationship. 

I haven't had face to face contact with anyone for over two years.

Bettahm

OverlyAnxious said:

Threepetfam said:

Why do you say : it’s too late for you now ??

I can no longer manage direct contact with any person, can no longer drive or travel in any moving vehicle (or lift) and can no longer speak or walk more than short distances.  Even from a basic practical perspective, I've got no way to physically attend any medical place or speak to any healthcare professional.

@OverlyAnxious
Do you have an autism diagnosis?

OverlyAnxious

Bettahm said:

OverlyAnxious said:

Threepetfam said:

Why do you say : it’s too late for you now ??

I can no longer manage direct contact with any person, can no longer drive or travel in any moving vehicle (or lift) and can no longer speak or walk more than short distances.  Even from a basic practical perspective, I've got no way to physically attend any medical place or speak to any healthcare professional.

@OverlyAnxious
Do you have an autism diagnosis?

No.  (See posts above )

Bettahm

OverlyAnxious said:

Bettahm said:

@OverlyAnxious
Do you have an autism diagnosis?
Just wondering, know you would struggle to get one now.
Health/mental health care professionals would have to come to you! Must be a way.
We are failing people so badly in this country at the moment. 

I now believe I am on the autistic spectrum, but by the time it was suggested to me, I was not able to manage the telephone triage for an NHS assessment or travel to the nearest centre for a private assessment so I do not have a diagnosis for autism.

I cannot manage any person at all in my property (after several bad experiences in the last few years) so home visits are not possible for me either.

Yes I believe you are on the autistic spectrum. Mine was done during covid so they did it on Microsoft Teams. So they can use that.
I have depression anxiety and OCD all pretty common in autism.
Also a strange one cmht and all knew about but didnt know what it's called. I cant stand to see or feel my own body.
Guess it's a sort of anxiety but I dont know.
When you said you no longer speak, autistics can be non verbal.
I find being around people psychologically distressing,  something my PIP tribunal noted in their report.
Good description, all my life thought I was painfully shy.
So I dont see people now.

I have just started sessions with a psychologist at Transforming Care, but it is on the phone. If she pre books a time shes going to call I can deal with it.

I'm wondering if they or any of them do online sessions like this. I had them once with IESO think they were called but that was CBT which was rubbish, then I found out it doesnt work for autistics. Online sessions might help you, if available somewhere?.

Wibbles

OverlyAnxious said:

Wibbles said:

Do you have a wife/partner who can help you ?

No.  I cannot manage ANY person at all.  I have never had a relationship. 

I haven't had face to face contact with anyone for over two years.

So how do you obtain food etc? I find it hard to believe that anyone can survive without any human contact at all
How long have you been like this? 

Albus_Scope

Wibbles said:

So how do you obtain food etc? I find it hard to believe that anyone can survive without any human contact at all

Deliveroo etc often leave food on the doorstep, it's easily doable. 

 But there's a big difference between surviving and thriving.