is your doctor working yet?

[ev'n'clive, HENGOED]

hello all x just a thought, has anybody been able to go to the doctor and see them? Are doctors going to work in the gp sense or are they stopping? when will you be able to go to a doctor and see them as opposed to telling the receptionist what is wrong who then informs the doctor who then sends a prescription without seeing you... All the sugeries are empty, I havent had a mammpgram or any other scan type things for ages .. my OH hasnt had his asthma clinic for months and cant get his ears done because they arent working the clinical side yet... So when will the clinical side open, will we all be covered in cancerous tumors that are too far gone to do anything about... and now you have to phone A&E to ask if you can go in!!! Not sure what happens if you have been hit by a car or fallen off a ladder. There is more going on than "THE" virus.. I was around in the fifties when scarlet fever, polio, diptheria, typhoid AND smallpox was around and there was nowhere near the panic and doctors were doctors and not gods...thats my rant done with.. take care ( cos you wont be able to see a doctor )

[mike, lanarkshire]

GP’s are working but I can’t see them. Telephone appointments only at the moment.

[ev'n'clive, HENGOED]

AH but do you KNOW they are working.... or is it all supposition

[Guy, Ormskirk]

My GP is working, I had a video call consultation which worked well and it was definitely him, although he needed a hair cut. I am sure they are just as busy with the calls which probably take longer than a consultation in the surgery. There was an initial chat and then we set up the video call, it all took time.

I hope anyone with serious concerns has been able to access the appropriate service and isn't just waiting till the surgery has re-opened.

I don't know when our surgery is planning to re-open as luckily I don't have any ongoing health concerns so haven't had to press for that information...Carol

[Cooke, Ashby]

I have had two video calls over a matter tat concerned me. I have had five weeks in hospital where the doctors are working. I have had no interruptions to my chemo, except for my own problems. The oncologists consultation has been by telephone. Yes they are working.

[philhar, wallasey]

I saw my GP more than a month ago.The surgery has never closed but patients are triaged by phone.I knew who the doctor was and recognised his voice.He asked me to come in as he needed to see the issue .I was reassured and the surgery felt very safe patients were kept well apart,had to wear a mask and had their temperature checked by someone in full PPE.

[jc, liverpool]

Hi all
Accompanied my wife to a local hospital this morning for a pre-op,,,good job she saw a doctor before surgery tomorrow.
She had a heart scare in February,but because of COVID-19 she hasn’t had a follow up,,so tomorrow was cancelled.

Boxes of Face masks at the hospital entrance with young volunteers giving them out,,,,from what I saw it was 100% compliance,,patients and staff.
Me included,,staff deserve a medal wearing those all day......

C528C71C-8ADF-4BA1-A099-C7F03A88D821.jpeg
JC

[Mrs M]

Doctors definitely aren’t Gods. As the practice nurse told my father many years ago when we had cause to put in a formal complaint for the lack of care given to my mother before she passed away, they are well paid civil servants with a unique skill.

I digress. Yes, my GP and the wonderful practice is working. I’ve had a telephone consultation and a face to face visit.

I think this triaging is marvellous. I have no problem explaining to a receptionist what I would like from the practice, be it a 'script, a telephone call or a face to face.
I'm happy for this to continue as it means fewer time wasters who don’t turn up for their appointment.

[cruiser, Larne]

My doctors have been working throughout but seeing only those patients they deem necessary. I have a condition which means regular visits to the hospital. Over the past couple of months I have been there twice and was unable to have the follow up treatment I need. My usual specialist was shielding and not seeing patients. As a result I took the decision to see a private Consultant who has referred me privately to another specialist. All costs money but I would rather get the treatment I need than see my health deteriorate. It costs less than the price of a cruise and I won't be having one of those any time soon!!

[lucy, sutton]

During all this lock down, I was more than happy to have a phone call with the doctor when I got bitten on the leg by an insect and it turned into a large red area on my leg. I had to send a photo via my Iphone and she was able to view the photograph. Whilst she was waiting for the photos to come through, she dealt with another patient's call and then came back to me to confirm it needed antibiotics. These antibiotics were written up, sent electronically to the pharmacy next door and I was told to pick the prescription up after 2 hours. The whole thing was so much more convenient. I stayed at home and was able to get on with what I needed to do, pick up the call, which lasted about 5 minutes and then pick up the antibiotics at my convenience which had been dispensed and just needed picking up.

Much better than driving to the surgery in good time, sitting 3/4 hour waiting for your appointment in the surgery, getting a paper prescription, taking it to the pharmacy, waiting for it to be dispensed and then driving home.

[annie, Glasgow]

During all this lock down, I was more than happy to have a phone call with the doctor when I got bitten on the leg by an insect and it turned into a large red area on my leg. I had to send a photo via my Iphone and she was able to view the photograph. Whilst she was waiting for the photos to come through, she dealt with another patient's call and then came back to me to confirm it needed antibiotics. These antibiotics were written up, sent electronically to the pharmacy next door and I was told to pick the prescription up after 2 hours. The whole thing was so much more convenient. I stayed at home and was able to get on with what I needed to do, pick up the call, which lasted about 5 minutes and then pick up the antibiotics at my convenience which had been dispensed and just needed picking up.

Much better than driving to the surgery in good time, sitting 3/4 hour waiting for your appointment in the surgery, getting a paper prescription, taking it to the pharmacy, waiting for it to be dispensed and then driving home.

Pleased it worked for you Lucy.

However not everybody has the tech or the tech skills to do that.

What about them??

I know this is from the Daily Fail :
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...stay-shut.html

Annie

PS After the vote in parliament Monday evening, Americanisation of the NHS is only a matter of time sadly.

[Issyalex, Glasgow]

Doctors definitely aren’t Gods. As the practice nurse told my father many years ago when we had cause to put in a formal complaint for the lack of care given to my mother before she passed away, they are well paid civil servants with a unique skill.

I digress. Yes, my GP and the wonderful practice is working. I’ve had a telephone consultation and a face to face visit.

I think this triaging is marvellous. I have no problem explaining to a receptionist what I would like from the practice, be it a 'script, a telephone call or a face to face.
I'm happy for this to continue as it means fewer time wasters who don’t turn up for their appointment.

I agree with you that doctors are not Gods, they are just very clever people who specialise in medicine.

My MIL thought her GP was God as he took her BP monthly and bloods. Her BP was high, her bloods were off ie cholesterol levels were high but he told her that as he knew her lifestyle.....daily walk of 2-3 miles, that she would be fine. She saw the PN once and because she told her that her BP and cholesterol were high and she needed to prescribe meds she wouldn’t see her again. She told the PN in no uncertain terms that the doctor said she was ok and hadn’t seen the need to prescribe meds. I even explained to her that she should listen to her PN as she’s specialises in chronic disease management but she poo hood me. Several months later she had a stroke and now visits her PN regularly for check ups!

[Delboy, Essex]

Whilst if I want to speak to my doctor I have to do so by phone or via the NHS app,

I assume they are still working as when I need to order a repeat prescription again via the NHS app, it needs a doctors approval before they forward the order to the pharmacy.

[mags, cardiff]

Yes they are working. Husband has had 2 injections at the GPs surgery by nurses in PPE during lockdown. The system has changed for the better in that the appts are only given out for that day so theres no need to try to book weeks in advance. He tells me the surgery waiting area is empty, temps are checked on entry, all mu h essier. He has also been able to pick up repeat scs ripss rips

[mags, cardiff]

Yes they are working. Husband has had 2 injections at the GPs surgery by nurses in PPE during lockdown. The system has changed for the better in that the appts are only given out for that day so theres no need to try to book weeks in advance. He tells me the surgery waiting area is empty, temps are checked on entry, all mu h essier. He has also been able to pick up repeat scs ripss rips

To continue after send was pressed too quickly!

....... temps are checked on entry, all much easier. He has also been able to collect repeat scrips there. During lockdown he has had 3 routine hospital visits at different hospitals. For one, after the initial blood tests the follow up consutation was done by the consultant by phone purely to limit numbers in what is usually a crowded wating area. No doubt he would have been called to the hospital if there had been any issues. Another was on the NHS but at a private hospital taking patients to free up the main one for Covid patients.