1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Mental Health

Female GPs

Posted , 1 user is following.

DeliriumTremens
DeliriumTremens

Can someone explain to me why a lot of female GPs in the UK state they have a special interest in women health ? I am male and I have a lot of trouble with this because it makes me feel second class and unwelcome and I have avoided seeking medical help recently for some serious issues that have left me in a very weak state of mind because I have got it in my head that they only see men out of obligation. I don’t want to say that its wrong, I have a wife , daughter , mother and sister and it makes me happy knowing someone is looking out for them but I still think its an incredibly unfair statement to make. My named GP for instance does this, when I call I can NEVER get an appointment with her and end up with a third rate visiting Dr that I have never heard of and I think its because the reception and only going appointments with her to female patients. 

Please don’t judge me, I am not a bad or mean person and I am not being unkind or mysoginistic in any way. I just want to understand so I can make sense of it, I think in health care women are FAR from under represented so it just does not seem necessary to me. I need help and I am scared to call them because at the moment I feel I am making myself vulnerable incase I get it in my head that they are deflecting me because of my gender.

1 like, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Inmate88
    Inmate88 DeliriumTremens

    Posted

    Hi Rob. I don't know too much about how to explain or help you rationalise. But what I can tell you is... that when a Dr says they have a "special interest" in a particular area.. It doesn't mean they actually prefer that area. What it actually means is that they specialise in that area, they've done more specific training in that area, been on more courses, studies more about it etc. It's basically like having an additional qualification. It doesn't mean they prioritise or prefer that area in a way that would be discriminative.

    Not sure if I've explained that too well, as my head is a complete fog at the moment. But I hope you can get the gist of what I'm trying to say!

    Call your GP again and insist you want to see that GP in particular. You absolutely have a right to do this.

    Take care

    • DeliriumTremens
      DeliriumTremens Inmate88

      Posted

      Hi, thanks for the reply and I am sorry about your brain fog, sounds like you got enough going on yourself. What you said started to make sense and then I just introduced more tangibles that cancelled it out so I guess this helps enough because its clear that the issue is with me and noone else. Thanks for your help.
    • DeliriumTremens
      DeliriumTremens Inmate88

      Posted

      Also just to state the fact that you are struggling and still gone out of your way to try and help me sums you up as a genuine great person and I thank you so much for this.
  • Inmate88
    Inmate88 DeliriumTremens

    Posted

    Hi Rob. Thank you what a lovely ting to say! That's really cheered up my day!

    To be honest, I think the best help available (with the use of meds to take the edge off things) is from other suffers. People who suffer from the same conditions are able to understand best, in my experience.

    I've had help from this forum, and so much help from patients that I was in psychiatric hospital with earlier in the year. They are now genuine friends and we meet up regularly. They understand. Compared to medical people who've never had our experiences.

    Always post on this forum if you are struggling. People are always happy to help where they can, and you can message me at any time if you wish.

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.