My 6 month BP review is due and i made an appointment to see the GP almost 4 weeks ago.
Posted , 2 users are following.
2 days before the appointment is due the surgery phones asking me to see a health care assistant instead as it is not necessary to see a GP. These are the new rules as decreed by the bossy female Practice Manager the receptionist tells me, though those weren't her words! I objected as imo HCAs are useless at answering questions [they say they aren't qualified to do so] . I also have to see the nurse for my asthma review and this they tell me should be a separate appointment. However after some arguing I did manage to get the 2 appts combined but have to wait a furtherr 4 weeks for an appointment. So virtually 2 months for an appointment for a BP review. Not sure I find that acceptable, my BP always goes through the roof when taken in the surgery and if it's taken by a nurse or HCA who doesn't know me she is likely to throw up all sorts of red flags. The dr knows this happens and I always take my home readings in with me. She is totally satisfied with them and doesn't even bother to strap the cuff on as she knows what the result will be.
I just wondered what others here think of this. Do others see a GP or health care assistant?
0 likes, 2 replies
lyn1951 jane243
Posted
I am a little careful with Dr's, have from experience been in the situation where the nurses knew more than the Dr in the cardiology unit at the hospital.
Dr said nothing wrong with husband, in fact told that a number of times over the previous two to three weeks by local Dr's, when everything in my gut told me there was something wrong, how did I know this, my father died of heart failure on long term standing, in fact we found out he had it when I was born, so lived with it my entire life, just didn't have the words for the Dr's to explain what was going on and ECG normal we were told.
Ended up being the nurses in the local hospital who said to me after a nights stay for observation, that said drive him across town, about 40 - 60 minute trip, and let them have a look at him. I questioned them, how did they know something was wrong when the Dr said there was nothing wrong, nurse turned to me and said she had worked 25 years in Harley Street, London, for a cardiologist and knew what she was talking about.
At that point I believed her, took him to the heart hospital and thats the only reason he's alive today 6 half years after initial problem arose. Dialated Cardiomyopathy, branch bundle block, EF23%.
In the last year heart hospital has installed pacemaker and defribulator, even getting that caused me alot of arguing and fighting with junior Dr's for him, as i will not be fobbed off with excuses about what is going on.
I have read as much as I can get my hands on about dialated cardiomyopathy, branch bundle block, library books for a start, local GP's books on cardiology, and then papers Dr to Dr on the internet that nearly scared me silly, but at the same time, none of them described my husbands condition exactly just portions of it. Became a treasure hunt for me to understand what was going on.
Senr consultant has congratulated me on my skills with husband, and his condition and wished I had a nursing degree, as he would employ me.
For you, I would try to introduce myself to the nurses in the practice, get to know them and trust them, ask them about their experience and where they worked previous to this practice, you may just get lucky.
Just to end, my sister/sibling is a Dr of nursing, now teaching nursing, and has said to me i have got my heart issues down pat, but would not trust me with a barge pole with anything else, laughing.
jane243 lyn1951
Posted
I agree in many cases the nurses know things that the drs [in their wisdom] do not. They are often more pragmatic and obviously in your husbands case this was the case. I'm glad you had a good outcome.
My question was slightly different in that I am merely going for a bi-annual hypertension review. I know the dr quite well and to an extent also the nurses in the practice as I go to them for asthma reviews. It's the high handed way I was told just 2 days prior to my appointment that I made a month ago, that the practice manager says I don't need to see the dr - just the health care assistant. I have my own BP monitor so don't need her telling me my BP is too high, it always is in the surgery. Everything is just fine at home and I know the dr is happy with that. I take a her a list of readings and all is well.
I just know that seeing a health care assistant is a complete waste of their time and mine and do not like a non medic bossy manager telling me who I should be seeing.