I'm watching with increasing horror! There are personal stories from friends which scare me as well but what is really appalling is that even when doctors have killed a patient they can continue to practise and mis-diagnose.
Our old family doctor was trained in India and had a practice over here.
He falsely diagnosed a family member and sent him home which later turned out to be development of type1 diabetes!
On the second occasion he falsely diagnosed another family member with emphysema... which after a second opinion by a private doctor turned out to be mild asthma !
It was frightening watching that. I think one of the worst aspects is that doctors don't have to be assessed at regular intervals. That is terrible!
It was really sad about the lady they featured who went to the GP 14 times and has died since they filmed for the prog. I thought about my friend all the way through too.
She died at 51 and had been having toilet probs. GP said it was constipation (just like on prog!) she had numerous GP appointments over the next 18 months as she was feeling increasingly ill. By the time she was finally referred she had advanced bowel cancer and they could do nothing whatsoever for her and she died a few months later.
That's precisely what the woman in the film said "there are all these posters about cancer saying "See your GP urgently" etc" but there's no point at all in going if they don't then refer you for further tests.
Anyone got a good GP out there? One who's kind, listens to you and treats appropriately?
Mine is brilliant.
But he and all of his colleagues can only act within the constraints they are placed under.
Days of Dr Kildare are long gone.
I am still acutely aware that when I do in to see him, I am on the clock - they have 8 minutes, I think.
So the need for me as a patient to 'manage' the situation as much as 'be managed' is an unfortunate but necessary mindset. I no longer go in for a chat to discuss something but try and work out what it is I want.
He has shown me a few times, the reems and reems of paperwork by which the GP's have to operate within. It seems that the element of prescription in how they are required to act is far greater than I would have imagined and it is getting worse.
It's as if they are in the middle of a computer programme; in situation X do Y, in situation A, do B.
The overall modus operandi is still reactive and diagnostic, not holistic or preventative.
Although helped with my bad knees over the last 8 years, I am the one who has had to take an overall view of my condition as opposed to when I began the battle with deteriorating cartilages and I thought the GP and others would tell me what I had to do.
And yet, I am the one least capable of taking the overall view as I have the lelast knowledge and experience necessary to deal with the condition.
The specialist nature of the health service is its greatest strength and also its greatest weakness.
I have dealt with GP's, Consultants, Physios/Osteos, Fitness Trainers, Massage Specialists, Yoga/Pilates teachers and Nurses and now a Podiatrist who is helpng me with improving posture through use of Orthotics.
Its as if they all know about their area of the jigsaw puzzle but no-one can see the whole board, least fo all the GP due to the pressures above.
Anyone got a good GP out there? One who's kind, listens to you and treats appropriately?
There are quite a few of them out there, they'll even do home visits provided you can afford the £250+ they'll charge you. Oh and don't forget that their prescriptions are NOT at NHS rates, so you'll pay top whack for the meds, too.
But when your NHS GP doesn't have any appointments this week the £110 for a 30 minute consultation is money well spent (plus you'll get a free coffee and a civil receptionist as part of the deal)
Anyone got a good GP out there? One who's kind, listens to you and treats appropriately?
My old family GP was great. Never gave a wrong diagnosis, was friendly, knew your medical history from front to back and was really professional. He has now retired.
His replacement was a doctor that had a very basic grasp of English. So much so he would just point to different parts of your body until you said that was where the problem was. He couldn't understand what you were saying you couldn't understand what he was saying and had a terrible attitude. He tried to draw diagrams to make himself understood and on the one time I did see him he prescribed me a medicine for an unrelated problem. Luckily because my Mum knew what the medication was supposed to be for she stopped me before i took it.
We complained to the surgery and he left very shortly after due to the amount of complaints against him. I have no idea if he is still practising.
My old family GP was great. Never gave a wrong diagnosis, was friendly, knew your medical history from front to back and was really professional. He has now retired.
His replacement was a doctor that had a very basic grasp of English. So much so he would just point to different parts of your body until you said that was where the problem was. He couldn't understand what you were saying you couldn't understand what he was saying and had a terrible attitude. He tried to draw diagrams to make himself understood and on the one time I did see him he prescribed me a medicine for an unrelated problem. Luckily because my Mum knew what the medication was supposed to be for she stopped me before i took it.
We complained to the surgery and he left very shortly after due to the amount of complaints against him. I have no idea if he is still practising.
I see that they are going to introduce compulsory English tests for foreign doctors before they can work here. Can't understand why it has taken deaths and near-calls before this 'light bulb' moment... thought the medical profession was supposed to include the brightest ppl in the land ...
Of course doctors are human, and may not remember everything they ever learned. But here's a scary thought you need to bear in mind... many doctors out there have just scraped through their exams with a % or two above the pass mark... so imagine how much stuff they never remembered in the first place :eek:
Yes, our practice has 4 doctors, any of which i would be more than happy to see any time. Two women, two men, some newly qualified, others very experience. All of them listen and only send you away when happy.
If you are not happy with your doctor, complain to the practice manager, thats what they are there for.
Can you trust documentaries I'm thinking. You could string together examples of bad behaviour from any trade or profession (including television) and make a telly programme.
I think people expect too much from doctors, particularly GPs. Away from a hospital there aren't that many diagnostic tools. Mainly they rely on the patient's description and visible symptoms. It's hardly a surprise that sometimes what looks like A turns out to be B when someone else has a closer look.
In the same way I have a hunch that what looks like a telly expose of bad General Practice will in another context, like a Select Committee or something, look like nothing to unduly worry about.
If you are not happy with your doctor, complain to the practice manager, thats what they are there for.
The practice I have to attend has three doctors who all seem to be pretty good, but I am unhappy about the way that the practice is run by the practice manager.
Complaints to her and the PCT are a waste of time, and it is impossible to move to another practice, because (as I think is normal outside built up areas) all the local practices have strict catchment areas.
.Lauren.
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A Doctor I was once under was struck off, yet was then allowed to retrain and work in BUPA. I think its all madness.
He falsely diagnosed a family member and sent him home which later turned out to be development of type1 diabetes!
On the second occasion he falsely diagnosed another family member with emphysema... which after a second opinion by a private doctor turned out to be mild asthma !
:mad::mad::mad:
It was really sad about the lady they featured who went to the GP 14 times and has died since they filmed for the prog. I thought about my friend all the way through too.
She died at 51 and had been having toilet probs. GP said it was constipation (just like on prog!) she had numerous GP appointments over the next 18 months as she was feeling increasingly ill. By the time she was finally referred she had advanced bowel cancer and they could do nothing whatsoever for her and she died a few months later.
That's precisely what the woman in the film said "there are all these posters about cancer saying "See your GP urgently" etc" but there's no point at all in going if they don't then refer you for further tests.
Mine is brilliant.
But he and all of his colleagues can only act within the constraints they are placed under.
Days of Dr Kildare are long gone.
I am still acutely aware that when I do in to see him, I am on the clock - they have 8 minutes, I think.
So the need for me as a patient to 'manage' the situation as much as 'be managed' is an unfortunate but necessary mindset. I no longer go in for a chat to discuss something but try and work out what it is I want.
He has shown me a few times, the reems and reems of paperwork by which the GP's have to operate within. It seems that the element of prescription in how they are required to act is far greater than I would have imagined and it is getting worse.
It's as if they are in the middle of a computer programme; in situation X do Y, in situation A, do B.
The overall modus operandi is still reactive and diagnostic, not holistic or preventative.
Although helped with my bad knees over the last 8 years, I am the one who has had to take an overall view of my condition as opposed to when I began the battle with deteriorating cartilages and I thought the GP and others would tell me what I had to do.
And yet, I am the one least capable of taking the overall view as I have the lelast knowledge and experience necessary to deal with the condition.
The specialist nature of the health service is its greatest strength and also its greatest weakness.
I have dealt with GP's, Consultants, Physios/Osteos, Fitness Trainers, Massage Specialists, Yoga/Pilates teachers and Nurses and now a Podiatrist who is helpng me with improving posture through use of Orthotics.
Its as if they all know about their area of the jigsaw puzzle but no-one can see the whole board, least fo all the GP due to the pressures above.
But when your NHS GP doesn't have any appointments this week the £110 for a 30 minute consultation is money well spent (plus you'll get a free coffee and a civil receptionist as part of the deal)
My old family GP was great. Never gave a wrong diagnosis, was friendly, knew your medical history from front to back and was really professional. He has now retired.
His replacement was a doctor that had a very basic grasp of English. So much so he would just point to different parts of your body until you said that was where the problem was. He couldn't understand what you were saying you couldn't understand what he was saying and had a terrible attitude. He tried to draw diagrams to make himself understood and on the one time I did see him he prescribed me a medicine for an unrelated problem. Luckily because my Mum knew what the medication was supposed to be for she stopped me before i took it.
We complained to the surgery and he left very shortly after due to the amount of complaints against him. I have no idea if he is still practising.
I see that they are going to introduce compulsory English tests for foreign doctors before they can work here. Can't understand why it has taken deaths and near-calls before this 'light bulb' moment... thought the medical profession was supposed to include the brightest ppl in the land
Of course doctors are human, and may not remember everything they ever learned. But here's a scary thought you need to bear in mind... many doctors out there have just scraped through their exams with a % or two above the pass mark... so imagine how much stuff they never remembered in the first place :eek:
If you are not happy with your doctor, complain to the practice manager, thats what they are there for.
I think people expect too much from doctors, particularly GPs. Away from a hospital there aren't that many diagnostic tools. Mainly they rely on the patient's description and visible symptoms. It's hardly a surprise that sometimes what looks like A turns out to be B when someone else has a closer look.
In the same way I have a hunch that what looks like a telly expose of bad General Practice will in another context, like a Select Committee or something, look like nothing to unduly worry about.
The practice I have to attend has three doctors who all seem to be pretty good, but I am unhappy about the way that the practice is run by the practice manager.
Complaints to her and the PCT are a waste of time, and it is impossible to move to another practice, because (as I think is normal outside built up areas) all the local practices have strict catchment areas.