My Doctors are useless

[lampy]

Hi guys,

I have been having a really bad time in the last few months so i went to see my GP about getting some help, i have been ok for years but in the past year or so things have gradually got worse for me. Anyway my GP said that he would refer me to be assessed again as he thought this may be better than just putting me straight onto meds. Well i have not hear anything from anyone for the past 3 months despite me calling my GP Surgery to find out what might be happening only to be told my the receptionist that i must just wait to get a letter.
Well in the past week i have been really bad so i thought that i would just go down there and find out what is going on, well it turns out that they have not updated my address details despite me doing it twice and have been sending letters to my old address. I have now missed my hospital assessment appointments, 2 doctors appointment requests to see me and they were about to take me off their books because they say they had not had a letter response from me. I even confirmed my contact details with the GP himself so no mistakes could happen, what the hell is going on with these people, i am now totally back to square one again and feel like i am going to lose it. I am not coping too well with anything at the moment and work is getting increasingly more difficult for me as i do not want to be around people.
I have had enough of all these things now and don't know what to do, i cannot get an appointment at the doctors for at least 3 weeks because they say i am not a priority!!

[Lol]

Oh no lampy this sounds like an awful case of lack of communication right where you didn't need it. I'm not surprised this feels like it has set you back a little.

try to push for priority becuase of their mistakes and in the mean time try to talk some things out with a trusted family member or friend, or in here, to give some relief while you're waiting. Be kind to yourself in this period also. Try not to do too much, in fact actively reduce your responsibilities and do some things just for you. It is a difficult time but you will get there. We will help as much as we can.

Lol

[lampy]

Thanks Lol,
I do feel that even putting things on the forum like this does help just to get it out there you know!!

[Sweetpea]

Could you not change your dr or dr's surgery?  just a thought, you seem to have been treated very badly.

Take care

Sharon x

[Holykimura]

My last GP awful, I changed my GP and the new one was much more supportive. I forgot to update my records with my consultant and they'd been sending my letters to the old GP but they didn't forward them on. My advice would be to change GP

[lampy]

The doctors themselves are good but the Administration Staff, Receptionists are awful, they speak to you like you shouldn't be there and to be honest i don't make a habit of going to the doctors, maybe once a year if that normally, more obviously when my depression is bad but to be fair it has not been that bad for many years, over 12 years really.

[Zaf]

Thats really dreadful, no wonder you are feeling so bad  

If you can hassle your surgery to get you a quicker that would be great but if not and you feel desperate I would suggest you go to A&E and tell them why you have had to go to them.

[SleepyCat]

Doctors' receptionists are known for being really rude. If the actual doctors are good, they might be worth sticking with.

What you could do is write a letter to the practice manager to make a complaint because they have failed to update your address after you informed them 3 times, which has resulted in you missing appointments whilst your health deteriorates.

If you do have the mis-sent letters now with the address of the mental health team on, you could always contact them direct to explain the situation as well. They may be able to prioritise you.

If you need an emergency appointment, it's not necessary to tell the receptionist what is wrong if you'd rather not tell them. If you need to see a doctor urgently, you really have to assert that clearly.

[Zaf]

I made a complaint to my MP about the rudeness of the receptionists in our surgery after one nearly reduced me to tears, there has been a noticeable improvement since.

[lampy]

Thanks guys, i know what you mean, i am very up and down but gradually getting worse.
I was told last week that the doctor wanted to talk to me and that they would call me yesterday. Well the doctor called and asked me what I wanted, i said that they wanted to talk to me, wel anyways after explaining what had happened the doc just said well i will get the receptionist to just write you another letter. I said that I am really having difficulties and they doc just said to make an appointment. Well i was then told that i cannot get an appointment for over 3 weeks, i am going crazy at the moment and don't quite know what to do as i am finding it pretty hard to even go out now, i have not been to work for a couple of weeks. I am scared that i may get real ill like i was years ago. I know no one can give me the answers to all this but you know how it is when you are feeling this way.
Sorry to go on about it but i don't know about anyone else but when i put things down on the  computer to the forum it does make me feel better. i find it a lot easier to communicate this way and via text or messenger than face to face. Does anyone else feel like this? Is there a messenger help service that anyon knows of that works in real time?

[Sweetpea]

Hi Lampy just wanted to send  &*( your way.

S x

[lampy]

Thanks Shaz, much appreciated   :) xx

[Sweetpea]

No probs just wanted you to know that I was thinking of you.  :)

S x