Made to feel bad by the medical profession

[emeles]

Today received a letter from the local nhs retinal scanning dept demanding I complete a form indicating I had opted out of this service and that I understand the implications on my decision.
The fact was last year the service 'forgot' about me and I decided to use the local optician and pay myself for this service (copied to my gp)
So no I am expected to let this service provider off the hook for their failings!
Add to this, the local diabetes clinic who can only give an appointment every 12 months and fail to respond to any query made by phone or email. I asked my gp to refer me to a private doctor but was instead referred to another local diabetes team who will see me right away......in 4 months!
All the time if you want help it's not there and when the services fail the patient is to blame........help!

 

[hallii]

You can have any sort of screening specific to diabetes at any time or frequency as decided by your doctor or DSN.

My doctor (and Nurse) are happy to give me as many tests within reason as I request, that means I have an eye screening every 12 months or 6 months if I ask. HbA1c test is every 6 months or three months if I ask.

The doctor and nurse will listen to my requests and reasons for them, and respect my wishes regarding medication and treatment whilst offering what they consider to be best practice.

The reason I am telling you all this is to point out that not all doctors are the same, and not all PCTs make hard and fast rules. In fact your doctor can overide any PCT rules regarding eye or HbA1c testing if they regard it as important for the health of the patient.
The main consideration is your choice of doctor, I would vote with my feet if I couldn't ask for tests to suit my requirements as regards timescale and location etc.

I had a couple of "discussions" about diet and medication in the early days but once they realised I was pro active in the management of my T2 and the results demonstrated that I had good control, attitudes changed.

So, it might be worth asking your doctor for any tests you think you need, at a frequency you think would be suitable. He/She might refuse or make an alternative suggestion, but any good and reasonable doctor will work something out with you.

The days of "Doctor God" are long gone, I can remember FEARING a visit to the GP in my youth (1960s) now it is so much easier and more pleasant.

H

 

[Unbeliever]

The point about voting with your feet is often made but the difficulty is knowing in advance whether it is out of the frying pan and into the fire. There are often restrictions as to where you can register as a patient -it is necessary o live within the practice area..

I moved a few yards outside my previos practice area and was not allowed to remain with them because of hings like rural allowances , district nurses , locums etc. I foresee less differences between practices with the increased communication arising from the new consortiaI am very pleased to hear that some people still have a "proper relationshiop " with their practice. hang on to that Dr and nurse!

 

[hallii]

The point about voting with your feet is often made but the difficulty is knowing in advance whether it is out of the frying pan and into the fire. There are often restrictions as to where you can register as a patient -it is necessary o live within the practice area..

I moved a few yards outside my previous practice area and was not allowed to remain with them because of hings like rural allowances , district nurses , locums etc. I foresee less differences between practices with the increased communication arising from the new consortiaI am very pleased to hear that some people still have a "proper relationshiop " with their practice. hang on to that Dr and nurse!

I accept your points, and yes it can be difficult to move to a doctor outside their practice area, I suppose I am spoiled by the number of surgeries and doctors available within my area. There may be more communication and cooperation when the new arrangements come into play but some doctors take a special interest in diabetes and others regard it as a chore. This results in some doctors being regarded as "not so good " with reference to diabetes.

Nothing more controversial than a simple change of doctor within that particular practice can be beneficial. My practice has about 7 doctors, I can see any one of them if I want. I choose to see the one who has an interest in diabetes for anything to do with my T2. Anything else and I will see any of them, they are all good at some things, I am still finding out what though!

H

 

[CarbsRok]

Today received a letter from the local nhs retinal scanning dept demanding I complete a form indicating I had opted out of this service and that I understand the implications on my decision.
The fact was last year the service 'forgot' about me and I decided to use the local optician and pay myself for this service (copied to my gp)
So no I am expected to let this service provider off the hook for their failings!
Add to this, the local diabetes clinic who can only give an appointment every 12 months and fail to respond to any query made by phone or email. I asked my gp to refer me to a private doctor but was instead referred to another local diabetes team who will see me right away......in 4 months!
All the time if you want help it's not there and when the services fail the patient is to blame........help!

Most clinic appointments are yearly unless problems have arisen. If they have then your GP can write and ask for a sooner apt.
Eye screenings are done yearly.
If you were missed then surely all you had to do was ask your GP to sort it.
The fact you decided to go private! does indicate you opted out so the letter is known as covering their backs.
I was asked to sign such a letter which was sent from my GP surgery. It was dated for the one year. So I would expect another one at some point.

 

[angieG]

Rather than fill in the form, score a line across it and write something like "Not applicable" across it.
Then photocopy the letter and attach both to a letter in reply stating all the details you have explained above (keeping a copy of this too of course).
They should then get the idea that you haven't opted out and if you ask for an appointment in the letter they can't have any excuse for not giving you one surely?

Just an idea but it might get the message across.
Regards
Angie

 

[Unbeliever]

Rather than fill in the form, score a line across it and write something like "Not applicable" across it.
Then photocopy the letter and attach both to a letter in reply stating all the details you have explained above (keeping a copy of this too of course).
They should then get the idea that you haven't opted out and if you ask for an appointment in the letter they can't have any excuse for not giving you one surely?

Just an idea but it might get the message across.
Regards
Angie

Good idea Angie. We all know that hese people have standard letters which they send out whether applicable to paricular circumstances or not , but they all have the effect of blaming US because THEY couldn't possibly be at fault.
It is difficult o get through to them - I am sure they are robots.
It took me about 3 years to stop them pestering me about going for an annual scan. My monthely scan at the hospital asnt enough for them :lol:

It is often necessary to do somehing unusual as you suggest to force them to address the issue.

 

[Unbeliever]

I accept your points, and yes it can be difficult to move to a doctor outside their practice area, I suppose I am spoiled by the number of surgeries and doctors available within my area. There may be more communication and cooperation when the new arrangements come into play but some doctors take a special interest in diabetes and others regard it as a chore. This results in some doctors being regarded as "not so good " with reference to diabetes.

Nothing more controversial than a simple change of doctor within that particular practice can be beneficial. My practice has about 7 doctors, I can see any one of them if I want. I choose to see the one who has an interest in diabetes for anything to do with my T2. Anything else and I will see any of them, they are all good at some things, I am still finding out what though!

H[/quote]

In my practice there are en doctors and hey ALL refuse to speak to paients about their diabetes referring them o the Pracice diabetes Nurse, The hospital are aware that they do this .
The only time you see a doctor about your diabete is at he annual review whe they mostly confine themselves o he checklists.

I am fortunate enough never to have have needed to see a dr about anything else in the 3 yeaars since i joined but it is only recently I have managed to gain the opportunity to dscuss my reservaions about the Nurses with a Dr.

Its another postcode lottery.

 

[hallii]

QUOTE "In my practice there are en doctors and hey ALL refuse to speak to paients about their diabetes referring them o the Pracice diabetes Nurse" QUOTE

I can only say that if a doctor refused to see me about ANY condition or illness I might have then I would make an official complaint.

Doctors have a contract with the NHS, part of that contract is that they see patients, there may be times when a Nurse can do some of the simple things, but they do not have the training and knowledge of a doctor. As you say, it's a lottery, it makes me aware of how good my practice actually is.

H

 

[Unbeliever]

It is quite common in many places for the diabetes care to be left to a practice Diabetes Nurse. The Drs in my practice say that the nurse "goes on more courses [for diabetes] than they do. They are afraid to become too involved and will either refer you to the nurse or seek the nurse's opinion.

I totally agree with you about the traning and knowledge and have been running a one-wpman campaign to change the attitude.
I understood that a plan to hive off or privatise practice diabetes services was once mooted and I think that things have beeen gearing up to that for a few years.

The Practice diabetes nurse just deals wih diabetes. She even has an assistant. {another practice nurse]

I feel that the Drs should at leas supevise the Nurses but they don't , nor do they quesion their prescriptions.
Frightening