Meeting with nurse today

[Resurgam]

I received a letter asking me to make a 20 minute appointment for an annual general health check and review of my chronic conditions - twice in the letter it requested I bring a urine sample.
When I called the number I was told that the appointment was at a surgery some distance away.
I went along this morning, and the nurse was baffled - the appointment was to record my blood pressure, height weight and smoking history and to take my cholesterol level with a hand held device.
My next 'annual' health check will be in five years time.
No blood taken to check my thyroid supplementation or Hba1c.
No questions about my general health or symptoms of incorrect dose of thyroxine or high blood glucose levels.
No need of a urine sample.
Well - nice to see that the NHS is aware of my existence, but I'm not all that sure there is much interest in my condition.

 

[Daphne917]

I received a letter asking me to make a 20 minute appointment for an annual general health check and review of my chronic conditions - twice in the letter it requested I bring a urine sample.
When I called the number I was told that the appointment was at a surgery some distance away.
I went along this morning, and the nurse was baffled - the appointment was to record my blood pressure, height weight and smoking history and to take my cholesterol level with a hand held device.
My next 'annual' health check will be in five years time.
No blood taken to check my thyroid supplementation or Hba1c.
No questions about my general health or symptoms of incorrect dose of thyroxine or high blood glucose levels.
No need of a urine sample.
Well - nice to see that the NHS is aware of my existence, but I'm not all that sure there is much interest in my condition.

Surely with both T2 diabetes and Hypothroidism you should be checked at least annually?

 

[Resurgam]

You'd have thought so - but perhaps I am non compliant - with my Hba1c being 42 last year and 41 the year before - very naughty diabetic, not progressing at all.

 

[Daphne917]

You'd have thought so - but perhaps I am non compliant - with my Hba1c being 42 last year and 41 the year before - very naughty diabetic, not progressing at all.

My hba1c has been in the 30s for approx 5 years and I still get 6 monthly hba1c checks and annual thyroid etc.

 

[dpoet]

You'd have thought so - but perhaps I am non compliant - with my Hba1c being 42 last year and 41 the year before - very naughty diabetic, not progressing at all.

NHS is mad * (mod edit) Diabetics if not at risk of hypocalcemia have to buy there own testing gear.
My GP does give a full health check annually though.

*moderator edit to remove irrelevant, derailing comment

 

[Resurgam]

My doctor put NFA on my notes - I don't know if that is no further action, no further appointments or no further attention - but it feels a bit like all three.

 

[Listlad]

My hba1c has been in the 30s for approx 5 years and I still get 6 monthly hba1c checks and annual thyroid etc.

I am going to ask for a 3 monthly HbA1c check at the end of May. I was promised it by my GP.

 

[Listlad]

I received a letter asking me to make a 20 minute appointment for an annual general health check and review of my chronic conditions - twice in the letter it requested I bring a urine sample.
When I called the number I was told that the appointment was at a surgery some distance away.
I went along this morning, and the nurse was baffled - the appointment was to record my blood pressure, height weight and smoking history and to take my cholesterol level with a hand held device.
My next 'annual' health check will be in five years time.
No blood taken to check my thyroid supplementation or Hba1c.
No questions about my general health or symptoms of incorrect dose of thyroxine or high blood glucose levels.
No need of a urine sample.
Well - nice to see that the NHS is aware of my existence, but I'm not all that sure there is much interest in my condition.

I was told annually.

 

[Rachox]

I received a letter asking me to make a 20 minute appointment for an annual general health check and review of my chronic conditions - twice in the letter it requested I bring a urine sample.
When I called the number I was told that the appointment was at a surgery some distance away.
I went along this morning, and the nurse was baffled - the appointment was to record my blood pressure, height weight and smoking history and to take my cholesterol level with a hand held device.
My next 'annual' health check will be in five years time.
No blood taken to check my thyroid supplementation or Hba1c.
No questions about my general health or symptoms of incorrect dose of thyroxine or high blood glucose levels.
No need of a urine sample.
Well - nice to see that the NHS is aware of my existence, but I'm not all that sure there is much interest in my condition.

Did you not ask why your thyroid and HbA1c weren’t being checked or why she didn’t ask for the urine sample?

 

[Mr_Pot]

@Resurgam I suspect you were called for the over 60's health check which is every 5 years. This should be trumped by annual checks if you are diabetic. Some diabetics including me, also get interim 6 monthly HbA1c tests.

 

[Resurgam]

I suspect that there is confusion due to the combination of five practices each working to different protocols.
The letter refers to an appointment with a health care assistant, which the nurse was not. I live just around the corner from my own practice, so I decided that I would go around there to try to sort out what is going on.
If my Hba1c had been higher last year I would be keener to get a proper interview, and my Thyroxine dose has been steady for a very long time - so I thanked the nurse for her time and came home.

 

[Resurgam]

No worries - its that sort of a day really....

 

[Pipp]

Several posts have been deleted for derailing the thread.
A gentle reminder that forum rule A6 advises on what to do if you want a discussion that is not relevant to the thread :

‘A6. This is a Forum of many different personalities – if you disagree with someone then start a constructive debate or use the Private Message (PM) system to have a conversation. It is unhelpful to have to read miles of disagreeing posts, and can deflect from the purpose of the thread (i.e. thread derailing).’

 

[Pipp]

@Resurgam, I have noticed a change in the last two years or so with regard to checks for my several health conditions. Previously I was sent for every three months for BP , HbA1c, and had annual recall for diabetes foot check, asthma check, and a chance for general health discussions with nurse. More recently, these recall / reminders have been less frequent, often forgotten by the surgery. Having gained access to my online mediacl record, I noticed the lack of reminder coincided with the responsibility for doing this being transferred from nurse ( or perhaps even a computer program?) to an admin clerk. At my surgery this seems to be a different person each month, and unless I remind them the checks don’t take place when they should. I am all for taking personal responsibility for my own health, but can see how patients can be forgotten.
I am bemused that when I was first diagnosed T2 in 2005, I was prescribed test meter and plentiful strips, saw same nurse each time, and was called in regularly. With the growing use of technology meant to assist, despite the increase in admin staff from one receptionist to at least 5, plus administrator and practice manager things are being missed.

 

[Daphne917]

@Resurgam, I have noticed a change in the last two years or so with regard to checks for my several health conditions. Previously I was sent for every three months for BP , HbA1c, and had annual recall for diabetes foot check, asthma check, and a chance for general health discussions with nurse. More recently, these recall / reminders have been less frequent, often forgotten by the surgery. Having gained access to my online mediacl record, I noticed the lack of reminder coincided with the responsibility for doing this being transferred from nurse ( or perhaps even a computer program?) to an admin clerk. At my surgery this seems to be a different person each month, and unless I remind them the checks don’t take place when they should. I am all for taking personal responsibility for my own health, but can see how patients can be forgotten.
I am bemused that when I was first diagnosed T2 in 2005, I was prescribed test meter and plentiful strips, saw same nurse each time, and was called in regularly. With the growing use of technology meant to assist, despite the increase in admin staff from one receptionist to at least 5, plus administrator and practice manager things are being missed.

@Pipp my husband has a similar issue - he is on warfarin and various other drugs for heart problems, asthma and Parkinsonism most of which can affect his blood pressure or kidney function but the only regular tests he has done in the surgery is for his INR.

 

[Prem51]

I always have to contact surgery to make appointment for HbA1c test which includes thyroid level check, as they never contact me. I only get test annually.

 

[KK123]

One thing that stuck out to me on diagnosis at my first appointment with the Consultant, was him saying quite firmly 'Do NOT sit back and wait for things like appointments or eye tests or anything else, when you know they are due or have been missed, CONTACT them'. I queried why we would have to and he said with the best will in the world, systems get muddled and things get missed, be proactive with YOUR health'.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

Join your patient participation group. The NHS is under tremendous strain, especially with GP numbers decreasing and our expectations increasing. Her majesty's government seem to think that just by saying things like "we will have GP cover 7 days a week" will mean it will happen, prepare yourselves for a big surprise, it isn't going to happen.
I also think that any problems with our care should be discussed with the care giver in a formal manner, in writing. Discussing our woes on a forum achieves very little except for highlighting how widespread these issues are.
I will defend our NHS to my last breath, warts and all. We don't want the sort of system they have in the US.
Seriously, join your patient participation group, it will help in understanding the sorts of problems that running a surgery involves and will also help in conveying your own issues with the way things are run.

 

[JMK1954]

That's always been my attitude anyway. Systems don't always work properly and somethings things are missed through human error. It's always worth a phone call to check what is going on and if have you been forgotten.

 

[Prem51]

@DavidGrahamJones I agree with you, but my GP Surgery doesn't have a Patient Participation Group. There was an attempt to set one up last year but I think I was the only person to express an interest.