Perplexed and angry at a doctor

[Knapweed]

As a Type 2 diabetic on metformin I have been fortunate to have been prescribed test strips which allows me to monitor my daily blood sugar. My DSN gave me a meter and my GP put them on repeat prescription for me. This was a year past now.

I put my repeat in for renewal the other day after which my wife received a phone call from a Doctor at the surgery. She said that because I’m Type 2 on metformin I shouldn’t get strips and was refusing to prescribe them. My wife called me and explained what this “rather haughty” doctor had said.

Angry? Yes! I hadn’t even heard of this GP at our surgery. Just as well she was in surgery when I called because I was livid. I called my DSN who said that the GP was standing in for another GP on special leave and that she would sort things out.

I couldn’t believe a doctor would cancel my strips when my own GP and DSN were sanctioning it or without even discussing the matter with me. I hope I don’t have to meet with her in the near future because even after four days I still get angry just thinking about. :x Oh, and she chose to discuss it over the phone with someone other than me, confidentiality?

There, got that rant off my chest.

 

[Kleinian]

Typical. The NHS has become a disaster area for patients and the NHS and diabetes seem to be complete strangers to each other. I downloaded some significant research on type 2 and showed it to my GP. He just glanced at it and then threw it back at me saying that I shouldn't take notice of stuff on the Web. I pointed out that the 'stuff' was a research paper from Harvard not Scunthorpe Poly. I insisted on getting a referral to an endocrinologist and the alternative was that I took my case to the GMC for their opinion. I got the referral!

There is no need to be angry or aggressive with your GP. Just tell him or her, quite calmly, that you think you have a justified case and you will ask the GMC to investigate. If you are angry then you simply give the GP a rod to beat you with BUT he will be bothered about a GMC hearing.

 

[noblehead]

Knapweed,

I would hope that this stand-in gp will have learnt a lesson or two from this episode, and may think twice before refusing a patient test strips again.

Nigel