Diabetic Nurse -

[Debzz_]

So .... after now being T2 for 6 weeks and needing to book an appointment to see my GP I asked the receptionist why I hadn't heard from the DN . ' Well I think she gets in touch with you if necessary ' was the answer- so I said but my point is I haven't even heard from her let alone anything else . Receptionist then says she will look on the screen .. oh yes, she said your results were ' acceptable ' .. to which replied ( not quite hysterical) but that was the day I was diagnosed so how could the result be acceptable! ... a brief pause ensued ... ' ah yes the nurse has put a request to see you on the 13th ... oh of April ' .... aaargggggg

 

[Chook]

Sounds like my doctor's surgery. Scary isn't it.

I often wonder what life must be like for those diabetics that rely entirely on the medical profession to manage their diabetes. At least, thanks to this forum, we can do something positive to help ourselves.

 

[covknit]

So .... after now being T2 for 6 weeks and needing to book an appointment to see my GP I asked the receptionist why I hadn't heard from the DN . ' Well I think she gets in touch with you if necessary ' was the answer- so I said but my point is I haven't even heard from her let alone anything else . Receptionist then says she will look on the screen .. oh yes, she said your results were ' acceptable ' .. to which replied ( not quite hysterical) but that was the day I was diagnosed so how could the result be acceptable! ... a brief pause ensued ... ' ah yes the nurse has put a request to see you on the 13th ... oh of April ' .... aaargggggg

Ahh we must have the same GP and fob off girls on reception.

 

[britishpub]

If your nurse is Diabetic she probably has enough of her own problems to deal with.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

One day a couple of years ago there was a notice at reception listing how many appointments had been missed by patients. There were several numbers so it may have been per month, I can't remember now.

I asked the receptionist why it was that only patients make mistakes and I got a receptionist like answer for my pains. I had better luck with the DN because when she tried to imply that it was all down the patients I played my trump card. I pulled from my pocket a letter advising me of an appointment with the same DN. It made no sense since I was already booked in for my review which is when all of this happened.

She checked her computer and the appointment was not on it and she admitted that she knew nothing about it. The notice at reception wasn't there the next time I went.

 

[Debzz_]

My friend recently lost her temper at her surgery telling the receptionist to ' go and recept ' ....

 

[Daibell]

Hi. My advice is to always make your own appointments and to have bloods taken. That's the way my surgery works anyway. When a T2 you will often be seen 3 months after 1st diagnosis and need to arrange bloods and urine to be taken around 2 weeks before appointment. I'm always given a bloods request sheet at each appointment and we agree the month for the next appointment and then I make the appointment with reception and arrange bloods to be taken. Surgeries vary but don't wait for them to do anything. Also arrange to have online access to your test results. That way when you see the nurse you will already know what your results are and can discuss actions.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

My surgery is great! That's probably put the kiss of death on it. It has won an award for being the best practice in .......shire (county not revealed in case you all move here just to go to my doctor).
My advice would be, and I know nobody is asking, join the Patient Participation Group. My wife has joined her surgery's PPG and it has been a real eye opener.
Several forum members have mentioned their issues on this forum but we can't do anything about it except commiserate. If the surgery is informed, and I don't mean given an earful (even though that's what they deserve), of the problem, with a bit of luck it will be rectified and not happen again. At least if they are informed, especially in writing, there is a useful record of what's occurred and hopefully what the response was.

 

[MikeTurin]

She checked her computer and the appointment was not on it and she admitted that she knew nothing about it. The notice at reception wasn't there the next time I went.

I know the problem because when you'have mixed systems managed from different firm on different operating systems and software platfom... http://thedailywtf.com

 

[Chook]

I went to join the Patients Participation Group - well, I was invited to join it but only went to the first meeting. My doctors' surgery is in 'special measures' after a terrible evaluation by CQC and I think they thought a PPG was something they could do at very little cost. Anyway, I was invited because I'm a 'successful' diabetic and diabetes care was something the assessment said they performed badly at - so, keep in mind that they know how I manage my diabetes. I got there exactly on time and no doctors appeared for nearly an hour. Then after an hour of them telling us how difficult it is to manage a surgery and how unfair the CQC assessment was there was a really appalling buffet - warm white wine or cold coffee, curled up white bread sandwiches, stale sausage rolls, ritz crackers with smears of something a bit greyish on them,, etc, and a massive platter of Mr Kipling French Fancies (nothing I could eat). Then it was like one of those awful weddings where the guests stay strictly in their family/friendship groups - there was doctors on one side, nurses on another, administrative staff on another and us poor patients clustered near the door wondering who would be the first to make a run for it. #

Two weeks later I got a letter congratulating participants in a successful first meeting (!) and enclosing the Minutes - which were nothing like what I remembered - and a date for the next meeting.

I never went again.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I went to join the Patients Participation Group - well, I was invited to join it but only went to the first meeting. My doctors' surgery is in 'special measures' after a terrible evaluation by CQC and I think they thought a PPG was something they could do at very little cost. Anyway, I was invited because I'm a 'successful' diabetic and diabetes care was something the assessment said they performed badly at - so, keep in mind that they know how I manage my diabetes. I got there exactly on time and no doctors appeared for nearly an hour. Then after an hour of them telling us how difficult it is to manage a surgery and how unfair the CQC assessment was there was a really appalling buffet - warm white wine or cold coffee, curled up white bread sandwiches, stale sausage rolls, ritz crackers with smears of something a bit greyish on them,, etc, and a massive platter of Mr Kipling French Fancies (nothing I could eat). Then it was like one of those awful weddings where the guests stay strictly in their family/friendship groups - there was doctors on one side, nurses on another, administrative staff on another and us poor patients clustered near the door wondering who would be the first to make a run for it. #

Two weeks later I got a letter congratulating participants in a successful first meeting (!) and enclosing the Minutes - which were nothing like what I remembered - and a date for the next meeting.

I never went again.

It is no wonder the surgery is in special measures.

 

[Chook]

It is no wonder the surgery is in special measures.

I said something similar but not so polite. . It was quite funny to watch the doctors and nurses scoffing all the beige food.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

I went to join the Patients Participation Group - well, I was invited to join it but only went to the first meeting. My doctors' surgery is in 'special measures' after a terrible evaluation by CQC and I think they thought a PPG was something they could do at very little cost. Anyway, I was invited because I'm a 'successful' diabetic and diabetes care was something the assessment said they performed badly at - so, keep in mind that they know how I manage my diabetes. I got there exactly on time and no doctors appeared for nearly an hour. Then after an hour of them telling us how difficult it is to manage a surgery and how unfair the CQC assessment was there was a really appalling buffet - warm white wine or cold coffee, curled up white bread sandwiches, stale sausage rolls, ritz crackers with smears of something a bit greyish on them,, etc, and a massive platter of Mr Kipling French Fancies (nothing I could eat). Then it was like one of those awful weddings where the guests stay strictly in their family/friendship groups - there was doctors on one side, nurses on another, administrative staff on another and us poor patients clustered near the door wondering who would be the first to make a run for it. #

Two weeks later I got a letter congratulating participants in a successful first meeting (!) and enclosing the Minutes - which were nothing like what I remembered - and a date for the next meeting.

I never went again.

What a coincidence because I also attended a PPG meeting, just the one. I went thinking that the patients could provide feedback and get to know each other but it wasn't like that. A guest speaker went on for a long long time about re-organisation in the NHS. It was completely unintelligible to me and the one question someone asked suggested they were medical staff. I think about half the audience were ex nurses or whatever.

Me and a friends wife started to look forward to it finishing and drunken Barbara stood up, tried to thank the speaker, fell over the table and left. I think she had remembered where she hid the bottle.

I don't think I will be going again.

 

[horrible_al]

When I was first diagnosed, having seen the vet, he told me to make an apt with the D.N. So I did, for about a week later. Goes to the apt where I was told she would explain to me how to use the BG meter. So I go in for the apt and she produces this BG meter, starts fiddling about with it, then after a couple of minutes tells me "I don't know how to make this work. DN nurse this. So I'm sent home with it and left to work it out for myself. Total waste of space.