Getting An Annual Diabetes Review

[marcwife]

I'm asking for my husband, who has Type 2 Diabetes. He has not had an annual review for well over a year, and although the GP surgery sent a letter telling him to book this, repeated attempts to do so have failed. I notice that on the NHS Diabetes site it refers to 'your doctor' but our doctors are far too grand to do this, so it is done by just one nurse, who is only in on one day a week. My husband is working every day and cannot usually just take a day off as some can do - he's freelance & jobs are for a week or 2 weeks, with each day required. We cannot afford to lose an entire week. We have treid to book a late appointment with a doctor but to no avail. Only the nurse will do it.
Can anyone tell me if they know of somewhere we can go to get this done, at a time & date of our choosing? Every date when my husband could do it (i.e. when he could take a day off) was totally booked.
Thank you.

 

[Rachox]

Maybe a change of GPs? One where the appointments are more flexible. I have the choice of who I see for my reviews Dr or nurse. I’ve never seen the nurse preferring to see the GP who I know best, who isn’t even the one I’m registered with in the practice. My surgery does Saturday and evening appts too, it might be worth seeing if you can find one that does too

 

[Deleted Account]

A few thoughts come to mind
- my surgery does early morning appointments from 7:30. I know this is with the nurse because she does fasting blood tests.
- talking (or writing) of blood tests, he may find he will need two appointments: one to take blood and urine. Followed by one to discuss the results
- some surgeries do phone appointments - is this a possibility.
- is their a surgery close to his work where he could have his review?

I believe the annual diabetes review is very important. This is the chance to find out if he has any complications which need treating. The longer he leaves it before having the review, the greater the chance of a complication getting more .... complicated.

 

[marcwife]

Maybe a change of GPs? One where the appointments are more flexible. I have the choice of who I see for my reviews Dr or nurse. I’ve never seen the nurse preferring to see the GP who I know best, who isn’t even the one I’m registered with in the practice. My surgery does Saturday and evening appts too, it might be worth seeing if you can find one that does too

I wish! Our 2 local surgeries are under the same management, and of the 5 other ones within a few miles - that is, ones where we could register - all are 8.30 - 6.30, wih no Saturdays or evenings. There is a surgery 8 miles away where we'd love to go & they do evenings there, but we can't as we are out of area. Part of the problem is that we hve had too much new housing forced on our area, & so the GPs are full. I guess it would help if they worked a full day and not part time!

 

[marcwife]

A few thoughts come to mind
- my surgery does early morning appointments from 7:30. I know this is with the nurse because she does fasting blood tests.
- talking (or writing) of blood tests, he may find he will need two appointments: one to take blood and urine. Followed by one to discuss the results
- some surgeries do phone appointments - is this a possibility.
- is their a surgery close to his work where he could have his review?

I believe the annual diabetes review is very important. This is the chance to find out if he has any complications which need treating. The longer he leaves it before having the review, the greater the chance of a complication getting more .... complicated.

Yes, we know, and agree totally, that's why I am so worried. Early morning is useless - he takes the 7.46 a.m. train. There are no doubt surgeries close by to work but he would not be able to go as his work is intensive on-site all day - on some days he does not even get out for lunch. He can get days off, but all appointments are always booked with the nurse - she is booked up until September. The GPs resolutely refuse to do it.

 

[Rachox]

I wish! Our 2 local surgeries are under the same management, and of the 5 other ones within a few miles - that is, ones where we could register - all are 8.30 - 6.30, wih no Saturdays or evenings. There is a surgery 8 miles away where we'd love to go & they do evenings there, but we can't as we are out of area. Part of the problem is that we hve had too much new housing forced on our area, & so the GPs are full. I guess it would help if they worked a full day and not part time!

I wonder if a letter/email to the practice manager citing your husband’s predicament and asking for a solution from their end might produce results. One nurse doing one day a week seems way too little cover!

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

. . . . . we are out of area.

GP surgeries are free to register new patients who live outside their practice boundary area. That doesn't mean they will, just they can if they want to. This might mean that a practice nearer the place of work could be asked if they are taking on patients.

If your DN is only around one day a week, it must be a very small practice. My surgery only has three part time (2 or 3 days a week) lady GPs, they all have young families and that's fine. Even then we have a full time nurse and the practice manager is also a qualified nurse (an added bonus).

I can't think of an easy way round your predicament. Before retiring I was self employed and just had to bite the bullet and book time off, months in advance if necessary, just to have blood taken. I then had an arrangement that my GP or DN wouldn't ask to see me unless there was a problem and even then we could discuss things over the phone.

Maybe you could consider a private clinic for blood taking, for example I've used Genova in London, yes you have to pay, but I could get there at 07:00, they were also open late into the evening. If you google "clinics for taking blood test near me", it might show something more convenient for your husband. It's then a case of interpreting the results, HbA1c is straight forward, cholesterol/trigs/LDL/HDL etc might need some further research but not out of the question. As for your GP accepting private blood tests, I can only say that my GPs are more than grateful for any information I give them pertaining to my health. They have c-peptide and insulin resistance tests that they wouldn't have otherwise plus loads of other measurements for hormones and vitamins.

. . . . doctors are far too grand to do this

Not so much being far too grand, more of blood taking doesn't require a medical degree and to be honest I'd sooner the nurse took my blood than a GP who probably hasn't done it since they were junior doctors after qualifying. The GP will get involved as soon as there any problems like elevated HbA1c, high cholesterol etc.

I hope you can find a satisfactory solution to your dilemma.

 

[zand]

It's annoying isn't it? My son had to take a day off work to register at another practice because he has moved house, so that was a precious day's holiday wasted. His wife went in with his and hers ID and the forms etc, but he had to go in himself before the transfer could be done. I would have thought that taking ID to his first appointment there would have been good enough, but the computer said 'No'.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

I would have thought that taking ID to his first appointment there would have been good enough, but the computer said 'No'.

I get the impression that some surgeries like to impose these rules as this is what the NHS says:

You should not be refused registration or appointments because you don’t have a proof of address or personal identification at hand. It is not considered a reasonable ground to refuse registration. This also applies if you are an asylum seeker, refugee, a homeless patient or an overseas visitor, whether lawfully in the UK or not.

There are even several helpful leaflets for refugees, asylum seekers, gypsies, travelers, Roma community, homeless and visitors from abroad, which is how it should be. Might be an idea for a leaflet for "everyone else".

 

[Prem51]

Hi @marcwife and welcome to the forum. My surgery used to have a bloods nurse come in one every second Friday, I think it was, to take blood for tests.
Now they refer to a local clinic. I just get a referral letter, and go to the clinic on day that suits me, though it's only open Mon-Fri 0800-1700.
Could you ask your GP surgery if you could be referred to a clinic, or maybe a hospital, for the blood test?