In praise of Health Care Professionals.

[catherinecherub]

I think it is about time that the balance was addressed on this forum about HCP's.

I have read some posts this morning that say some HCP's are idiots and that the NHS is too keen to increase the symptoms of diabetes in the newly diagnosed so that they can be treated with expensive medication. :roll: :roll: :roll:

Not all the HCP's are idiots, far from it and many members have been given good advice from day one so we cannot keep perpetuating the myths that they are no good.

We have a resident dietitian here that gives good advice but cannot make that on a one to one basis as she does not know the members and does not have access to their medical records.

We also have many positive experiences that are written here and we need to be aware that there are good and bad in every profession.

 

[jaykay]

I think the British are much better at moaning about people than praising them! There are of course wonderful healthcare professionals out there. I have met a few of them, in one case a female GP who had never met me before and who overrode a senior doctor at the same practise and literally saved my life by her actions. However there are some absolute horror stories out there too. As in most things in this life, you have to listen to what you are told and engage brain before acting upon information received. Just because somebody says it, even if it's a 'professional' doing the talking, doesn't make it so!

 

[hanadr]

I didn't even imply that ALL HCPs are Idiots some are good, but in the field of diabetes care there are far too many idiots.
I attend Many metings every year, where I hear loads of horror stories.They run the whole gamut from simple ignorance, laziness arrogance and penny pinching.
I have also seen the damage done by years of poor care. and have some very recent examples in my own family.
I have every respect for HCPs who learn as much as they can and give reliable advice, but there aren't enough of them
Hana

 

[noblehead]

Well said Catherine, there is of course good and bad in every profession and overall I think HCP do a fantastic job given the huge stress and workload they have to deal with on a daily basis.

Nigel

 

[HLW]

All the health care specialists I have seen have been very good, whatever they are specialists in, diabetes, foot stuff, dentists, opticians (though not the specsavers ones!), the nurses that do blood tests (I'm counting them as specialists as they have a lot of practice at getting blood!).
All the GPs I've seen seem to know just a little bit about everything, so they are OK if you go to them with a simple thing, but not very useful at all for eg diabetes. But that doesn't matter at all if they are prompt with referrals to a specialist.

 

[Dippy3103]

Well said Catherine, there is of course good and bad in every profession and overall I think HCP do a fantastic job given the huge stress and workload they have to deal with on a daily basis.

Nigel

Agree totally Nigel.
My GP is fantastic, as is our practice nurse.

 

[ally5555]

Thank you Catherine for such a positive post - yes I am one of the dreaded HCP and a Dietitian.

It works both ways we are all very busy and working in a difficult climate. My own profession is under siege at the moment - in the midst of the greatest health crisis we have had in out life times - obesity - they are making dietitians redundant in England - when in fact there are only about 6000 on the HPC register any way!

What you do not see is the hard work and study and dedication that most of put in! I work for 2 GP practices on a freelance basis but put in extra hours every week . The rest of week involves teaching at a uni and working as a sports dietitian. Our athletes would not be winning without the input of alot of highly trained sports dietitians!
I love my job and hate to see such bad things written - I do not see this in practice Dietitians are very knowledgable and practical and do look at reseaech. certainly most that I know take a moderate approach to carb intakes.
Some of you will know I took up the issue with Diabetes Uk - not interested!

Also think about this from my side - we have to put up with a small minority of horrible pts who are rude, smutty, disgusting and sit there and smile! I have been threatened and recently shoved against a wall by a pt who was annoyed I spent too long with a pt!
It is quite amazing that a few sessions on the internet turns people into experts!

Allyx

 

[Dippy3103]

I didn't realise how few of you there are Ally. Now that is a disgrace, because dieticians must really be on of the frontline resources that are preventative medicine. As my Gran used to say "a stitch in time saves nine".
I saw one at my half day diabetes 2gether course and that is it. I would welcome the oppourtunity to have a one to one with someone who could give sound diet advice to an overweight type 2 vegetarian.
I work in the public sector and I also take the abuse and have to bite my Tongue... Not nice.

 

[ally5555]

I agree it is a disgrace that there are so few and the numbers training are also being cut.
There has been alot of very negative stuff on here and a certain other site but they have a very sound understanding of nutrition. Plus they are also trained to be practical - turning the theory into practice! They also do not sit still and CPD is very important.

There is alot of preventative work going on that is not being show cased across the UK .

Dietitians need to be at the fore front but the profession is under threat.
Not just by lack of numbers but other HCP who think they can do the job - here is a thought doctors do about 5 hours of nutrition during their training - this is compared to a 4 year dietetics degree!

The profession is also under threat by a growing number of badly trained nutritionists and so called self taught experts like taubes and the likes of John briffa who are all jumping on the money making band wagon. End of rant!
I have mopped up the mess of some of these so called nutritionists in my own practice !

Allyx

 

[Patch]

I've only ever been seen by bad ones. If there are good ones out there, they should be held up as an example of best practice, and all of them should be expected to operate at the same standard.

I'm sure the good ones out there are the ones that work hard, and continue to research. Unfortunately, there are bad ones (as there are in EVERY profession) and it's just pot luck if your area has good ones or bad ones.

The N in NHS should ensure that we all receive the same standard of care. But I don't think it does.

 

[ally5555]

Patch

they can't all be bad surely - as someone else said in another post if you meet them thinking this you may have a negative experience!

 

[cugila]

I wonder this as well ........ Why were they bad ? What did they do or not do that makes them bad ?

 

[jaykay]

Okay, here we go, case in point. When I was first diagnosed, I was lucky enough to see the specialist diabetic doctor at the surgery just as part of a routine appointment. He was horrified to discover that he had to tell me I was diabetic ( apparently I should have been informed by a letter ) and was consequently falling over himself to be helpful. I had a 25 minute session with him that day ( normally we get 3 minutes!) I then went to see an alleged diabetic nurse, who really was useless. She just spouted platitudes that sounded old and tired, gave me information that to my fairly analytical and logical mind just did not make sense and did not have any kind of answer when I asked questions. It may have just been miscommunication between us but I left the surgery feeling bewildered, let down and quite angry ( She was the one that told me I must have at least a third of a plate of carbs with every meal but did not mention quantities at all and said that I mustn't eat any kind of sugar but should have 5 pieces of fruit a day ). She was though, also the one that drove me in desperation to this site and got me fired up to do my own research ( so maybe I should thank her! ). I then saw another diabetic nurse who was enthusiastic, answered all my questions, obviously up to date in her training ( from what she was saying ) and extremely positive about the low carb route I was taking and the lifestyle changes I had made. Maybe I just liked her better because she agreed with me :lol: !

 

[cugila]

That's just what I was hoping to hear Jaykay.......reasons why. It does nobody any favours with all this generalisation about how they are all bad ! My own personal experience of many HCP's is that in the main they are great ambassadors for the NHS. My own view, my opinion.

My own Endo, SDSN, GP and even the Practice Nurse who looks after the Diabetic's at my Surgery cannot be faulted. They are always well versed in current thinking and are all prepared to listen to my views, sometimes we disagree....it doesn't mean we fall out and argue. We just agree to differ. A mature but reasoned approach from all parties. However, none of them or myself take kindly to being lectured to. Telling somebody who has had many years training and experience that what they are telling people is all wrong is bound to get their backs up........human nature. It might fly in the face of an individuals own views, but that is all they are an opinion, not a fact.

A lot of this perception seems to be about diet advice. Well, as we are all different.......it is a plain and simple fact that what works for one may NOT work for somebody else. There may be many reasons why that is so, medical conditions that dictate what they need to eat, drug side effects, intolerance to certain foods etc. The list is endless. That in itself is why we cannot have a script that dictates the advice that is given. A bible....so to speak. Each person has to be evaluated and treated as an individual holistically. That in my view is what makes a good HCP.

Advice on the internet varies immensely.......treat it with caution, even here there is some advice which is questionable to say the least.......especially regarding supplements. Many other sites are just plain dangerous and one has to consider all aspects before jumping in with dietary advice which may be harmful. I think the consensus on here is that the NHS advice regarding a suitable diet for a Diabetic is flawed. My own personal view is that it needs re-vamping to make sure that individuals don't get the idea that you need to eat 'plenty of starchy carbs with each meal.' People read that and think it is OK to fill up with the stuff.

All I want to see is the sort of advice we see on here to 'reduce' carbs to a level that is suitable for the individual and allows good control of Bg levels. An admittance that what works for some......may not be appropriate for others........ We don't all have to do exactly the same thing to achieve that.

 

[Patch]

A lot of this perception seems to be about diet advice. Well, as we are all different.......it is a plain and simple fact that what works for one may NOT work for somebody else. There may be many reasons why that is so, medical conditions that dictate what they need to eat, drug side effects, intolerance to certain foods etc. The list is endless. That in itself is why we cannot have a script that dictates the advice that is given. A bible....so to speak. Each person has to be evaluated and treated as an individual holistically. That in my view is what makes a good HCP.

I agree completely - that's been my point for a while. The ones I've seen do exactly that - quote from a single source ("their" Bible). I would love to see one that considered my position and gave advice based on that. But they haven't (so far).

Maybe next time I'll get lucky and see a good one. Shame that I have to rely on luck when I pay exactly the same tax and NI as everyone else.

Fongers crossed, eh?

 

[jaykay]

Just come across this on another website and it seemed very apt : "What we see depends mainly on what we look for." - John Lubbock
It of course works both ways.

 

[Patch]

The DEFINITELY works both ways! :lol:

I've been told point blank to my face that eating porridge for breakfast would help keep my BG low throughout the day!

 

[cugila]

Patch.
I know exactly what you mean.

My previous Practice Nurse (so called Diabetic Nurse) gave me the usual advice and as I am sure you know it was just rubbish. She was 'old school' and only knew what she had read and what was the 'normal' advice. As I have said many times before it nearly killed me ! Fortunately she retired and the new PN took over with a far more relaxed attitude to things, especially diet. Her words to me recently, " We all know that a reduction of carbs for a Diabetic has to be the way forward." She doesn't believe in high fat though ! :lol:

My Specialists are just that, educated, researched and flexible. Been with them both for over 9 yrs. We may not always agree.......but I know I can trust them because they trust me too. We have a great open, frank and honest relationship. They are like good friends to me, always available if I need to speak to them, day or night (within reason) phone, text, e-mail or person to person. I am very lucky having such a relationship with them.......I know it isn't the usual treatment. I feel sad that not everybody gets such a fantastic result from their HCP's. It shouldn't be a lottery.
Most of my Diabetes Clinic appointments at the Hospital usually have more time spent discussing Diabetes and it's treatment, medication, diet etc. There is very little of it that is actually about me.........

I hope you do get better luck in the future, I hope everybody benefits from a less structured approach to Diabetes.

That's just it about Porridge.......there are those that can eat the stuff without having any problem.
Maybe the Nurse or whatever should say MIGHT......that seems to be the 'buzzword.'

 

[ally5555]

I would love to know what this bible is - anyone enlighten me?

Allyx

 

[cugila]

I would love to know what this bible is - anyone enlighten me?

Allyx

I think in some cases it begins with a B.........