Are Gps A Thing Of The Past Now?

[Bobbisox1]

I've got a small swelling on my right cheek from the gland behind my ear , a little painful when I'm eating , a feeling of neuralgia, this is from Satur , today I phoned my GP AT 10am, got a call back from a nurse practitioner who asked me a few questions and told me to carry on taking Paracetamol, then a half an hour later another call saying I'd best go in tomorrow for her to look in my ear, fair enough but where's my doctor gone :0(

[emmie]

no idea bobs, ours seem to have more or less vanished from face to face consults.

[Sqad]

80 % of face to face consultations are a waste of time and could be dealt with bya practice nurse or by telephone consultation.................or by AB -;)

[MartinMillar]

Not all medical appointments require gp input this was the same pre COVID

[woofgang]

We have had practice nurses for the simple stuff for years. It works very well, mostly they can sort it, but if not, at my surgery, they say "wait there and I will get a doctor"

[emmie]

at least you got an appointment, hope it goes ok

[riptide]

If they are at all concerned you will be referred to a Doctor

[Vagus]

We’ve not had a problem getting an appointment with anyone medical. Perhaps it depends where you live, who the practice is, and sometimes the patients attitude.
I agree with Sqad.

[bednobs]

GPs as they were ARE a thing of the past. Personally I don't see this as a problem.

[Bobbisox1]

Yes Emmie, she was very thorough in her questions, I think the last time I say a doctor anyway was about 3 years ago

[Bobbisox1]

Vagus, I have an appointment ...with the nurse tomorrow

[237SJ]

My oldest friend is a nurse practitioner. She does the "easy Doctor stuff" but she has been busier since lockdown. She was working from home during the summer but would bring people into the surgery for a more thorough diagnosis if she felt they needed it. I don`t know why GPs are not back at work though. They are no more likely to catch Covid from the public than the staff behind the till at the supermarket are.

[woofgang]

mine have never not been at work, like the vets

[bednobs]

GPs are at work and have been throughout lockdown (well mine has been anyway)

[emmie]

i do know some GP's are working from home.

[emmie]

as i was informed of that fact by receptionist.

[woofgang]

Makes sense emmie. they can phone and video call, do prescriptions and reviews and even go and do home visits if needed, all the while leaving more space in the surgery.

[Bobbisox1]

I wouldn't of even minded a video call woof

[bednobs]

everyone knows nurses are better than doctors anyway

[woofgang]

bobbi, what have you got against being seen by a nurse?

[New Judge]

//GPs as they were ARE a thing of the past. Personally I don't see this as a problem.//

Nor do I . Provided that patients are given sensible alternatives.
Prior to all this nonsense my GP was my first point of contact for any health problems I had. The clue is in the name: they are Primary Care providers. The basic idea is to send you away if they do not think your condition is serious or send you to an expert if they do. If they send you away you either get better or you get worse and hopefully manage to get a second appointment before whatever you are suffering from kills you. It is a "clearing house" system designed to keep people away from the experts as far as possible.

All that's happened in the past few months is that a new Tier - the "pre-primary care" level if you like - has been introduced by stealth. Now patients have to negotiate an earlier level of examination where they have to be pre-assessed to see if they are worthy of bothering their GP. So, the practice nurse does her best to keep patients away from the GP and the GP does her best to keep patients away from the specialists. All the time during this process the patient - however ill or not he may be - has to battle this system that keeps him away from the people who may be able to help him, making additional appointments which may or may not be readily available.

I've a better idea. Cut out the pre-primary and primary care levels. Get the people involved with that to retrain as specialists or assistants to specialists. Set up a proper remote diagnosis system (rather similar to the NHS 111 service, only one which works). At the end of that diagnosis the patient enters his postcode and is referred to the nearest specialist who deals with his problem. Job Done.