Home Visits from a GP

[Drisgirl]

I look after a very independant sprightly elderly lady on a Friday morning.Just clean and do the heavy stuff -take gher shopping.

She is fabulous.

She has been very unwell for 3wks with cystitis -she has now been on 3 different types of Anti's.I went across this morning and was shocked by her appearance.(wasnt ther last Fri as i was away and avoided going across as I have had a bad virus)

She is tiny but has lots so much weight -she could barely walk -she was crying out in pain.

I phoned her GP -he phoned back and said for as long as she could walk he wouldnt come out to see her !!

I couldnt respond as I would have liked as she was there -so we had to virtually carry her out to the car at 5pm so he would deign to give her the privilege of his presence.

She is 84 today and I doubt if she has been at the Docs more than half a dozen times in her life -she is a trouper.

I am so angry and upset that elderly people are treated in such an offhand manner -yet manic drunks and junkies have all the emergency services there at the drop of a hat -and believe me it does happen- as there is a danger of 'harming' themselves.

What do you have to do to get a home visit those days from our 'overworked' GP's -they dont even have to do the night shift now.Bleeding annoyed -anyone else????

[smudge]

Poor lady, bless her.

It really does make you angry the way some people are treated, 'specially the elderly.

It's a good job she has you to rely on Dris, otherwise, the consequences don't bear thinking about.

[ethandron]

you have to be very forceful and insist on a home visit, and say that it's impossible for her to attend the surgery. do it out of her earshot if necessary. old people need the likes of yourself to stand up for their rights, you're doing a great job and it's a good job she has you around. if you have to ring up the surgery again, be very, very positive and totally insist on a home visit, and tell them there is no-way she can attend. it's unacceptable for a sick lady of 84 to have to be taken, in the cold and damp, to the surgery.

[Drisgirl]

Thank you both -I have just came back to mine after making her some supper.Just a boiled egg and some toast but bless she is managing -another neighbour -who was a Matron is stayin overnight in the hope that she might get a decent sleep.She hasnt had one for 3wks -think she has been worried in case something happened to her.

The GP -has given her tablets which should zonk her and yet more antibiotics -however if there is no improvement by Tuesday she is being admitted to hospital.She has -in his words -a very severe bladder infection which is causing the excrutiating cramps.You cant insist on a GP coming out -they are a law unto themselves -I could have argued until I was blue in the face with him but he had his mind made up when he called me and he wasnt for backing down.

I will go across in the morning and do the breakfast shift.
We are all rallying round and have a rota worked out.

I could have went to town on him today but he was on the defensive immediately -as in his words -she was OK and managed to sit in the surgery for half an hour the last time he saw her -a week ago.

O for an old fashioned GP -even the ones we had when my kids were younger (not that long ago really) came out in the dead of night and still appeared for work in the morning.

Compassion -must have left it behind when he got his first posting.Dont they realise they chose this caring profession -no-one asked them to pick this career path -o to sit behind a desk all day and write scripts -no call outs and every weekend off -for what -best part of �60k per annun.

Bobbies job !!!!!!!!!!

[Sir Alec]

Hello Dris! Sorry if this sounds flippant. I used to get persistent cystitis which led to a damaged kidney. I havn't had cystitis for years now as I drink a glass of cranberry juice every day. It's not the cheapest of juices available, but well worth it for the health benefits.

[jno]

it would cut into his money-counting time, I expect. Wait until after hours then ring NHS Direct and tell them the symptoms. If necessary they will do home visits (not instantly, might take an hour or two depending how many sick people are arount).

[puddicat]

Hi Dris bang out of order you she can demand a home visit, poor soul i am fed at the way the elderly are treated after all we are going to reach that age,they have a policy at her surgery that you can challenge and believe me if you challenge there statement they will **** themselves go on ask???

[phillipa.d]

Hi Dris, I get annoyed by this type of treatment of old folks too. My nan (93) broke her ankle and was in hospital, and one day my mum visited and she was stark naked in bed!!! is it too much trouble for someone to make sure a 93 year old lady has her nightie on????

btw - the antis may be causing the cystitis - ask for cefalexin (prob wrong spelling) it works wonders for cystitis (i get this with every course of antibiotics i take, but two days of cefalexin and its gone....

also, you may find her being confused with the cystitis - this is common too, but will pass...

Thank god she's got someone like you looking out for her.

[shanx]

i had systitus at childbirth , and was told to drink six jugs of water a day , it flushes the kidneys .

[Drisgirl]

Thanks all -I have been pottering back and forwards to make sure she took the right medicine -even although I had it written down .

I am now relaxed as she seems to have fallen into the deep sleep she so sorely needed (relaxed as she knows we're all there for her-i may have to do the sleepover tomorrow -i'll just punt her when the X Factor is on and say its 10 o clock lol -naw i wouldnt honestly lol

Right have to sleep before my wake-up call-nightie night !!!

[sqad617]

Home visits by GP�s are judged on medical condition,NOT age.
However, I do feel that in this case a home visit would have been appropriate.

[Drisgirl]

Hi again everyone -well I have been there since 9am and the lady who was sleeping over had phoned NHS24 as she was in so much pain.
I was there wen the GP came and she verified that she was de-hydrated -she has stronger pain killers -and as Sir Alec said-we now have her on Cranberry Juice and she HAS to drink it.

The problem is that she has such a severe infection in her bladder and is 86 but she is quite simply so tired to even bother with drinking.

She has been told that hospital is the next step if she doesnt drink up-so we are hovering over her basically forcing her to drink.

Big Up to NHS24 -they were absolutely tremendous as was the GP who came out and spent time explaining everthing to her.Credit where its due.

Im back at 7.30pm to bath her and make her bed up -tell you im blooming shattered !!!!

[masma]

Oh bless you and fair play to you for caring so much. I would say that if you can't get her doc out to see her call NHS Direct, they're fabulous as I know first hand. Good luck and I hope your lady will soon recover.

[MrXLA]

Firstly I'd like to say its unfortunate that the NHS is in the state that it is and I really genuinely empathise with your situation.

But... There are replies on here which clearly demonstrate the ignorance and sheer lack of respect for our health care professionals.

Firstly I'd like to adress those critising the rate of pay, yes it is a very good salary but it is DAMM WELL EARNED!!!! how many of you done what is arguably one of the most difficult undergraduate degree programmes for 5-6 years followed by 5 years (MINIMUM!!!) working as a junior grade doctor doing ridiculous and unsafe hours in a system that is under resourced, over abused and generally a very difficult place to work, especially if YOU ACTUALLY CARE about people!!!

AND YES unfortunately GPS are overworked and use your noggin, GPs generally CANNOT see everybody who requests a home appointment at home (or they wouldn't be in the surgery would they!!!!!) so I'm assuming that unfortunately certain criteria need to be met and I feel that perhaps the ability to physically get to the surgery is the most appropriate place to start.

How would you deal with a situation for instance if you only have time to see so many patients (only one of youself and so much time available) and half can get to you (albeit with difficulty) and the other half are alone at home frail and cannot walk!!! who would you choose to go out and see??

[MrXLA]

To the person with what in my oppinion (for what its worth!!) who thinks its a good idea for a GP to be woken in the middle of the night do on calls and then see patients the next day.

I ask this, given the complexity of medicine (in any setting!!) which you may or may not have any appreciation of, who would you want examining you, the GP who has slept the night before or the one who is worn out from on calls the night before?

NB - paying someone a decent salary for a demanding job does not make them any less human or remove the need for sleep, it also does not make them any less overworked!!!!

To those of you niave enough to think that a decent salary makes any job less stressful (regardless of the pressures imposed) I can say with great authority that you are most certainly incorrect.

[MrXLA]

I don't here many of you critiscing business owners, lawyers, trade's people, accountants etc...

Is it acceptable that every other profession has the right to be rewarded for the hard work they do exept those in the caring profession???

What has happended to society today deeply saddens me, the suggestion that the people who are trying to help others are somehow themselves responsible for the problems in the health service sickens me.

The NHS in its current form is unsustainable and in my view dangerous.
I don't know how or if it can ever be healed and I wonder if perhaps it should be replaced.

To any narrow minded people thinking of using the 'I've paid my national insurance for X years so I should have this etc...' I ask if the proportion of NI that went on healthcare was given back to you, how much healthcare you would really get if you had to fund it on a private basis????

[smudge]

Are you a General Practitioner by any chance MrXLA?

[Bathsheba]

Blimey! ** Bathsheba makes mental note not to have root canal work done by Mr XLA **

[smudge]

Mmmm, I couldn't resist asking him that Bathsheba!

[Bathsheba]

I think he's a maxillo-facial guy, smudge, but i could be wrong :-) xx

[smudge]

I do hope not Bathsheba.

I visit the maxio-facial department of our local hospital every six months. I have to wear a gum shield to stop me from grinding my teeth in my sleep.

Sounds as if MrXLA could do with one too! ;o}