Finding out a Doctor's details

[O'Reilly]

I have just received a letter advising me that my female Doctor is leaving the pracise and will be replaced my another female who will work 3 days a week and be devoting half a day to a "woman's surgery". This is fine if I decide that I have two and a half days in which to see her. Normally I only have annual MOT's so its easy to fit in an appointment, BUT I know nothing of this new doc - her age or anything else. All my old Doctor's patients have automatically been transferred to this new lady and I would like to know a little bit about her. When I moved I could check the surgery practise and chose my doctor but this time I am being given no choice. Now she may be wonderful but I would like to find out a little about her (if I don't like what I find I'll opt to another doctor within the practise) so how can I find out about this new doc in advance?

[bednobs]

what information would you like to know?
what did you find out about your current doctor before you saw her for the first time?

[O'Reilly]

Well there used to be a news sheet about the doctors, their hobbies, interests, medically what their interests were, if they were married or had children and so on. This way you got an idea of their ages and what they were really "in to" when it came to medicine. What am I trying to find out? well the other doctors are known for their likes, tastes, intersts, medical type of treatments, fitness regimes, hobbies and so on - so you get an idea of the person who will treat you and you form a trust and a bond. I simply wanted to find out about this new doctor who I have been registered with and whether or not she'll float my boat.

[CheekyChops]

I don't understand how a Doctor's hobbies should affect whether or not he/she will be good at their job! Or her age, come to that. An older Doctor will obviously have far more experience but could be set in her ways where as a younger one could be more receptive to using newer drugs and stuff.

Don't they do the news sheet anymore or isn't the new Doctor listed on it?

I admit that I don't even know who my Doctor is, never mind what they like doing in their spare time and quite frankly, I don't care as long as they are qualified. At my practice, you usually see whichever Doctor is on duty that day, whether you are their patient or not. You can specify a particular Doc if you like but may have to wait longer for an appointment.

If you only visit the Doctor once a year or when you are genuinely ill, I wouldn't worry about it.

[beryllium]

Fully understand O'Reilly.
When you go for any type of appointment medically, you need to know their track records.
You could enquire at the surgery about their qualifications. How long have they been qualified. Where did they train?
What is their specialist subject? any cases pending against them??? etc etc etc......

You could google their name... see if that brings up any info...

Best o' luck with your new GP lol.....

[O'Reilly]

beryllium, that's exactly what I meant! When your life is in their hands you want to know their track record. Sheesh - one doctor in the practice told all his patients to cycle or get an exercise bike to get fit - probably had a lot to do with the fact that the doctor in question was in the national press for cycling all round Brazil to raise funds.....I mean it's good to know a doc's hobbies and interests at times, whether they are straight from college and practising on you or whether they have a lot of previous experience..

[treefrog.]

Nothing wrong with finding out about past record, after all im sure those families who lost loves ones to Harold shipman wished they did, not that she will be that dramatic so dont be alarmed :OP

[O'Reilly]

Treefrog?..............................aaaaarghhhhh

[treefrog.]

Sorry i didn't mean to sound brutal, i didn't really construct the point very well :(

[O'Reilly]

No I understood you. I just won't let this new doctor ever give me an injection, heh

[alijangra]

Fair enough knowing about them professionally but I dont see that you have any right to be given dtails about their private lives and families, that is adsolutely none of your business unless they choose to tell you.