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The role of GPs in our dysfunctional health service

  • 29-06-2020 3:54pm
    #1
    BrianD3
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,514 ✭✭✭


    I work full time and am sole carer for a relative who has various ailments (incl dementia) and should be seeing the GP regularly. Still, I try to limit the amount of interactions with the GP as I dread dealing with them. The role of the GP seems to be that of pill dispenser "here's a pill for that, ok next patient".

    The general attitude from the GP is that they are EXTREMELY BUSY AND EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. You basically have to beg for an appointment. The number of hours available in the day for appointments is much shorter than normal working hours.

    If I ring to talk to one of the doctors they understandably won't be able to take my call as they'll be seeing patients but it usually takes days for anyone to get back to me. If I miss the callback and try to return it even a short time later - again the doctor will be seeing patients or "off" and again it could take days to get another callback.

    One of the weapons in the practice reception had the nerve to admonish me for missing a call telling me to "make sure to have your phone in your pocket at all times in case the doctor rings". WTF? Actually, I do have my phone on me most of the time but I also have to make and take other calls many of them related to my relative's health . Maybe I should just sit around and do nothing waiting for a call that might or mightn't come, maybe bring the phone into the shower with me as well?

    There are other issues too like me having to chase up the results of blood tests. Also, if my relative attends a consultant or hospital we will often get a letter from them for the GP. I bring it to the GP and I doubt it is even read because the next time my relative has an appointment or issue, the GP seems unaware of the history.

    What is the problem here, is it greed by the GPs taking on too many patients for the number of staff they have? Or not being able to get staff to work for them? Has government policy made things impossible for them? If GPs can't or won't provide an adequate service, does the service need to be nationalised, how would that work out given the fiasco that is the HSE.

    The practice that my relative attends is paid about 1 million euro per year by the taxpayer for GMS patients.

    Are there standards for what service is expected to be provided to GMS patients and ratios of staff to patients etc.

    Not every GP is like that - I know of one that sees patients from 7 am in the morning - but the ones that are available to me are like that.


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