General Practitioner experiences

Nyan Cat · 16-07-2012 06:05PM

Years to get a diagnosis (seriously it took 10 years to figure out what was going on with one thing) because they'd run a test - find nothing and carry on. I'd have to push for more tests
And every time I've had to do that's it's been something as I have a condition.

Some docs are great - unfortunately some aren't and some are too old school 'throw antibiotics at it'

Reality_Check1 · 16-07-2012 06:11PM

To answer a few points that have come up in the thread;

All professions have the good and the bad its unfair to tar all GP's with the one brush.

Re money scammers - The GP only gets paid for 3 visits per year from a medical card holder at a discount rate. Therefore if they are being attended by a medical card holder regularly they are largely working for free. They have a staggering amount of overheads and thats why the cost to non medical card holders is higher.

the reason they only spend 10 mins with each patient is that they have to spend a further 10 mins writing notes, doing quick research and making recommendations before reading up on the next patient before they bring them into the office. Considering how busy surgerys are its not possible to spend any longer with patients although some would like to its just not feasable.

Re gate keepers - they are instructed to avoid sending people to hospital if avoidable. In case you havn't noticed our health service is in bits. they would be sending you to an environment where it is possible you could be seen by a newly qualified doc who hasnt slept for 3 days and is liable to make a mistake. only the most serious cases will be referred.

Just providing some balance to the debate as it seemed to be heading down the anecdotal sensationalist route you might find in a tabloid. Not saying GP's a perfect but they are trying to operate in an imperfect system

Reality_Check1 · 16-07-2012 06:18PM

mishkalucy wrote: »

I have zero faith in the majority of medical practitioners in this country.

Irish medical schools are regarded among the top places in the world to train. The problem is the HSE and people in general here treat doctors like crap so any decent one's usually emigrate where they are treated better.

They are replaced by person's from abroad who are not as well trained. It was in the paper recently of how an immigrant doc couldnt even take a pulse (not that I have anything against immigrents just making the point they got their education abroad)

somefeen · 16-07-2012 06:47PM

Never had many problems with the doctor, even when I was on the medical card.
Unfortunately he died of cancer not long after I moved to the UK.

The NHS is a much better system than the Irish one though, everyone gets free treatment and AFAIK the GPs and dentists are awarded contracts with the NHS to look after X amount of patients. The contract is fairly lucrative as it basically guarantees patients so they do their best to keep it.

Karona · 17-07-2012 11:55PM

I am sick of GPs. I have been to one regarding me knee, do you think she would even look at it, not a chance, she was too busy checking on google what it could be from the symptoms I gave her, sure I could have done that myself.

Then my sister went with her 2 kids who were finding it hard to breath and told it was a cold they had and they would be fine. She brought them to another and another and was told the same thing, even though she knew something was wrong. She brought them to the doctor on call one night when she had had enough because her 3 year old was hallucinating with an extremely high temperature and the doctor told her to go straight to hospital.

2 days later and the 3 month old was admitted. The 3 year old had a bad case of pneumonia and the 3 month old had bronchialittus.

Sorry for the long post but i think the doctors should be informed when they misdiagnose. it has happened too many times and for them to just shrug it off.

woodoo · 18-07-2012 12:09AM

I think if medical card holders had to pay €10 per visit they would attend less with silly complaints. There would be less pressure on GP's to refer people to hospital if less people were turning up over egging their symptoms.

I'm happy enough with my GP practice. They are fairly good. But the problem exists where they are reluctant to refer you on if you don't have private insurance.

Smidge · 18-07-2012 12:12AM

Reality_Check1 wrote: »

Irish medical schools are regarded among the top places in the world to train. The problem is the HSE and people in general here treat doctors like crap so any decent one's usually emigrate where they are treated better.

They are replaced by person's from abroad who are not as well trained. It was in the paper recently of how an immigrant doc couldnt even take a pulse (not that I have anything against immigrents just making the point they got their education abroad)

So it wouldn't be due to the fact that as soon as possible the majority of Irish doctors get enough experience they take their HSE salary and then feck off into private practice???

I've spent the last six years dealing with the medical community in this country and I am ashamed for them.

herisson · 18-07-2012 12:22AM

I had to get blood taken a few years back!
My GP stuck the needle in, lost the vain then decides to MOVE the fcuking thing around without taking it out, trying to find a vain :mad:

Most painful blood test ive ever had!

Seren_ · 18-07-2012 12:23AM

road_sweeper wrote: »

GP,s dont like patients to have an opinion and they certainly dont like patients to give their opinion , they perfer patients to act like a vets patients , say nothing and take whatever is given

Ah to be fair I don't think that is true of all GPs/doctors. Of course there are GPs that think they are fonts of knowledge not to be questioned, but others (possibly the majority of cases even) would listen to the patient and take their concerns on board.

The GP I see at the moment is great. I have a lot of health issues, including some complex mental health ones, and she really has been very helpful over the few years I've been seeing her. She's a great listener too, which is obviously a really good quality for a doctor to have, although not all are blessed with that! The GP at my college is absolutely wonderful as well. Seriously, I have never seen someone go above and beyond their role in helping people as much as her. I basically nearly lived in the medical centre at one point during college because I was so unwell, and her and the rest of the staff were amazing. Did the same for a lot of people I know too.

On the other hand, I've also been seen by a few awful GPs. I find in those cases it seems to be that their personality is just totally not suited to a job involving people. Luckily haven't been to one who was totally incompetent, although I have heard some stories :eek: People around where I'm located will probably know who I mean by that.

humbert · 18-07-2012 12:32AM

Reality_Check1 wrote: »

the reason they only spend 10 mins with each patient is that they have to spend a further 10 mins writing notes, doing quick research and making recommendations before reading up on the next patient before they bring them into the office. Considering how busy surgerys are its not possible to spend any longer with patients although some would like to its just not feasable.

Re gate keepers - they are instructed to avoid sending people to hospital if avoidable. In case you havn't noticed our health service is in bits. they would be sending you to an environment where it is possible you could be seen by a newly qualified doc who hasnt slept for 3 days and is liable to make a mistake. only the most serious cases will be referred.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Just on these two points.

The GPs I know of are operating a private practice. I don't know of government run surgeries but I don't know much about it.

My understanding is that there is no quota to be filled so more time with patients simply means less money for the GP and vise versa. Just from my own experience, the turnaround between patients was usually much much less than ten minutes but I presume that varies between doctors.

I do appreciate that a direct route to specialists would leave them swamped but there are very few professions that can tell you "I'm not able to help you at all, you'll have to go see this guy. Now pay me.".

Is there any restriction on the frequency medical card holders can visit the doc without having to pay? (I take it that if the doc is not getting paid after the third visit the patient isn't paying anything either).

SusieBlue · 18-07-2012 12:38AM

I love my GP. I've been going to her since I was a baby, she usually knows if I'm ill before I do myself. I wouldn't be able to find a better one if I tried.

littleteapot · 18-07-2012 12:38AM

I was refused a smear test on the basis of being a lesbian who's not extremely sexually active even though cervical cancer is caused by more than just heaps of sex.
And I've had a bad back for a year and a half for which I had to pretty much beg to get an x-ray. The x-ray showed nothing wrong, and the doctor hasn't suggested any further tests. He did suggest spinal surgery though, you know, just in case!?

mauzo · 18-07-2012 12:55AM

ABout a year ago I went to the doctor because I had back pain. He said it was fine.
Started to notice swelling around the base of my spine and lumps on my spine.

He told me to go to physio. Waited months for physio, went for 2 months and she said I needed an x ray. Even to look at my back the swelling is noticeable, and you can see a 'step'
NOw a year later, I'm waiting for spinal surgery because I have cysts growing out of my spine and It's misaligned. Even after the x ray the doctor is still telling me its nothing.
I can feel at least 10 lumps on my spine!!!

peewee_44 · 18-07-2012 01:28AM

My GP is great I don't relish going to him hes a doc after all but I like him

Shryke · 18-07-2012 02:07AM

Great for writing a cert. Not great for finding what an illness might be.

Richard Hillman · 18-07-2012 02:17AM

As i said in another thread. I was very ill a few years ago, knew what was wrong with me and couldnt afford a GP until i got paid. When i got paid I went to the GP and told him what was wrong with me and he said that i should go to the hospital. Of course that cost €60. The doctor in the hospital told me, i would have died had i left it a few days later.

At the moment i have an issue that I know what is wrong and what medication i need (nothing serious). I need to go to him and pay him 60 quid to get a poorly written note to get a prescription :rolleyes:

Its like a cartel the GPs, the law makers and the pharmacists have. They have no morals :mad:

sarahbro · 18-07-2012 02:25AM

Went to the doctors about 2 years ago. I thought I had a chest/throat infection.

Got a locum instead of my normal doctor.
She took a look down my throat and Said "oh you've got tonsilitis, your tonsils are very big"

I had to tell her I had my tonsils taken out 10 years ago :eek:

fasttalkerchat · 18-07-2012 02:44AM

Broke my collar bone a few years back. It didn't heal right. Sits at a bad angle and join is only a few mm. I went to the GP and she said I would probably need an operation and sent me on to a specialist. Specialist took one look at it and said it looks very good... I thought he was being sarcastic but no. He claimed that that's the best you can get from a broken collar bone. 3 years later and it still flares up every few months.

ToddyDoody · 18-07-2012 02:48AM

'I'll write you a prescription'

Reality_Check1 · 18-07-2012 03:40AM

Going to ignore the majority of this thread as it is either isolated incidence that I dont know enough about to comment or posts filled with too much misinformation to correct.

To answer the 2 below

mishkalucy wrote: »

So it wouldn't be due to the fact that as soon as possible the majority of Irish doctors get enough experience they take their HSE salary and then feck off into private practice???

I've spent the last six years dealing with the medical community in this country and I am ashamed for them.

In order to become a GP you need to get on the scheme which means working for the HSE as a hospital doc for a few years. As soon as your "training" is over you can leave and enter private practice. Im not really sure what you are suggesting but it sounds like you want them to work for free if they have any intention of entering private practice later.

humbert wrote: »

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Just on these two points.

The GPs I know of are operating a private practice. I don't know of government run surgeries but I don't know much about it.

My understanding is that there is no quota to be filled so more time with patients simply means less money for the GP and vise versa. Just from my own experience, the turnaround between patients was usually much much less than ten minutes but I presume that varies between doctors.

I do appreciate that a direct route to specialists would leave them swamped but there are very few professions that can tell you "I'm not able to help you at all, you'll have to go see this guy. Now pay me.".

Is there any restriction on the frequency medical card holders can visit the doc without having to pay? (I take it that if the doc is not getting paid after the third visit the patient isn't paying anything either).

Good few points here.

1. A quota doesnt have to be filled but if a doctor didnt see enough patients the surgery wouldnt be profitable. The overheads are literally astronomical - 6 figure insurance, receptionist wages, heat, ESB, Equipment etc. Some GP's have to see all these patients to justify the business.

2. In extremist cases the GP will just refer you on without trying to help you. In most cases (I hope) they will try to get to the route of the problem without blocking up the hospital route.

3. A medical card holder can visit as often as they want free of charge but the doc only gets paid for 3 visits as far as Im aware. I'm sure you can see how this is problematic if you have a surgery that is mainly attended by medical card holders

Reality_Check1 · 18-07-2012 03:55AM

I'll answer a few more - damn insomnia

Karona wrote: »

Then my sister went with her 2 kids who were finding it hard to breath and told it was a cold they had and they would be fine. She brought them to another and another and was told the same thing, even though she knew something was wrong. She brought them to the doctor on call one night when she had had enough because her 3 year old was hallucinating with an extremely high temperature and the doctor told her to go straight to hospital.

2 days later and the 3 month old was admitted. The 3 year old had a bad case of pneumonia and the 3 month old had bronchialittus.

Sorry for the long post but i think the doctors should be informed when they misdiagnose. it has happened too many times and for them to just shrug it off.

This comes up regularly enough. Its where one common problem masks a more serious problem and is virtually impossible to detect. I'v no doubt the first couple of doctors you went to made the correct diagnosis based on the information that was available to them. The only reason the doctor on call caught it was because as the symptoms get more serious the true illness shines through and the real problem becomes apparent.

Not making excuses for anyone but I'm sure you can see what an impossible position the first 2/3 doctors were in.

Your Text Here wrote: »

Ah to be fair I don't think that is true of all GPs/doctors. Of course there are GPs that think they are fonts of knowledge not to be questioned, but others (possibly the majority of cases even) would listen to the patient and take their concerns on board.

Thats the way they are teaching it now - they are placing heavy emphasis on listening to the patient and taking everything they have to say on board. Im sure you can appreciate however due to the internet age we live in that a lot of patients are coming into surgeries having looked up the internet and deciding already what is wrong with them. This must be hard for old school doctors to take as they would be used to knowing it all and the patient knowing next to nothing. Also the internet is horrible it always gives the worst case scenarios so half the job would be convincing someone with a minor swelling they dont have cancer for example

littleteapot wrote: »

And I've had a bad back for a year and a half for which I had to pretty much beg to get an x-ray. The x-ray showed nothing wrong, and the doctor hasn't suggested any further tests. He did suggest spinal surgery though, you know, just in case!?

An x-ray exposes you to a really dangerous amount of radiation - especially in a core region such as your spine. Considering the dangers of increased radiation I can understand why the doctor was reluctant to send you for an x-ray particularly if he thought you didnt need one.

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

Broke my collar bone a few years back. It didn't heal right. Sits at a bad angle and join is only a few mm. I went to the GP and she said I would probably need an operation and sent me on to a specialist. Specialist took one look at it and said it looks very good... I thought he was being sarcastic but no. He claimed that that's the best you can get from a broken collar bone. 3 years later and it still flares up every few months.

Thats the nature of a broken colarbone unfortunately. I'd say your real gripe lies with the people who set it the first time and not the GP or specialist

Jesus Wept · 18-07-2012 05:11AM

They are generally useless outside of a very narrow spectrum.
Have had mostly bad experiences.

Splendour · 18-07-2012 06:55AM

littleteapot wrote: »

And I've had a bad back for a year and a half for which I had to pretty much beg to get an x-ray. The x-ray showed nothing wrong, and the doctor hasn't suggested any further tests. He did suggest spinal surgery though, you know, just in case!?

This is the problem I've found with Doctors over the years; they send you for a test, nothing is found but they don't suggest doing any other tests-unless I push it. In my mind a GP should keep plugging away until they find the cause of the problem.

Reality_Check1 wrote: »

They are replaced by person's from abroad who are not as well trained. It was in the paper recently of how an immigrant doc couldnt even take a pulse (not that I have anything against immigrents just making the point they got their education abroad)

I've been to many useless Doctors over the years and all but one of them have been Irish.

ziggy · 18-07-2012 07:07AM

This post has been deleted.

hondasam · 18-07-2012 09:14AM

I really like my doctor she is great. I have dropped bloods to the hospital myself this happens if there is no collection on that day and blood goes off after a few days.
It's easier to drop them myself than have to go back to the doctor.

Beruthiel · 18-07-2012 09:24AM

I went to see my GP about my back problem a while ago.
The next day I get a phone call from her.

"Beruthiel, I had a dream about you last night"

"Oh....?"

"I knew I had seen one of my patients with a mole on their back.
I woke up and went through all the people I had seen that day. When I remembered it was you I got up and wrote myself a note to call you, then went back to sleep.
Please come back in and I check out that mole"

My Doc rocks, if a slight bit crazy.

Splendour · 18-07-2012 09:24AM

hondasam wrote: »

I really like my doctor she is great. I have dropped bloods to the hospital myself this happens if there is no collection on that day and blood goes off after a few days.
It's easier to drop them myself than have to go back to the doctor.

I find all GPs great for minor issues but when there's something going on they don't understand, they just seem to lose interest

(

hondasam · 18-07-2012 09:30AM

Splendour wrote: »

I find all GPs great for minor issues but when there's something going on they don't understand, they just seem to lose interest (

I would not disagree totally with that but my doc is good. I know some doctors just push people out the door with a prescription.

Scioch · 18-07-2012 09:33AM

Find a young doctor, older ones are set in their ways and too used to dealing with people and handing out the same thing 200 times a week to give a shít. I recently changed Docs and went to a young guy and it was a different experience altogether.

He seemed interested, asked about background and other issues which may be linked and seemed to take it seriously. Unlike any other Doc I'd ever visited who's sole objective was to get rid of me as fast as possible.

And it was also the first time I had a medical card. I cannot believe I paid those other fcukin sacks of shít 50 quid for 5 minutes of ignorance and a prescription.

Duggy747 · 18-07-2012 09:46AM

My local doctor is ok, he puts on a giant wooden shield on his face, dances around the fire and kills the village's local goat as a sacrifice.

He then gives me a bowl containing it's blood and still-pumping heart while he beats me over the head with his staff.

And that's just when I call in for a checkup.....

General Practitioner experiences

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