Serious concerns about GP's conduct - opinions appreciated

[Advocate]

Hi all

Me and my partner would really welcome anyone's advice on this, particularly if they are in the medical profession. Apologies if this is a long post, but we'd really appreciate if anyone could take the time to read it all.

My partner and I visited our GP together a few days ago and are really concerned at the treatment we received.

Right from the outset the GP appeared to be in a shirty mood, and before we'd even begun she snapped "You'll have to be quick, I haven't got long". Not a good start, particularly as we had come about two serious issues.

First of all we wanted the results (and the GP's assessment) of a fertility test I had done at the hospital. The GP printed them off her computer then stared at them on her desk for a while. She then said, to our surprise "I don't really know how I'm supposed to interpret these, because I don't know what's classed as normal".

Forgive me, but I thought they learned things like that at medical school? And what about all those books on her shelves - wouldn't they provide clues?

She pointed to one line of the result and said "This says 40 but I don't know what it's out of - 40 is just a number and could mean anything."

I then saw a percentage sign directly after the number 40 (even though I was reading it at a distance, and upside down) and pointed this out to her. She said "Oh yes, I didn't notice that. Well I suppose it means 40 out of 100 then". But even then she couldn't say whether this was good, bad or average.

Who's ever heard of a doctor not noticing a percentage sign after a number?

We continued to ask what the results actually meant, but she was extremely vague and could give no real answer. We kept asking what we should do next (regarding trying to have a baby), but again she was vague and could offer no suggestions.

Only at our instigation did she finally refer to us to a specialist unit at a hospital, but she seemed to know nothing about the relevant services offered by the hospitals in the area, and said she would put the matter in the hands of one of the surgery's clerical staff. We still don't know if it was actually necessary to refer us to specialists, because we still don't know if there's a problem!

To be honest we are flabbergasted that a doctor didn't seem to have the faintest idea how to interpret a list of results supplied by the local hospital. We feel we'd have had more success by obtaining the results directly off the hospital and doing some homework on Google! (even though they won't let you do this).

The second issue was a serious condition my partner has suffered from for a long time, and so far all the treatments prescribed by the GP have failed. My partner raised the problem and the GP said "well, there is one new drug I could prescribe which has been available since the start of this year, but I don't know if it's suitable for you as I haven't had time to read up about it".

The GP then wrote the name of the drug on a piece of paper, together with a website address, and told my partner to go away and do her own research on the drug, then come back and tell the GP if she wanted it.

When we got home and visited the website, we found it was prescribing information issued by a pharma company that manufactures the drug, and the website clearly warned that this information was only for the reference of physicians (ie. doctors), and not patients.

Now, I'm not 100% about this, but I've a strong feeling that in the UK there are strict clinical guidelines which say that patients are not supposed to "choose" their own drugs in this manner. I thought that only doctors were supposed to read prescribing information and then make professional assessments.

We're a bit bewildered and shellshocked by the whole episode. It sounds incredible, I know, but there was nothing professional about this GP's behaviour. It felt like we were taking our medical problems to a bloke in the pub!

Does anyone think we should make a complaint? We're not keen on the idea of doing this, as I suppose it just feels awkward to question someone of that status. But on the other hand, it is a serious matter if a doctor isn't doing their job correctly, and if nobody complains then she will never be held to account.

[alwaysonthego]

God that is terrible. I would contact the Gp's surgery and speak to the manager. I would get another appointment with a different doctor too and maybe contact the GMC

[TheWaltons]

Shocking. You want answers from the Doctor - you don't expect to be sent with a Website address to Google it yourself.

Jesus.. if we could all select what Drugs we wanted from the websites.. we wouldn't need Drs in the first place.

What a joke. She gets paid a fortune for patients diagnosing themselves.

I would complain complain complain and give them the website address she WROTE for you as proof!!!

[frivolous_fay]

This is pretty shocking.

I've been reading this site lately (for the opposite reason as you, heh) and there is sooo much stuff in the forums. You may find something that helps you.... and the book by Toni Weschler is excellent.

http://www.tcoyf.com/

[Justie]

well firstly everyone has their off days and GPs are only human so you may find that on another occasion the GP would be fine. That said I would make a complaint to the practice manager - in particular being told to be quick when you start when you're both concerned about test results is enough to annoy anyone. GPs can't be expected to understand everything involved in specialist areas - what she should have done was find out for you rather than flounder around. Either way getting a referral won't do you any harm but you may be bbale to get the info you require from one of the other GPs.

As for the new drug - as a patient I'd rather be informed about the pros and cons of new drugs so I would have been happier with being given the information and asked my opinion than being just prescribed something that may or may not be of benefit. In my experience when you've had a condition for a while you often end up knowing more than the GP does anyway... Your partner will still need the drug prescribing by a doctor.


You always have a choice to change GPs either within your own surgery or at another one. Your first port of call is with the practice manager and then you need to work out if you want another GP at the practice to look at the test results and to offer advice on the new drug - they should be able to offer you an appointment or speak to you on the phone about it.

[hev]

Change GPs

I went back to my (former) GPs after I had walked around with a coil half in and half out for ten days (yes - it's not supposed to happen like that, but hey!). The GP seemed to take it personally and I almost had to beg to get it taken out.

When I complained of a temperature, she said (without looking at my throat) that I had tonsilitis. I didn't tell her that I had my tonsils removed thirty years ago. I just smiled, left and found another GP.

There are some really good GPs out there, like the ones I am with. Your health is far too important to risk with a GP who doesn't care.

[wendym]

Just in case you need to keep the practice onside, I'd approach the manager in the spirit of 'I wonder if you could help with something that is puzzling and worrying me?' rather than a head-on complaint.

[Need_More_Money]

First of all we wanted the results (and the GP's assessment) of a fertility test I had done at the hospital. The GP printed them off her computer then stared at them on her desk for a while. She then said, to our surprise "I don't really know how I'm supposed to interpret these, because I don't know what's classed as normal".

Forgive me, but I thought they learned things like that at medical school? And what about all those books on her shelves - wouldn't they provide clues?

She pointed to one line of the result and said "This says 40 but I don't know what it's out of - 40 is just a number and could mean anything."

I then saw a percentage sign directly after the number 40 (even though I was reading it at a distance, and upside down) and pointed this out to her. She said "Oh yes, I didn't notice that. Well I suppose it means 40 out of 100 then". But even then she couldn't say whether this was good, bad or average.


This part is not quite as bad as it first seems. The 'normal range' of a test can vary with several factors including exactly what technique is used to measure it. The department performing the test should really provide a normal range for the test as performed by them. GPs cannot be expected to know and remember how to interpret the results of every test. For more compicated tests, the results are better interpreted by someone in the appropriate speciality rather than by a GP.


We continued to ask what the results actually meant, but she was extremely vague and could give no real answer. We kept asking what we should do next (regarding trying to have a baby), but again she was vague and could offer no suggestions.

If no normal range had been provided to the GP she would be correct not to try and interpret it, but if this is the case, perhaps she should've been more open and contacted the relevant hospital dept for advice.



To be honest we are flabbergasted that a doctor didn't seem to have the faintest idea how to interpret a list of results supplied by the local hospital. We feel we'd have had more success by obtaining the results directly off the hospital and doing some homework on Google! (even though they won't let you do this).


This really wouldn't be advisable! The information on Google is completely unregulated and you have no idea if what you read is correct. Although you might find normal ranges for the test (if you know the name of it) that normal range might not be appropriate for your local population (normal ranges for some things can vary by race or other things) or for the exact technique used at your hospital.


The GP then wrote the name of the drug on a piece of paper, together with a website address, and told my partner to go away and do her own research on the drug, then come back and tell the GP if she wanted it.


This part however does seem to be entirely inappropriate! The prescribing information is not usually easy to interpret and is aimed at medical staff. I'd be amazed if a GP would consider prescribing it without reading it themselves

[belfastgirl23]

I think in the interim I'd try to make an appointment to see the senior or longest standing gp in the practice to go over the test results and talk about the drug. At the end of this consultation I'd say there was something I wanted them to be aware of and just describe your experiences to them as dispassionately as possible and say that this had really concerned you.

I wouldn't go back to the original doc ever though!

[melancholly]

although i agree that a GP won't know the details of every specialist test, it is really unprofessional for them not to check the details before patients turn up. surely the GP should have looked at the results before the OP and partner went in, and checked what the results meant? fertility is emotional enough as it is, but can imagine if it was a test that meant life or death?!

are other sugerys in your area allowing new patients? if so, then i would go right on ahead and formally complain - it is not the job of a patient with no medical training to research drugs on the internet to see if they're appropriate! i'm shocked by that! if you may be burning bridges with your only possible GP practice, then perhaps a more gentle approach is suitable.

[inkie]

although i agree that a GP won't know the details of every specialist test, it is really unprofessional for them not to check the details before patients turn up. surely the GP should have looked at the results before the OP and partner went in, and checked what the results meant?


In my professional practice I would ring up and get advice about test results whilst the patients are there, not before

[Need_More_Money]

although i agree that a GP won't know the details of every specialist test, it is really unprofessional for them not to check the details before patients turn up. surely the GP should have looked at the results before the OP and partner went in, and checked what the results meant?

The fault might lie with the hospital in not providing normal ranges for reference.

[melancholly]

In my professional practice I would ring up and get advice about test results whilst the patients are there, not before
ok fair comment, what i guess i meant was that it seems biazarre to just look blanky at the paper not knowing what it's about! to not do anything other than show you have no idea is really bad! i've had a fair number of tests using 3 different GP surgerys (while at uni) and have never experienced anything like the OP. most of the time when i've walked into the doctor's room, they've had my results on the table in front of them - they may have only looked at them 2 mins before i entered the room, but they still looked!


The fault might lie with the hospital in not providing normal ranges for reference.
true - but again, the GP should have shown some initiative to find it out.

i know GPs have a hard job, and that everyone has bad days. i have been very lucky and only ever had good experiences with all the various GPs i've seen over the years. i just think this behvaviour isn't on! i wouldn't want to go back to this GP - and i also don't think the behaviour should be condoned. imagine this kind of attitude towards someone elderly who could struggle to understand?

[lolly5648]

First of all we wanted the results (and the GP's assessment) of a fertility test I had done at the hospital. The GP printed them off her computer then stared at them on her desk for a while. She then said, to our surprise "I don't really know how I'm supposed to interpret these, because I don't know what's classed as normal"..

Can I ask why the hospital didnt give you the results of the fertility test and explain them to you? If they just told you to get them from your GP, surely you should have gone back to the GP who referred you in the first place and would have known about any problems you were having.

Before you make a complaint you should check whether any other surgeries are taking on patients because a lot of practices ban patients who complain, whether they are right or not, as the doctors think they are troublemakers.

[nealallen]

I've found 2 site's that have information about complaining about your GP

http://www.thesite.org/homelawandmoney/askthesiteqandas/legalandrightsqandas/doctordilemma

http://www.gmc-uk.org/concerns/index.asp