GP doesn't help, asks for money, how to complain?

linda008

Hi All,
Sorry I couldn't find any better forum so I'm trying in this forum.

I was lucky that I hadn't have to deal with crook GPs in the past so when it happened to me I was just god smacked.

Took my son to the local GP, he gave antibiotic and asked to come back after a week. Went to see him few days back and this all happened.

Firstly he didn't look at his symptoms at all and keep typing on his computer all the time.

Then he wrote that patient is getting better.

When I complained, he just kept murmuring something and didn't listen.

Then I asked to give me in writing that he is not feeling well so that I could show to his school but he refused to give me any notes and asked for money instead.

Is it a practice to ask for money to give it in writing that patient is sick? Or did he ask for bribery?

Next I asked him to refer me to a specialist for which he said he will pass it to Nurse.

I called surgery to find out the progress with referral to specialist but after 3-4 calls no one gave me any definite answer on what is going on.

Went to Surgery again and they refused to refer to any specialist and they didn’t even bother to reply.

Having lost all hope I decided to visit A&E in nearest hospital, I wasn’t able to get any specialist to look at him but they gave him some medicine.

Even doctors at A&E were surprised at GP’s attitude. They even called the Surgery but no one picked up phone. They also informed that GP should not have asked for money to give a note to me stating that my son is sick.

At the end of all this I just feel like whacking this GP.

I checked out NHS complain system and it seems it is more incompetent that this GP. I read comment’s on NHS website itself and everyone said just stay away from the complain system as it will not help.

Tomorrow I’m going to see a specialist as private patient as I don’t have any insurance.

Could anyone one please let me know what to do with this evil GP? I’m not just going to sit idle and suffer.
:mad:

lindseykim13

change gp? i've got to do the same as mine won't listen to me either!

linda008

lindseykim13 wrote: »

change gp? i've got to do the same as mine won't listen to me either!

Tx,

I'm already doing that.

Any suggestions on what to do with this crook GP? Just let him have free ride?

VfM4meplse

I think there has been a huge misunderstanding here.

Issuing fit notes to be shared with employers is part of a NHS service, but are they necessary for children and schools??! Anything else that you were asking for is not covered bythe NHS Terms of Service, so your GP would have been within his rights to charge. I don't think he wanted your money, but to demonstrate the futility of your request.

If you have a problem with your GP you should contact your local PALS office - the details should be found on your local PCT website.

As for visiting A&E for a second opinion from a specialist - this is not how the system works. A&E docs prescribing an alternative medicine is not necessarily correct, but taking a different course of action to get shot of a worried parent is inconsistent rather than evidence based medicine.

I hope your DS makes a swift recovery. You on the other hand need to work on the relationship you have with the existing GP, or find a new one and try to work constructively with them.

peachyprice

You don't need a note for school to say your son is ill. If you ask your doctor to write a letter that isn't necessary he is entitled to charge you a fee for it. It's not bribery.

Becles

I needed a letter to say I was too ill to sit a university exam and the receptionist told me there would be a £15 charge for such a letter as it's not covered by the NHS.

Luckily my appointment was with a GP who I've known for years and he's really nice, so he wrote me one during the appointment for free and said don't tell reception

unholyangel

Might be different here but here we can complain to the practice. You need to ask for complaint forms which you should then return to the practice manager and they should also inform you of who you can complain to if you are not satisfied with their reply/investigation.

When I quit smoking I was given a letter of referral for my GP to issue me with one of those inhaler things. He refused. I put in a complaint to the practice manager and obviously updated the nurse at the after hours smoking clinic that I wasn't able to get it. The co-ordinator of the clinic called him and he tried to say he never refused, although was unable to find an answer when asked if i had visited him...given him the referral letter etc and he hadnt refused (as he was claiming), why I had not been given the inhaler.

Hintza

Op what is wrong with your son? It sounds to me that your GP disagrees with you. The oher point is the staff at A&E will not be best placed to inform you of whether a GP charges for sick notes or not.

VfM4meplse

unholyangel wrote: »

When I quit smoking I was given a letter of referral for my GP to issue me with one of those inhaler things. He refused.

GPs are under no obligation to prescribe on the advice of a stop smoking, or any other service. Advice is all it is.

unholyangel

VfM4meplse wrote: »

GPs are under no obligation to prescribe on the advice of a stop smoking, or any other service. Advice is all it is.

Actually its a referral from another health professional.

Regardless, it wasnt the fact that he refused that annoyed me. It was the fact he refused and then denied that he had done so.

Even more surprising he refused since doctors have a tendency to blame anything on the fact that you smoke even to the extent of lunacy. According to the GP's at my local practice, smoking is even responsible for broken ankles! And no, I'm not kidding.

VfM4meplse

unholyangel wrote: »

Actually its a referral from another health professional

Makes no difference! It could be the most eminent professor in the land, all it would ever be is advice. If the adviser that makes the referral is in a position to act on their own advice, they would be able to do so. The fact that they can't or don't re-enforces the need for a GP to act on their own judgement, and not as a result of demand.