Do Doctors still do smear tests?

Sensible_Jess

Not asking for medical advice, just a bit of a rant.

Went for a check-up at the docs a few weeks ago - been having problems with bleeding mid-way through my cycle.
Anyway, they suggested a smear test as I'm due one but couldn't carry it out at the time as I was bleeding

So I made an appointment for this evening (after work). This morning I received a text from the surgery saying they'd cancelled my appointment as 'our doctors don't carry out smear tests' !!!!!!?? :mad:

They said I should re-book with a nurse. All well and fine, but the nurse only has appointments from 9-11 a few days a week and I can't make those as I work. I don't want to take time off to have a smear - I can think of better ways to use a precious a day off!!

I'm more annoyed as when I went in the Dr was OK to carry one out at the time but couldn't due to my bleeding - I wonder what changed? And the surgery had no problem with me booking the appointment and waited until the day of the appointment to cancel!!

Rant over - I'll wait until my next checkup and time it right in my cycle this time.:o

Torry_Quine

Sensible_Jess wrote: »

Not asking for medical advice, just a bit of a rant.

Went for a check-up at the docs a few weeks ago - been having problems with bleeding mid-way through my cycle.
Anyway, they suggested a smear test as I'm due one but couldn't carry it out at the time as I was bleeding

So I made an appointment for this evening (after work). This morning I received a text from the surgery saying they'd cancelled my appointment as 'our doctors don't carry out smear tests' !!!!!!?? :mad:

They said I should re-book with a nurse. All well and fine, but the nurse only has appointments from 9-11 a few days a week and I can't make those as I work. I don't want to take time off to have a smear - I can think of better ways to use a precious a day off!!

I'm more annoyed as when I went in the Dr was OK to carry one out at the time but couldn't due to my bleeding - I wonder what changed? And the surgery had no problem with me booking the appointment and waited until the day of the appointment to cancel!!

Rant over - I'll wait until my next checkup and time it right in my cycle this time.:o

It's usually the nurse that does smears in my experience. When you made your appointment I presume you told them it was for a smear as how could they have known to cancel?

Are you really saying that there is only a nurse at your surgery for two hours a day. :eek: If more suitable times then family planning clinics do smear tests and usually have evening times.

claire16c

At my practise the nurses do them and same when I was at uni.

Can't you just tell your work you have a drs appt? And book it for 9am and just be a bit late??

peachyprice

The nurse does it at my surgery too. As Torry has suggested, the family planning clinic will be able to do it and they usually have friendlier hours.

Person_one

Doctors can do them, but I'm not sure I'd want one to do mine as they don't practice very often and might not have the best 'technique'!

They shouldn't have cancelled your appointment though, I'd want to speak tp somebody about that and hear their explanation, especially as you are having symptoms and time matters in this situation.

Mayflower10cat

Typical, badly organised surgery! (Sorry, I've had the same sort of rubbish over the years, technology leaping ahead of simple human competence. And common sense.) I always had my smears done by the practice nurse at my local surgery - until we relocated. Then I learned that the local Family Planning clinic does smears too, and works from a more convenient local hospital and is open in the evening. I use them now, far easier and I can get all my contraceptive care from a women only clinic.

valk_scot

A doctor will do one if it's due and they're up there for something else but otherwise it's a waste of surgery time to give a GP appointment for a simple smear when the (infinitely more experienced) practice nurse can do it.

You can get it done at the local Well Woman clinic or Family Planning Clinic though, as has been said. Typically they have far longer opening hours than the local GP surgery too, often including Saturday am and weekday evenings.

Sensible_Jess

Thanks for all the replies.
No I can't book an appt for 9am as work is a drive away and appointments have to be made outside work hours. Late is not an option!! The early morning appointments never run to time anyway. I booked an 8am appointment once and was nearly late for work as they were already running late - now I stick to the evenings!

Our appointments system is via the internet. I hadn't thought of the 'family planning' clinic as this isn't family planning - if they run this clinic it isn't shown up on the system or on the website so I'll have to give them a ring one lunchtime (in the car park as I work in an open office )

Annoying that I made the appointment in good time and state the reason clearly and they waited until the morning to cancel it. So much easier at my last doctors!!

johnswife

I have always had a doctor do my smears. You can book with a nurse if you want.

uk_american

Another vote for the Family Planning Clinic. I've had smears done at my GP with the practice nurses and at the Family Planning Clinic.

Getting in to see the GP practice nurse was difficult due to scheduling (they only do smears two days a week) and the last one took 3 attempts to get the smear (should have used a longer speculum so switched for the 3rd attempt) :eek: Not to put anyone off that it was painful or such, but awkward to say the least. After that I decided to try out the Family Planning Clinic.

Mine has evening and Saturday hours and they spend their days doing smears and such, so they're quick and efficient at getting the job done. I will always use them in the future for this task.

uk_american

Sensible_Jess wrote: »

Our appointments system is via the internet. I hadn't thought of the 'family planning' clinic as this isn't family planning - if they run this clinic it isn't shown up on the system or on the website so I'll have to give them a ring one lunchtime (in the car park as I work in an open office )

Try this link (you can do a postal search from this page) to find your closest Family Planning clinic, as they are often not directly connected with the surgery but serve a larger region:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/contraception-guide/Pages/contraception-clinic-services.aspx