How to find a good GP care for long term conditions

iwant2asave

Hi,

I am trying to help an elderly relative of mine to find a good GP surgery.  The one they currently go to it's almost impossible to get an appointment and hospital letters never seem to get uploaded to the patients record and hence hospital recommendations to the GP are never actioned even after I go to the GP surgery to give them copies of the letters they claim they haven't received.  They are also dishonest in their notes such as claiming they informed patients of things when they 100% didn't.

The patient has 2 chronic conditions that need regular monitoring including blood tests every 3 to 6 months (tests that the hospital keeps requesting of the GP but they keep ignoring).  I would be more than happily pay for private GP consultations for them if that would mean that they get good care but from what I read private GPs aren't really for monitoring long term conditions.  What would be the best way to get good GP care for these long term conditions if money is not a concern.  I have also searched reviews for GP surgeries nearby and all of them have many complaints that it's almost impossible to get an appointment so we are wary to switch GP.

Emmia

iwant2asave said:

Hi,

I am trying to help an elderly relative of mine to find a good GP surgery.  The one they currently go to it's almost impossible to get an appointment and hospital letters never seem to get uploaded to the patients record and hence hospital recommendations to the GP are never actioned even after I go to the GP surgery to give them copies of the letters they claim they haven't received.  They are also dishonest in their notes such as claiming they informed patients of things when they 100% didn't.

The patient has 2 chronic conditions that need regular monitoring including blood tests every 3 to 6 months (tests that the hospital keeps requesting of the GP but they keep ignoring).  I would be more than happily pay for private GP consultations for them if that would mean that they get good care but from what I read private GPs aren't really for monitoring long term conditions.  What would be the best way to get good GP care for these long term conditions if money is not a concern.  I have also searched reviews for GP surgeries nearby and all of them have many complaints that it's almost impossible to get an appointment so we are wary to switch GP.

Unfortunately the reality is, that NHS GPs are overworked, with far too many patients - there is a stat that says patients (like your relative) with multiple health conditions make up 16% of the patient list, but take up a third of a GP's time. Appointments are now targeted at 10 minutes.

I live in London, and started with a great GP, moved house which took me out of their catchment, which meant I had to move to one which was unbelievably poor (although, unlike another practice nearby wasn't forcibly closed down, and the Doctors working there struck off).

I've since moved to another practice which is OK - but it's appointments by telephone almost all the time, and a lot of app based self service. I'm fit and healthy, so this is ok, but a bit sub-optimal overall.

If I could afford private GP appointments, then that's probably what I'd do, and going down this route would probably get your relative the time to discuss the impacts of the multiple conditions etc. The difficulty might be once you have a private GP,  it could be more difficult to access NHS services.

Flugelhorn

Emmia said:

I live in London, and started with a great GP, moved house which took me out of their catchment, which meant I had to move to one which was unbelievably poor (although, unlike another practice nearby not forcibly closed down, and the Doctors working there struck off / sanctioned by the BMA).

I've since moved to another practice which is OK - but it's appointments by telephone almost all the time, and a lot of app based self service. I'm fit and healthy, so this is ok, but a bit sub-optimal overall.

If I could afford private GP appointments, then that's probably what I'd do, and going down this route would probably get your relative the time to discuss the impacts of the multiple conditions etc. The difficulty might be once you have a private GP,  it could be more difficult to access NHS services.

Fortunately .. the trade union (BMA) don't sanction anyone,  you don't have to belong / pay them huge amounts etc.

I have worked in several GP practices over the years and access was getting more and more difficult over time - the one I am now a patient at certainly don't seem to monitor as they should (at least that is from this households experience). Used to be that the smaller practices were the best - more likely to be known and not just a number and more likely to see the same person. 

Re Private GP - should be a good answer but they can't refer on to other services under the NHS so you need to get that referral via own GP - only way to do it is get any review / tests done with private GP and then if any concerns / further action needed send the stuff to the NHS practice 

iwant2asave

So if they see a private GP would they be able to view the hospital letters repeatedly asking our normal surgery to monitor and carry out blood tests?  And would the private GP be able to request those tests?