Monday 23 January 2012

GP saga, installment the 5001st

Things seem a little less bleak. The to-do list remains long and complicated, but it doesn't feel impossible. So, 3 weeks of respite before the despair hits again.
I've made tremendous progress on the new GP front. Almost as much progress as I can have made without actually having a new GP.

My friend who lives near me and has the same condition likes her GP. I am in catchment for that GP and it was on my shortlist of GPs because 1) they have a website 2) you can order repeat scripts online 3) their 'about us' section is very cute, and they say lovely things about being a training practice and having med students 4) their website has access information for the practice, which most don't 5) it's one of the closest to where I live 6) there's ok parking

Unfortunately there's a but.

I phoned the surgery today to confirm what it says on the website, which is that if you're already registered with another GP in the local area, you have to meet with one of the partners to explain why you want to move, and they decide whether or not to take you on.

I'm hoping that explaining that being a patient with a chronic health condition who is essentially registered with a drop-in clinic which can't offer any continuity of care will be enough to convince them. The fact that even when I'm able to drive I won't be able to access that surgery independently (it's at the top of a pedestrianised hill) would be another good reason.

I don't want to push the fact that my quality of care has been so poor, because I know that it sometimes causes GPs to 'close ranks' a bit. If I have to I will though.

I suppose I also have the fact that I can't register at the very closest GP to my house because both the partners there once shouted at me in front of a waiting room for of people for poitely insisting that they refer a friend in crisis to the appropriate mental health services. The fact that said friend was soon after admitted for several weeks maybe proves that I wasn't being quite as unreasonable in my request as they made out.

Basically, I very much hope that this is good news. Fingers crossed =]

2 comments:

  1. FLO,

    I happened upon this blog on google. Just a message to say your blog has provided me with a lot of hope, it's so well written and funny. I think you are going through so much but yet you remain so buoyant, and that is fantastic, keep at it.
    I wish you success in everything that you pursue and all the very best with your health.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's very kind of you =] Thanks for reading x

    ReplyDelete