NHS patients are waiting an average of over two weeks to see a GP, according to a new survey by Pulse. 1/ https://amp.theguardian.com/society/2019/aug/12/nhs-patients-waiting-over-two-weeks-to-see-a-gp-shows-survey …
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But the Guardian headline, based on the Pulse headline “Average GP waiting times exceed two weeks for first time ever”, is clearly misleading as HALF of all appointments (ie. those who need to see a doctor urgently) are on the day or the next day. 5/
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There are plenty of problems in the NHS and with patients getting GP appointments, but Pulse magazine and the Guardian should deal with the FACTS and not misleading half truths that don’t give an accurate picture. 6/
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I take issue with the "if you're very unwell you can see yor GP today" mantra. What about friend who found lump in breast and had to wait a week to see GP? So saw someone privately instead? Was cancer. Had surgery and chemo
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While shocking to find, a week would make little difference to 99.99% We cannot hear our system to respond instantly. Frankly even if she had been seen immediately it would have taken longer for the hospital referal
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Any surgeon in this area will tell you that breast cancer has a propensity to bud off. Increasing risk of need for chemo. And of course NHS wd in no way have you scanned and op done within a week of finding the lump as my friend had privately.
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Any cancer specialist will tell you that this is a common predictive of poor survival in many solid tumours and that is because its highly associated with metastatic disease. Self examination frequency is also a higher predictive of outcome than a week between gp appts
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It depends on many factors: grade, stage, whether oestrogen and/or progesterone dependent, or triple negative etc As you know this is a highly complex subject.
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I do know, only making point in my last note prioritisation of such a kind would block the system with the "worried well" demanding expensive and time consuming diagnostics. I know this as it already happens on public health interventions, as well as symptomatic presentation 1/2
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2/2 I'm not being dismissive, it's just that the general publics consumption if healthcare interventions is almost infinite vs finite, trust me it is staggering. It's like making the legal system free at the point of delivery for all, nothing would get done!!!
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My GPs practice has a breast feeding clinic. Young healthy wealthy investment bankers' wives go there to chat while they breast feed under supervision of 3 personnel. That is ridiculous.
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Think Julia’s opinion would be different if these waiting times were under a Labour Government
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Will you stop diluting the attention grabbing headline with common sense.
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Unfortunately the emergency appointments are being used for non urgent reasons, so it's probably worse.
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If you use NHS apps such as Patient Access or myGP you are able to book GP appointments (both in person and telephone appointments) same day or next day in some cases.....so I honestly dunno where they come up with this 2 week nonsense from!
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Always find ROUTINE versus EMERGENCY status amusing, how does one decide which is which, how many times have patients been "put off" by 111, delays exacerbated situation/condition, or given wrong advice in the case of children and various rashes, spots or coughs?
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If your request is urgent and you can't be allocated an urgent appointment, on the day of your request, patients will seek medical advice from our over extended emergency departments in NHS hospitals. Not a problem if you're sick and GP services can't see you.
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You can contact your GP by email and they will call you back. I have done this for some time with my GP and Kings Hospital Trust.
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you've missed the point that hardly anyone says their issue isn't urgent anymore!
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