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GP Practice Ad Hoc Phonecalls To Me

DormouseAtRest_25

I am not sure how to tackle a (stressful to me) habit my GP Practice has developed (despite me requesting them not to do so): of a GP just phoning me when they think of it - without giving me prior warning - and when I am not awaiting or expecting a phonecall - and I don't know what they want to discuss when I answer my phone.

The other anxiety-inducing permutation: they book a phonecall to me (without expecting one, I get a text message with no subject context) with the name of one of a variety of GPs with whom I have never had prior contact (I have been been a Patient there for decades, my assigned GP is still in the Practice and I have recently had a text message confirming that person is still my GP).

That means: I don't know why the phonecall has been booked (I had not requested an appointment and no follow-up was outstanding as known to me), why a random GP has been scheduled, how to prepare for the phonecall and I have to then wait until open hours to submit an online admin triage request - saying I think the appointment may have been scheduled in error ...only to then find out a) they expected to schedule a new-to-me GP, in 10 minutes by phone, to follow up with me about a chronic situation (quite ridiculous) - without even telling me in advance what the person would expect me to discuss with them on the phonecall and as I have asked what it is about - they are now going to consult with yet another GP (not mine) and get back to me!

When I look on the NHS app it just says "any GP" with no clue about context.

Both varieties of unexpected phonecall seem to tend to occur around 5 pm or 6 pm (by which time I am trying to recover from my day and sort out the evening meal etc.).  Outcome: I lose at least the evening to - by then - being badly stressed and lose all appetite for bothering to cook / eat my meal.

The GP and Practice know about my Autism - I have previously explained to them, in writing, that an unexpected phonecall is my least successful communication mode - but you couldn't tell so from their ongoing behaviour.

Their latest phonecall salvo is particularly crassly timed - as it is two days before a super-important secondary care appointment about which I am particularly anxious (of which they are aware) ... helpful ...not. 

It seems to me: they are tick-boxing their commissioning, while disregarding that I am a neurodivergent human ...rather than a robot.

Does everyone's find their GP Practice operates this way now?

Has anyone had any success convincing them not to do this sort of thing (ideas of further strategy or tactics to try?).

I had even requested a referral to our local reasonable adjustments team (only to be informed there was "no need").  Well I did try to do the right thing!

Thank you.

Parents

  • I generally find that (exempting pre-existing conditions that I might expect to hear about annually)  the surgery leaves me alone unless I contact them first.  


    If I hear something from them suddenly, I'd assume it is another care provider passing something back to them in their role as primary care giver. 

    For instance, perhaps some blood test results from the hospital & they needed to speak to me about it.


    I too have a regular GP, and I don't particularly like the person.  I've grown accustomed to him.  However, I see him maybe 50% of the time & that suits me because he is abrupt, bordering rude & others there are far more pleasant.  In fact, if I had a message to speak with another Doctor, I'd be reasonably OK with it.  

    Generally, I wouldn't worry.  The GP's time is valuable, and they wont be ringing you unnecessarily.  It may be unnerving, but sometimes they have to contact without prior notice.

    It is certainly true that calling in to the surgery before time wont get your question answered, as only the person named will discuss the matter with you, and they can't promise that only 1 Doctor will ever contact you again - because your named Doctor may be away and they may need to contact you again in urgency. 

    I guess you could always ignore phone calls - forcing them to send a text - but I'd not advise it.  It may be important, and I'd not want to run the risk of the information being delayed reaching me, if I were you. 

    Try to think of it as a call from the surgery is for your benefit.  If they had information and didn't call you, that would be wrong.  This is right, even if hard to get your head around.

    I see your point, but a lot of it is due to changes in working practices - and it wont go back.  Best regards.    

  • in reply to overwhelmed & underwhelmed ( O & U )

    There is an annual schedule for my attending a mental health check-in (which I dutifully do attend, so goodness knows what they are up to with this ad hoc business).

    Oh, I spoke too soon!  Catching up on my text messages from this evening, I see they have chatted with some other GP and now decided to say to me that it is a 10 minute mental health phone review and (this is an absolute "first" experience) "if you don't require the appointment" - for me to PHONE the Practice to cancel it (they really have not got the hang of this phoning thing, it is a phone number you pay to call, you wait on hold to get through the positions in the queue for circa 30 minutes, and then the system times you out and cuts off the phonecall - I am going to try the "manage" option via accurx online) ...I hadn't asked for a review, I wasn't scheduled for one, they booked it in and I should now decide to cancel it.  Novel.

    Not to put too fine a point on it; the GP Practice (itself) seems to be the entity in greater need of assistance.

  • in reply to DormouseAtRest_25
    DormouseAtRest_25 said:
    Novel.

    Sums it up, I am afraid

    Times are changing, and they aren't going back.  Some surgeries are embracing new methods of contacting patients & others are still at first base.

    Try not to think of this as personal.   There will be hundreds, if not thousands put to inconvenience by this change to a new contacting system.  Eventually they'll get it right.  Fingers crossed.  

Reply
  • in reply to DormouseAtRest_25
    DormouseAtRest_25 said:
    Novel.

    Sums it up, I am afraid

    Times are changing, and they aren't going back.  Some surgeries are embracing new methods of contacting patients & others are still at first base.

    Try not to think of this as personal.   There will be hundreds, if not thousands put to inconvenience by this change to a new contacting system.  Eventually they'll get it right.  Fingers crossed.  

Children
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