General Practitioner experiences

looking_around

byrned17 wrote: »

I work in a college and one student was suffering anxiety attacks and asked me if I would accompany her to the GP down the street from the college. While in the surgery, the student explained how she was feeling to the GP who responded "Why? Did something happen in your childhood? Did you get raped? Did you see one of your parents commit suicide? Were you ever assaulted?" and continue on with a list of horrific traumatic things that could have caused her depression and anxiety. She was dying for some gory details.

That's awful.

I have had a GP ask me "if anything traumatic ever happened?" but that was it, and I think it was so he could advise of counselling services.

medicine12345

byrned17 wrote: »

I work in a college and one student was suffering anxiety attacks and asked me if I would accompany her to the GP down the street from the college. While in the surgery, the student explained how she was feeling to the GP who responded "Why? Did something happen in your childhood? Did you get raped? Did you see one of your parents commit suicide? Were you ever assaulted?" and continue on with a list of horrific traumatic things that could have caused her depression and anxiety. She was dying for some gory details.

In fairness what did you expect the GP to do? Sounds like she was trying to get to the bottom of what was causing the panic attacks, hows she supposed to know that nothing like that had happened? Better than just dishing out some benzos and brushing the patient off without trying to find out what was wrong ..

Gael23

looking_around wrote: »

That's awful.

I have had a GP ask me "if anything traumatic ever happened?" but that was it, and I think it was so he could advise of counselling services.

Im almost sure that was the reason, if he didn't know what the problem was he couldn't help. I suppose thats the purpose of doctor-patient confidentiality so that you can feel comfortable to discuss such personal and sensitive things in confidence.

lulu1

Sykk wrote: »

I told her than I had gotten this done before, and that I think it would be best if she done it again. She insisted against it :mad:

I had this done once years ago but I know doctors dont want to do it too often for some reason.

gctest50

EyeSight wrote: »

I went to one in DCC once. It was fairly obvious what was wrong, even the doctor agreed. But it's not that easy(or cheap), i had to go back 2 more times for a series of tests which double confirmed this before i could get anti biotics........

That bit was good though ( bit too good ? ) - handing out antibiotics for the craic is bad

looking_around

medicine12345 wrote: »

In fairness what did you expect the GP to do? Sounds like she was trying to get to the bottom of what was causing the panic attacks, hows she supposed to know that nothing like that had happened? Better than just dishing out some benzos and brushing the patient off without trying to find out what was wrong ..

You can ask the question while being more tactful, as I showed in my post. Don't list out every possibility. =.='
And tbh, alot of people develop anxiety due to stress and not actually anything too traumatic.

And any good doctor will avoid benzos for anxiety and use anti-depressants that also work on anxiety, as these arent addictive.

medicine12345

looking_around wrote: »

You can ask the question while being more tactful, as I showed in my post. Don't list out every possibility. =.='
And tbh, alot of people develop anxiety due to stress and not actually anything too traumatic.

And any good doctor will avoid benzos for anxiety and use anti-depressants that also work on anxiety, as these arent addictive.

she should have been tactful when she was asking the questions but sometimes patients appreciate being asked those sort of questions outright as its easier to say yes or no. It can take several weeks for antidepressants to take effect so they wouldn't be very useful in an acute anxiety state.

we'llallhavetea

Never a bad experience but was called a cheeky monkey when collecting the map before. ..

EyeSight

gctest50 wrote: »

That bit was good though ( bit too good ? ) - handing out antibiotics for the craic is bad

hardly for the craic. I get that they needed to run tests, but spreading basic tests out over a few appointments when it could have all been done in 1 just seemed like a way to get me to pay for multiple appointments.

e.g. The first visit was 60 euro and all she did was book a blood test in the same office for the next week(for another 60). Why couldn't she have just taken my blood there and then? Is it beneath a doctor to take blood now?

fonecrusher1

we'llallhavetea wrote: »

Never a bad experience but was called a cheeky monkey when collecting the map before. ..

the fcuk are you on about???.....

I think they're a scurge. Megabuck salaries for diagnosing sniffles and coughs at 60 euro a pop. I try to keep my vists to these glorified perscritpionists to a minimum. GP's become GP's because its a cushy well paid job.

Real doctors are the guys in A&E dealing with the masses.

gctest50

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

.........

Real doctors are the guys in A&E dealing with the masses.

:pac: The A & E lottery ?

we'llallhavetea

fonecrusher1 wrote:

the fcuk are you on about???.....

morning after pill

Jesus. .. aggressive. ..

Gongoozler

EyeSight wrote: »

hardly for the craic. I get that they needed to run tests, but spreading basic tests out over a few appointments when it could have all been done in 1 just seemed like a way to get me to pay for multiple appointments.

e.g. The first visit was 60 euro and all she did was book a blood test in the same office for the next week(for another 60). Why couldn't she have just taken my blood there and then? Is it beneath a doctor to take blood now?

Don't know that I've ever had blood taken by a doctor, it's always a nurse.

My own doctor is ridiculous for this though, apparently they can't afford a nurse anymore so send you to make an appointment at the hospital for it. I made an appointment last time, when I got there they were doing a first come first served basis. Rage does not describe it. Even though I got my 'appointment' for 8.55, I was more than an hour late for work because of their stupid system.

UCDVet

My experiences with doctors in Dublin have been ridiculously bad. I wouldn't mind incompetence/apathy or whatever else causes them to be so bad, if it were cheap. But it's not!

I have private insurance (VHI) but it doesn't seem to cover any of my expenses. I go to the doctor with a problem, pay 60 euro and go home with advice such as 'drink water'. I actually paid 60 euro, waited 30 minutes after my scheduled appointment, for a doctor to suggest that I drink more water. Then he sent me home.

Was I thirsty? No
Was I dehydrated? No

I went back after drinking water didn't help at all. Then he told me I had a deviated septum. I asked him why he didn't see it before and he said, 'It can happen at anytime'. He couldn't have cared less. And I'm the sucker who paid him 120 euro.

I went to another doctor who absolutely assured me that I
1.) Had a medical issue
2.) Drinking water would not have any affect on this
3.) Did not have a deviated septum.

A few years back I was working in the US. Everyone talks about how bad health care is there - but I'd pay 12 EUR for an office visit instead of 60, the doctor would show up on time, the office would be an order of magnitude nicer, and the odds of the doctor having a remote idea of what to do was much higher. In the US - I had three visits - no complaints. Between my wife and I, we've had 7 or 8 doctor's visits in Dublin and I'd say all but one was subpar AND I'm paying five times more (and wasting a lot more time - never had a doctor in Dublin show up on time. Worst time was 4.5 hours late).

I had a surgery performed in the US. I went in on a Tuesday, doc said I needed surgery. Time wasn't a factor here, it wasn't going to get worse, it just wouldn't ever get better until I had surgery. I had surgery on Friday. That same week.

In Dublin, my wife went to a doctor and the doctor said she needed a biopsy. This was time critical. It could be cancer and the longer you wait to treat it, the more likely it is to grow and spread. Delaying treatment is literally risking your life. Three months of waiting. And then, on the day, after waiting three months, we sit in the waiting room for 4.5 hours.

Oddly enough, the insurance in the US didn't cost any more than the VHI crap I pay for here. It's funny because when I went to the US, I expected their system to be a nightmare. oh well.

medicine12345

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

I think they're a scurge. Megabuck salaries for diagnosing sniffles and coughs at 60 euro a pop. I try to keep my vists to these glorified perscritpionists to a minimum. GP's become GP's because its a cushy well paid job.

Real doctors are the guys in A&E dealing with the masses.

There actually isnt much of sniffles and coughs in general practice, that might be what you go for, which is a bit silly seeing as there isn't much the GP can do for you.

Also annoys me when people say things like 'real doctors are the guys in the hospitals'
How do you think the GP becomes a GP? many of them spend years working in the hospitals,. At the very very minimum they do 2 years in rotations including A&E, paeds, obs&gyn etc. So you are contradicting yourself there. The doctor treating you in A&E today might be a GP next year....

medicine12345

UCDVet wrote: »

My experiences with doctors in Dublin have been ridiculously bad. I wouldn't mind incompetence/apathy or whatever else causes them to be so bad, if it were cheap. But it's not!

I have private insurance (VHI) but it doesn't seem to cover any of my expenses. I go to the doctor with a problem, pay 60 euro and go home with advice such as 'drink water'. I actually paid 60 euro, waited 30 minutes after my scheduled appointment, for a doctor to suggest that I drink more water. Then he sent me home.


Oddly enough, the insurance in the US didn't cost any more than the VHI crap I pay for here. It's funny because when I went to the US, I expected their system to be a nightmare. oh well.

Theres no excuse for medical incompetence there if thats what the first GP was. There are some bad GPs but there are also alot of very good ones so be sure and find a good one.

As for the costs for GP appointments, the system in ireland means that the private patients are subsidising the medical card ones. And with more people becoming unemployed and more cuts being made to what the government pays the GPs per patient, this may get worse in the future, unfortunately.

RhubarbCrumble

My former GP was (and from what I hear still is) an arrogant pig, a complete know all. I never went to the GP that much but a few years ago I got very ill, and he just couldn't be bothered to take me seriously, despite my having to go back to him 3 times in a month at €50 a pop. Anyway, long story short, I ended up in hospital very ill. If I'd been diagnosed properly by him at the start, I wouldn't have been half as sick.

I have to say my current GP is great. I never feel rushed or under pressure when I'm there. He really takes the time to listen. He's a gentleman. I've only ever heard people have good things to say about him.

fonecrusher1

medicine12345 wrote: »

There actually isnt much of sniffles and coughs in general practice, that might be what you go for, which is a bit silly seeing as there isn't much the GP can do for you.

Really? sigh.... :rolleyes:

Like I said, luckily I very rarely go to the GP's & when I do its essentially getting a perscription. Not a consultation at all really. The GP is the 60 euro middleman(or woman) who greets you before you get to the perscription.

miss no stars

I've found college GPs very good in general. Less inclined to be dismissive. Probably because they don't get extra money if they can get you in and out in double quick time

therealme

My g.p. is great. He knows I only go when genuinely sick & is always ready to refer or help, always asks about my work and industry I'm in and asks me "how I am" as well as asking what he can do for me. He always says to ring for a prescription to be faxed - no need to call in and pay for it! I have never felt like I am just a number at the practice.
I feel like unlike any other g.p. I have attended, he is genuine and cares for his patients.
I never begrudge him the €60 and hope he is my g.p. for many years.

humbert

looking_around wrote: »

Oh thanks for that.

I'm on med. card. I can barely scrape up the charge for all my meds. I have to see my doctor pretty frequently. I don't just go "ah well, I have an hour to waste, lets go visit the gp...."

fcuk sake stop trying to charge us for everything, things really are hard enough atm. :mad:

I'm very poor so nobody should have to pay anything isn't exactly a cogent counterargument.

Gael23

therealme wrote: »

My g.p. is great. He knows I only go when genuinely sick & is always ready to refer or help, always asks about my work and industry I'm in and asks me "how I am" as well as asking what he can do for me. He always says to ring for a prescription to be faxed - no need to call in and pay for it! I have never felt like I am just a number at the practice.
I feel like unlike any other g.p. I have attended, he is genuine and cares for his patients.
I never begrudge him the €60 and hope he is my g.p. for many years.

Feel like this too, even though he does ask to see me every few months I don't mind because to me that shows he cares.

Friend Computer

humbert wrote: »

I'm very poor so nobody should have to pay anything isn't exactly a cogent counterargument.

Probably because they didn't actually say that.

medicine12345

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Really? sigh.... :rolleyes:

Like I said, luckily I very rarely go to the GP's & when I do its essentially getting a perscription. Not a consultation at all really. The GP is the 60 euro middleman(or woman) who greets you before you get to the perscription.

Well yes, it was you that suggested it, you said they get megabucks for diagnosing sniffles and coughs, what are you basing that on if not your own experience....

Tail Docker

Sykk wrote: »

My latest experience with a new doctor I wanted to try out was Thursday.

I went to get my ear syringed as apparently I have a natural buildup of ear-wax that I can't clean myself. I had to get this done before. The doctor insisted "Take these drops, have a shower and sher it'll come out itself".

Here I sit, four days later with a massive ear ache, headache and deaf in my right ear.

My sister got her bloods taken by another GP closer to home, he bagged the blood, handed it to her and told her to drop it into Mullingar hospital whenever she was driving by :pac:

I have so many stories of neglect from these money making scammers it's just unreal. I've never been seriously ill, thank God. But I hope hospital doctors are better than these other people.

I'm sure there are some that actually care about their patients but I'm yet to meet one. My experiences so far have been that they're too busy making €60 a pop that they want you out as soon as you've walked in so they can move onto the next person.

Most mechanics I deal with are utter muppets, I regard Doctors as being people mechanics.

fonecrusher1

medicine12345 wrote: »

Well yes, it was you that suggested it,

:pac:

Show me where I said I go to GP's for sniffles and coughs?

medicine12345

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

the fcuk are you on about???.....

Megabuck salaries for diagnosing sniffles and coughs at 60 euro a pop.

QUOTE]

Here you go, perhaps you are not talking about your own experience here, perhaps you are just making it up then in order to jump on the band-wagon of GP-bashing

fonecrusher1

medicine12345 wrote: »

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

the fcuk are you on about???.....

Megabuck salaries for diagnosing sniffles and coughs at 60 euro a pop.

QUOTE]

Here you go, perhaps you are not talking about your own experience here, perhaps you are just making it up then in order to jump on the band-wagon of GP-bashing

Do you seriously think Im going to divulge every and any experience I had with GP's with you? For what? I don't care what you think. I think their overpaid and they rip people off. Whats your experience?

medicine12345

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

medicine12345 wrote: »

Do you seriously think Im going to divulge every and any experience I had with GP's with you? For what? I don't care what you think. I think their overpaid and they rip people off. Whats your experience?

I couldn't care less what your experiences have been. The point was that you were claiming that GPs make 'mega-bucks' from diagnosing coughs and sniffles, which isn't true.

fonecrusher1

medicine12345 wrote: »

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

The point was that you were claiming that GPs make 'mega-bucks' from diagnosing coughs and sniffles, which isn't true.

Why is it not true? Ive not met too many poor GP's. Have you? Do you know GP's who refuse to see people with coughs and colds?

Smidge

My GP is a bit of a basket case(so not joking)so I prefer to the locum!
On topic re GP experiences, I had bad news about a friend of mine today. Serious oversights on behalf of both GP and other Dr's that they have seen over the years(long standing issue that has been practically ignored)has now left my friend with irreparable brain damage.

Gongoozler

Smidge wrote: »

My GP is a bit of a basket case(so not joking)so I prefer to the locum!
On topic re GP experiences, I had bad news about a friend of mine today. Serious oversights on behalf of both GP and other Dr's that they have seen over the years(long standing issue that has been practically ignored)has now left my friend with irreparable brain damage.

If you feel it was the fault of the gp why not report him?

Gael23

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

medicine12345 wrote: »

Why is it not true? Ive not met too many poor GP's. Have you? Do you know GP's who refuse to see people with coughs and colds?

Its not true because there are many people out there who like me, have conditions that require lifelong management rather than cure.
My condition will never go away, but by working closely with my GP and a specialist as required the symptoms can be eased dramatically. Yes they are paid well but only after 10 years of training and they do work fairly long days in most cases/

IvyTheTerrible

I have a very good gp. Listens and gives good advice. He's interested in mental health, even when you go in for something else. Also, if he recommends a specialist, you know they'll be good.

Here it's 23 euro to see the doctor, and 18 euro is reimbursed by the social security system.

Geuze

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I have a very good gp. Listens and gives good advice. He's interested in mental health, even when you go in for something else. Also, if he recommends a specialist, you know they'll be good.

Here it's 23 euro to see the doctor, and 18 euro is reimbursed by the social security system.

Can anybody explain how French GPs can make a living charging 23, while the fee in Ireland is typically 50?

I accept that GPs make less on med card patients, as they receive a fixed annual fee of about 150.??

I also accept that repeat consultations are often less than 50.

But still, the gap between 23 and 50 is huge.

And bear in mind that France is not a cheap country otherwise.

IvyTheTerrible

Geuze wrote: »

Can anybody explain how French GPs can make a living charging 23, while the fee in Ireland is typically 50?

I accept that GPs make less on med card patients, as they receive a fixed annual fee of about 150.??

I also accept that repeat consultations are often less than 50.

But still, the gap between 23 and 50 is huge.

And bear in mind that France is not a cheap country otherwise.

Well my uncle-in-law is a gp over here, and he lives very well by French standards. He works long hours though.
(Of course, you get the greedy guys charging what are called "Depassements d'honoraires", so, say in parts of Paris it's a good bit dearer, and specialists can be expensive).

ss88

Luke92 wrote: »

Leonard's corner. Dr Michael Burnell.

Thanks for the info! Actually I am registered with him and am trying to escape him altogether.
I'd like to ask if anybody has a good experience with your GP and lives around the Harold's cross area/ Rathmines could you just write his name down please ?
I'd really appreciate it !!

ShiftStorm

It really is a shame that there isn't a 'Rate your GP' forum or website. It has been suggested before but there could be all sorts of legal issues with cases of libel etc. It really would make things so much simpler!

myshirt

Ireland's claim and entitlement culture has a big role to play also. As does the legal system in shutting out those exploiting nuisance value.

The price of professional indemnity insurance is a large cost of a GP practice.

Gallowglass

They seem a bit disinterested in their jobs, my recent visit consisted of me explaining what my problem was about as he didn't know anything about it, I knew more about it from my brief time researching it online, they are a bundle of crooks i think. In N.Ireland you don't have to pay money to see these crooks anyway.
I wouldn't mind bending the receptionists over the table though.

Merkin

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

medicine12345 wrote: »

Do you seriously think Im going to divulge every and any experience I had with GP's with you? For what? I don't care what you think. I think their overpaid and they rip people off. Whats your experience?

Maybe you should go back to your GP fonecrusher1 and ask them to have a look at the gargantuan chip on your shoulder

medicine12345

Gallowglass wrote: »

They seem a bit disinterested in their jobs, my recent visit consisted of me explaining what my problem was about as he didn't know anything about it, I knew more about it from my brief time researching it online, they are a bundle of crooks i think. In N.Ireland you don't have to pay money to see these crooks anyway.
I wouldn't mind bending the receptionists over the table though.

Lol thats great the GPs in N.I must be really nice to work for free.. Who do you think pays them?? You! through your taxes, in fact if you're a young healthy person you;re probably being ripped off if you dont go very often. 'don't have to pay money to see them' haha get real.

Gallowglass

medicine12345 wrote: »

Lol thats great the GPs in N.I must be really nice to work for free.. Who do you think pays them?? You! through your taxes, in fact if you're a young healthy person you;re probably being ripped off if you dont go very often. 'don't have to pay money to see them' haha get real.

it's not noticeable money so it isn't, if we did have to pay the same money would be taken from taxes for something else anyway,
You're an awful cranky scroat today aren't you?

medicine12345

Geuze wrote: »

Can anybody explain how French GPs can make a living charging 23, while the fee in Ireland is typically 50?

I accept that GPs make less on med card patients, as they receive a fixed annual fee of about 150.??

I also accept that repeat consultations are often less than 50.

But still, the gap between 23 and 50 is huge.

And bear in mind that France is not a cheap country otherwise.

o come on do you really think its that simple and you're comparing like for like 23vs50 irelandvs france. In ireland we have a system where over 50% of people have medical cards and can visit the GP as many times as they like. The GP gets a fixed sum per patient per year, which can be as little as 60euro, and they can attend every week if they want to. Therefore the private patients are charged 50euro or whatever to subsidise the public patients which sucks as you can be just above the threshold for a medical card and then not be able to afford a visit. However with increasing cuts in payments to GPs from the government and increasing medical cards being issued due to increasing unemployment, etc, this may unfortunately get worse. Its hardly the GPs' fault, the system is terrible here. When was the last time you went to the GP and he/she was French? Surely they would flock here if they were paid over twice as much here??

RoboRat

Reality_Check1 wrote: »

there's no such thing as a repeat prescription for antibiotics maybe you're confused? There are a multitude of good reasons why you need to see a GP before some medications are renewed. Also when given the choice of going to see a GP or looking for random advice online I know what I prefer........

I'm not on repeat prescriptions for antibiotics, its for something entirely separate.

I do have an issue with my old GP only giving a cure for repeated bouts of sinusitis and not finding out what the problem was and hence having to spend 2,500 on such.

I ended up finding something which seems to be working through investigation.

Shane-KornSpace

The Mrs got her bloods taken a couple of weeks ago. She paid 20 euro and had to drop it to Portlaoise hospital herself!

Also
My mother slipped off a step and hurt her shoulder. She was convinced she had broken her collar bone. Doctors in A&E said she was fine.
A month later her GP told her it was deformed and that it healed out of place. She had indeed broken it before.

medicine12345

medicine12345 wrote: »

When was the last time you went to the GP and he/she was French? Surely they would flock here if they were paid over twice as much here??

My regular one is french...

pookie82

ss88 wrote: »

Hello,
I know this discussion is a bit out of date, but never hurts to ask .
I've been looking at a way to find a good GP. Can't seem to find a page "like rate my GP".
I was wondering if anybody knows any good GPs in Dublin 6/8 , around Harold's cross/ Rathmines.
What I mean by good is: having some experience and preferably not very judgmental.

thanks a bunch !

Hey, I've been going to the surgery at 104 on the Lower Rathmines Rd for the past year or so. It's a walk in clinic with good hours, so that's a bonus for starters, although if you can't get there for when it opens, there can be long queues.

It's quite an odd little setup but once you get past that, the two GPs who attend surgery hours there are great. There's no receptionist in place, which always struck me as strange, but if they ever need to leave out a prescription for you to collect at a later date they will just leave it addressed to you in the waiting room for collection during opening hours.

When you call for results the doctors themselves always answer the phone, and if they can't get back to you there and then they're great about calling you later that day.

Both GPs are lovely and helpful, not at all judgmental, spend all the time you need with you, and are willing to send you for further tests if they can't get to the bottom of a problem. One of them in particular has sent me a few times for tests that have thankfully turned out to be needless, but it goes to show they don't fob you off ... if they're in any doubt, they'll send you to the right place, and give you good advice to boot on what times for different clinics would be best.

You should try them. Don't let the lack of a secretary put you off, I've never had any issues because of it!

Oh and ps, they only take cash, so make sure you don't go with just a card... a slight annoyance but no major hassle! As far as I can remember it's €60 a pop and you just pay the doctor at the end of the consultation... it's not a very "formal" set up but because they're both good doctors it doesn't put me off!

Gongoozler

They don't take cards? Sounds dodgy.

Smidge

Gongoozler wrote: »

If you feel it was the fault of the gp why not report him?

Hoe did I know it would be you to quote me?
If you had read my post carefully, it's not me but a friend of mine.
Why would I report the GP? :rolleyes: