Unfortunately, those gifts just aren't always good!!! Sigh.
We just found out today that my GP has suddenly up and left the surgery, with no warning whatsoever to patients (and according to my liaison at the surgery, it was a complete shock to the staff there, too!) and no obvious dr to switch to within the practice, for those patients who only ever saw the Dr who has left, because she was easily the best Dr in the practice and one of the better Dr's in the area.
I have had my problems with this Dr, but most of them were as a result of the area we live in and the restraints of the practice she worked for, rather than her being a really bad doctor ... But despite all that, I'm feeling a bit panicked about this situation!! She was the only Dr there who knows anything really about my condition, and about our situation here at home. (and how would a new GP get to know me when they refuse to do home visits 99% of the time, and I cannot get to the surgery???) She was also treating Anna who has been very ill for a couple of years, again with quite a complex condition. (Anna has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, too, and really relied on our doctor to be sensitive to that. She's been crying on and off all day, she's so upset about this - which makes me so mad, I can't even tell you!!!) I know, too, that the Dr treated quite a few other very vulnerable patients, so she has left us all very much in the lurch. I feel really quite angry that she gave us no warning at all, and that she apparently hasn't formally handed us over to any other doctor. To me, that is really, really unprofessional!! She was the only Dr I had even a small amount of trust in at the surgery ... And I honestly have no idea what Anna and I are going to do now!! I was invisible enough already at my practice and now, presumably, there will be no-one looking out for me at all! I've rarely even met any of the other doctors!! I just feel so numb about it all. Neither I nor Anna have the emotional or physical energy to deal with this - there's enough to cope with already!
There isn't really any good surgeries in this run down inner city area, so it's not even like things would necessarily get any better if we picked up and moved to one of the other practices - and it's kind of like playing Russian Roulette because you really have no idea what the doctors are actually like until you switch to their practice. (It's not like in America where you can really pick and choose your doctors, and go to meet them before you transfer to their surgery, etc.) It's not such a problem in the wealthier areas of the country, but it can be a serious issue in the poorer areas because the NHS doesn't dole out the money fairly across the country, and because many of the good GP's refuse to work in the run down areas of the country.
I really feel like I just faded a little bit more ... like I was hidden in deeper shadow from the outside world, and I have no idea how to become visible again. :(
We just found out today that my GP has suddenly up and left the surgery, with no warning whatsoever to patients (and according to my liaison at the surgery, it was a complete shock to the staff there, too!) and no obvious dr to switch to within the practice, for those patients who only ever saw the Dr who has left, because she was easily the best Dr in the practice and one of the better Dr's in the area.
I have had my problems with this Dr, but most of them were as a result of the area we live in and the restraints of the practice she worked for, rather than her being a really bad doctor ... But despite all that, I'm feeling a bit panicked about this situation!! She was the only Dr there who knows anything really about my condition, and about our situation here at home. (and how would a new GP get to know me when they refuse to do home visits 99% of the time, and I cannot get to the surgery???) She was also treating Anna who has been very ill for a couple of years, again with quite a complex condition. (Anna has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, too, and really relied on our doctor to be sensitive to that. She's been crying on and off all day, she's so upset about this - which makes me so mad, I can't even tell you!!!) I know, too, that the Dr treated quite a few other very vulnerable patients, so she has left us all very much in the lurch. I feel really quite angry that she gave us no warning at all, and that she apparently hasn't formally handed us over to any other doctor. To me, that is really, really unprofessional!! She was the only Dr I had even a small amount of trust in at the surgery ... And I honestly have no idea what Anna and I are going to do now!! I was invisible enough already at my practice and now, presumably, there will be no-one looking out for me at all! I've rarely even met any of the other doctors!! I just feel so numb about it all. Neither I nor Anna have the emotional or physical energy to deal with this - there's enough to cope with already!
There isn't really any good surgeries in this run down inner city area, so it's not even like things would necessarily get any better if we picked up and moved to one of the other practices - and it's kind of like playing Russian Roulette because you really have no idea what the doctors are actually like until you switch to their practice. (It's not like in America where you can really pick and choose your doctors, and go to meet them before you transfer to their surgery, etc.) It's not such a problem in the wealthier areas of the country, but it can be a serious issue in the poorer areas because the NHS doesn't dole out the money fairly across the country, and because many of the good GP's refuse to work in the run down areas of the country.
I really feel like I just faded a little bit more ... like I was hidden in deeper shadow from the outside world, and I have no idea how to become visible again. :(
.png "'A Fading Girl' by Sarah Allegra, used with permission of the artist. Sarah is an artist with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and much of her art deals with the subject of chronic illness - check out her site here!") |
| 'A Fading Girl' by Sarah Allegra, Used With Permission. |
I'd love to hear your reply and I know it'll be valued by other readers too! I always try to respond, please just be aware that it can take me some time to find the energy to do so as I've been particularly ill recently and struggling to get online. Thanks for reading! :)
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So sorry Susannah, it is not fair at all and you and other vulnerable patients are left between a rock and a hard place. I hope that the clinic managers can come up with something rather nice for you guys, and can provide some help.
ReplyDeleteOh no! That must feel awful. It's so hard to find good doctors,especially ones who are knowledgeable about ME, and willing to work with our energy levels. I'm so sorry you were left in the lurch and have to find a new GP now :(
ReplyDeleteFor whatever it's worth, I understand hat you mean when you say you feel invisible. Just know that there are people who see you and who care about your well being.