Have GP card. I think I need to change GP.

S

SoylentGreen

Registered User
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I got a GP card last year and nominated the practice I have been attending since the 1970's.

I now realise that the doctor that I have been attending for many years should have been more on top of things than he has been.

For example. I had shingles a few years back but didn't diagnose them. It was my wife who suggested I had shingles and I asked him. Then he woke up.

He has messed up my blood tests twice now in recent years.

He prescribed an ointment for dermatitis in my ear and when I went to get the prescription renewed he said that you can't put that stuff in your ear.

Lots of small things.

Two weeks ago both myself and my wife had our bloods taken. Last Monday her doctor rang her at 8.30 am. with her results. Five days later and nothing from my doctor yet.

Is it easy to change doctors when you have a GP card? Can I have my medical records for the past 50 years transferred to my new doctor?
 
Not easy where I live. Shortage of GPs. Waiting lists for several surgeries. Can be hard to get appointments. If you are worried about your blood results ring and ask for a call back from the practice nurse. Although getting through to a secretary can be difficult enough at times.
 
Mamamia22 said:
If you are worried about your blood results ring and ask for a call back from the practice nurse
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I am not sure how long blood test results take to get back to doctor. Is it normal to wait for the practice to ring you or is it normal to ring the practice after a period of time?
 
SoylentGreen said:
I am not sure how long blood test results take to get back to doctor. Is it normal to wait for the practice to ring you or is it normal to ring the practice after a period of time?
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It can depend on how busy the lab is that the samples go to for testing. It can also depend on the particular sample but it is usually the unusual bloods that take longer for the lab to come back with the result.

Two weeks is plenty of time to have allowed though so it would be in order to give them a call. Sometimes mine are back within a day or two and I have to have mine done regularly.
 
Two weeks is plenty of time to allow. I’d imagine they might not phone every result as their workload is so high. But if you can get through and ask for a nurse call back they usually oblige. Important to call I think.
 
SoylentGreen said:
I am not sure how long blood test results take to get back to doctor. Is it normal to wait for the practice to ring you or is it normal to ring the practice after a period of time?
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The norm for my doctor is if I want the results I ring and/or leave a message and I get a call back that day. Anytime there is something amiss they have rang me promptly.
 
SoylentGreen said:
Is it easy to change doctors when you have a GP card? Can I have my medical records for the past 50 years transferred to my new doctor?
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To change GP in Ireland the first step is to research GP clinics in your area. The HSE has an online service to make this easier, you can view the Find A GP Service here. Simply filter by your county and town to access the contact details, location and names of GP options near you.
Then contact the GP’s main reception to check if they are accepting new Medical Card patients (or you can check HSE list of doctors who take part in the medical card scheme.

From the bureaucratic point of view changing a GP is quite straightforward, you just need to download this form and get your new GP to sign it.
Once you have registered with your new GP, they will request your medical records from your last GP (which will save you from any embarrassing conversations) - or you can contact your last GP and ask him o forward your records to your new clinic.

That said, finding a new GP depends very much on where in Ireland you are living. The influx of up to 100,000 Ukranians (with medical cards) has made many practices very busy and not many of them are taking on new MC holders.
 
Could age be a factor here??
Is it the same doctor that you've been seeing since the 70's or do you have a choice when making an appointment??

A couple of years ago I had a falling out with my doctor of 20 years, went looking for another doctor in my area but the seven practices i contacted were not interested in taking on any new clients and I'm not a medical card holder
By chance my doctor rang me about a missed appointment and I let him know in no uncertain terms of the service and attitude I was getting from him and since then I can't fault him on any level.

Re the blood tests I've never had to wait more then 48 hours before my doctor contacts me with the results, Mrs C once had to ring them after a week and that was because her doctor was away on holidays and the locum missed it

SoylentGreen said:
He prescribed an ointment for dermatitis in my ear and when I went to get the prescription renewed he said that you can't put that stuff in your ear.
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Check with the Pharmacist if this is true, they generally know more about the drugs their dispensing then the doctors do prescribing and sometimes can offer better and cheaper alternatives.
 
SoylentGreen said:
Can I have my medical records for the past 50 years transferred to my new doctor?
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Yes, if you are the holder of a card issued by the HSE under a contract with the GP, you can make an FOI request to the HSE. It's free to make an FOI request and you can't be charged for the copies. Alternatively, you can make a Subject Access Request under the GDPR direct to the GP. Again, no charges and he is obliged to respond within 1 month. Probably, the GP will send them to you rather than a third party.
 

There is a system that the G.P.s use where the paperwork can be transferred automatically so is much more efficient than transferring manually. In my daughter's case the system did not work so they did have to print them off but I understand that this is unusual. Obviously that would be preferable to manually copying records for 50 years
 
Of course, but it depends on the GP.
 
I am nearing the end of my tether with my GP. It is not helped by the people who work on the reception area who take care of a lot of the administration. Messages left, calls not returned. One receptionist says they will ring back. Nobody calls, so I ring and the other receptionist says we don't return phone calls. I make an appointment for say 11a.m. I am lucky to see him by 12 p.m.
I can see that my doctor hates paperwork. I know he never updates his computer records after a visit. It is usually left to me to update him on matters when I call. When he had a paper file, everything was in a jumble. No date order, couldn't find anything.
I really need to move as it is causing me so much stress. I have a GP card.
 
A lot of people are changing and trying to change practices for some of the reasons that you point out. But is changing practices going to be any better?. As Sue says some of them are not taking extra patients because of lack of doctors, as is the case where I am..
 
Ask why things are like this ? There is an ever rising population with our open border status. Hospitals and GP clinics have not been resourced to deal with what they face. Anyone working in the system knows the excessive workload pressure and lack of staff across all disciplines, not to mention beds etc. There is a recruitment embargo in place at a time when recruitment should be increasing.
 
arbitron said:
What does this mean?
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Not to derail the thread but I'd assume the poster is referring to the unprecedented population increases due to government policy/lax enforcement which many people feel is de facto open borders.

I have family members working in primary care who can attest to the strains placed on many areas due to increased demand without a commensurate increase in primary care capacity locally.

OP, reiterating what others have said you can absolutely move GP and have your notes transferred provided a new one will accept you. The most logical (and likely to accept you) would be your wife's GP, have you started with them?
 
Leo said:
What recruitment embargo is there affecting GPs?
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There is none that I'm aware of, there is an embargo on many parts of the HSE which is lifting but GPs are private businesses who may provide services contracted to the public system and are not impacted. There has recently been an uptick in training schemes offered for GPs which is great but will take a number of years to improve the situation.
 
bill_cash said:
There has recently been an uptick in training schemes offered for GPs which is great but will take a number of years to improve the situation.
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Surely its more G.P.s that's needed and not just more training. The addition by the Government of free medical care for young children has made the situation harder to manage too.
 
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