Having spent many years away...My doctor in S.A. did everything from diagnosis to surgery.
If I cut myself My GP stitched me up, The GP carried out any surgery that was needed and gave checkups including cardiogram, ecg's, endoscopy's, in fact my GP did everything.

Since arriving back in the UK I have noticed that when you see a GP here, They look at you and ask you what is wrong with you then take your blood pressure.

Apart from looking into the computer screen and adding what you say is wrong with you, I have not seen any doctor here do a full physical examination of anyone.

From what I can see, This is refered to so called specialists and the Hospitals.

My Question is!.....Exactly what qualifications does a GP need as I cannot comprehend what they do besides ask questions and diagnose without an examination.
I have also seen that the number of cases of mis-diagnosis from GP's has risen over the years.

I won't trust mine again (York Road S9), completely missed my pneumonia last year. I was given painkillers! Any more illness and I'm off to A & E. And such an attitude, like I am inconveniencing them by being ill.

I have to agree ive seen evidence to suggest GPs seem to need nothing more than a few GCSEs judging by some of the forms we get from them at the hospital where i work. They cant write - they cant spell - their idea of a specific diagnosis is stating the area in which the patient has pain. As far as im aware though they need a medical degree plus 2 years working in a hospital before they can start to train as a GP which takes around 2 years (apparently.)

On another note - does anyone have a GP who is fluent in English?? At my practice none of them are and whilst im sure they would be very good at their jobs if they could speak english is does kind of act as a barrier when they dont understand the yorkshire accent.

I find my GP surgery a variable. I don't get to see the same doctor which is a bit of a nightmare but they've slowly done their best for me over the years with a chronic problem.
Only today I had several litres of blood taken at the surgery (not really but it feels like it). The phlebotomist had trouble since my veins hide but the doctor she fetched did a pretty good job.
I've had very minor surgery at my GPs in the past, having a large mole removed which had deep roots. I was stitched etc and asked to return for a check-up and given a care sheet.
I was happy with that, better than a several month or year waiting list.
The only drawback I find is the venomous witches I keep meeting on receptions. There's a poisoned witch at the GPs I attend who is evil to almost everyone.
She's been evil to my face while I gone in with tears streaming down my face from pain. Then she made me wait over an hour and ignored me.
She didn't get reason to try it with me during my appointment today but was a hell borne demon to my partner who went with me.
She's jumped up and out of her league and with any luck someone will have the sense to remove her pronto before her attitude kills someone.

I went to my GP with a migrane and she found an abnormal lump behind my eye. I was promptly sent to the hospital, had a day of tests, saw 3 specialists and they could see nothing.

I was prescribed glyceryl trinitrate by my GP for a chest pain I had developed.
I was told that I had angina, This worried me so i went for a second opinion to a private doctor who after an examination found I had a bug that could be treated with a course of antibiotics.
The first diagnosis and subsequent treatment I was told could have had adverse effects and could have killed me should I have taken the medication as it slows the heart beat down...immediatly.
I still have the medicine as a reminder..

My partner who saw the same doctor (S13) for acute abdominal pain was treated for an ulcer.
It was only when an ambulance had to be called that we learned her gall bladder had ruptured.
May I say that Rotherhm hospital is very thorough and acted promptly to save my partner.

Needless to say, I do not trust the judgement of GP's and now look through the internet and I have a program for self diagnosis that seems to be more accurate than the local GP.

We seem to be in a very scary and dangerouse situation when we trust our health and future to people that can only give you 5 minutes to be able to diagnose and treat an ailment.

GPs training - 4/5 years in medical school + 2 years as a registrar.

I severely doubt 'GCSE' level is an accurate representation.

I have seen about 4 Drs at my GP surgery (S3 postcode) and they have all been very good. I have a nerve/eye condition they spotted straight away...

Originally posted by DerekH
Needless to say, I do not trust the judgement of GP's and now look through the internet and I have a program for self diagnosis that seems to be more accurate than the local GP.

You cannot judge the entire medical facility on one GP... that's like saying all restaraunts are bad cos you've had a bad meal!!

There are official complaint bodies who can take action against a GP for you... I can send you the details if you'd like...?

Mine's useless - wouldn't believe I had a fractured foot - I knew it was due to the pain and what I had been doing recently, I had to argue the point with a GP and nurse before they'd even send me for an xray - eventually when they did the hospital found 2 fractures, yay.

I do think GPs have too much power sometimes. For example, I find it extraordinary that they can prescribe Anti-depressants without consulting a specialist. A basic questionnaire is not enough to diagnose depression.

It is unfair to bundle all GPs together, as some are excellent while some are poor. It does seem though, that there are too many inexperienced GPs which is a bit worrying. The example that comes to mind is when my friend was diagnosed with salmonella poisoning after having a seizure. It took 6 months of seeing different GPs and being diagnosed with different illnesses to finally be sent for a brain scan. It turned out to be a brain tumour.

My GPs, there are about 5 of them, are great, my only problem is how difficult it is to get an appointment if you don't know a week in advance that you are going to be ill.

I on a couple of ocassions went to my doctors feeling ill... Once was with Shingles... (nasty!)

Both times he prescribed me some tablets... When reading up on them i realised that he had given me anti depressants... :huh: I was ill not depressed... or is this because the doctor didnt believe i was ill so he thought he would cheer me up by giving me happy pills? :?

One of my friends down South was always at the doctors (surprised they didnt ask her to move in!) lol anyway she always had pills in her bag... I swear they gave her tablets to shut her up lol... they'd give her smarties and she'd swallow em with water ;) she was a bit of a hypochondriac it has to be said... :roll:

Years ago my sister went to the doctors as she had blotches appear all over her face.... It worried her so thought she would get some professional advice...

Dont laugh!!! :nono: Straight faces here please....

The professional answer from the doctor was... to buy herself a balaclava :lol:

Originally posted by DerekH
I was prescribed glyceryl trinitrate by my GP for a chest pain I had developed.
I was told that I had angina, This worried me so i went for a second opinion to a private doctor who after an examination found I had a bug that could be treated with a course of antibiotics.
The first diagnosis and subsequent treatment I was told could have had adverse effects and could have killed me should I have taken the medication as it slows the heart beat down...immediatly.


That's the same as nitroglycerine you know! But I doubt it would have killed you, even as a sublingual or inhalator, let alone a patch.

Originally posted by Phanerothyme
That's the same as nitroglycerine you know! But I doubt it would have killed you, even as a sublingual or inhalator, let alone a patch.

Actually if sprayed under the tongue causes severe headache and can if used by someone that doesnt need that type of medication......could lead to heart attack...<<<I have been reading the contra indications for the medicine.......If you want we could meet up and we could give the stuff a none clinical trial.

my mother was treated for bronchitus for 9 years,she died of lung cancer i saved the tablets and showed them to my gp who confirmed they were for bronchitis.when i told him about my mother he gave me the address to make an official complaint,heard nothing the doctor in sheffield 2 still practicing ( think the medical association chose that word with care ) the person who did the autopsy said she had cancer for at least ten years

just to look at this another way;

would you be happy with less GP's (there's already a shortage right?) because they have to spend another few years getting general medical experience?

Longer waiting lists, less apointments, more rural areas with poor service...

The doctors at my local clinic are quite good, I think there are 4 of them, but I've only seen 3 of them since I've lived here...

they've always been great with me, I've had moles removed there, had plenty of tests and diagnosed with a kidney infection after I thought I had diabetes (it runs in the family)... although I ruled out diabetes myself when I started getting bad pains...

my doctors seem very well qualified to me, they're quite happy to give a full check over if its required, they dont seem to give pills out willy nilly IMO I've had anti-biotics and topical gels (for a bad back) and been put on anti-depressants for a few short stints...

but seen as I'm VERY against medication as a whole I only generally take medication I've done some research on and if I feel I really need it

DerekH, if your doctors suck then move to another clinic, you cant do a good job of self diagnosing... GP's do at least 8 years training before they're let loose, thats a lot of time and they learn a lot of things