How Times Have Changed - Do You Remember On Call Doctors?
Ask a Question
How times have changed do you remember the doctors coming to your house to do visits. So caring and no rush in checking you over I used to love it when they visit no I didn’t pretend to be ill 
.
Today’s doctors won’t you in and out the room in under 5 minutes no time to answer extra questions
At the present time they don't even want you in, you have to have your own medical book with diagrams to explain to them what is wrong with you then they think about it and suggest something.
lilyflower they useless I had a nasty mosquito bite on my leg once and needed antibiotics he googled symptoms and said I had sringles.
lilyflower exactly doctor no shoes ain’t got a clue. We call him no shoes because every time you see him he only wears socks
lilyflower I beg to differ but rashes many self diagnose as attributable to mosquito bites are in fact caused by shingles. "You might think a painful rash is due to an allergy, or maybe even bug bites. But painful blisters can sometimes be a sign of shingles", from (and elsewhere) https://www.thehealthy.com/pain/shingles-symptoms/
davidstockport Somethings we have to differ on. Having had shingles more than once - something some say you can't get, I never suspected they were bug bites. For information I've attached NHS websites which show pictures of bites https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insect-bites-and-stings/symptoms/ and shingles https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/shingles/ 
lilyflower Those who say you can't have shingles more than once* are as reliable for medical advice as are those who say they wanted anti-biotics for what they thought was a mosquito bite, swelling from an insect bite (in the UK) is usually just an allergic reaction and the first course of action (if any) is an anti-histamine available over the counter at any pharmacy, usually costing a couple of pounds - without a prescription, could say they're often the ones who complain that they can't get home visits etc. Little wonder when doctors who have trained for many years are expected to deal with such trivialities. Even though I get free prescriptions (age) I wouldn't dream of troubling a doctor by asking for any OTC (over the counter) medication
In all areas of Great Britain except England, there is no prescription charge, so it could be thought that those who use a doctor are not willing to pay the low cost OTC treatment which would be recommended by any pharmacist.
*Could tell a very amusing story about someone with that belief.
Yes I do, and now they don't even want you to go and see them as they were so keen on before, and to think they used to be on call 24 hours a day!
Sarahvwomble I still think every gp surgery should have a on call doctor it worked years ago and will definitely help today
Ann1984 totally agree the system where you never see the same person twice is stupid,cruel and time / money wasting
Yes I do, wish they listened and treated me like a human being.
it’s all about budget, “this medication is very good but I can’t prescribe it anymore because it’s to expensive, you have to take this one instead, but you might have disabling side effects and damage to other organs “, then there is the one who knows it all but ends up prescribing something for an illness that you never had, and let’s not forget the call only one, who refuses to see you no matter what.
Morning deal hunters, thank heavens for all night Olympic coverage
I spent far too long on the phone recently trying to convince the receptionist that a telephone appointment with the doctor may not be all that useful for my injured shoulder.
Turns out it's a torn rotator cuff tendon, which brings me to my next question, has anyone had a cortisone injection and did it help with the pain in any way?
After the 48 hours of hellish pain I expected some level of pain reduction, Google promised me 6 weeks to 6 months lol
In some ways it's actually worse 
cats2757 I had one years ago and it really helped. It took a few days to kick in though
We used to have a resident doc in the village and could collect prescriptions from the surgery too as the nearest town was miles away.
Isn't it funny how times change - usually to the detriment of the patient!
The population is growing exponentially and yet surgeries and hospitals are closing too...
I agree. Sometimes (comes with age) I have several niggles I want to discuss but have to make an appointment for each one thereby taking appointments from others who may need them. That makes me feel guilty so I just discuss the most worrying.
I never feel listened to and they rarely make eye contact but are typing away as I talk. They never touch you unless absolutely necessary and look from a distance. No taking pulse, using stethoscope etc. As far as I am concerned the gp is a barrier to pass before being referred to a consultant if he deems it necessary.
Having said that can't remember last time I saw a gp and haven't even been called about my six monthly diabetic check for a year!
Lynibis it’s terrible that today they have no time for you. My in-laws found a bypass to getting seen quicker and that was going to a&e after surgery hours one consultant wrote a letter back to gp stating that the lady in question should have had regular follow up appointments. Explained that yes we may have covid but also a duty of care
I seem to be one of the lucky ones.
I think that my GP is quite good (although MrsChimp thinks she's rubbish).
It might take a few weeks to get an appointment, but when I do get one, she'll always listen and get things done.
The other GPs in the surgery are quite good too and if I don't want to see 'my' doctor, I can normally get an appointment earlier.
Another good thing is that I can order repeat prescriptions online and it's delivered to my house a day or two later.
Yes, I remember home visits. It makes sense really if you are quite poorly, not having to go to a surgery full of people.
I do think that generally, people have got softer and there is less respect for GPs though. People seem to present with very minor ailments these days (and at A&E) which they could often treat themselves. GPs these days have huge patient lists and their funding has been severely cut so I understand that they just haven’t the time to visit people at home anymore
I can't even speak to my GP these days, let alone see him. Last week I got my recent blood results & treatment plan via text message.
Glitterandgold that’s awful I asked my surgery would clinics be open back soon we had emergency walk in every day they said the way it is now works better
I personally can't see anything remotely wrong with that - if the results and treatment can be given by text message (unless there's something that requires discussion) WHY NOT!
Saves us all a lot of time and trouble 
It would annoy me if I had to go into my health centre just to be informed of any results. It annoys me having to even phone in for results - it usually takes about two hours to get into the queue to speak to a receptionist.
I've suggested they could have a queue system for getting in the queue, but they'd then probably need a queue system, to get in the queue, to get in the queue system. That could be very useful for people who suffer from hypotension (low blood pressure) it certainly elevates mine.
davidstockport I'm all for the NHS as a whole making cuts where possible so yes I can see the benefits in minor / easy cases of a simple text message. However in my case not so much....Without going into too much detail, I've had an ongoing complex / currently undiagnosed condition for some time, that requires me to have regular blood tests. My most recent test had flagged up something new, that requires treatment, which I phoned surgery & booked in for, only to be told on arrival I couldn't have because.......I needed to speak to my GP first. The whole fiasco resulted in me taking up 2 appointments needlessly.
Further more Iv now since received another text message over the weekend, this time telling me a recent scan Iv had has discovered something potentially serious.....I'm not happy receiving this type of info via a text message.
Glitterandgold Quite agree but a simple "Your recent tests indicate that no change to your medication or treatment is required" text would often be enough.
Yep remember Home visits , also remember sitting waiting to see the doctor and him rushing out through the waiting area on his way to an emergency home visit, we either had to wait to see another doctor or reschedule our appointment, but everyone seemed to be understanding of this.
Totally agree, the doctors now are all for numbers not about care. I was told by my old doctor that I was just a dizzy person and to have more vitamin c and stop over reacting, I was so annoyed that I saved up and went private for a proper check up. Found out I had server under active thyroid and one of my kidneys have stopped working. So when I found this out asked for my medical records and found out that my chronic kidney disease started 8 years previous and they never looked in to it. So have no faith in the doctors near me and unfortunately can’t afford the private health care.
Yes I remember the good old days of house visits, But Times have definitely changed as now you have to phone the doctor to be told there’s no appointments available, and to phone back in the morning at 8:30 am to see if there’s any left or if your really poorly they will phone you back but then they send a questionnaire for you to fill in and add a photo of the problem so they can phone you back, I guess due to the current situation this is going to be like this for a long time.
tara73ziva but ringing at half eight for telephone lines to be busy for hours and then told sorry all appointments gone
How times have changed.
Yes I remember those heady days where the doctors would come to your home . Now you do well to get an appointment with them in the same month let alone being actually seen .
Slightly changing the subject I had a conversation with a physio today and it was on a telephone consultation about a referral and trying to tell me what exercises I need to do . I didn't have a problem with talking to him but I asked 1 question and the guy genuinely didn't have an answer to my question . I asked why I wasn't having this appointment over a phone when I do not have covid and have been double vaxed and the closest he came to answer was we have been told that we can't see people face to face .
I've lost count of the excuses because of covid and really wish time could have been turned back but hey I guess its a dream right now
stuartsmith544 so many people blaming covid it’s something we all got to live with now. Plus if everything open thousands allowed to watch football am sure a doctor seeing you should be first thing getting sorted
I'm surprised he didn't know the answer which is: There's little point seeing people face to face if the same result can be achieved over the phone, the fewer people we come in contact with, the less chance of passing it on and the less chance of the person we pass it on to then passing it on to others.
Even those who've had both jabs aren't immune, glad to see that unless contact is essential it's being avoided. Just because we can't see the virus doesn't mean it's not there.
davidstockport The problem though is there are other health problems which the way they are being treated is at best a joke and at worse life threatening . Since March of last year when the 1st lockdown I have had 4 friends actually die because they were spoken to over the phone and not examined in the way it should be done . On that basis if you test negative for covid , you make the appointment , the doctor sees you face to face and if it warrants referral then so be it but now they go literally on such an insane route that they actually create more work doing it the way they do .
You are right about interraction but the current system is dangerous and illnesses and other problems are being kicked down the road and the problems will be a lot worse if they are not dealt with very soon .
I have had to have doctors visit the house twice due to labyrinthitis when I couldn’t get out of bed. Both times they were caring and didn’t rush at all.
So many times when called to the doctors then asked why I am there and the doctor is often multi tasking at his/her computer and writing out prescriptions. Gone is the old bedside manner.
Extreme but true. When my husband died it took 5 Hrs to get a doctor to the house to certify the death!I also requested one to come two days prior and she said it didn't sound serious. Afterwards I was flooded with phone calls and letters.
First of all commiserations and hope it doesn't sound callous to say this but if a person has obviously died* it is no longer a medical emergency. Although the bereaved person might often require medical assistance.
*It doesn't require a doctor to verify death (any competent person - often with guidance - can do it), although it does usually require a doctor to certify death and I believe that is often done at the undertakers, although the doctor doesn't necessarily have to see the body if the death was expected and the deceased had been seen in the few weeks prior to death.
davidstockport The funeral directors would/will not remove the body from the house until certified by a doctor.Because the doctor was so long in coming I called emergency services who came swiftly.They verified but said that the doctor would have to do so as well .I was with him when he died. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know when someone is as you say obviously dead but unfortunately the body will not be removed without the doctor's say so.At least that was my experience.
MelissaLee1963 I am a little surprised by that, I was informed differently by my late fiancée's GP. (she was terminally ill). As it was she died in hospital and her death verified by a nurse (I was present) I was around for a few hours after and no doctor was called to certify death.
Over 15 years previously my wife died suddenly at home but was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead by a doctor, her body was then taken to the mortuary.
Perchance the vindictive, spineless, moron who tried to imply I was angling for sympathy by merely mentioning my "late wife" some time back, sees this. Most of us don't want or require sympathy after over 40 years. Unlike himself many of us have good memories that outweigh the bad ones. (my wife didn't leave me by choice).
davidstockport I believe it’s all different now my dad died at home terminal Ill stage 4 cancer and had to wait for doctor but they weren’t too long. Think it’s different with certain cases places. Neighbour ends life no doctor just undertaker and police but ambulance were there too
Ann1984 Suicide, (and many other sudden or suspicious deaths) are usually certified by the Coroner after autopsy. Out of interest (as this site is about saving money) deaths certified by the coroner save quite a bit of money, especially where cremation is used, as there are no expensive doctor's fees to pay. The money Doctors get for signing death certificates for cremations is known by them as their "Ash Cash"
Not sure of current payments but it was £147 eleven years ago. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/jan/10/doctors-cremation-ash-cash
davidstockport wow that a lot of money am not sure on price today either. I said don’t worry expensive funeral for me over board be fine. The cost today so expensive
davidstockport. I can confirm MelissaLee1963 is correct. Both my parents died at home after terminal illness. In both instances the funeral director would not come until their deaths had been certified by our doctor.
Ann1984 Many people are not aware of how much doctors get paid for the few minutes it takes to fill in the form, this shows that in 2020 the cost was £164 (£82 each) it also confirms that there is no charge when the coroner is involved. I suppose it might pay to make a death look suspicious when somebody dies.
"Doctors charge a fee to certify the death, which costs £164 (this covers the cost of two forms at £82 each)**. Doctor’s fees do not apply in the case of a burial funeral, due to the stricter guidelines involved in clearing a body for cremation. Doctor’s fees also do not apply in Scotland or in situations where a coroner is involved".
Incidentally I do not think it can result in much protection for the deceased, as I KNOW that there is often a reluctance to report some questionable deaths to the coroner, because those concerned would lose their ash cash.
I do not recall a doctor ever coming to the house but I do remember being able to go to the doctors and you just sat and waited to be seen. No one ever got turned out and told come back tomorrow.
Join for free to get genuine deals, money saving advice and help from our friendly community
Chief Bargain Hunter
