It is sometimes difficult to embrace change especially when what you get isn't what you're used to or have come to expect over many years. It therefore requires some sympathetic understanding and adaptability on both sides and an element of gradualism rather than sweeping changes that fit with government doctrine but, in reality, aren't enshrined in primary legislation. This, coupled with some common sense, would really help. Here's a personal example. I attended the practice this week with three conditions that at least two actually needed medical intervention and the other possible medical intervention. On entering the consultation room and trying to explain there were three thing I need to discuss I was told to prioritise them and pick the one I felt required the most attention - one condition per appointment I would need to make further appointments for the other conditions! Now, given the main issue appears to be getting an appointment in a sensible time scale, I does seem rather silly to require me to make a further two appointments (each of say 15 minutes) when all three of my conditions could easily have been dealt with in 20 minutes. Political correctness and guidelines in front of common sense I think. Then the prescription - 2 items were prescribed at a cost of £17.20 to myself. However, I was subsequently told having paid out this sum, that one of the items was available over the counter at a fraction of the prescription price! Why didn't the doctor inform me of this? As I said in the title, I'm sticking with this practice at the moment as I'm under no illusion that many other practices are operating in the same way, but it may soon be time to see if the 'grass is greener' elsewhere...
Original Comment Report...