My opinion on e consult. I am not really a fan of it.
How come nowadays GPs in the UK (particularly here in England) are no longer walk in & that we are doing e consultations? Not everyone is going to use a phone or computer to complete e consult questions about his/her health before deciding whether to have an appointment to see the doctor at the GP.
I understand that GPs (including my local GP) are doing that to be safe from coronavirus (as we are in the pandemic). Although the plans for GP to cease being “walk in” building were planned late 2019 before Covid happened. Once that happens, that’s where we patients have been introduced to all of that “e consult/e consultation” stuff which unfortunately it proves to be difficult with questionnaires. What’s the point of having a GP if they cannot be there for all of us. & calling GP reception won’t get you the chance to book appointment. At least not anymore.
What’s next? E consult to see if we go to the hospital premises if someone is very ill or seriously injured. This is life or death matter.
Having a GP appointment is necessary for our well being and our health. Otherwise, what’s the point?
Soon, very soon. Robots will take over jobs so I feel that the e consult & the app stuff is the start. It will be disadvantage for others who are not used to e consult & more comfortable of going to the GP by either walking in (now not possible due to Covid) or telephone call.
The reason why I say this is because during lockdown last year while Coronavirus was being rampant everywhere in the world, my mother & the carer of my disabled brother phoned general practitioner around couple of times about the health of my disabled brother (who is non verbal & has challenging behaviour & OCD) which was unfortunately didn’t help that mum wanted. My mother would do a e consult questionnaires which is not quite simple and easy & that led my brother to not attend appointment at GP. At least recently, I done the e consult with the carer of my disabled brother & finally he (the carer) received a email from the doctor from GP despite waiting for 4 days for the response regarding the health of my disabled brother (weight problems. Although losing weight is normal, it is that as I mentioned the fact that my brother have challenging behaviour). It was different than previous ones. Although waiting for the call or email will still take time to speed the process of e consult questions.
Another thing is because I have a friend in Spain who is like a sister to me.
My online friend told me that she didn’t get a treatment for her Anorexia Nervosa due to the fact that GP surgeries have ceased to be “walk in” premises. It does prove my point that having the system of e consult is stressful, frustrating and difficult. That’s how it happened during the Covid pandemic. Even if we knew e consult was coming, it wouldn’t happen because of Covid. So I think that every single GP surgery in the UK & all part of the world better think sensibly about turning away patients who wants a GP appointment, general health treatment or referral before suggesting the person to fill e consult online (which won’t guarantee anything of that I just mentioned).
After all, we all need general practitioners at the point in my life even if there is something wrong with our health. Your health, my health. Like I said I totally understand the safety because of Covid but having the e consult & transformation of GPs not having a walk in premises like we used to prior to the pandemic is nothing better & that is it is a disadvantage.
So that is my opinion on e consult. Do you agree with me or disagree with me? If so then comment below or reply on my socials (like Twitter for instance).
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