[resources] Choosing a new GP (UK-specific)

[kaberett]

I have been meaning to write this up for a while and have just had cause to do so elsenet; ergo, have a copy of Alex's Algorithm For Choosing A New GP. It has served me pretty well thus far.

Comments and additions welcome, as ever. :-)

eta July 2021: ugh, the NHS find-a-service website has become vastly less helpful at some point. I will poke around and see if I can find alternatives.

1. Go to http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/GP/LocationSearch/4 and enter your postcode.
   
2. Look at the number of registered patients. I'm happiest at practices with more than ten thousand patients -- these tend to be practices that see a wide variety of conditions so are better at coping with complex patients. I am wary about anywhere with fewer than five thousand patients. (This is, obviously, heavily dependent on where you live -- I've never lived outside of cities, and am well aware that in rural areas you get less choice over this one.)
   
3. Check whether the practice is accepting new patients. If you care particularly about electronic prescriptions and online services, check whether they're offered by the practice. (You can pretty much ignore the overall patient ratings.)
   
4. Click through to the practice details. Are the opening times workable for you?
   
5. Click on "Staff". Are there any GPs who've indicated a special interest in relevant areas? For example, my practice is http://www.nhs.uk/Services/GP/Staff/DefaultView.aspx?id=36949. Dr Iqbal has an interest in child health (he has a DCH); Dr Youssef has an interest in child health and obstretics & gynaecology (DCH, MRCOG); Dr Peja is interested in reproductive medicine and gynaecology (DFFP, DRCOG). http://www.nhs.uk/Services/GP/Staff/DefaultView.aspx?id=38665 is a local-to-me example that lists special interests much more straightforwardly, under "Special interests".
   
6. Use this to make a shortlist. I try to go for practices with staff with special interests relevant to me (gynaecology, rheumatology, mental health). Having ranked practices by how relevant GPs' special interests are, if I need a further tie-breaker I then go for the one that's most convenient for me to get to. I will then do an intake appointment, see if I get on with the GP running the intake appointment, and if I don't either try someone else in the practice or (if there are major red flags, like "we as a practice don't like doing [X reasonable thing]") try registering at the next practice down the list.

Comments

[davidgillon]

Sounds good to me (but I'm still with the same practise I registered with 28 years ago, so what do I know!)

[alatefeline]

Ahahahhahaha. *hysterical laughter* ...Right. You live in a country that in theory has health care. Right.

[kaberett]

YEP.

Like, it's still the case that I've had to self-diagnose pretty much EVERYTHING and then spend literally years self-advocating until someone took me seriously enough to give me a diagnosis, but... yeah.

There are so many reasons I didn't apply to any US PhD programs. So many. And healthcare is Right Up There.

[alatefeline]

Noted, on both it 'it still TOTALLY SUCKS here' and the 'but y'all are in even worse shape' fronts.

[alatefeline]

And in case it wasn't clear: love and appreciation for posting this, and I think and hope it will be helpful to some other folks over there, and you are awesome.

S'just...timing. And things. (My family and I are better off than so many people, and the overall health care situation still sucks for us; these are not in any way contradictory.)

<3

[(Anonymous)]

I've no idea about the standard and cost of insurance for students in the US, however I have lived there as well as spending a most of the rest my time in the Cambridge and also having a bunch of overlapping conditions to you. One particular diagnosis failed to be made in the UK that was made in the US.

I don't agree with the inequalities of it, but it's definitely possible to get good health care there.

[the_quorum]

Many practices will refuse in-area moves (as in, you're already registered nearby), so you may be severely limited in options after your first one.

[(Anonymous)]

Interesting, we have the opposite in this area, I've moved in area three times, housemates have changed GPs three times and my GP has been actively lieing to the practice manager to maintain continuity of care.

[the_quorum]

Ah.. I've experienced it in the South & the East Midlands, at least. It's frustrating that the NHS don't have more of a clear policy to stop them doing things like this, but I'm glad it's not as ubiquitous as it could be.

[(Anonymous)]

It has been very stressful for one of my housemates, but it would have been equally stressful (or more so) for her to argue. It's very annoying how strict a policy some practices have. I'm disabled so it's important for me to be able to access the surgery, something silly like gravel in the car park can prevent that. Also my condition is ongoing so I benefit from continuity of care.

It seems like choice is in name only in many places with each practice free to make there own rules. I do sympathise though as I know from my GP that they haven't found anyone to replace a retirement and I think they are at least 2 GPs down overall.