GP problem

[trudd]

Do any of your health problems have a charity affiliated with it? They often have helplines and offer advice on all kinds of things including help with benefits.

[kronas]

no one wants to touch the case with a bargpole, simply because when the GP is being an arse no one can do anything, but im hoping i can find a way out...

[trudd]

You definately can't change GP's then? I had one that told me my partner (now husband) had to join his practice or we'd be struck off (when in fact the real reason was my refusal to vax my baby, he gets paid lots of money to get them all done you see). I complained to the health authority and they said I could change. I wrote a nice letter to my husband's gp and we are with him now.

He is rather different though, at one point my GP worked for no money, as he refused the PCT's demands to sell patient information without their knowledge.

[poppynurse]

Kronas - you are entitled to change GP. Write to your health authority and PCT.

Did you contact the practice manager? If not write to them and copy to the GP and senior partner asking them to clarify in writing whether your GP considers you fit to work or not, tell them if you do not receive a definitive response withi 10 days that you will complain to the GMC, that should get them moving.

It still seems to me that the GP thinks you are swinging the lead, the DWP has no influence over his decision.

[kronas]

Kronas - you are entitled to change GP. Write to your health authority and PCT.

Did you contact the practice manager? If not write to them and copy to the GP and senior partner asking them to clarify in writing whether your GP considers you fit to work or not, tell them if you do not receive a definitive response withi 10 days that you will complain to the GMC, that should get them moving.

It still seems to me that the GP thinks you are swinging the lead, the DWP has no influence over his decision.

 

i think what you have said at the end has made alot of sense, i have been to hospital twice in three weeks due to worsening health, the consultant says he will write to the GP:

 

"I write to GP he will issue sicknote"

 

said the arabic guy

 

whether it happens remains to be seen, the other advice i have been given is to write to the chief executive of the PCT and explain the situation, if he doesent budge after the consultants letter then i will most likely have my consultants backing to be off sick, which i will use against my GP, the whole situation is getting me stressed even more and angry, i have someone from a CAB type team coming from my local hospital on tuesday so will explain the situation to him.

 

also i contacted CLS and they told me to dig around the DWP website about sicknotes, GP's can issue them at their discretion, nowhere it states he has to refuse if the DWP says so, i sniffed around the GMC website and found a document telling me that if i am an in-patient or out-patient of a hospital i can have a sicknote from the consultant treating me.....atleast thats how i read it!

 

[kronas]

update: i made an appointment to see my GP, regarding his view about my consultant saying i should get one, so i made and was prepared for another let down....

 

meanwhile i decided to venture out for once and see if i could spot some bargains out of town, its something to keep my mind off things....

 

while i was there i tripped and fell to the ground, injuring my arm, so i got back on the bus, i was running late for the appointment so i decided to ring them to explain why i was delayed.....on the way there a massive panic attack started....... its something i have got used to, although the experiance is very harrowing!

 

so luckily the GP (my usual one i thought) let me come late via consulatation first with the secratory, at this point i was in very bad shape, mud all over me, panic attack in full flow, so i eventually got in to the GP's room after a kind lady let me go first after seeing me in so much agony that i was reduced in to tears....

 

but wait! it was not my usual GP! it was the second of three at the surgery! so he sees me and thinks wtf is going on, im there ballwing my eyes out, having trouble breathing, tightening of the arms, dysfunctional face...... he treats my shoulder first as i (my mother) told him what had happened, he wrote a note and said get down to the hospital, my mother pointed out to him that this appointment was booked on the basis of a possible issuing of a sicknote as per the hospital consultants recommendation....

 

at this point i was sweating.... he looks through my notes..........." i will write you one" he says!

 

at this point im thinking wtf! for a year i have tried to get one, i even tried this GP before and refused, but he let me!

 

for 3 months!

 

meanwile i spent about three hours at the hospital regarding my shoulder, the best service i have ever had (GP referral = excellent service) two docs saw my arm, and where it hurts etc... got an xray and luckily no break, very sore muscles, i have been told to ring in for a physio appointment this morning!

 

so how do i get a incapacity form ? can i just get one from my jobcentreplus office ?

[gizmo111]

Depending on where you live you may be able to claim online

 

Jobcentre Plus - Working Age Benefits Incapacity Benefit

 

Also check CAB for a local welfare rights no - who will give you help if this application has any problems.

 

Good Luck with this and I hope you feel better soon, and things start to llok up for you.

 

Best Wishes

[Joa]

Hi there; I am so sorry about the nightmare you went through. I can appreciate the frustration as I had similar problems with patronising, obstinate GP.

During my search for independent, professional help with sickess and disability benefits, I came across the following website: Benefits and Work

I have now become their member and recommend it strongly. There are public access areas and members areas (£16 pa). Invaluable help.

From what you are saying, it sounds to me that you should be applying for IB and DLA.

Good luck, keep us updated!

[emmaf01]

Kronas- I am so sorry you are going through all of this. I have been chewed up by the system myself- a failed dss medical, six months waiting for an appeal, trying to get medical backing/evidence for my condition. Hell on earth if you were in perfect health, ten times worse when you are already ill.

 

My advice (from personal experience)-

Your local council social services will have a welfare rights officer. Contact them immediately and get an appointment. I cannot recommend them highly enough. They will help you through this and any other contact with the DSS in the future. If you have been shafted once, you need future help to ensure it doesn't happen again.

 

Phone the local PCT and put in a complaint about the behaviour of your GP. He should have written the sick note- it is up to the DSS whether they accept it or not. It is his job to say if you are unable to work in his opinion.

Thats all. Not to second guess the DSS.

 

Please come back and post, so we know you are ok and how its all going! I still have nightmares about the months I went through in a similar situation.

[kronas]

right guys thanks all, well i have been plugging away a bit and leaving it to morons at pct and local mental health authorties and got nowhere......

 

so this is my story, a short while ago i made an appointment yet again with the GP to try and get him to atleast look at my case again and talk to him, that day i had to go out, so i had to get up early to make the appointment, not nice when your body says no its own way and medication drags you down, so i went out that day, slipped and fell i was muddy, so i dragged myself up and eventually got on a bus, i realised i was running late for my appointment and rang the surgery and the secratery to tell them what had happened also she said 'i will check with the GP if he will allow you to arrive late' a short while later she says 'your very lucky he has agreed to let you come in late, i gave her an estimated time and she said 'please hurry' i said ok, so i was on the bus and all of a sudden..... i got THAT feeling, i tried to ignore it but when it comes on there is nothing you can do, it was ofcourse the start of a vicious panic attack, at this time my arm was hurting related to the fall and i had to keep quite and subdued, a short while later i rang my mother (dont call me a sissy please) informed her to meet me outside the surgery, i got off the bus and just let it all out bit by bit, i started walking towards the surgery from the bus stop, at this point it feels like im going to die, the tightness and choking in pain, i got outside the surgery, my mother was there and she was suprised as to what was going on, i was muddy and crying etc, i had to explain what was happening/happened/going on.....so i went in with my mother and sat down in the surgery, things were getting worse for me, uncontrollable crying, tightness around the neck chest and throat, aching all over, i couldnt even sit up......luckily a very kind lady who partially knows me allowed me to go in ahead of her....

 

so im helped in by my mother and i walked in....i was confronted by the second GP! so i just sat there and let the attack happen, he was scurrying and asking what was wrong and my mum said 'he gets thes fits' and hes injured his arm in a fall, the pain of the attack and shoulder/neck was getting worse....... he wrote a letter and said go to hospital, my mother mentioned that i needed a sicknote, he had a brief look at my medical record and said 'ok' and wrote one out!

 

when i got better at the hospital and my mum told me i was in disbelief! i got an xray on the shoulder and had a sling on it, luckily nothing was broken but just some minor damage, im seeing a physio regarding it too....

 

but the bad news is the GP has been kicked out of the surgery by my actual GP, i just met the replacement a few days ago, seemed very nice and asked me about my medical history, funny thing was she had that wtf face when i walked in, as she saw my name and said are you ********** i said 'yes its me i am ********* i am a male, i get that all the time' my name is a varation of a female name in spelling.....

 

so i applied for IB but get IS due to not enough NI, i just got written confirmation of my DLA application being accepted....

 

after all that hassle some luck went my way!

 

now i have to worry about sicknotes and obtaining them! and waiting for a letter for a PCA medical

[mazzab]

what you gp is saying he cant give you a sick note for same thing

 

big hint they can write one if you get a new condition

so time to get soime back pain

thats a new condition pluss you can add old stuff as well

 

hint nuber 2 i can see all this ilness has made you depresed

 

So basically make up a new problem to continue to claim benefit?

 

Do you wonder why GPs can be cynical and unhelpful about a system that puts them between people manipulating the system and the benefits agency trying to stop them doing so.

 

I sympathise with Kronas' problems, but attitudes like this show why the system exists it the first place. The benefits system is there so those who cannot work get supported, not so people can manipulate money for nothing. I think you ought to get of your arse and go find a job DragonLord. The money is meant for those in NEED not those in WANT.