Lived Experience Forum

[Former-Member]

I'm just wondering if you could please give me your thoughts of what role a GP should play in our care. My current GP won't be part of my mental health care as she said that is covered by the mental health team. She won't prescribe my medications either which I understand. However she is a great GP but today my therapist and I discussed maybe finding a GP that is more involved in my mental health and will prescribe my medications when required. All thoughts appreciated.

[Former-Member]

Hi @Former-Member

I think the role of a GP is:

Is the first point of call for matters of personal health

Coordinates the care of patients and refers patients to other specialists

Cares for patients in a whole of person approach and in the context of their work, family and community

In urgent/emergency cases refers patient to be admitted into hospital

I think its a decision that you can only make and I would be looking at my options. At the end of the day she is there to provide a service to you, and if you are not happy, I would look else where because to me she is not treating you holistically or the whole body. Or alternatively you could see someone else in the practice but only see them for mental health problems or in emergency if you can;t get in to see her. You could also have a discussion with her and ask her to treat you including you MI problems and to explain to her why you want her to do this.

But realistically she may still say the same thing and to me that confuses me because they are there to treat the whole body not just physical ailments. You may well be better off seeing someone at different practice - in some ways I can see why she has done this, and maybe she thinks doing this is actually helping you.

I know its tough changing drs and you have a history together but at the end day you need to think about what you need and if she is making your life more diffcult.

[utopia]

@Former-Member. I can only tell you about my gp. You will need to decide what type of help / relationship you want with yours.
My gp liaises with my psychologist and my psychiatrist, & with Workcover & Centrelink with regards to my mental health.
She writes my prescriptions & slowly reduces the dosage - as directed by my 2 specialists. If a med is to be changed - the psychiatrist has to write the first script and send her a letter.
She is an advocate for me & makes sure I'm not being pressured into returning to employment too soon etc.
She is my first port of call - when I'm starting to spiral down in my depression.
For general medicine - she knows I get anxious when a test result isn't good & she tries to help me through that process.
She and my psychologist are in constant contact.
I hope this helps.

[Former-Member]

That's very weird @Former-Member, that your GP can't work with your MH team psychiatrist. All it would take is a report from him (another flaw in the system). Some GPs are more gifted than others when it comes to specialties or disciplines in medicine like psychiatry. I'm lucky my normal GP has post graduate studies in counselling, not that I've been counselling lled by her but she also seems to know how the systems works.

My memory from nursing is that DRs hre very careful not to tread on each others toes, especially if that someone is more qualified - like a psychiatrist, or a pediatrician or a Gynae. I think bits a legate thing too (wouldn't stand up in court if something went wrong), however, with medication, a simple letter to your GP would cover that. I think you should talk with your MH team to get their act together on this. Unless of cause they use script renewal as a time to be assessed by the psychiatrist, which I think is fair enough for psychotrophic drugs. They issue 6months worth of repeats don't they?
I dodgy. Your psychologist shouldn't be telling you to change your GP for that reason. I don't know. My gut feeling is stick with what you know, especially at this time. Hugz xox

[Former-Member]

Thanks @Former-Member, @utopia, @Former-Member. It was good to read your responses. I come with lots of baggage for a GP which is I know a difficult thing. My current listens to a run down of my mental health stuff but says she doesn't feel comfortable with the complexities of my MI and would rather leave it to the experts. The psychiatrist won't let her write any mental health scripts but now on two occasions he has rang and asked her to but she won't do it anymore which I understand her reasons but it is making things harder. I was meant to be starting a new medication this week but no one will prescribe it while the psychiatrist is away, he has given permission and written a letter of the dose and medication involved. It feels like I need someone to be there when the psychiatrist is not which is quite a lot. I think I like the idea @utopia of having a GP who can be a first port of call when I'm no longer attached to other support services but I feel that person needs to know me now too so they see the ups and downs. I have made an appointment with a different GP I saw when mine was away and she was really caring as I had a breakdown in her office, ended up in hospital the next day so she has seen me at my worst but I feel like I'm cheating on my other GP who is a really good GP and I like that I know her and her boundaries are clear. She is really efficient and on top of things straight away. The breakdown in communication from my mental health care usually come from the mental health care team. 

[Appleblossom]

Perhaps if you are up front with your GP about seeing another for special things she will understand and you will meet your current need while psych is away.

It certainly gets tricky when lots of people are involved.

They are individuals with different strengths and weaknesses.

Good Luck.

[Former-Member]

Hey, there you are @Appleblossom, hi, Hi to you too oceangirl73 & utopia
@Former-Member, I have issues with GPs,
- when to go
- how often is acceptable
- how many issues can I raise in one visit
- none like being played and MI is a red flag to a bull for stigma, sucks!
- I use to work with most the GPs in small town so avoid them, plus i'm angry re my girl, plus theres social phobia here - everyone knows your business, poor confidentiality...
- travelling out of town is not an option when I'm really sick or unable to drive so yes it gets pretty tricky for me - I'm actually sick of trying to get 'real' help.
- I avoid male GPs like the plague so that limits my options. Women are usually only part time.
- at the movement I juggle two GPs, one who's good with Mental Health issues and another for general stuff. Hard part for me is $ - the good GP requires $64 up front so I just have to go to the bulk billing place. If my fav GP isn't on there (prefer someone who knows me) I ride it out or ring 13HEALTH (RNs who assess) who have in the past called an ambulance for me. All very depressing.
- the good GP gets annoyed when i go elsewhere but her complex superiors won't let her bulk bill any time. They don't understand the concept of being 'broke' or having 'no savings' and I hate it too - its embarrassing!
What I try to do now is follow through with the same doctor on a certain problem at least. Like last year the Uterine Hyperplasia, gynae referrals biopsy results etc. I stuck with that GP. At the moment the Good GP (expensive) is looking into the Anemia - so I'll stick with her to see that through. Decided once a month is all I can afford. J ggling more than one doctor can be a problem but I keep my own records now. Get them to print off results etc.
Basically, I hate going yo doctors - mental health and obesity have me in the wastebasket with them all anyway. So over trying to get 'real' help.

Bottom line - we're all dying anyway, they're not gods.

Sorry, got carried away.

[utopia]

@Former-Member. I'm sorry you have such bad experiences with your local gp's & then the one you like - you can't afford.
I also live in a small towns - with a doctors clinic which only bulk bills health care card holders. Thank god. All my gp appointments re my MI go through Workcover. And my general health gets bulk billed.
I think all gp practices should bulk bill those who are struggling financially.
If it wasn't for medicare & workcover - I would be dead now. I couldn't afford $64 out of pocket. Wow!

[Former-Member]

Hi @utopia, how ya doing? I'm not out of pocket $64 - get back $39 but that can take a week. A double consult (the usual because of my MI) is $110 up front, get back 74 eventually. Its having the money up front where I run into strife. .y psychologist also req up front $125 which I mostly get back but still waiting on rebate from Dec14 which really spoiled Christmas. I'm so sick of a world that revolves around money.
Gosh its good to have a b#tch about it to someone. Thanks for listening. xox

[Kurra]

Hi @Former-Member
My GP is my first port of call for everything including MI. He works in conjunction with both my psychiatrist and psychologist and they all work as a team. My GP prescribes my medications including changes of meds. The GP will frequently phone my psychiatrist during a consultation.
I would certainly not be prepared to see my GP if he were to exclude my MI. It's my belief that it is a GP's role to treat the whole person rather than pretend that the brain doesn't exist.
It's a big decision for you. Try to think about it and the potential implications for you really carefully.
Luv n Hugzzz 💕 🎶