[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by DemolitionRed

They are certainly trying to deprofessionalize a lot of the health care departments Kizzy. My GP now has one doctor on duty at any one time and they tend to be newly qualified GP's; the rest are nurse practitioners.

A friend of mine who has FM had been referred to a pain clinic in Leeds and waited a staggering three months to be seen, became suspicious that the man who was asking her to go through her symptoms whilst he busily typed up her notes on a computer, wasn't a doctor. It turned out he wasn't even a qualified nurse but someone who had been trained to say all the right things. To make a comparison, I used a pain clinic in London a few years ago and I was seen by a doctor and offered a whole load of options (medicine wise). All my friend was offered was a therapy group to talk about her pain.

This is what happens when you have medicine for profit business. Less and less will become available to us and eventually we will be expected, just like our American friends, to have insurance cover or get the barest minimum.

Actually you're right my sister is an ANP and she is constantly reminding practice managers that are constantly 'suggesting' things ...Like ANPs doing care home visits, most complex care issues are way out of her competency. Now you would think they would be happy for her to point this out and save embarrassment should it be discovered? Not so.
She is taking her ANP training and going back to the minor injuries unit she left to take a the position in GP practice.
I'm glad your friend found out when she did, it's the norm now to be placed with ANP if you don't specify you require a doctors appointment. Has your friend joined any FM support groups? they are a great place to find out about available treatments.
I am seriously considering getting some health insurance, my son has a congenital heart condition and I'm just not as confident as I'd like to be. He was due a 2yr check last november, I've chased it up but he's still not been sent for!