"Lack of follow up from GP practice"

I am writing this on behalf of my father. He never attends the GP for anything. He had been having Hip pain for 4 weeks, so called for an appointment. GP seen and prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs for torn ligaments. My dad tried for around a week taking these with no improvement with pain or mobility. He called back again and GP gave XRay Card. My dad attended for his XRay, he then waited and heard no news on the XRay so assumed everything to be normal. The pain remained and still no improvement, therefore he called back go seek XRay results/further investigation. Upon calling the receptionist informed my dad that his XRay showed Osteoarthritis in both hips. My dad said OK thank you, to which the receptionist replied OK thank you and then hung up. 

As a registered nurse who works in the NHS I am appalled at the care provided by this GP surgery. I have never known anyone to diagnose someone with a new condition over the phone without giving any advice/review/treatment. He wasn't offered to see a GP to discuss this new diagnosis and was just left to go find out more information on the condition by himself. 

To think this is the standard of care that is now normalised in the NHS is appalling. My dad very rarely attends the GP, in fact I think it had been over 15 years since he was last seen showing he doesn't abuse the system in any -informationway. I am honestly in disbelief that they give this kind of information over the phone to patients without any explanation or support.