"Out of Hours GP: Why not trust your patients?"

After feeling unwell for about a week with a cold, cough, blocked nose, temperatures and sore throat and it only getting worse, I had to go to Out of Hours GP/ Devon Doctors at Derriford, which I got referred to by NHS 111 as they recommended I needed to be seen within 6 hours of me ringing them. I had my appointment and explained to the OOH GP that I had a sore throat and that it was so painful that over the counter medication like Difflam spray did not work anymore. Also, I had found blood in the back of my throat in the morning.

The doctor, who looked at me like they were really annoyed because I was talking so quietly (as I was in agony speaking), treated me like I made it all up. I showed a picture of my throat when there was (clearly) blood (and puss) in the back of my throat and this doctor waved it off, saying it could be food residues (which it clearly wasn't, especially as that photo was taken in the morning before eating anything and only having clear fluids). Everything I said, the doctor made me feel ridiculous, raising an eyebrow and treating me like a child who pretended to feel sick before school. I felt patronised, and they gave me Antibiotics 'just because I am saying it is not getting better but only worse'.

Why not trust your patients? I did not want to be there, having had to get a bus to Derriford whilst feeling like I just wanted to be in bed. Also, I wanted to take pressures of the A&E Department by getting an appointment as I am aware how much pressure there is. But maybe this is why patients might want to go to A&E instead if they are treated like I was at Devon Doctors. If you do not want to work there as a doctor, please don't and find a job elsewhere.

Furthermore, I was then sent to a pharmacy at Marsh Mills as it was the only Pharmacy open, the hospital pharmacy closed at 9pm and my appointment finished at 09:02pm. So, not having a car, I had to get yet another 2 buses to get my antibiotics, and did not get home until 11pm. Why can they not store regular antibiotics for these cases where the pharmacy is closed and a external pharmacy is not easily accessible for the patient? It was a horrible experience for me and I will certainly hesitate going back there.

Also, turns out the virus I had continued for another 2 weeks and the bacterial infection in my throat disappeared after 48 hours of antibiotics.