"GP Surgeries: hicks vs civilization"

For all of my life (I'm in my 30s) I had been with the same surgery which is situated in a bit of a back-water location in North Lincolnshire.

I obviously can't speak for other patients, but I have found at this particular surgery that one doctor especially had a concerning tendency to question the expertise and rationale of specialists more qualified than themselves.

Abnormal white matter on the brain questioned by two specialists - one of whom requested a referral to a neurologist. When I followed this up with my previous GP, I was given the response of "Well, if you think its worth it?!"

After registering with a new surgery due to moving, I have been dealt with quickly and professionally (thus saving the NHS cash in the long-term), having been referred to hospital as an out-patient for treatment.

I've been referred to a consultant (not a neurologist) and it transpires that I have extremely high blood pressure that should have been monitored from childhood but wasn't. The high BP was due to an ongoing, but relatively minor organ problem which left to its own devices would have become worse.

I am having the organ involved removed, because of the blood pressure and also because of the intermittent pain which oddly enough has been recognized by my current consultant, but as a child was always ignored by the previous GPs and put down to it being psychosomatic. At that point I gave up consulting them about it. (To the best of my knowledge, none of the GPs were qualified psychologists yet still felt they had an expertise to make this diagnosis, ultimately blighting my medical record - which in hindsight I am very annoyed about.)

Well, after now being able to make the comparison between two surgeries, I would like to answer your question of whether or not I think I'm worth it:

Yes, I do think I'm worth it and so does my current surgery, however as a tax payer who pays your wage, you're in need of an customer service overhaul.

I have more stories about this place than you can shake a stick at, but would rather remain completely anonymous.

For the sake of their patient’s health, tax payer’s money and the state of the NHS, these back-water surgeries should be kept a very close eye on.