In a message dated 14/08/98 08:04:10 GMT, you write:

<< how many of us are sent out the next day
 to "review" a patient seen the night before by on-call -- and how often is
 it really necessary? >>
Agree that it often isn't and the visiting Doctor should instruct the patient
to contact their GP's surgery the following day to arrange an appointment for
review and not to expect a call out unless they are prostrated by their
complaint.

BUT, having done plenty of OOH work in the past for our local Coop, I have
noticed that there are some Practices (no names, no pack drill) who make it
very difficult for patients to arrange an appt. the morning after an OOH
visit. If I, as the Coop Dr can't rely on a practice to see a patient I think
needs review in the surgery, I'll put them down for a home visit. Anyone had
this problem?

Incidentally, I think that practices should not lose sight of the fact that
the Coops function is to:
1. Decide if the patient is alive or dead (fairly easy ;-))
2.  If alive, decide who is in need of hospital services and who can wait at
home to see their own GP the following day perhaps with some treatment to tide
them over.
3. In essence, "meddle" as little as possible.

The Coop is sometimes unfortunately regarded as a 24 hour medical service not
only by patients but by their GP's who expect the visiting GP to sort out the
patient completely and keep them off their backs away from the surgery :-(.

Jeremy Sager
GP
Leeds



%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%