Another GP issue

[speedy_gonzales]

Following in from Sleeping Giants (http://www.hibs.net/showthread.php?277909-Getting-expelled-from-GP-Surgery) post re his GP I have another issue with mines that I could do with some advice on.
I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in both hands late last year. I had surgery on my left hand at the start of December and was given a sick line from the surgeon for 6 weeks off work. It sounds a lot but amongst other duties, I'm a structural climber at work so need full use of both hands.
I attended hospital on Sunday to get my right hand done and was not given a sick line this time. I asked the nurse on discharge if I was getting one and she said the surgeon was busy so get one from you GP, no problem I thought.
I went to my GP this morning to hand in the discharge letter for my file and asked if an available GP could sign a line for me. The receptionist said this would not be happening as the GP's(many of them in one practice) do not like signing them for procedures carried out-with the practice.
I then called St Johns back but the administrator I spoke to says there's no chance they'll be able to pin the surgeon down, now that the "surgery was done yesterday"!
So, here I sit with a right hand that is in no fit state to be hauling my carcass up 50 metre towers and no sick line to cover my ass.

What's the general consensus, chase up the hospital or the GP practice?

[Jay]

You'll have had a discharge letter for your GP from St. John's I presume? There's no reason your GP can't sign you off IMO.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Mr White]

I'm sat next to a gp just now. She says chase the practice not the hospital. as mrs s says above, if they have the discharge letter then there should be no issue with signing you off.

[speedy_gonzales]

Thanks peeps, I handed the discharge letter in to my GP practice first thing this morning, it was then and there they said the GP's don't like handing out lines for procedures carried out elsewhere.
Think I'll try my luck again tomorrow and hopefully meet a more obliging receptionist.

[s.a.m]

Thanks peeps, I handed the discharge letter in to my GP practice first thing this morning, it was then and there they said the GP's don't like handing out lines for procedures carried out elsewhere.
Think I'll try my luck again tomorrow and hopefully meet a more obliging receptionist.

Might it be worth phoning first and asking if you can meet with or speak to the practice manager? Or make an appointment with a GP, and ask them directly?

[speedy_gonzales]

Thanks again all, after speaking to the GP practice receptionist this morning, a GP called me back, asked how I was feeling and asked how he could help. Short conversation later and he promised a sick line would be waiting at reception for me.
It genuinely didn't seem like it was any problem for him so why not get it down yesterday?
I genuinely think 'some' reception staff take the buffer work between patient and doctor too seriously!

[wpj]

In hospital now after knee op and have been told I will need to go to GP but can self cert for a week hospital won't give me one. Last time this happened I had to talk the GP into doing it, it seems to be a grey area

[cocopops1875]

Thanks peeps, I handed the discharge letter in to my GP practice first thing this morning, it was then and there they said the GP's don't like handing out lines for procedures carried out elsewhere.
Think I'll try my luck again tomorrow and hopefully meet a more obliging receptionist.

Tell them you understand their point of view and ask what days they carry out the procedure you had in house ;-), also I assume your first point of contact for all this was your GP so the probably referred you to a specialist

[Mathias Jack]

Thanks again all, after speaking to the GP practice receptionist this morning, a GP called me back, asked how I was feeling and asked how he could help. Short conversation later and he promised a sick line would be waiting at reception for me.
It genuinely didn't seem like it was any problem for him so why not get it down yesterday?
I genuinely think 'some' reception staff take the buffer work between patient and doctor too seriously!

I've worked for the NHS for 14 years, and had a couple of different jobs in my time here. But both involve(d) dealing with GP surgeries...I 100% agree. Some of them think their job entitles them to some sense of power, others could with a personality transplant and a large spoonful of common sense down their throat!

That's not to say there aren't any nice ones too though! :agree:

[Phil D. Rolls]

What I don't get about it is, there is a discharge letter from the hospital. Why does an employer need any more than that? Clear evidence that you are unfit for work. There must be an easy way the employer can check expected recovery time for a common operation like that.

Why do employers need things legitimised by doctors all the time? The GP is just going to give a stock answer that is readily available from an occupational health nurse, or even online.