Si wrote:.....
Recently I had a blood test for something else. Next day I got a call from receptionist: "please come into the surgery right away as your blood is borderline!!!". "borderline what?" I asked, slightly alarmed. "I don't know" she said, "it's just borderline so you'd better come in ASAP". So I turned up the next day, nurse (who knows I ride a bike a lot) looked at my file and said it was a waste of tie me coming in.....it was just that my cholesterol was borderline....if I had happened to be an overweight coach potato...the fact that I exercise everyday means that it is fine apparently. Yep, they are good at putting the wind up you!
I can see the challenge for the NHS on that. To get a sensible interpretation of test results would need a qualified person (GP) to check them (maybe cross-checking your file 'cos I'm sure they don't normally "know" their patients). But GPs don't have time to see all their patients, let alone scan all results.
So do you try and increase the GP workload even more and avoid a few people being called-in unnecessarily or do you set a "rule" allowing unqualified people to process the results and accept that some people will be called in unnecessarily?
I've no idea which is right but given the pressures Primary Healthcare is under I'd hope somebody has done some math to work out the most efficient methods.
But I agree about "putting the wind up you" - several years ago a routine ultrasound identified a "lump" I should not have had so referral for a CT scan. Around time results should have been in I called the surgery and, "yes results were in and no they could not tell me the outcome and I'd have to see my GP". Given the 3 weeks wait I said can he call me and later in the day reception called back saying GP would need to see me face to face to discuss the results (in 3 weeks time). That was (unsurprisingly) a very very worrying 3 weeks.
Ian