A Consumer’s View

By Eileen Furlong who is a consumer representative on CSGPN’s Chronic Disease Prevention and Management Advisory Group

As a consumer sitting in on a GP advisory group has been an enlightening experience as having no previous knowledge of the running of a medical practice from the inside view.

Taking part in the Prevention and Chronic Disease Management group has indeed shown me that as a consumer, we are only aware and take interest in medical issues that relate to us personally or indeed to our family members, having no idea of the amount of programs and services available to the general population.

As a consumer, most of the information comes from the media and that is not always accurate. Older people in particular are prone to believe what they see on TV, and do not want to ‘waste’ the doctor’s time in asking questions – so their problems will not be addressed as they will not ask the GP – it needs a very astute GP to delve into some issues such as dementia.

GPs in my opinion are generally quite busy and do not have the time to expand on issues that are not directly related to the immediate problems. A lot of GPs have very good practice managers/nurses who are able to expand in more detail the programs available, but as a consumer, we have to be aware of the programs that are there, and when confronted with a new disease/medical issue, where to go, who to speak to, to gain information. (It is all there, but how to find it?) most GPs are very good with information, when asked,  but from my experience if they are extremely busy, they only touch on the programs available, leaving the patient a bit ‘in limbo’ so invariably the patient does nothing, and the GP is too busy to follow up.

Chronic diseases need ongoing management and a lot of GPs are too busy to tell the patient about new schemes so a lot of chronic diseases are not managed in the most current up to date way.

Being part of the advisory group, has given me more insight to the problems confronting GP and sometimes the lack of clarity in new schemes and rulings set up by government.

This is where CSGPN is such a great thing as it is where discussions and issues are able to be addressed and where GPs can rely on issues to be addressed/ discussed and if necessary resolved with the relevant bodies. And the advisory groups are great to have a varied view of the issues in question including the consumer view as most GP only hear views as patient’s views.