Doctors Receptionists

[doodab]

It's not always the better choice. My point is that the OP is forgetting that you see the appropriate service depending on the urgency of your condition -

Extreme urgency - 999, or straight to A+E if you are close and can move (or be moved) safely and quickly;
Needs looking at asap today - A+E;
Maybe needs looking at today, but probably doesn't - NHS Direct;
Routine checkup wanted/some niggling ailment - GP appointment.

Ok, so where in your list is the urgent appointment with the GP?

[sasguru]

Ok, so where in your list is the urgent appointment with the GP?

Or chronic long-term disease management?
You gotta laff at these 20 year old singletons who don't have the imagination to see what will/may befall them, whether its children or diabetes or something else

[VectraMan]

Or chronic long-term disease management?
You gotta laff at these 20 year old singletons who don't have the imagination to see what will/may befall them, whether its children or diabetes or something else

Children and diabetes could probably be prevented early if the NHS believed in check ups.

[d000hg]

Children and diabetes could probably be prevented early if the NHS believed in check ups.

Not really. The doctor telling you once a year "you're overweight and are risking diabetes unless you make changes" isn't going to make the majority of people change anything. Anyone who is clearly overweight will probably get this warning every time they visit their GP anyway.

[Ticktock]

Not really. The doctor telling you once a year "you're overweight and are risking diabetes unless you make changes" isn't going to make the majority of people change anything. Anyone who is clearly overweight will probably get this warning every time they visit their GP anyway.

There is type I diabetes also, you know. Such as my (very thin) young niece was only diagnosed with when she went to A&E after collapsing. It's not just the fatties.

[VectraMan]

Not really. The doctor telling you once a year "you're overweight and are risking diabetes unless you make changes" isn't going to make the majority of people change anything. Anyone who is clearly overweight will probably get this warning every time they visit their GP anyway.

Maybe. But then the NHS approach of ignoring you until you collapse in the street and then start looking for a reason can't be doing anyone any good either. There can't be anything that doesn't benefit from being spotted early.

[doodab]

There can't be anything that doesn't benefit from being spotted early.

What about sneaking up on someone from behind and shouting boo?

[Gibbon]

Children and diabetes could probably be prevented early if the NHS believed in check ups.

Feck, if only I'd known!

[minestrone]

Maybe. But then the NHS approach of ignoring you until you collapse in the street and then start looking for a reason can't be doing anyone any good either. There can't be anything that doesn't benefit from being spotted early.

They immunise and screen for all the major possible killers, they also try as hard as possible to educate in what you should or should not do to get the others. To claim they ignore you until you get ill is absolute bulltulip.

[d000hg]

There is type I diabetes also, you know. Such as my (very thin) young niece was only diagnosed with when she went to A&E after collapsing. It's not just the fatties.

T1 normally is diagnosed earlier, and with kids the parents should be pushing for a diagnosis if something seems wrong. Either way, taking kids to the doctor every year just in case they have one of the millions of possible diseases doesn't seem a great use of resources to me,

Maybe. But then the NHS approach of ignoring you until you collapse in the street and then start looking for a reason can't be doing anyone any good either. There can't be anything that doesn't benefit from being spotted early.

You should be aware of early warning signs yourself and go to the doctor, that's what GPs are for. Plus if you're fat, you probably already know you're at risk...