The Patients Association and BUPA launch 'You and YourDoctor' - the definitive guide to getting the most from your doctor

 

11 May 2001

 

 

Ever left your doctor's surgery feeling rushed, dazed andconfused? Recent research by the Patients Association*, shows that 95 per centof people found their GP to be friendly and helpful, however, 90 per cent ofthem think they are not given enough time during their doctor's appointment.

 

 

"It's really important for patients to make the mosteffective use of their consultations. Limited time with the doctor, confusingmedical jargon and a lack of opportunity to ask the right questions allcontribute to coming away from the surgery feeling less informed and moreconfused than before you went in," said Mike Stone, director of thePatients Association, which receives such feedback from more than 5,000patients each year.

 

The Patients Association aims to help people make the mostof health services by using them more effectively. In response to the commonproblem of "what do I ask the doctor?" it has teamed up with healthand care company BUPA to review the Association's most requested booklet, 'Youand Your Doctor' which explains to patients how they can get the most fromtheir doctor.

 

Dr Paula Franklin, BUPA's assistant medical director said:"When you're unwell, seeing the doctor can be difficult and stressful,particularly if you're worried about what he or she is going to diagnose. AtBUPA, we look after the health and care of more than three million people andwork closely with many thousands of doctors both in the UK and abroad. Thisgives us a good understanding of what both patient and doctor need foreffective communication which is the key to successful doctor/patientrelationships. This is why the 'You and Your Doctor' booklet is soimportant."

 

The new 'You and Your Doctor' booklet describes what apatient can expect from their consultation and helps the patient and doctorreach the right decisions about diagnosis and treatment in partnership witheach other. It encourages patients to think about:

        how symptoms have affected their lifestyle

        when the problem first started

        whether the problem has happened before and how often

 

'You and Your Doctor' also sets out the patient'sresponsibilities, for example:

        turning up for the appointment on time

        cancelling the appointment in good time if necessary

        being polite to the doctor and other surgery staff

 

The booklet also talks about getting the most from thespecialist as well as the general practitioner. For example, if someone is toldthey need to have an operation, 'You and Your Doctor' recommends that theycheck out the surgeon's 'track record'. This could mean asking the surgeon howmany times he or she has performed the operation and what was the outcome ofthese.

 

Mike Stone commented: "When our most popular title,'You and Your Doctor' needed to be updated we turned to BUPA because it hasmore than 50 years' experience of dealing with doctors and millions ofpatients. We designed and wrote the booklet together, and believe that it isall the more effective because both the patients' and the doctors' perspectivesare included."

 

People can get a copy of the 'You and Your Doctor' bookletfree of charge by calling the Patients Association on 0845 608 4455 - lines areopen between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Friday.

 

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For more information contact: Sarah Birdsall at BUPA on020 7656 2291 or Katherine Murphy at the Patients Association on 020 8423 9111.

 

For a photograph to accompany this story, please contactSarah Birdsall at BUPA on 020 7656 2291.

 

* In December 2000 the Patients Association surveyed1,314 people in the UK about their access to and use of GPs.