2 minute read
Health & Wellbeing: Making the most of your doctor’s appointment
Making the most of your doctor’s appointment
Words: Jade Coulon
Advertisement
Seeing the doctor can be stressful, overwhelming and sometimes rushed. Below are some top tips to help you get the most out of your appointment.
Book a double appointment
An appointment with the doctor is your time to discuss any health-related concerns. If you think you may need more time with your GP because you have more than one health concern, or you want to talk about something particularly complex or sensitive, book a double appointment to make sure you have enough time to discuss everything.
Prepare
When you’re sat in front of a doctor, you can easily forget to say important things. Before your appointment, think carefully about what you want to discuss and write it down in as much detail as possible. For example, if you’re experiencing pain, is it dull, sharp or tender? Does it start after a certain activity or at a particular time of the day?
Take someone with you
You don’t have to attend appointments alone. If you’re particularly nervous, take someone you trust with you. As well as offering support, another person in the room can ensure you don’t forget anything important to say, and can listen to the doctor’s advice or follow-up actions which you may find hard to remember yourself if you’re nervous.
Ask questions
Healthcare professionals can sometimes forget that we don’t all understand medical talk. If you don’t understand something or would like more information, you’re allowed to ask them questions. They are there to give you information, advice and reassurance, so feel free to ask about anything that may be unclear with your diagnosis or medication. You can even ask them to draw something if you find it easier to understand that way.
Take your medication with you
Sometimes your medical notes are not available for all doctors to see. That’s why you might feel like you’re repeating yourself when seeing different GPs. Take your medication, hospital discharge papers and relevant letters with you to the appointment so that the doctor has a clear picture of your health needs.
Write things down
Medical appointments can be overwhelming and contain lots of new information. Feel free to take notes of any important details concerning your diagnosis, follow-up actions, or dates and times of future appointments.
Registering with a GP in your community
You have the legal right to choose a GP practice that suits your needs. Ask others for recommendations or compare practices by visiting: https://www.nhs.uk/ service-search/ find-a-gp
The GP practice must accept you unless: It is full and therefore unable to accept new patients. It has chosen not to accept patients who do not live within its boundary.
You’ll have to formally register as a patient. Each practice has a slightly different registration process, so it’s best to call and ask. You will most likely be asked to: Visit the practice to fill in a form. Visit the practice website to register online. You do not need ID to register but you may need proof of your address.
