GP email policy

This is not a complaint about the medical profession, more a prod. Last week I asked my GP’s nurse if I could possibly email a simple question about my health to my doctor. Her reply was, “No, all questions to the doctor involving health issues must be dealt with through consultation.” The question I needed an answer to was a simple matter to do with an ongoing issue and didn’t require my doctor to examine anything. If I have to see my doctor about every little issue I will end up broke. What’s wrong with doctors accepting emails from their patients? I’d be happy to pay a small fee. They should get with the times.

I think you will find GPs’ views about emails from patients will vary from practice to practice. I can understand why many GPs wouldn’t invite patients to email them with questions, however simple, since they’d be overrun with them. I can also understand why a GP would be unsure about giving even very straightforward advice to a patient who isn’t in front of them. You may have felt it didn’t require your GP seeing you, and you’re probably right, but you’re not the expert here.

Besides, personal consultations give doctors the opportunity to take in the bigger picture, such as your general state of health. Don’t assume they’re just trying to make more money. The only time I have emailed a medical professional regarding a health query was my cardiologist, in the lead up to my heart operation. His immediate emailed reply was all I needed, so it worked well in that case. Another time, a specialist invited me to email her should any issues come up while she was overseas. That made sense, although I didn’t need to take her up on her offer. So it seems specialists may be more open to emailing patients than GPs. Have you tried passing on your simple query by phone to your GP’s receptionist? Your GP may possibly be more open to that sort of conversation than email. While I understand your frustration, I’m rather inclined to respect your GP’s position on the matter.

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