How to deal with your doctor

Description

“Establishing a good relationship with your doctor is a vital part of any
illness management plan. This is especially so when you have a
complex long-term condition like M.E.

“When it comes to primary care, a good GP should normally be able to
make an early and accurate diagnosis and deal with many aspects of routine management while making use of a hospital-based referral service for ME/CFS where one is available.

“A good GP will provide supportive medical evidence for DWP benefit
applications, insurance claims, ill-health retirement, home tuition, modifications at work, etc…”

Topics in this leaflet include:

• The changing face of general practice
• How to find a GP that is helpful and supportive
• How to change to another GP surgery
• Rights and requests
• Making a diagnosis
• Illness management
• Drug treatments
• Referral to an NHS ME/CFS Specialist Service
• Private doctors
• Hospital doctors
• Pharmacists
• Complaints about doctors

The ME Association telephone helpline – ME Connect – is available every day of the year, during the hours of 10am-12noon, 2pm-4pm and 7pm-9pm. Please phone: 0344 576 5326 if you have any questions or would simply like to talk to someone who is there to listen.

Please note this is a download. You can read it on-screen and save to your computer, phone or other device and can attach it to any email you might need to send. But you will need access to a printer if you wish it printed.