Ever felt like your GP isn’t giving your health concerns the attention they deserve?
Actress Robyn Holdaway, who appeared in Sex Education, and their wife Natasha Miles believe they have a list of “cheat codes” that can help you get their attention. The pair took to TikTok to share several phrases they say could assist in getting your points across during your appointment.
“These are some of the phrases that we, and our followers, have found helpful when dealing with medical professionals,” Robyn wrote in a caption accompanying their video. The couple began with phrases including: “This is having a significant impact on my/my partner’s quality of life”, and, “It is keeping me from carrying out my day-today activities” as prime examples of ways to make yourself heard.
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They also suggested telling the doctor that your symptoms have caused you to take time off work and that you’ve “struggled to get the appropriate care” for your issue as additional ways to get medics to listen.
If you still feel unheard, Robyn and Natasha recommend asking the doctor to “make a note” on the system explaining why they’re “denying” you the treatment you believe you need, and/or requesting a copy of your medical notes to be sent to you after the appointment.
“Other people have noticed the problems I’m having and have said to me that it may be an issue” is another key phrase Robyn recommends using, while Natasha adds: “My pain is significant enough that I can’t sleep or I can’t walk”.
For those who are “in a larger body”, meanwhile, Robyn suggests informing your doctor that you’re already on a weight loss journey, but your symptoms have intensified. “This can be a quick workaround to prevent your doctor from simply suggesting weight loss,” they add.
Natasha also advises individuals with a complex psychiatric history to assert that they’ve consulted their mental health care team and they concur that the issue is not psychiatric in nature. Whilst if you’re still finding things tough, the pair advise telling your GP that over-the-counter medication hasn’t been effective and you’ve tried all reasonable self-management strategies, but now need to “escalate” the situation.
Wrapping up their top tips, Robyn suggests stating your expected “outcome” at the start of your appointment, while Natasha adds that if the desired outcome isn’t achieved, you should ask for a referral to a specialist or a second opinion from another colleague. This, she says, is an “amazingly passive aggressive” tactic.
The video has since gone viral, with hundreds of TikTok users sharing their thoughts. One former healthcare professional commented: “As an ex-nurse who left the NHS because of bullying and gaslighting I strongly approve of everything you have said here!”
A second person acclaimed: “You’ve mastered the art of effective communication, significantly enhancing your ability to be heard.” A grateful third hailed: “This is great! (Also though a little bit sad that we can’t just get help from doctors without having to ‘cheat’).”
And fourth individual remarked: “Really good tips! I always get a copy of my medical records from the doctors regardless as it’s proof of everything that’s happened to you for future reference.”
Elsewhere, a doctor also weighed in with his their perspective, stating in response to the video: “To clarify, this helps us doctors because we can use these direct quotes to justify referrals to other specialists/further tests, otherwise that test/referral risks being bounced back or rejected.”