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GP has limited my Lantus to 1 Pen

luceeloo

Well-Known Member
Messages
677
Location
Rowley Regis
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm so livid, I'm posting to rant really more than anything.

This afternoon I logged on to Patient Access to check that my latest prescription request had gone through, only to find a note tagged on it that stated the following.
"With regret we have decreased your lantus supply to one injection as it is more than 1 year since your last diabetic review and we are very concerned about the safety of providing prescriptions whilst you are not engaging with the practice. PLEASE URGENTLY BOOK YOUR DIABETIC REVIEW"

I picked up my one lantus pen from the Chemist, and discovered that the GP had urged them too to tell me how dire the situation is.

My last review was 9 months ago, not "over a year".
I was called at the end of June to book my annual review with them, but was on holiday and had work commitments so I called them at the end of July. They had no schedule for August or September available so asked me to call back. Then phone call passed between myself and receptionists until August 22nd when they found a slot available on 7th October. I took the appointment.
So they've caused a delay, and not me.

This aside, the practice was closed from January until end of April because the managing GP (same woman who wrote the note above) decided not to pay the landlord, and we became one of the first practices to be repossessed and closed by baillifs. We were all shunted off to temporary surgeries.
The practice has also received a cause for concern at the latest review with CCG, and is under special measures.

Am I over-reacting, or do I have a cause to complain to the (new) practice manager?
By limiting my insulin to one pen, I have enough insulin to get me through until Monday at the latest. So I have to get that issue sorted. However, it throws out my other life plans... such as the fact that I'm supposed to have a Uni tutorial on Monday evening - first one of the academic year, but I can't go because I will have to get to the chemist before it closes and can't go during work time.
I'm so angry!!!
I have, incidentally, printed off new forms to join a new GP Surgery in the long-term.
 
That is just an horrific list of mismanagement! You have every right to be incensed.
 
Incensed? You should be absolutely bloody livid. You have quite rightly suggested drafting a formal letter of complaint to the Practice Manager,. I would also formally complain to the CCG. Your doctor surely should not be restricting your insulin? I feel it is completely inappropriate to do so. I am actually angry for you.
 
I think that the CQC should also be advised about the appalling situation. I am not sure how the law stands on this but surely to withdraw or limit a life preserving treatment under those circumstances cannot be justified?
 

Would you be able to put a call into the Practice Manager tomorrow to explain the situation you find yourself in (i.e. 9 months since your last review, plus a date in the book, which she/he can obviously check) and ask that you are provided with enough Lantus to see you through until at least your appointment?

I know that doesn't address all the horrid things that have happened in recent times, but sometimes one just has to deal with an immediate situation, rather than address everything all at once.
 
Thank you thank you thank you.
I needed reassurance that actually, none of this is right in any way shape or form. I was worried that the red I'm seeing was over-exaggerated.

I have drafted out a letter to the practice manager, but as suggested by @DCUKMod , I am going to try and get hold of him tomorrow to sort the urgent issue of not enough bloomin Insulin!
I think I will send a copy of the letter to the other agencies too.
If I can't sort it tomorrow, I might book a day off work on Monday, go down to the practice and sit there until someone sees me. If they don't, then I'll go to urgent care and explain matters to them.

To complicate everything, I had to renew my driving license and fill in the usual medical form, I'm now concerned that if these muppets can't get their info right, then I'll run into trouble with the DVLA.
 
Sadly I think this is another's instance of computers making decisions. A few years back I missed diabetic reviews and my GP put a stop on my prescriptions and yes I was really p'd off. I had to visit my GP face to face and basically he said he was concerned for me and my management, I explained my reasons for missing reviews and he explained his reasons for forcing me to visit him. Ultimately I'm glad he did, it put things of importance into perspective.
@luceeloo . You have every right to be miffed but I'm sure a face to face will resolve things, I appreciate it's an inconvenience but that's diabetes.
 
Hi. I agree with the others that this goes beyond normal levels of incompetence. Yes, the CCG and CQC come to mind as well. I suspect A&E would provide the insulin if you tell them the GP has refused it.
 
Daibell said:
Hi. I agree with the others that this goes beyond normal levels of incompetence. Yes, the CCG and CQC come to mind as well. I suspect A&E would provide the insulin if you tell them the GP has refused it.
Click to expand...


A+E will not supply insulin. I once broke my last bottle and went there at 11.30pm at night begging and pleading with them for a bottle of soluble Humulin. They said that all, that they could do, was inject me if my blood sugars were elevated which at the time they weren't. They flatly refused to supply me with insulin. They then sent me packing.
 

Luceeloo - Regarding the accuracy of your record, if you don't have access to it, or if you have limited access (to the coded entries) as opposed to everything, including your Doc's free text notes, you can make an appointment with the Practice Manager.

I had to do this about 18 months ago, following some surgery, where the record I could view showed a catastrophic histological outcome, whereas the reality was that whilst things had been pretty complex, they were significantly histologically horrendous. Sitting at home, casually just checking the record was up to date, and reading that rather took the edge off my day! Needless to say I trundled off to get it sorted. There followed of a tussle (with the PM) to have the record changed, because the freehand notes correct, but the coded entry incorrect, but we got there in the end.

Sometimes we have to be as proactive with the admin as with the clinical stuff.

Good luck with it all.
 
Just to update.
I requested a call-back on Friday from my GP or the Practice Manager or indeed anyone who could discuss this matter. No one called.
I also sent a very polite, but matter-of-fact note explaining the situation to the Practice Manager - I put it through the door on my way to work on Friday morning. I have had no response (I didn't expect a written response just yet, but I invited him to call me to resolve it).
I could only take a half dose of lantus on Sunday, as I ran out. So yesterday I went to the Chemist to pick up the Insulin pen that the receptionist said she would urgently put through for me. It wasn't there, and here was no record of a prescription. Over the road from the chemist is a small branch of the practice, so I went in there. I spoke to the receptionist there and she couldn't do much about the situation as such, because it was just her and a locum on-site, but she did get the locum to sign off a prescription for 2 pens there and then. Incidentally, there was no record of the "urgent" prescription that was supposed to have been put through on Thursday.

I was going to give them the chance to respond, but I've now decided that this has to be reported. The GP is playing God with people's lives.
 
This is awful - def report. Good the locum sorted you out today but that’s just shocking
 
luceeloo said:
Just to update.

I was going to give them the chance to respond, but I've now decided that this has to be reported. The GP is playing God with people's lives.
Click to expand...

Absolutely appalling service on behalf of your practice/GP. Fingers crossed you find a new doctor as a matter of urgency.
 
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