I have been fighting this surgery for years on many different issues, communication issues, incorrect records issues (I ended up having to under the freedom of information act getting my records all the way back to the year dot, it cost me, it was incomplete, and I had to challenge even them). I even got a patient's advocate from Cartrefle. He worked with me for a lot of years. Since the mid 2000's. This was taking literally all my free time fighting this.
Why not change surgery, you say. I tried, but there is so much a shortage of doctors, or I was out of their area, or their premises were not disabled friendly for me to access them.
I had J, my partner until 2009 (when he died), but I still carried on, even though it was now very difficult since I did not have my person who did all the telephone calling for me. I relied more on my group of friends then (I taught them art, computers, how to use digital tabets & phones, how to research ancestry, and muchmore). But prior to Covid, my valued Patients Advocate retired. Cartrefle changed to being something different and similar/same to the English way of Patient's Advocate, and all the people with experience at Cartrefle were gone. And the new people had not one ounce of the skill set that my now retired patient's advocate had.
Similarly the place where I had taught for 10 years had closed down because of COVID and lockdowns. And all the people I taught, who were mostly older than me, sold up and went back to wherever their children lived. I lost my support network as well as my students.
I have been relying on a couple of internet friends to make phone calls for me. Either people the other end refuse, saying that it is not secure enough, and those phone calls I do make where they allow the internet friend to listen and speak on my behalf, we have to use WhatsApp for me and internet friend to communicate very quickly, so the person the other end doesn't realise we are not in the same room, but a few hundred miles apart. This takes a lot of planning, a lot of my time, and a lot of time from my friend. She has been brilliant. But this level of ask from me to my friend is time consuming for her, and I am careful how many times I ask...
The other thing I do, because I cannot use the telephone, is that I have to drive to the location, or to the GP surgery in this case, find a parking space, I cannot walk far, my GP surgery is a bit of a distance from where I can park, and then I have to navigate inside the building. And I am exhausted after that.
I have used my MP the last 5 years over this. I have used the Citizens Advice Bureau a tremendous amount in the past. The practice manager who was there at the GP surgery has now gone.
Last year seeing as I had no blood tests during Covid and lockdowns, I went into the surgery at the beginning of the year (2023). I was initially told to get out and telephone the surgery. The receptionist was very rude, she came round and I thought she was going to throw me out.
I just stood still, and explained again that I was deaf and couldn't use the phone and I had no one to phone for me. She still waved her arms at me yelling at me. No idea what she said. I pointed to my sunflower lanyard which says I have an unseen disability. And I pointed to the cochlear information which says I have a coclear implant. He hand grabbed at the thing on the lanyard, she didn't believe me, and said it doesn't have your name on it so it must be fake.
I stood my ground and refused to move etc. Finally she went behind the reception desk, looked on the computers and after more argy bargy, she gave me an appointment with a nurse the following Monday. No doctors, she had said.
The following Monday it was foul weather, it I went. Managed to struggle to the reception desk. No, they said, you do not have an appointment with us. So, I showed her the appointment card with that days date on. I would like to see the practice manager I said. The receptionist came back saying you can see so and so.
It turned out the guy I saw was an NHS worker but he was there that day for computer admin duties. What can I do for you, he said. I had no idea where to start telling him. So I said a diabetic review would do for a start, then the yearly blood tests etc.
I cannot start the yearly blood tests he said, BUT I can start off the diabetic review, which involved him sorting out the blood test form. Have a word with whoever you see over the yearly blood tests.
Could things get any worse...they did.
It is a lot of effort for me to make my way to the doctor's surgery for no reason, and be told no I don't have an appointment when I have the piece of card with it written on.
This saga went on for a few months until June 2023 when I was finally seen to by a nurse. She wanted to change my meds, but I said no. She didn't know me, she hadn't even read my records and got facts wrong (and the meds wrong that I was taking) as she was talking to me. So, I was meant to come back the following week for her to try and persuade me. She made the appointment, wrote it down on a card. I went back the following week on the specified date. No nurses here I was told by the receptionist. I do have an appointment for today I said. No nurses, no appointments the receptionist said. Is there anyone I can see I said. No she said. A doctor? No, said the receptionist.
Where are the nurses I asked. They are on their summer holidays said the receptionist. All of them I asked? They do have children you know said the receptionist, and it is the summer holidays replied the receptionist.
I was watching the receptionist next to her talk on the phone, and getting irate - I have already told you we have no nurse appointments that 2nd receptionist said down the phone. Then a moment later the receptionist woman was shouting down the phone. I cannot give you an appointment because we have no nurses, and with no nurses, there are no appointments.....
I left. I returned most weeks to try again. But each time I was told no nurses, so no appointments. They are still on their summer holidays I asked each time). Finally end of October, still no practise nurses and so no appointments. Still on their Summer Holidays, I asked the receptionist yet again (it was the same woman each time).... she looked at me and I left as quickly as a snail can depart when they need to get out smartly.
Reported this to MP went to CAB, and I have gone further, but I am not the only one in this boat.
You are talking to a person who has been proactive all her life, because she has had to be because of her deafness...
I cannot give you any more precise details on this doctor (because it was a legal issue) thing I was fighting with for years with a specific doctor over a specific issue...
But I am tired now. I need my life to myself.
Having said that, I will see how I feel next week (most likely). And go in and ask for a diabetic and yearly blood test review...