to be annoyed at my dr

[heather1980]

i had a reminder last year to book for a smear test, i was 2 months pregnant at the time so i called and told them i couldn't have one as i was pregnant, no worries they said we'll make a note on your records.
6 months later i got another one, rang again and said i'm still pregnant, i still can't have a smear. no worry we'll make another note.
2 months later get another one, i asked the gp at my 6 week check about it and she said we don't like to do them until you are 6 months post partum.
baby is now 8 months so i rang last week to book one and the earliest appointment isn't until the 25th may so i booked it.
today i received a letter saying you must book a smear test and that basically i am costing them time and money because they have sent me 3 reminder letters to book one.
i am really annoyed, each time they have sent a letter i have called and explained why i couldn't have one,
should i complain or just forget about it?

I would have a quiet word, ask them to amend your records and then forget about it

I would complain. I would say 'You are costing yourself time and money - I clearly told you that I was 2 months pregnant when you sent the first letter and so if your policy is not to do smears until 6 months post partum you are foolish to send me a reminder before 1 year. Kindly don't send me bullying letters like this again'

Well, it's not your Doctor is it? it's the input clerk who doesnt update properly - although - perhaps the software only had a set time limit before regenerating letters.

Of course in a free health service such as ours one should be grateful that we actually do get smear tests and reminders.

Sounds like a 'Computer says no' (from little britain) type of shite.

They've got a life and agenda all of their own, an easy excuse for explaining the constant letters you get from all sorts of places which are seemingly nobodys responsibility.

Just ignore the letters as one of lifes annoyances.

Not worth getting your blood pressure up over this - it's clearly the work of an unthinking computer and all you'll do if you go in guns blazing is piss off the reception staff and you really don't want to find yourself marked down in their cunt book do you?

I had the same thing, I rang after the first reminder and the receptionist just said 'fine, book one when baby's here'; when I rang back after the second one I was told the letters were sent out by the PCT, not the surgery, and that they didn't have access to my records so wouldn't know I was pregnant. After that I just ignored them.

I did get a letter just before I booked a smear when DS had arrived saying I had to either book a smear or sign a disclaimer to say I had decided not to take up the screening - that DID come from my surgery, which annoyed me a bit!

At least they are sending reminders