to be so upset? GP surgery told me I would be removed from their list if I don't have a smear test

[veryworried29]

Namechanging uber-regular here.

I received a text from my GP surgery which said "Please confirm address by phone. If not you will be removed from surgery list."

I rang immediately and was told that if I don't come in for a smear test then I will be struck off the surgery list!

Dh and I have been with this surgery for 18 years and our children since they were born.

I don't feel I need a smear test. We very rarely have sex and when we do it is always with a condom. I have had years of clear smears before me.

I find them horrifically unpleasant, in the same way that some people are phobic about the dentist, infact think I may have a form of vaginismus (sp?) hence the lace of piv sex.

Tbh, it almost feels like I must agree to be raped (sorry for emotive language, but this is how it feels to me) in order to keep a place at my GP surgery.

I cannot begin to describe how upset I am about this. There have been tears.

I'd be grateful if you could bear this in mind when replying ... I know this is aibu, but I do feel I have a genuine aibu to run past you all with this one.

Grunt, I would say that putting the two things into the same letter is bad practice as it causes confusion and distress. Its highly unethical because it automatically links the two, whether intentionally or not.

COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN as they are breaking the basic principle of undue pressure to consent. It IS bullying.

If they have done it to you they will be doing it to others as well. The result is people ending up with no GP and loosing trust in healthcare professionals. It is NOT good for patient welfare.

Maybe your receptionist does not know what she is talking about?

Yanbu about this - complain!

Re smear tests - have you tried hypnosis ? It might help.

Wonder what would happen OP if you just made an apppointment... something comes up, have to cancel... ring in a week to make another appointment... oops, sorry, nope can't make that one either...

I wonder how long it would take before they took any real action?

Anyways not very helpful for you, just musing!

Regardless of anyone's opinion about the smear itself, it's absolutely ridiculous that you would have to change surgeries because of this. I'm glad there are some wise posters helping with the legal side of things. Try to speak to the practice manager or senior partner I guess would be the road I would go down.

I came on to post exactly what Gruntfuttock did - that maybe they meant removal from the surgery smear list. Not the actual surgery patient list?

I have heard of that happening - taking people of rotational test lists because they ignore three reminders or whatever?

Taking you off the list is extreme. I received two reminders for a smear test and the third stated my details would be removed from the 'reminder' list - not the surgery's list. I think the letter also said I could go along anytime in the future and have screening if I wanted it - just that they wouldn't keep on reminding me.

I have always attended for smear tests and the reason I ignored the letters was because I had been out of the country and had screening abroad (within the last year) and so wasn't due.

No, Salmo, that is not what I was told.

I was hoping the receptionist just relayed it very badly I suppose.

If not, then that's outrageous and unethical IMHO!

Sorry if someone else already said this but did you know even nuns get cervical cancer no nun is immune to getting cervical cancer

In this day and age, money is the biggest spinner and GP surgeries potentially have to pay hundreds of thousands in cancer treatment if patients don't attend screening.

I can understand a gp refusing to be put in that position, but I do think its a double standard as they would treat an alcoholic or smoker etc.

In my opinion they should offer CBT counselling first. But then again, you have a responsibility to take charge of your own health too, so I wonder if you have considered your unhealthy reaction and what you might be able to do about it?

Even if not for yourself, for your husband and children?

Everyone thinks " it won't happen to me".

What a worrying thread. I am so sorry you have experienced this, OP.

the last smear I had at my surgery was appalling - she was very forceful and it hurt a lot.

I haven't been back since, have had a baby in the interim, though - regardless of the rights and wrongs of having a smear test, you should never be pressured into having a physically intrusive examination like this.

I think once you establish the facts a complaint may be in order - I hope you can sort it out.

I'm sure that ,as other posters have said, 3 'non responder' letters will mean be removal from the recall list. Perhaps the receptionist got the wrong end of the stick.

The GMC issues guidelines with detailing when it is and isn't acceptable to remove a patient fro. A list. These guidelines specifically state that this is not reasonable on the grounds of clinical / patient choice, and clearly states that this includes "refusal to take part in national screening programmes".

Therefore you are definitely not being unreasonable!

Here is a link:

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/url?q=www.networks.nhs.uk/nhs-networks/london-qof-network/documents/Corp_removal_of_patients_from_gp_lists1.pdf/at_download/file&sa=U&ei=fMr7UuHGKMzB7AbzqoHwAw&ved=0CDEQFjAE&sig2=y41GgJrVMKcxidsNtrfnIA&usg=AFQjCNEeEJw-WsmEIPFep5EgHjOI9Gd39Q" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.co.uk/url?q=www.networks.nhs.uk/nhs-networks/london-qof-network/documents/Corp_removal_of_patients_from_gp_lists1.pdf/at_download/file&sa=U&ei=fMr7UuHGKMzB7AbzqoHwAw&ved=0CDEQFjAE&sig2=y41GgJrVMKcxidsNtrfnIA&usg=AFQjCNEeEJw-WsmEIPFep5EgHjOI9Gd39Q

Good grief this thread is remarkable.

If a man announces he doesn't want to get his prostate checked does he get this level of persuasion and guilt tripping???

I'd guess that they're being so heavy handed about the smear test because they're trying to meet targets for getting women to have their smear tests.

But it's wrong, and extremely unreasonable, to threaten you with being kicked out of the GP surgery if you don't have a smear test. Even if the reason for you not having one was just that you couldn't be bothered with it, it'd be wrong to remove you from the list because of it.

Well funnily enough Lottie men's health checks hardly exist.

Prostate checks, testicular checks - these are not routinely done.

And I think they should be.

I think it's ridiculous, OP. People refusing to have or not bothering with smear tests are probably the very ones who need help from the NHS or will do in future. They end up not seeing a doctor for years, until they end up very sick indeed, probably with something that would have been picked up and sorted out by seeing a GP regularly...

I would ring them and say what you have said here. Or if you don't feel confident to talk about it on the phone, email or write to them.

ShadowFall Wed 12-Feb-14 19:37:51
I'd guess that they're being so heavy handed about the smear test because they're trying to meet targets for getting women to have their smear tests.

And they get/lose funding accordingly. Its unethical if it means women are being pressured in this way.

How can you trust that you are getting unbiased information from your doctor if they themselves have this pressure on them and they make money out of you for it?

Oh wait... you can't. Its no different at all to the criticisms of private healthcare and profit making. In fact its worse.

Why are they not routinely done though?

I had a horrible smear at one surgery, so from then on, I went to the FPC/Well Woman clinic for them. I'd honestly change surgeries.

Lottie I'm wracking my brains for them but there are seven principles for routine screening. Like cost effectiveness, accessibility, the number of lives that will be saved etc. Cervical, and breast, screening are thought to be worth it. Routinely testing all men for prostate cancer isn't.

Looks like Chwaraetag has the answer nailed.

To give some perspective my best friend is a GP at what could be described as a very "challenging" practice.

They are currently debating whether violence but no serious injury should lead to being removed from the list. (It doesn't ATM and nor does causing damage to property!)

You are bonkers - just go - of course you are at risk - do you want to abandon your children?

I'm angry on OP's behalf. I don't think surgery should be threatening to remove you.

OP - if you do decide to try to have the test, then my two tips are -
ask GP for diazepam prescription in advance
ask for the smallest possible speculum - the one they use for virgins

This made a huge difference to me. I was angry I'd never been offered these before, as it was an enormous help. Good luck OP however you choose to play this

Shut up Klingy. You are completely missing the point.

Or what the OP said.