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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

GP booking system is idiotic

24 replies

Sofizzy · 05/09/2018 17:01

Our surgery only allows routine appointments to be booked online. I have an account and have my DS (9)on my account so I can book for him. I wanted to add DD (15).

They won't let me, she has to have her own account. Apparently this is true from the age of 11.

How can an 11year old be expected to manage thier own health like that?
To log on, remembering passwords, chose a suitable appointment and book it.
Apparently this is to maintain thier privacy.
Extrapolating this right to privacy, in theory this child then must get themselves to the appointment alone, explain the problem, understand the doctor's advice.
They I assume this 11year old can get them selves to the pharmacy, get the medication, sign the form to say they don't have to pay, and manage thier own medication.

Absolutely ridiculous, all I want is a non emergency appointment for my dd. She will not do this by herself, even though she is 15. She has now decided that she won't bother, cos she doesn't want to go to the surgery to register for the online system.

If she needs an emergency appointment, I have no idea if I could book it for her on the phone or if she has to do this herself.

I do know that I can collect DH's prescription, so he has no privacy there.
It all seems to topsy turvy.

OP posts:

HildaZelda · 05/09/2018 17:21

I agree. That sounds absolutely ridiculous

MissKittyCat · 05/09/2018 17:24

But it doesn't mean the child HAS TO do all those things by themselves just that they have the option to do so if they wish. The only issue seems to be they have to manage their own online account (which I'm sure most could do better than a lot if adults). But do they really expect all routine appointments to be booked online? What about people without internet access?

IronQuill · 05/09/2018 17:28

Seems fair to me. Just means if the child wants privacy to do this alone they can do. And if they want their parent to know/help they can ask them to. I don’t honestly see the problem?

I’m sure you can also book on the phone. Most surgeries use online as an option but have other ways to book too (in person and over the phone). It’s just when you book you’re not accessing any private medical info about her, whereas when you log into her account you can see her medications. So of course to access someone’s confidential medical info there is a cut off point, and a child starting secondary school seems as good a cut off as any to me (bearing in mind this is around when kids will usually be going through puberty).

Seems like you’re complaining for the sake of it tbh.

IronQuill · 05/09/2018 17:29

I do know that I can collect DH's prescription, so he has no privacy there.

Surely that’s only if he essentially gives you permission to do this by telling you they’re ready to be collected?

Hoppinggreen · 05/09/2018 17:35

Its the same for my dd13
She has to go with her passport to register, which we haven’t got round to yet. I CAN still book appointments over the phone for her ( after being on hold for around 20 minutes plus) but I can’t order her a prescription which as an asthmatic she regularly needs

Original poster

Sofizzy · 05/09/2018 17:35

DH never given permission for me to collect his prescription, I just walk in and ask for it, they don't ask me for id.
And yes, routine appointment can only be booked on line. If you phone or go in, they refer you to the website. They will not take bookings any other way.

OP posts:

bigbluebus · 05/09/2018 17:35

In order to get an on-line Patient access account at my surgery I had to provide 2 forms of ID - one with my photo on and the other with my address on. Not sure how that works for an 11-15 year old either - especially if they don't have a passport!

I find it hard to believe OP that no one can book a non-urgent appointment without access to the internet. What about all the old people who wouldn't know one end of a computer from another ?

Original poster

Sofizzy · 05/09/2018 17:41

The surgery loves thier new technology. When you go in for an appointment, you can't check in at the desk, have to go to a computer terminal. If you queue up at the desk, the receptionist points you to the terminal and you have to queue up again. I helped an elderly man last time I was there, cos he had no clue what he was doing, and no one who works there was offering help.
The receptionists and medical staff are all lovely, it's just the system that seems to be making things more difficult for patients.

OP posts:

bigbluebus · 05/09/2018 17:45

Our surgery also has one of those 'check-in' machines. Those who want to/can use it, do. Those who can't be bothered or who prefer to interact with a human being still go to the reception desk.

If the system is preventing people from accessing healthcare (as in the case of your DD) then I suggest you complain to the Practice Manager and/or the Patient Forum - if your surgery has one.

Original poster

Sofizzy · 05/09/2018 17:49

I may well do that, bigbluebus, but the medical staff have been so great in the past, especially with ds, so I don't really want to make a fuss. Just wanted to rant anonymously on here. :)

OP posts:

Howhot · 05/09/2018 17:50

A 15 year old should be able to manage that surely?? Agree that 11 is too young however.

BlueJava · 05/09/2018 17:53

At least you can get an appointment - I tried to make one for my DS last week. I call on Friday afternoon and was told "phone next Friday at 8:30am and we may be able to allocate you one". I went private which is £60 for 15 mins but oh so much better!

Babyroobs · 05/09/2018 17:55

I can feel your frustration. I wanted to make a routing appointment today Was told no appointments unless an emergency. I said it's not an emergency but would like to see someone in the next few days. they tell me the next routine appointment is sept 27th !! So I have to ring back tomorrow morning and again will be asked if its an emergency which it isn't- so it will start all over again. They said I may be able to speak to a Dr over the phone - I have a rash that needs seeing , so how is a phone call going to help - should I send the Dr a picture ? So I went to see the pharmacist - she said to see the Dr and tell them its an emergency ( which it isn't !!! ). feel like I'm just banging my head against a brick wall !

callmeadoctor · 05/09/2018 17:57

I would just book an appointment for me and turn up with your DD instead, everything is on the computer so they will just have to change the name!

ThePinkOcelot · 05/09/2018 17:59

I thought you couldn’t see a doctor alone until you were 16? Seems like a crap system to me.

WhatHaveIFound · 05/09/2018 18:02

My 16yo DD registered for our doctor's online appointment booking system though she generally asks me to log in and do it for her.

Today i phoned up to make her an appointment as she had been hoping for a cancellation before she goes back to school. I normally go in to see the doctor with her but today she wanted to go by herself (we had already discussed the reason for her visit).

Heratnumber7 · 05/09/2018 18:40

The whole privacy thing at GPs is bollocks.

At our surgery I can't register for online appt booking, nor repeat prescription requests without taking ID into the surgery. It's not open at times convenient to my working hours.

However:
I can phone and make an appt - they have no proof of ID
I can attend GP appt - s/he has no idea who I am and they don't ask for ID. I go to GP about every couple of years or so. They wouldn't recognise me
I can take prescription to chemist - who doesn't ask for ID.
I can collect prescription from chemist - no ID requested.
I can collect anyone's prescription from chemist if I know their address. No ID requested.

In addition - DM has just had an op at hospital. They asked her who she was when she arrived, and because she said she was Mrs Herat's DM, they gave her a wrist band identifying her as Mrs Herat's DM. So she became Mrs Herat's DM.
Not once asked for ID.

Why choose one small part of the whole process - making online appointments - to require ID? GP receptionist couldn't answer that.

Sleephead1 · 05/09/2018 18:47

I work in a surgery for our system everyone has to have their own for their own medical 'record but there is a form for children so obviously parents would have the log in , there is also a form the patient can sign to say they give a named person permission to have the details of their account could you set this up with your daughter? the other option is take her in and she asks to set a account up they give her the log in details but then as long as she is happy to see gives them to you ?

Original poster

Sofizzy · 05/09/2018 19:21

She is very anxious, and has started having panic attacks. That's why she needs to see a GP. There is no way she can navigate this system on her own, due to the nature of her issue.

I agree that many 15 year olds can do this, and a year ago, at 14, she would have had no problems. But now it's different, and she just can't do it alone.

OP posts:

WhatHaveIFound · 06/09/2018 07:36

Sofizzy In that case i would either phone the receptionist to explain and book an appointment over the phone. Either that or set up the online booking system whilst your DD is sat next to you and write down all the log in details for either of you to use.

to your DD as mine is going through similar though she did manage to pluck up the courage to speak to the doctor by herself yesterday.

user1495884620 · 06/09/2018 07:55

I think you may be making more drama out of this than necessary. Just because she has to have her own account, doesn't mean she has to do it all on her own. Take her into the surgery, help her get the account set up, help her make a booking and take her to the appointment. If she wants you in with her, I very much doubt a GP will refuse to let a minor have a parent with her, although they may need to make ask to make sure that that is what she wants.

CrochetBelle · 06/09/2018 07:58

My 13 and 10 year olds have their own accounts. or rather I have one in each of their names.
Are you sure you understand fully?

Original poster

Sofizzy · 06/09/2018 08:18

Yes Crochett, I fully understand. I'm not opposed to her having her own account, just cross that I can't set i i up for her and have it under my umbrella account, like I do for my ds.
It all seems like a faff, as a child under 18 I still have responsibility for her health. If her health was neglegted, I would be in trouble with social services. So I should be able access all systems needed to manage that.
I will be taking her in to register for an account as soon as I can.

OP posts:

dancingthroughthedark · 06/09/2018 08:30

My sons had to register for their own online booking accounts , I think it was when they were about 13. It was a simple form and they then got a code to set it up they just used the same password as mine so I could still book I them an appointment if they need one Can't you do this? For our surgery the user name is just your name and dob . Once its set up if she want s you to continue making her appointments you can . If in the future she wants to do it herself she simply changes the password

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