To think its ludicrous a GP surgery can prevent vaccination by...

[dameofdilemma]

Deregistering a patient?
Dp has been deregistered (without notice or consent) for the offence of being too healthy - he hasn’t made an appointment in years so they just deregistered him as a patient.

He now can’t book for the vaccine (via NHS, walk-in clinic or GP) until he’s registered again, which could apparently take weeks as there’s a backlog (of fuming deregistered patients).

The reality is many won’t bother continually phoning the surgery (and being put on hold) every day and the vaccine roll out will be slowed. down.

Hope you get it sorted.
Incidentally the UK is pretty unique in terms of countries with relatively advanced healthcare in not scheduling annual or at least biannual checkups for patients. That - and the fact we have less GPs per head of population than almost anywhere else in Europe - is probably why our detection and survival rates for serious diseases are so poor.

I'm never sure about that. I think it is often someone not paying attention to 'junk mail'or maybe telling their OHs that they hadn't heard anything for some reason. A GP has to tell you why you are being deregistered. It isn't an instant process, the GP has to show the NHSE (or other home country) who then also informs you.

You don't just get deleted.

Well it's evident from this thread alone that sometimes this happens unless these people are all making it up. Plus like I said, if someone wrote to you to say you were about to be deregistered why on earth would you not get in touch to ensure that didn't happen. It's much less hassle than finding another surgery or reregistering again in future.

They get financial penalties for not having 'enough' contact with a patient as they can't prove the patient actually exists. It is to prevent GPs claiming money for people/services that don't exist.
When did this start? I was registered with a GP while living overseas for 20 years, found out on my return (I was a child when I left so not my fault).

Let’s blame the government for failing to train and recruit sufficient staff. Each GP is only one person who can see so many patients. We have a national shortage

I don't know about making it up, why would anyone do that? I would assume something casued a mis communication. But I do know whay some don't respond to the letter - I used to send them out and chase them up!

In some areas, low literacy levels, high socio economic depravation, some people just don't respond to any formal communications.

In others some people just don't think of the ramifications, are too busy and it slips their minds until, months or years later, they need their GP!

No such thing as an annual checkup. There are ones at certain age points, such as at 50.

Yes, certain screenings, but no annual check ups.

It is fairly normal to register patients if they have not been in contact for a long while. They could have left the area but be taking up room for others. He just needs to reregister surely?

@kowari

They get financial penalties for not having 'enough' contact with a patient as they can't prove the patient actually exists. It is to prevent GPs claiming money for people/services that don't exist. When did this start? I was registered with a GP while living overseas for 20 years, found out on my return (I was a child when I left so not my fault).

Decades ago. I was clearing a GPs lists in 2000!

It doesn't happen with any precision. It's not a regular sweep of patients. It's something a practice might do if it's lists were full to bursting or there was a discrepency between patients listed and income generated from appointments, referrals etc.

I too have never heard of annual check ups, my DH is supposed to have them for the meds he’s on but in reality he usually goes 18 months - 2 years before it’s reviewed. He got his vaccination call up through the gov not gp.

Please don't blame the surgery. NHS England forces list-cleansing of patients who have not been in recent contact with their practices - they are obsessed with the idea that practices might get paid for someone who has moved away, even though that only happens in a handful of cases.

Sick of the constant GP bashing on MN. It's not our fucking fault that there are not enough of us, or that NHS England has ridiculous rules.

@NommyChompers

Let’s blame the government for failing to train and recruit sufficient staff. Each GP is only one person who can see so many patients. We have a national shortage

This is mumsnet.com, so we better remind everyone that we are only blaming Tory Governments. Not the wonderful Labour ones.

@MyDcAreMarvel

Well that was stupid he should have gone in for an annual check up.

Never been offered an annual check up in my life and I’m 52! It’s a fight to get a smear test when it’s due let alone an annual check up of any sort!

Well that was stupid he should have gone in for an annual check up

Annual check-ups might be a thing in America. The only time I've ever heard of them was in an American novel I read years ago.

The NHS would probably collapse if everyone tried to book an annual check-up!

No change of address.
No contact at all from GP - no text, letter or email, regarding de registering. Nothing asking him to confirm he i still a patient etc.

We’re all registered at the same practice (I haven’t been deregistered despite not having an appointment since 2018).

Clearly the system isn’t working properly and patients have fallen between the cracks with the consequence that Covid vaccinations are being delayed.

Dp filled the registration forms as requested a week ago and has since been told he needs to phone (and wait on hold) every day for the next few weeks as they are very busy.

Its a GP surgery now run by Centrena (a private healthcare company) which was supposed to improve efficiency.

"Well that was stupid he should have gone in for an annual check up."

Try getting past my local GP receptionist by saying you are perfectly healthy but want a check up. She'd probably hang up before you reached the end of that sentence.

@Jamestheleast I would usually agree but they’ve been in power for so long now the idea of blaming labour for current issues is getting less relevant (although labour’s PFIs are still crippling the NHS!)

This is mumsnet.com, so we better remind everyone that we are only blaming Tory Governments. Not the wonderful Labour ones But we are blaming Labour, they are equally complicit both in the past and today with their election promises!

Though I think you wre being sarcastic...

I love people in UK being mindboggled by annual check ups👀 Pretty standard thing in many countries. But yeah @MyDcAreMarvel, not here unfortunately

This is mumsnet.com, so we better remind everyone that we are only blaming Tory Governments. Not the wonderful Labour ones.

And when was Labour last in power? How much longer can Tory supporters keep blaming everything on Blair and Brown?

Oh wait, you don't have to anymore because now the line will be "The government are still not incompetent, it's all Covid's fault (and Brexit which most of us Tory voters wanted and said would be amazing so let's not stress that too much, Covid will do nicely)." That should get them through another decade...

@MyDcAreMarvel

Well that was stupid he should have gone in for an annual check up.

Unless you have private healthcare, what the hell are you talking about.

In our area the deregistration is done by the health board, not the GP.

The GP usually would like to keep a patient on the books but if there is suspicion they have moved elsewhere then the board would see it as fraud if they really were a “ghost” patient, it was all in the news a while back saying that this was a scam by GPs.

In our area a letter would have to be sent. However if you have moved and not updated your address it may not get to you.

Write to them noting the issues and difficulty contacting them by phone. Send the letter registered so there is proof of posting.

And when was Labour last in power? How much longer can Tory supporters keep blaming everything on Blair and Brown?

it's not that ancient, we can remember the state of things when they left power....

If everything had been so wonderful or just reaching basic standards, they would still be there.

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow, Most of the criticism I have read this morning on this and another thread is about the way individual GPs manage their practices. Not about GP numbers.
Ensuring the well being of Patients is the only thing that really matters.
Being on a list with a GP is fundamental.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

I love people in UK being mindboggled by annual check ups👀 Pretty standard thing in many countries. But yeah *@MyDcAreMarvel*, not here unfortunately

Do those countries have an NHS system? Or does everyone have some form of personal health insurance?

The lack of them is just more of the same democratic process we have here. People get to make their own choices, the government won't force any health behaviour! It's part and parcel of 'being British'.