Prove my ID after 30 years!

[Ladyof2022]

I've been with the same GP surgery for over 30 years. Obvs over that time all the GPs and other staff have met me at least once and mostly several times. During that 30 yrs I have not changed my name and for the last 25 years have not changed my address.

I phoned reception last week to request a repeat prescription of a preventative drug I take to avoid stomach ulcers whilst I take OTC painkillers. The receptionist said she will not authorise any more repeats until I prove my identity. I laughed out loud, and told her, I've been with the surgery for 30 years. Nevertheless she insisted. She said I must post or bring my passport or driving licence, but I have neither. In that case, she said, I must come in person and present myself to a receptionist. I asked how that "proved" my identity and she swerved the question and just repeated that they intend to withhold all my repeat prescriptions until I have come in to the surgery. My scripts include Ventolin for asthma.

AIBU for refusing to go along with this utter stupidity of having to "prove" (which I cannot do anyway) who I am after 30 years?

Are you sure? I thought you had to be a UK resident to qualify for NHS care.

Interesting replies, thanks.

I can see why these bureaucrats get away with this utter nonsense - because people will just knuckle down and comply with anything, just for a quiet life and to be seen as not making a fuss, and being "nice", compliant citizens.

I feel insulted by them treating me like I am a stranger after 30 years.

I think the time for my GP to ask me for my ID was 30 years ago, when I registered and they first started doling out drugs to me.

Back then I had a driving licence, a passport and photo ID for work. Now I have none.

I think it’s a hangover from some muddled notions about being an island nation and escaping various waves of continental despotism and authoritarian control.

All a bit wrongheaded but strongly felt.

Utterly redundant now that most of us are carrying trackers, video doorbells are everywhere, data capture is everywhere and photo ID is widely required.

Honestly OP pick your battles. I wouldn’t go without my Ventolin in an effort to play King Canute to this data trend.

It's all very well people saying get a provisional licence, but if you read the small print, many of these places say it has to be a FULL driving licence & that a provisional doesn't count.

I am not even allowed a driving licence as I don't see well enough to be allowed to drive, so I cannot pass a test to get a full licence.

There are a lot of people who don't have these photo ids, who opened bank accounts decades ago (when they never even asked for photo id & driving licences didn't have photos on them) who really don't get asked for photo id.

Not all of them have a spare £100 or so to get a passport & not all of them know someone who is on the ever shrinking list of people who are allowed to sign for them.

This photo id policy is intentionally disenfranchising people born in this country & it's creeping in everywhere.

No photo id, no doctor, just means instead of being treated before things gets serious, you can wait until you are a really expensive case in the hospital because they don't demand id when they take you in an ambulance.

It will cost the NHS billions extra in the long term.

They are trying to move towards no photo id, no benefits.
How are people who can't even eat every day supposed to come up with the funds for a passport?

If you make it so people have nothing to lose, prepare to see the crime rates skyrocket.
No money, no hope, no reason not to commit a crime.
The worst that can happen is they'll put you in prison where you'll have a roof over your head & food.

Are GPs still on the list of people who can sign my photo to verify I am who I say I am when applying for photo ID?

My GP's practice certainly won't do it (I asked my GP a couple of years ago). Also re provisional driving licence, I just checked now and you need proof of ID to get one, e.g. passport! So if you don't drive you basically need a passport. Birth certificates (no photo) don't count.

I am in this situation of not having any proof of ID (my passport elapsed some 20 yrs ago and I've been housebound with disability). My repeat prescriptions go from my GP to my nominated pharmacy who home deliver. I would be in trouble if asked for proof of ID! I don't know anyone who could countersign passport pics as proof of who I am. It's really difficult, more difficult than people may think it is.

My GP's practice certainly won't do it (I asked my GP a couple of years ago). Also re provisional driving licence, I just checked now and you need proof of ID to get one, e.g. passport! So if you don't drive you basically need a passport. Birth certificates (no photo) don't count.

Are you sure? My DS got his provisional this year and it was far easier than the passport application we'd abandoned 2.5 years ago (they needed proof of his grandparents marriages, all of whom are divorced as I'm unmarried and don't have a passport)
DVLA accepted his birth certificate and something else. Might have been bank statements. Plus a declaration signed by a professional (we used the Vicar)

Last time I saw anything at the GP surgery about counter signing it said they did it for a fee.

You might have been with the surgery for 30 years, but unless you're on their doorstep every week I doubt they'd be able to pick you in an identity parade. I don't know how people live without photo Id, in the past 3 months alone I've needed my passport to prove my right to work in the UK, open an investment account and apply for my kid's bus pass (yes, really, don't start me on that one). Fair enough, 30 years ago ids were not required that much, but the times are changing. You can refuse to change with the times and make your life more difficult, or just accept that you need id and just get it.

Usually when you register at a GP surgery they ask you for proof of address to check that you live within the boundaries that the surgery is happy to cover.

But according to this you actually not need to provide any documents at all:

www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/gps/how-to-register-with-a-gp-surgery/

So stand your ground, refuse to play along and lodge a complaint with your surgery.

They should not be withdrawing your medication in this way. Completely unacceptable.

It looks like the ID check is only linked to online prescription renewal. If you are collecting in person, there is no need for an ID check.

It sounds like the receptionist is getting confused as to when they should be requesting and ID or not...

Get yourself a passport. It will help with these situations, and there's a bill going through parliament at the moment that will require photographic ID to be allowed to vote (Elections Act 2022).

A provisional driving license is a cheaper option.
It's what dd and her friends all got themselves as soon as they were eligible.

Are GPs still on the list of people who can sign my photo to verify I am who I say I am when applying for photo ID?

They are still on the "approved" list of professions by the passport agency, but in reality, pretty sure I remember a diktat by the NHS a few years ago to say GPs were to be stopped from doing them because it was taking up too much GP/admin time, and that their "recommendation" was that GPs only countersign passports for people they know personally rather than professionally.

You sre not their mate! You are in effect a stranger😂

Dramatic much. It's totally normal thing to check someone's id and to re id after certain time if needed or when rules change.

"Hkw dare anyone want me to have proper photo id"
"Oh no. how come someone got my xx with just some bank card! Oh no. Fraudulent application, need CIFAS"

Id and requirement of showing it on occasion is just so normal outside of uk. This no id is NOT the "good special".

Been with our solicitors for 46 years. Had to produce proof of identity yet again when dealing with an issue. I did query it and was told it was government who insisted.

Money laundering regulations require proof of ID, so solicitors and accountants will normally ask for ID. If you are self employed @Ladyof2022 do you have an accountant?

I needed ID to be a school governor as I needed to have a DBS check done

Wish this country had ID cards would be so much simpler for everyone