GP surgery sent letter to deter us book appointment for toddler

[Watapain]

Today we received letter from Surgery saying that we have booked several appointments in the last month for our toddler who has been sick often and has got a recurring issue needing doctors attention. We should consider other alternatives and not see the GP.
This has really concerned us as me and DH never see the GP. I am fuming as they have sent a form asking us to sign an undertaking that we acknowledge the letter. We are not happy about it and to sign the letter.
Have you been through anything similar and how do we approach about complaining about it as the tone on it seems threatening that they are looking to remove people from their list.

Not had similar but that's awful! If you need your toddler to see a GP then you need to.

That's appalling. So they're essentially calling you hypochondriacs

What did they say to suggest they might remove you from the list? That seems very extreme.

It sounds like they are saying that your DC may not actually have needed to see a GP every time. When you do get an appointment, what’s the usual outcome?

How often have you been?!

It’s very unusual to be removed from the list, is there (a lot) more to this story?

4 times in a month. DC needed antibiotics

Has he had treatment every time?

What things have you taken him there for?

How many times have you taken him in that amount of time?

I would be forwarding a copy to.cqc.

Was he prescribed the ABs four times?

What sort of things were you seeing the GP about? Obviously if your child ended up admitted/on antibiotics every time, they're being unreasonable. If you were going for every sniffle, they may not be.

So what did they say to suggest they would remove you?

Did you miss any of the appointments OP? If so then that's almost certainly what they're referring to. I can’t imagine any HCP begrudging seeing a child frequently because even if you were a hypochondriac, any one of those appointments could be something serious

I'm a manager in a surgery. I expect it was computer generated to everyone who had a certain amount of apps over a certain amount of time. You will not be removed from their list.

I imagine it's to make people aware that there are loads of other services you can go to that isn't a gp. The gp is not aways necessary.

the tone on it seems threatening that they are looking to remove people from their list.

Can you tell us what they actually said? Leaving out specifics of name of course.

@RuthW thanks for your response. DC has been admitted earlier to hospital due to the same condition hence we need to see the GP when symptoms come back again. It was for 2 episodes hence 4 visits.

I would forward it to my M.P. and ask if they're aware of this.

Do you actually send out letters to parents of toddlers suggesting you will remove them as patients if they use the service too often? That’s unbelievable

That's awful. You've a young child, if u feel u need a dr to see her, you need a dr. I live in Ireland where i pay 60 euro ish for appt but tbh id rather that than be told by dr to essentially f off.... Crazy system

It may be worth contact your local Health watch, they will help you and hopefully raise it with your Integrated Care Board.

Computers only generate what they’ve been programmed to generate. Did the computer also put the letter in an envelope, stick a stamp on it or frank it, then put it in the mail bag?

@TeaKitten i was going to say the same thing! ''Computer generated'' letter (ie. no attention paid to who the actual recipients are) dissuading patients from coming in?!

Maybe it would be a good idea not to send out 'computer generated' letters?

I would write back stating that you were alarmed to receive their letter and ask them to clarify which of the appointments they feel were unnecessary.

That's awful. You should definitely complain and don't be deterred from asking for apts in future if you need.

I wonder if its autogenerated as RuthW suggests.

I don't think it's appropriate though - I've had with with my treatment and DC and now my parents - several appointments when we've been brushed off to why the hell didn't you come before now - certainly seems to be an expectation of persistence for anything out of ordinary or long term that's not self limiting.