Have I just been thrown out of GP Practice?

[Madmay25]

Long story short. Transferred ( no choice) to new GP Practice when my previous Practice closed. I had been very happy there.
The new Practice was very disappointing in several ways which led me to make several written complaints about GPs, Nurses, etc. The Practice did respond in writing to these complaints.

However, my latest complaint led to me now being advised that the Practice can arrange for me to move to a different Practice. This move would not otherwise be possible due to local GP pressures.

Is this the same as being kicked out? Should I agree to move elsewhere ? Worried it might be worse!
Do you think I am being unreasonable...complaining / expecting too much?
😕

I'm an NHS GP. My immediate question was why the OPs previous practice had closed. Practice closures are now increasingly common. For many reasons, but by far the most common is funding. Most GP practices are run as independent businesses, and have been since the NHS was formed. The GP partners ie owners of the business have a contract with the NHS to provide a service. Historically, the vast majority of practices provided a level of service way above what was contractually required.

The proportion of NHS funding allocated to GP services has decreased year on year since about 2016. But the workload and the contractual requirements have increased dramatically and the funding practices received was not enough to fund this extra work.

So practices had a choice. Reduce their level of service, whilst still fulfilling the contractual requirements, to at least remain profitable, or decide that either reducing the level of service or reducing their income was not something they could live with, so they opted to close.

I rather suspect the OP was with a practice that provided a wonderful service, but that this level of service became unsustainable for the practice, hence their closure. And when experiencing the level of service which current funding allows, they were understandably disappointed.

I dont think they have made it clear, which suggests to me that they haven't kicked you out - they would just prefer you move elsewhere.
When i worked in a veterinary practice, if people were being kicked out (by letter) it was very clear, short and sweet that they are not welcome back.
This surgery sounds like it used overwhelmed with the amount of patients they are taking on. I think if the duty of care is being met, then dont nit-pick at an already exhausted service

Would you want to treat someone who has made a complaint about you? If you have made several complaints about several members of staff it would definitely be best to move practice - GP practices take complaints seriously your mistreatment must have been bad so why would you even want to stay?

You don’t like the way they work, so y would u want to stay, that’s basically what they r saying.

We're fed up with the doctors we go to because it's virtually impossible to get an appointment. One of the staff told us that only 5 appts are available daily. The people in the surgery are fine but their one fault is so few appointments from a village with 7000+ inhabitants.Chronic and acute? Are they trying to get us to go to A and E?

Yeah, move somewhere else. Some surgeries have quite toxic receptionists! It usually comes down from the manager. (Ours was the same until she left, now the atmosphere is really nice, and as it should be!)

I think you’d be happier elsewhere, leave ‘em to it, go elsewhere and be treated like a human being.,😊👍🏽

There are obviously more than 5 appointments daily, even if the practice has only one doctor. That must be to do with the way they organise appointments.

There are not 5 appts available a day. Obviously. Why people believe this actual nonsense is beyond me.

They may have meant there are only 5 emergency appointments available each day. Our GP takes bookings two weeks in advance and they fill up as soon as the book opens. You can still fill out the triage form for emergency appointments on the day, but they have really limited numbers and very often they can’t offer you an appointment and you are told to try and get one for 2 weeks time, see a pharmacist or go to the minor injuries etc. I haven’t seen a doctor in 11 years; I only go down for routine things like smears, but sometimes my kids have needed to go and it’s been a compete ball ache.

Thanks for this perspective. A rubbish situation for primary care to be in for everyone really. Worth remembering also that dealing with multiple written complaints from the OP will have further taken resources from the practice which could have been useful elsewhere.

A pp concerned me saying that you were entitled to two face to face visits a year only. Is that perhaps why people can't get an appointment, they've used up their quota for the year?

Is this logged on the software. ?

Our surgery you get a questionnaire by text which is very limited, it's a yes or no tick box. You then get a text saying pick up prescription at surgery. You don't even get to speak to a GP. I'm wondering if it's even our surgery GPS dispensing these days

Funded in theory not entitled/allowed. A lot of people use far far more than that. Not logged other than obviously visible when you open notes. Those who attend frivously will be aware of but only in an informal way. There is no way to formally restrict number of contacts per patient under the current contract. It's an "all ypu can eat buffet" for less than a fiver rather than a pay per item service. Which is what makes it such good value for the government and rapidly unsustainable for GP partners.

"Wow, thanks for so many quick responses. First time posting here.

It seems I am being unreasonable. Just cannot stop complaining..it's like a compulsion.
I will move on now..and try not to complain"

That "try not to complain" resolution lasted a long time, then.... 🤦🏼‍♂️