Updating my address with the NHS

[Miaminmoo]

Honestly, just a rant. Handed a form
in to my local surgery one week ago to change the address for our whole family and it’s still not been done. Called them to check how long it takes and they don’t know as the woman who does it goes home at 12 so can I call back tomorrow. She does know that they are ‘very busy and have a backlog’. Right, so I have been able and responsible enough to change my own address with multiple companies and on a multitude of platforms but I am not allowed to change my own address in any way with the NHS because they have to do it. I filled the form in myself and they asked for zero proof of my new address so why couldn’t I log on and do it myself online? They clearly don’t have the resource to do it so why not just let the patient(s) do it themselves? It’s no wonder the NHS is in such a state, it’s bureaucracy for no good reason. Before anyone asks why I care my DH pays annually for prescriptions and the Pharmacy are getting all pissy and threatening to charge him twice if ‘the addresses don’t match’. They don’t care that we are waiting for the surgery to do it. I hate it when something that could so easily be solved has to be made in to a performance. No doubt I will have to stroke the ego and sweet talk some woman on the phone in the morning and actually buy in to this archaic process just to get my sodding address changed before the end of the year. Honestly, make it make sense?

Each GP surgery is it's own separate business, usually they are owned by the doctors who are partners. They vary a lot in terms of how helpful or otherwise they can be. Sorry yours are so crap.

This is your surgery, not the NHS as a whole.

Mine lets you change it on the NHS app, on systmonline, or you have to fill in a form on the website if you can't do it yourself.

I hate it when something that could so easily be solved has to be made in to a performance. No doubt I will have to stroke the ego and sweet talk some woman on the phone in the morning and actually buy in to this archaic process

Fuck me. That won’t be her only job and you aren’t their only patient. They will also be dealing with 100’s of letters each week from hospital consultants, discharge notices, new patient registrations and letters from patients.
One week ago includes a weekend. That’s less than 5 days ffs.

Exactly why they should let me do it myself, my entire point is that they clearly don’t have the resource to keep control of such tasks. Speaking as the daughter of someone who worked in the NHS for 50 years I am not unsympathetic to its entire mismanagement and nor do I tend to blame individuals but this particular surgery do seem to have an abundance of employees who enjoy the little power they wield.

Are you still in the catchment area?

YANBU the system is broken and they should let you do it yourself because the NHS will be front of the queue to fine you if the prescription address doesn't match your actual address. It's another example of them making work for themselves instead of letting patients sort it out and I agree it's unnecessary bureaucracy.
It would make that woman's job so much easier if they let patients update it instead of the poor woman having this long backlog because of a ridiculous system. It seems to depend from surgery to surgery whether they let you or not.

Certainly am, only moved round the corner in to one of the villages that is named in the surgery title - first thing she asked and then said ‘yes, should be OK’. Not sure why only ‘should be’ but didn’t dare ask as she already seemed annoyed so I just thanked her and left the form with her.