Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Family planning discriminating

40 replies

Kathrina · 27/08/2009 22:25

Is it wrong of me to think i am being discriminated against because my local Family Planning Clinic have an under 25's clinic more often than the over 25's and it has taken me 4 months to get an appointment where as my sister who is under 25 got one in 3 weeks. I am 29!

OP posts:
FabBakerGirlIsBack · 27/08/2009 22:27

I think you are being a bit precious.

wastingmyevening · 27/08/2009 22:30

Just go to your GP.

More Under-25s use the Family Clinic (speculating wildly) so they need more clinics.

But that must be irritating nonetheless.

Mumcentreplus · 27/08/2009 22:34

4 months?...bit long..go via your GP as suggested..don't worry about it

pinkmagic1 · 27/08/2009 22:37

They more than likely have the under 25's clinics to try and prevent unwanted pregnancies and STD's. I am not saying everyone under 25 has an unwanted pregnancy or contracts an STD (I was very happily married at 18 and expecting my first at 24) but the statistics are more than likely higher for this age group.

Original poster
Kathrina · 28/08/2009 08:43

My GP surgery do not fit coils or implants which is what i was after as my coil came out and needed one ASAP but in the end i had to go to my Practice Nurse to be put on the pill as a temp measure.

I am not being precious at all i do not want to get pregnant and a lot can happen i 4 months. Where as if i only waited 3 wks i wouldnt have this thread on here.

OP posts:
sayithowitis · 28/08/2009 09:11

Actually i sympathise with you Kathrina. There is only one doctor at my very large group practice who is qualified and willing to prescribe the type of contraception I choose to use. The FP clinics in this area have a similar sysytem to the one you mention. Therefore, if I want/need to have my contraception checked, I either have to wait a ridiculously long time, or see the male doctor. Now, as it happens, I don't have any real hang ups about seeing him for ths type of thing and I am veryconfident that he is more than capable of doing what is needed without trying to pressure me into using a different method. But, for some people, they prefer to see a female GP for this type of intimate reason. And actually, I think it is a real shame that someone who is trying to be responsible about contraception should be made to feel they are being unreasonable about that as well as being put in the position of having to have a different type of contraception than the one they prefer. I actually think it is irresponsible of the health service to force you into taking the pill when you clearly prefer to use a method which does not bombard your body with extra hormones!

MuppetsMuggle · 28/08/2009 09:20

I had the same problem at my local GPs & FPC.

So I called up the unit at the local hospital and got in within a week.

Original poster
Kathrina · 28/08/2009 09:25

I really am not bothered about seeing a male GP either. We have one that is currently training to fit coils and implants. The mini-pill i have been put on is the one i got pregnant on last time so we are being extra careful still.

OP posts:
edam · 28/08/2009 09:25

A four month wait for contraception is ridiculous. And having to change your method of contraception to suit the local NHS is even more barking!

I'd complain to the chief exec of your local Primary Care Trust (in England) if I were you. Or LINKS - local improvement networks, supposed to represent patients.

Tortington · 28/08/2009 09:28

jesus - i can't believe this is happening in this day and age.

Comewhinewithme · 28/08/2009 09:31

Yes I am having to wait until the middle of September for my implant I boked the appt in July . YANBU.

Comewhinewithme · 28/08/2009 09:31

Booked

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 28/08/2009 09:34

I had a similar problem, the one GP at my practice who dealt in my contraception was off on Mat leave. My local FP clinic has drop in clinic for under 25's at a full range of times including one evening a week my drop in clinic would be on only 2 days a week between 9am and 11.30 and I had called during the holidays to get an appointment to get my impant removed as it was causing me side affects and I would have to have waited until after the holidays to get an appointment outside drop in hours which was at a time I could attend.
In the end the surgery had a locum arrive trained and got me in withing a few days.

It is ridiculous, yes ok maybe there is more need for an under 25 drop in but why not make it more flexible and open to all rather than specific age groups, after all contraception problems and unplanned pregnancies can be devastating whatever your age.

gingernutlover · 28/08/2009 09:35

yes it is ridiculous and YANBU. A 4 month wait for a coil is not right.

It seems a lot of GP surgeries dont offer coil fitting. I know the lady dr at our practice is training to do it though.

We have a similar problem here in that there is a young persons clinic often and a over 25's clinic once a week. Also what annoys me is that you have to phone for an appointment while the clinic is on - so you have to be totally organised weeks in advance.

In our area though the FP clinics are run completely by volunteers, even the drs volunteer to do it in their evenings I believe. And it's probably not up to them what clinic happen and when. They have always been fantastic when I have actually been.

Original poster
Kathrina · 28/08/2009 09:35

My coil came away May 28th i went to my walk-in centre to get the Morning after pill as had sex 2 days before and was worried how long my coil had been loose. The nurse which saw me advised i get another coil fitted ASAP i rang around about 6 family planning clinics explaining my circumstances and was told each time it was an under 25's only or they were fully booked. I kept trying every week but no luck. The middle of June i took it upon myself to go to the practice nurse and be put on the mini-pill as a temp measure until i got an appointment in Sept to have another coil fitted. But they cannot promise it can be done that night as the doc may have too many so i may be turned away yet.

OP posts:
sunburntats · 28/08/2009 09:37

yanbu. Unwanted pregnancies are distressing and avoidable at ANY age, not just the under 25's

I went to try to get preconception care and was told that they are unable to help. Yet they claim to run "preconception" clinic at my GP's.

All i wnated was the practice nurse to help me with dietry advice, and to weigh me for 5 mins every 2 weeks to help me get to a healthy BMI.
as i do not have a "chronic illness" they refused me. Is obesety not a chronic illnes then?
I really wanted the help and advice.
I cant be the 1st person to have asked this.
ww too expensive for me at the time, wanted a few months to get as healthy as i could before getting pregnant. ahh well.

Original poster
Kathrina · 28/08/2009 09:45

Pregnancy is distressing at any age and i certainly don't want anymore children. I agree that under 25's do need help with contraception but why not split a clinic say the first 2 hrs for the under 25's and the last 2 hrs for the over 25's. Or alternate the days. I spoke to my Practice nurse and she agreed that the whole system is a joke. There is a clinic in my area which is on every morning but again the under 25's how annoying.

OP posts:
Original poster
Kathrina · 28/08/2009 09:48

But i am too young to be sterilised! Which is a joke as that would solve all my problems.

OP posts:
FairLadyRantALot · 28/08/2009 09:54

Am not sure about it being discrimination...however...yanbu , having to wait 4 month is ridiculous...and having to take a different measure of contraceptive meanwhile is out of order, and defintely complain...tbh, I have never ever been to a Family planning clinic, it has always been over my GP...and my GP was the one fitting my implant...thought all gp's do it?

Luckily my dh had a vasectomy...so...don't need to use anything anymore...

myredcardigan · 28/08/2009 10:00

YANBU, that is shocking in this day and age.

This may seem like a silly question but why have an under 25 clinic at all. Why not just have a clinic that everyone who need to go to, can? I mean, it wouldn't bother me to be sat next to an 18yr old.

Original poster
Kathrina · 28/08/2009 10:15

I am really not sure why the have an under 25's clinic. Where my sister lives they have an under 21's. And no it wouldnt bother me sitting next to an 18 yr old we are all there for the same reason. I was 16 when i had my first child and have sat in a clinic with women twice my age and didnt bother me in the slightest. One nurse i did see suggested my hubby took some time off work to have the snip he is 31 but i was disgusted as my hubby wasnt even there to speak for himself and i wouldnt want him to anyway.

OP posts:
colditz · 28/08/2009 10:20

If it's a drop in, just drop in.They probably won't check your age. If they look like they won't do it, cry at them

wastingmyevening · 28/08/2009 10:21

I think it's the under 25s who are bothered though. Running into a teacher or aunty could be very embarrassing.

Our local FPC, last time I went had general drop-ins, a couple of youth drop-ins and then appointments and coil clinics a couple of evenings a week.

That's crap though, I thought all GPs were trained for some reason.

Original poster
Kathrina · 28/08/2009 10:27

I also thought that at least 1 GP would be trained. My surgery are just crap. It was my GP's wife that fitted it last time she is at a different surgery but she wont see her husbands patients anymore and i wouldnt go back to her as she obviously didnt fit it correctly in the first place.

OP posts:
jybay · 28/08/2009 10:38

Unfortunately, it is getting increasingly difficult for all GP surgeries to offer coils because each GP doing them now has to fit a certain number per year in order to be allowed to do them. While the intention of the rule is good - to make sure anyone doing coils has up to date skills - it means that many smaller practices won't have enough patients for the GPs to meet the rule.

For the same reason, most surgeries will only have one GP who fits coils - if they had more, none of the GPs would be doing enough.

YANBU though - I would suggest contacting the chief executive of your PCT. If you make a fuss, they will almost certainly cave in & get you an appointment.