Can you do an FOI to your GP?

[moomoo2626]

No idea which thread is the most suitable but it's regarding being a carer so I'm popping it here in the hope someone knowledgeable sees it.

I'm really struggling getting a home visit from the GP and lots of other people I know with chronic illness have the same issue. Do you know if I can do an FOI to the GP asking how many staff they have on and what capacity they have in their weekly schedule for home visits?

Thanks x

I wouldn't get involved in a Freedom of Information request to your GP.

GPs are already massively stretched in general. If your problem is getting a home visit, which is very rare these days, that will be because your GP practice is unable to cope with that demand. All that an FOI request will do is make them even more overwhelmed.

why dont you just try and sort out the problem with getting a home visit, rather than making them have to jump through unreasonable hoops to prove your point.

No you can't. GP's are private businesses and FOI's are for public authorities.

Most GP's are struggling with home visits because they take up a great deal of time and capacity that most practices don't have available. Many practices can't offer the level of patient support demanded for practice appointments, never mind doing home visits. Not the answer you want, I am sure, but that's the reality.

Doing an FOI will just use more scarce resources.

People don't seem to understand that FOI requests use up a huge amount of public sector time

Use them wisely, and sparingly

Not going to be helpful, I don’t think.

I think your best bet is to contact your ICB and ask about provision for home visits. You could enquire as to what GPs are meant to be providing. Then if they are meant to provide them and they’re not, you can query this/complain to the GP. Or if they’re not meant to be doing them, ask the ICB what the provision is in the area for medical care for housebound people.

No you can’t.

unfortunately home visits are massively abused. I had someone request one today, for a condition they’ve have for month ‘a chronic condition’ - in the same sentence as they said their holiday to Spain last week really helped their condition!!

My gut feeling is that there are few people who are truly housebound, i.e never leave the house with help, never attend a hospital appt. That is the threshold.

For those temporarily ‘housebound’ by sickness who are normally healthy active adults, it’s unlikely a house visit will help them at all and more likely they need acute care in hospital to have that significant an immediate deterioration.

Obviously there are a few exceptions to both of these.

If you’re struggling for care then speak with the gp on the phone and explain your concerns, it may be that another HCP is more appropriate.

Unfortunately Ive had people comment that they don’t want a district nurse (more than quailfied for the problem) but want a GP - that’s not a choice they can have these days. Our average house call required 4-5 in person appts, whilst the pt only has to consider their need, I have to consider this patient, all the other patients, the practice and the staff who need me present.

Ask for the practice manager.
And patient consultation group. Get involved with that.

My GPs do daily home visits but only for the terminally ill, nursing home ward round and the truly housebound I.e. cannot leave the house even with assistance from a family member.

I’m just a NP but I do the housebound visits for vaccines, and some of the people who declare themselves housebound have been crossed off my list this year as it’s become apparent they can get to the surgery, just might need a lift, or taxi, or Link driver.

Rather than a FOI request maybe email and state your position or need for a home visit. GPs need to balance their time for the truly housebound as they can often see 5 patients in the surgery (with access to phlebotomy, ECG etc if needed) rather than 1 or 2 home visits.

Is the home visit for you or for the person you care for?

Thanks everyone.

Sorry I posted in a rush and should have added more info. I care for my daughter who is housebound and unable to leave the house at all and this has been the case for years. I'd be happy with a NP visit it doesn't have to be a GP but we aren't getting those either. I'm in regular contact with the practice manager who says hone visits are possible if deemed necessary but everytime we're denied.

I'm not wanting to bash GPs, I am generally very sympathetic to their issues but also want medical care for my daughter.

I guess I'll get in touch with the ICB.

Guess I was just wondering what capacity they had for home visits and was that why we couldn't get one.

Thanks for the answers, think I was clutching at straws and overthinking!

@moomoo2626 is it a physical mobility issue? How do you manage getting her to hospital appointments? I know you can book ambulance transport for that, but unsure about this for GP apps.

Yes it's a physical illness with mobility issues as part of that. Currently the only hospital appointments are done by phone or zoom. We've had a planned hospital admission using hospital transport but not for an appointment.

Why not just put your questions in writing to the practice manager asking the reason why you haven't been able to get a home visit (include the dates you have asked, the reasons and the outcomes). Ask if it is due to them not having the staff or capacity or if it's because you aren't meeting the criteria and what those criteria are. As a next step ask for a copy of their complaints policy.

That is far more likely to get you the information you need and without the faff of a FOI (I have to reply to these and they are a huge drain on resources and a really inefficient way to try to resolve a complaint).

Once you have the information from the GP in writing then follow the complaints policy which may be to escalate through the PCN manager or to escalate through your local PALS/ Patient Experience team at the ICB.