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Original poster

kicked out of Gp practice

50 replies

noGPforme · 10/08/2011 19:05

i have name changed for this.

i have depression, diagnosed by the doctors, and sometimes i have panic attacks where i can't leave the house or even make a phone call.

i have missed 3 appoinment in 12 months, and because of the surgeries policy i have now been removed from the register and i only have 3 days of medication left.

i am now really scared that i will be without medication or a doctors.

OP posts:

Sassybeast · 10/08/2011 19:29

I'm not sure I understand - when did you make the appointments that you missed? Was it the prospect of the appointments that made you have the panic attacks? Didn't you contact the surgery after the missed appointments to explain?

WyrdMother · 10/08/2011 19:33

noGPforme I may be jumping to conclusions but are at a point where the idea of ringing the surgery at any time is triggering the panic? Was it specific panic about what was going to happen at the appointments that triggered the panic that stopped you going to the appointments in the first place?

Just wondering if you've got yourself into a spin because I've been there with anxiety, sometimes I could deal with it by forcing myself to do even a small part of whatever was (irrationally) terrifying me, sometimes I had to bite the bullet and tell someone so that I could get help. I and the rest of the guys on here can give you all the sympathy in the world but that wont get your tablets.

If you can't face the phone Mind have an e-mail address for help on this page.

If I've got the wrong end of the stick I apologise.

Alibabaandthe80nappies · 10/08/2011 19:33

Ok so you haven't had 3 DNA in a row? Why didn't you explain to the Dr the last time you saw them about the previously missed appointments?
I would ring your surgery in the morning and explain, they may reinstate you on the basis that it is part of your illness.

BooyHoo · 10/08/2011 19:34

why are you saying "oh well, better get the yellow pages out"? people are giving you advice here. they are telling you to contact your surgery/get a friend/partner to contact them and explain why you missed the appointments.

if you can ring new surgeries why cant you ring your curretone to explain?

thisisyesterday · 10/08/2011 19:35

i feel for you, but i also think that if you didn't even bother to let them know why you missed the appointments (assuming a panic attack was actually preventing you from letting them know at the time) then i think you are being a little unreasonable

you haven't had a panic attack for 10 months, and yet you've missed 3 appointments in 12 months?

I also think that it would be prudent of you, in future, to get your repeat prescription a little bit in avance so that you are nev er in a situation where you only have a couple of days left and none to carry on after that.

this may sound harsh, but i've lived with depression for a very long time and I'm afraid I don't believe it excuses you any of the responsibilites of managing your medication and GP appointments.

mrsshears · 10/08/2011 19:40

exactly my thoughts also thisisyesterday

MightyQuim · 10/08/2011 20:23

That's harsh thisisyesterday. I don't think you can compare depression to full blown panic attacks where you are struggling for breath. If these come on at the prospect of an imminent appointment (when leaving the house for example) then it's quite conceivable that the op wouldn't be able to inform the gp she wouldn't be able to attend.
You need to follow the advice on here regards getting your meds in the short term and in the long term op you need to liase with your gp about what is the best way to go forward regarding future appointments.

PuppyMonkey · 10/08/2011 20:33

But, apart from the panic attack on Mon, Op says she hasn't had one for ten months. I don't really understand tbh, when were the missed appointments - more recently than ten months ago?

MeconiumHappens · 10/08/2011 20:34

you havent had one for 10 months but youve dna'd three times because of them? are able to make appointments but not able to call after and explain your dna? Perhaps if you value their time a little more by at least calling afterwards and explaining the dna, or getting you husband to call, or someone you know, then they wouldnt have taken you off their books. But saying this, if you do call and explin the situation they will re register you, and do you a repeat prescription.

Doha · 10/08/2011 20:38

I think GP's have to give you 7 days to find a new GP--unless there has been gross misconduct (violence etc) you cannot be put off their list immediatly. Contact you GP tomorrow and ask for a further prescription until you get a new GP sorted or ask if they will reconsider.

thisisyesterday · 10/08/2011 20:43

mightyquim, i did say that in my post.

if a panic attack prevented her from letting them know that she wouldn't be there then she should have called at her earliest convenience and apologised and explained why!

But she does say she hasn't had a panic attack in 10 months, so unless her missed appointments were prior to that (and they've taken 10 months to let her know?) then some of them must have had nothing to do with them surely?

and it is just sensible imo, to make sure you have your repeat prescription before you only have a couple of days medication left.
I know sometimes it just happens, and maybe that's the case here, and I am certain that if the OP speaks to her surgery they'll be able to sort it out for her.

Ismeyes · 10/08/2011 20:55

Thisisyesterday is right. Panic attacks, as awful as they are, are transient states. If unable to let the doctors surgery know then I really don't understand why your husband couldn't do so, or you couldn't write? This is reinforced by the OP saying that she hasn't actually has a panic attack for 10 months. It doesn't add up.

justabigdisco · 10/08/2011 20:59

did they give you prior warnings before removing you from the list? some practices do have a '3 strikes and you're out' policy but they should warn you after you've missed 1 and 2 appointments. if they haven't, then you have cause to appeal against the decision

re the medication. they are still obliged to provide you with medication and/or emergency care until you have found another GP. nobody can be left without a doctor.
hope that helps

porcamiseria · 10/08/2011 21:15

you can join another practice, they will accept you immediately, its the law

but concerning, how can you adress this? take care

Original poster

noGPforme · 10/08/2011 21:16

i did have the letters, and did phone them after i recived them. The 2 other missed appoinment where around about 10 months ago.

this one i missed is quite recent, i will phone them tomorrow to get another prescrption and then i will find another GP.

thank you for all your help

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 10/08/2011 21:20

why don't you just explain why you missed them and see if they will allow you to stay there?

brokenmarrow · 10/08/2011 21:49

to be honest i read it and thought your gp was actually v good giving you 3 chances. we discharge patients at the hospital after 1 dna for adults or 2 cancellations (unless v good reason given ! this is written in notes so that reasons can be compared !)

maybe best to find a gp that does have an email system if that helps

sorry to be harsh but thinking of others who could have used those appts you wasted !

Goodynuff · 10/08/2011 22:06

I can understand the panic attacks,I had them when I had to go to the dentist. My phobia was so bad, I would throw up at the word dentist. I have had huge help, which is why I can even type about this now.
I had to ask for help, and explain that I couldn't call the dentist, let alone get myself there. Thankfully my sister stepped in, booked all the apointments, fed me valium, held my hand, and took care of the paper work. I have had help, and I'm doing much better now.
Is there someone who could help you through the appointments? If there is someone to speak up for you, that you can talk to when you are calm, it can make such a difference.
I'm rooting for you OP

MightyQuim · 10/08/2011 22:09

Unless I'm missing something the OP has said that after the missed appointments she DID contact them. Not that that makes any difference to the fact that the appointments could no longer be used.
I don't think talk of appointments being wasted or the op's condition being used as an excuse is particularly helpful. If the OP's condition is preventing her from accessing the medical care she needs then that needs addressing not just passing on to another practice.

thisisyesterday · 10/08/2011 22:11

where does she sy that?

Paschaelina · 10/08/2011 22:17

when you are removed from a gp list you legally have 28 days to register with a new gp. In that time they are obliged to still treat you including refilling prescriptions. the only exceptions to this are patients removed for violence who are allocated special gps and if you have medication at less than 7- day intervals (methadone daily prescription, for example). Then they are obliged to continue treatment until the frequency if treatment is no longer necessary or a new gp takes the patient on.

You should be able to refill your prescription at least, speak to the practice manager and ask for this and the number fir the Allocations dept of your local authority who will help you register elsewhere.

MightyQuim · 10/08/2011 22:19

She said she called them when she received the no show letters a few posts up - presumably to explain why.

Kladdkaka · 10/08/2011 22:35

You have my sympathies OP as another serial appointment misser. I forget about them, lose the card, lose the backup card, accidently throw out the reminder on the fridge, turn up on the wrong day, at the wrong time, once I even got myself together enough to turn up on the right day at the right time only to find it was the wrong hospital in the wrong city. Sometimes I can use the phone and sometimes I can't. Other times I feel so wretched that I just don't care, until a few weeks later when I do care but then it's too late and I don't know how to put it right. Thankfully everyone I've dealt with has been super nice because they all understand it's the nature of the condition and that I am actually trying my best.

Talk to the surgery and explain your difficulties, or get someone else to do it for you. See if they can do anything differently for you. My regular surgery now only make my appointments in the afternoon as I'm more likely to be 'together' then and they email me in the morning to check I'm still coming.

thisisyesterday · 10/08/2011 22:39

yeah, but i meant, why didn't she call them as soon as she could after she missed the appointment? rather than waiting for letters about it?

anyway, it's irrelevant now really isn't it.

I think she has had good advice on here about speaking to them and asking to be allowed to stay and explaining her difficulties. but she isn't willing to do that either.

so...

MightyQuim · 10/08/2011 22:50

Well tbh we don't know what state the OP has been in after the attacks to know why she didn't call straight away but the appointment would already be gone then anyway wouldn't it.
If she has explained why already what point is there doing it again? Maybe finding a more sympathetic practice is the way to go. I do think it is a poor show if the OP can't get help for her problems because of her problems. You would think GP's would have something in place for sufferers of panic attacks, social anxiety, agoraphobia etc.

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