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Blood test nurse with NO appointment got firemen to damage door.Who pays?

440 replies

logiccalls · 03/12/2025 22:06

Someone who goes decades without any G.P. contact (being allergic to chemicals, and therefore never wanting to get pills) decided to get a private health MOT: The results were excellent, except for one which indicated it might be advisable to take a further blood test via the N.H.S.

The person was permanently disabled by a violent and stalking ex, therefore finds it difficult to get to a surgery, and asked them to send a home visiting nurse to do a blood test. This is a person made resilient by adversity, and keeping as healthy as possible, so with no history of mental problems or heart problems or anything else. (And even the requested blood test was resulting from a private MOT, which the NHS knew nothing about)

The GP has never been spoken to, just the receptionist, who promised to pass on the request for the blood test .

There was no further contact: NO appointment: No response: No email: No phone contact: No letter: No text.

Many weeks later, suddenly, a stranger had got into the block of flats, without using the intercom, and was agressively hammering on the flat door and trying to force the door handle to turn.

There was still no phone call, email or text. It could have been any intruder, inebriated, deranged or drugged. The occupant stayed silent.

The mobile phone rang, but with a witheld number, (which someone who has previously been stalked would of course never respond to.) Eventually, the stranger at the door went away. (There had been a parcel outside the door, before the stranger arrived, and as soon as she left, the occupant could at last open the door to retrieve it, and did so.)

An hour (?) later, a man was beating on the door as if to smash it in, and shouting. The occupant is deaf, but was obviously not going to open the door, to violent strangers, so again stayed silent. (But, because the parcel had been taken in, was clearly not lying unconscious on the floor for lack of a routine blood test, for which there had been NO appointment.)

The hammering on the door continued for hours, (?) and although the phone was constantly being rung, it was never used to send a text explaining there was any legitimate reason to attempt entry.

Later, it turned out the nurse had called the fire brigade, and it was their men taking over from her in battering the door. They then began to drill holes in the door.

The occupant had been unable to use the phone to try to get a lawyer, or to ring for any possible help from neighbours or the building caretaker. The 'number -witheld' calls were coming constantly.

With the flat's front door being destroyed, there was at last no choice for the occupant except to go to the door and call out "Who are you and what are you doing?"

A fireman explained who he was, and that there was a blood test nurse who had claimed that the occupant had "failed to attend an appointment for a blood test", which apparently he believed was justification for smashing the door. (?!)

a)There was NO such 'appointment'. b)The occupant had no idea who the nurse was, or the fireman was. c)Nobody texted.

But could it ever be reasonable to smash the door of someone for such a minor reason, for someone with no medical or mental illness history, and with evidence the person has taken in a parcel, so is obviously fit and well?

This is bullying and abuse of power, instigated by that extremely aggressive nurse, and enabled too readily by a fire brigade who were colluding in the constant phoning, yet never requesting a text should be sent, to a deaf occupant, to identify themselves or the blood test nurse, or to give information about the alleged "appointment".

(The medical records will not show much contact with the NHS, for decades, but there would be a note about deafness, so the fireman's statement that he had called out the word 'fireman' would not be justification to destroy a door.)

There is no house insurance. The front door is a security door and a fire door, so will be expensive to replace. Large holes have been drilled through it. Is it true, as the fireman suggested, that the NHS surgery will be liable to replace the front door?

OP posts:
OLDERME · 06/12/2025 20:29

ThisLittlePony · 06/12/2025 20:20

Nope, barely thought of you so would’nt be interested enough to be critical of you @OLDERME !

Edited

That post was not directed to you, this Little Pony. It was in reply to the Snowiest Queen, whose post I quoted.

TheSnowiestQueen · 07/12/2025 07:57

OLDERME · 06/12/2025 11:53

Yes, I understood your written words, just not the point of you writing it. Seemed critical to me, were you trying to be?

No. and no.

ThisLittlePony · 07/12/2025 08:02

TheSnowiestQueen · 07/12/2025 07:57

No. and no.

Apologies for answering your post @TheSnowiestQueen !

TheSnowiestQueen · 07/12/2025 08:02

kittensinthekitchen · 06/12/2025 18:25

The OP has posted just a few months previously that not only was she not able to register with a GP practice (due to unstable housing), she had 'no previous medical records'.

Sorry, IIRC that may not have been the OP, it was a 'recipient' or 'person' too Wink

Sorry @kittensinthekitchen I don't know what IIRC means.

If OP has no medical records with the new GP, and has never seen any dr for decades, it's hard to understand how she could ask for a home visit for a blood test, based on a private blood test they have no evidence of.

Maybe I am wrong but I can't see how this could ever occur. Maybe there is more to it.

TheSnowiestQueen · 07/12/2025 08:16

Medical notes are not something you carry around with you when you move- they are mainly electronic now although maybe if OP hasn't seen a dr for decades hers are still paper ones but even so, it doesn't make sense to say she has none.

It's interesting that @logiccalls has never come back to her thread to update the outcome after the door was broken down- did the blood test happen after all that???

kurotora · 07/12/2025 10:24

LeafyMcLeafFace · 05/12/2025 07:25

Oh sorry, yes if you have a landlord they’re culpable for the cost

Incorrect, landlord is NOT culpable for the cost.

I’m the PP who had our tenants call the fire brigade and break in. We were not culpable - my DH has anxiety and got flustered on the call and said “oh oh well I guess we’ll have to pay for that”. Estate Agent messed up by communicating to tenants that we’d pay, then coming back to ME straight after asking if we were really sure given the cost and our lack of fault. I said we’d cover half, tenants had a meltdown and we ended up paying all because DH was up the pole. 🙄

So no, this OP is probably not insured by anyone or anything and will have to pay for the door.

Bambamhoohoo · 07/12/2025 11:12

kurotora · 07/12/2025 10:24

Incorrect, landlord is NOT culpable for the cost.

I’m the PP who had our tenants call the fire brigade and break in. We were not culpable - my DH has anxiety and got flustered on the call and said “oh oh well I guess we’ll have to pay for that”. Estate Agent messed up by communicating to tenants that we’d pay, then coming back to ME straight after asking if we were really sure given the cost and our lack of fault. I said we’d cover half, tenants had a meltdown and we ended up paying all because DH was up the pole. 🙄

So no, this OP is probably not insured by anyone or anything and will have to pay for the door.

Edited

I think this is slightly misleading, because in no compliant block of flats would a householder be left a) without a door or b) with a make safe boarded up wooden entrance (which would likely have been done as an emergency repair)

the landlord (freeholder) wouldn’t be able to ignore this. Of course, they will recharge the occupier, but whether that person pays is separate to the fact that legally culpable or not, the freeholder wouldn’t be able to leave the door unsafe and flat insecure.

kittensinthekitchen · 07/12/2025 12:54

TheSnowiestQueen · 07/12/2025 08:02

Sorry @kittensinthekitchen I don't know what IIRC means.

If OP has no medical records with the new GP, and has never seen any dr for decades, it's hard to understand how she could ask for a home visit for a blood test, based on a private blood test they have no evidence of.

Maybe I am wrong but I can't see how this could ever occur. Maybe there is more to it.

Exactly my thoughts!

IIRC = If I remember correctly, sorry it had been a few days since I read the other posts.

TheSnowiestQueen · 07/12/2025 13:09

Given the OP's rage and upset over this, I don't understand why she's not given any updates.

Bambamhoohoo · 07/12/2025 13:32

TheSnowiestQueen · 07/12/2025 13:09

Given the OP's rage and upset over this, I don't understand why she's not given any updates.

Maybe she’s been sectioned

kurotora · 07/12/2025 16:11

Bambamhoohoo · 07/12/2025 11:12

I think this is slightly misleading, because in no compliant block of flats would a householder be left a) without a door or b) with a make safe boarded up wooden entrance (which would likely have been done as an emergency repair)

the landlord (freeholder) wouldn’t be able to ignore this. Of course, they will recharge the occupier, but whether that person pays is separate to the fact that legally culpable or not, the freeholder wouldn’t be able to leave the door unsafe and flat insecure.

Two separate issues I feel. They won’t leave it unsecured but a bill will be sent, and certainly in our case this was not covered by any insurance, and it was not the landlord’s (our) obligation to fix.

Unfortunately, it appears that the OP brought this on herself by being bull-headed and obtuse - as well as having clear unchecked mental health issues. An expensive lesson.

Gonners · 07/12/2025 18:50

Bambamhoohoo · 07/12/2025 13:32

Maybe she’s been sectioned

Or switched off at the wall.

Autocorrect23 · 07/12/2025 19:13

Greyarabsdrinkthewind · 04/12/2025 21:11

So we are a small area with a low population density but an high number of elderly and do all routine visits between 8-1300 and that is what we tell our patients. I could have 8-10 visits in a morning some must be done first thing e.g. insulin injections then I plan the rest of the morning according to need and location. But out of the blue I’ll get a call to say a palliative patient is in pain and will I visit them so this will take priority over everything but insulin injections, or a patient that was meant to be a 10 minute visit took 50 mins because the patient is ill and an ambulance is needed (this happened this morning), or a quick 10 minute visit takes an hour because the person is covered in urine and faeces and they don’t have a carer coming in and they can’t just be left like that (this happened to a colleague today) or an elderly lady’s husband has recently died and although I was “only” popping in to do her 12 weekly B12 she’s desperate to tell me all about him she was distraught and what would have only taken 10 mins took an hour. Or as happened yesterday a colleague went off sick after being at work for 1/2 an hour so her 7 visits were redistributed through the remaining staff to try and fit in before 1300. I could go on we also verify deaths not something you can leave for 3 hours, wash and dress someone who’s died, buy food for patients who don’t have any, cooks meals because carers aren’t available or not turned up, feed pets, even catch escaped livestock and put them back in there fields, and of @liaise with other HCPs Then factor in road works traffic jams problems finding peoples homes difficulties parking…. We don’t not give times because we’re unkind or deliberately trying to be difficult it’s just not possible to give exact times.
As community nurses we are guests in your homes it is a different dynamic from caring for people in a hospital. We often come into your lives at the worst times we become involved with you, your family and friends we know your pets your fear and hopes for the futures, we see and talk about pictures of your grand children, your wedding 65 years ago we know the name of your tortoise. On occasions we drink tea with you and even celebrate your birthday, anniversary and at the end we frequently we put our arms around your family talk about your life, the person we met and cared for and we in most cases attend your funeral for the simple reason that we have become involved in you life by you allowing us into your home and we care about you. @TheSnowiestQueen you may think we’re not very patient-centred but in fact it’s the complete opposite we are completely patient centred. All we ask for in return is a little understanding not everyone can be seen at 9 am or 2 30 you are not the only patient we are seeing that day, what you see as poor organisation is about prioritising need, we try to be flexible and if possible be there at a time that works for you but sometimes we just can do it.

👏👏👏👏 Well done you, completely agree with everything you said. @TheSnowiestQueen Not being very person centred when literally the one thing district nurses ask is that a patient is housebound and therefore it shouldn’t matter what time they come. Had the DN gone out their way to give a ‘three hour time slot’ as you suggested and not been able to achieve it (due to one of the numerous reasons listed above) I’m sure you would have had even more to complain about!! Honestly, some people!

PigeonsandSquirrels · 07/12/2025 20:33

TheSnowiestQueen · 07/12/2025 08:16

Medical notes are not something you carry around with you when you move- they are mainly electronic now although maybe if OP hasn't seen a dr for decades hers are still paper ones but even so, it doesn't make sense to say she has none.

It's interesting that @logiccalls has never come back to her thread to update the outcome after the door was broken down- did the blood test happen after all that???

I actually disagree with this slightly. I was born in the 1990s and have been in the UK my whole life so should have 30+ years of electronic records. I do not have any medical records that are accessible anywhere prior to 2018 because the NHS has lost them. We’ve been trying to find them but so far… I’m a ghost.

So definitely possible not to have medical records in the UK.

Gonners · 07/12/2025 21:18

Thank you, @Greyarabsdrinkthewind, for everything you do. When a major London hospital discharged MrG after (somewhat messy) gall-bladder surgery, they told us they'd referred him to the local community nursing team for wound care. I was wary and so rang the team the next morning. No, of course they hadn't referred him - they never did. But someone turned up the same day and everyone in the team was extraordinarily kind, competent and helpful.

We also liked that they sometimes brought a student/trainee with them. MrG - a retired university prof - was very keen to let them have a crack at it!

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