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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:
LemaxObsessive · 04/12/2025 00:36

How did ‘the person’ know there was hammering on the door they are deaf? Also how did they hear the Fireman’s response to ‘The Person’ asking who it was?

Nananaaaas · 04/12/2025 00:39

Okay, people can be partially deaf and not profoundly deaf. Which means they can hear (with difficulty) and feel vibrations and still be deaf!!

Just wanted to point that out.

Pusstachio · 04/12/2025 00:41

Hope the person feels able to access counselling to process this difficult event, there is email based support available OP through services like Shout or Mind has a lot of signposting

AnnaMagnani · 04/12/2025 00:43

logiccalls · 04/12/2025 00:30

Thank you for the response, which is illuminating in the attitude: Someone who can, albeit with difficulty, make it to their door, and to the lift of their flats, will be able to go out anywhere, but only with a lot of expense and planning, and with a friend or paid helper available to accompany them and drive them, or else with a taxi waiting at the entrance door, with a driver to assist them in and out.

That way, they can go to the private dentist each year and also, if they are willing to pay, get an annual or occasionalprivate health MOT, (NHS doesn't do them, or if they do, not comprehensive ones) If they live in flats, and if they can get to the lift, they can go to the entrance hall to collect their mail.

They can get their annual flu and covid jabs, privately. That way, they have an appointment, and in a place they can be sure has a place for the driver to drop them right by the entrance, and a friend or helper to assist them into the door. The nhs is apparently supposed to arrange home visits for jabs for those who find getting to the surgery impossible or impossibly difficult. They also, in theory, do some kind of MOT or routine health checks, but most people never hear about them.

Getting friends or paid helpers plus taxis, to go into a crowded NHS g.p. waiting room, or crammed NHS hospital, to get a blood test, even once in decades, is unwise activity for anyone who would not manage an infection easily, living alone and unable to walk more than a few steps unaided. Being largely housebound is not the same as being completely confined to a bed, or a prison cell, you know.

In NHS terms 'largely housebound' is not housebound.

I wouldn't be able to get a home blood test for someone who is known to be able to leave the house with a friend or a taxi.

TheMimsy · 04/12/2025 00:43

I don’t think I’m the only one with a stalker or violent ex etc that if faced with a door potentially being kicked in or broken down doesn’t instantly think I’ll call a solicitor but rather would ring 999 as I’m in fear for my life. They would have record of a welfare check visit flag?

it’s an unfortunate series of events and there are issues on both sides.

logiccalls · 04/12/2025 00:43

SauronsArsehole · 03/12/2025 22:59

you’re absolutely wrong on the no mental issues from trauma.

yes those individuals (I am one) are more resilient in that we can handle extreme stress better than most, deal with inhumane crap and crises without so much as breaking down and are often fiercely independent

but we do have mental health issues that need help and if not treated can have devastating consequences inc just not reaching your full potential.

all of the above is how complex PTSD can present because we learn early on no one but ourselves can help us. The independence, not relying on anyone, keeping to yourself. Not trusting professionals such as Drs.

it isn’t healthy, humans aren’t supposed to live alone. We’re social, herd animals and need a tribe to thrive. As your initial post has clearly shown, you’re not thriving because you didn’t answer the phone, didn’t answer the door nor did you Follow up with your own GP to check if the appointment had been booked after you yourself said you hadn’t heard anything. A typical person wouldnve called to see what was happening!

you need help and support.

Thank you for your considered response. A third, nearly a half of people live alone. It does not mean they are mentally ill!.

You are right that some people are not assertive in dealing with people displaying power over them.

You would however be wrong in thinking it wise for a person who lives alone to fling open the door to every person who hammers at it aggressively, particularly in an area of high crime and drug use, where intruders have been known to fight a caretaker and even police who try to remove them after they have sneaked into the building.

Being physically disabled, and being reasonably cautious of safety, is not the same as being agoraphobic, or paranoid!

OP posts:
UnintentionalArcher · 04/12/2025 00:44

Fatiguedwithlife · 03/12/2025 22:44

I’m a district nurse. If no answer at the door or on the phone (how could the person know there were repeated called from withheld number yet also be unable to get to said phone to call for help?) then we may request assistance from police to perform a welfare check.
we don’t usually make appointments for home visits as by their nature the patient is housebound and therefore able to be visited any time.
Unless specifically requested we wouldn’t ring beforehand to let person know we are coming- the fact they requested a visit means they will get one.

Why didn’t you just answer your phone?

‘…we don’t usually make appointments for home visits as by their nature the patient is housebound and therefore able to be visited any time‘

I think that’s pretty awful. A housebound person may have guests, be in a work meeting or in the shower; a housebound person may be having sex, or taking a nap. They may just be watching TV but surely deserve the dignity of an appointment?

RozGruber · 04/12/2025 00:51

What does “allergic to chemicals” mean? Chemical is a catchall word for everything — water, oxygen, salt, alcohol, and hundreds of other substances that humans need to survive. If a person were indeed allergic to chemicals that person would not be alive. It’s like saying you are allergic to food.

ReadingSoManyThreads · 04/12/2025 00:53

RozGruber · 04/12/2025 00:51

What does “allergic to chemicals” mean? Chemical is a catchall word for everything — water, oxygen, salt, alcohol, and hundreds of other substances that humans need to survive. If a person were indeed allergic to chemicals that person would not be alive. It’s like saying you are allergic to food.

Bloody hell, it's quite obvious that this means certain chemicals, not every single chemical in the world! Haven't you read the full thread? There's only about 2 dozen others who have been equally as obtuse

AgnethaF · 04/12/2025 00:57

Perhaps the fireman and district nurse could hear your phone ringing and were worried that you had fallen ill (or worse)?

Just because you are super healthy, haven't seen a GP for 20 years, and take care of yourself doesn't mean you can't have an accident or some other unexpected event.

Imagine if the nurse had just gone away, and you were actually lying injured on your kitchen floor.... The nurse sounds concerned for your welfare, rather than being a bully.

logiccalls · 04/12/2025 01:00

ReadingSoManyThreads · 03/12/2025 23:31

People on this thread are being very harsh against the OP here.

  1. Yes, chemical allergies are a thing. Obviously, OP means to certain chemicals, not to all chemicals 🙄 Chemical sensitivities are also a thing, again, that means to certain chemicals, not all. Personally, I have a number of chemical sensitivities that range in reactions such as nosebleeds, breaking of the skin leading to bleeding, rashes, abdominal pain, etc. I keep my home chemical-free and by that I clearly mean harmful chemicals. People are being extremely facetious.
  2. I understand why OP did not open the door, given the stalker history. I too would not open a door to aggressive banging either. I also wouldn't answer the phone to withheld numbers. I'm a DV survivor so am extra careful about things like this.
  3. I'd be making a formal complaint against the community nurse/whoever the original person was. Ensure you state that you had received no contact whatsoever about an appointment. You had no idea who was at the door, they had bypassed the outer door intercom system. The door banging was extremely aggressive, and multiple repeated attempts to aggressive open the door were made, to the point that you were left terrified. Also include about the deafness, and that they should have sent a letter and/or text.

The nurse handled this very badly. You cannot just get someone's door broken in because someone hasn't answered it or answered their phone when there was no appointment in the first place. From doing a little online research, it sounds like this was an unlawful entry and the emergency services would be liable to pay for the door.

You can send a pre-action complaint:

Letter of Claim (Pre-Action Complaint)
Your Name
Your Address
Postcode
Phone / Email
Date:
To:

  • The GP Practice Manager,
  • The Community Nursing Team Lead, and
  • The Chief if Fire Service [Name of local Fire Service]

Re: Claim for Damage to Property Following Unlawful Forced Entry — [Address]
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to make a formal complaint and to notify you of an intended claim regarding an incident that occurred on [date] at [address], in which forced entry was made into the property without lawful justification, causing damage to the front door.
Summary of Events
On [date], a [community nurse] attended the property, allegedly to carry out a blood test. No appointment had been made, agreed to, or communicated to the resident, who is disabled and did not expect any visit.
When the resident did not answer the door — for an appointment they were unaware of — the community nurse escalated the matter, resulting in forced entry to the property. There was no emergency, no evidence of risk to life, and no lawful authority for entry.
Why the Entry Was Unlawful / Unjustified

  • Routine blood tests do not justify forced entry.
  • The resident had no prior notice of any appointment and therefore was under no obligation to answer the door.
  • There was no evidence of immediate risk or medical emergency.
  • Disability alone does not form a lawful basis for entry without consent.

This forced entry was therefore unreasonable, disproportionate, and unlawful.
Damage Caused
The forced entry caused damage to:

  • The front door
  • The lock
  • The frame

This has resulted in costs for repair/replacement and has caused distress to the disabled resident.
What I Am Seeking
I request that the responsible authority confirm:

  1. Who authorised the forced entry,
  2. Under what legal basis it was carried out,
  3. How they justify this action given no appointment was made,
  4. That full costs for repair/replacement of the damaged door will be covered.

Next Steps
Please treat this as a pre-action notification under the Civil Procedure Rules.
If I do not receive a satisfactory response within 14 days, I will consider escalating the matter through:

  • A formal complaint,
  • An Ombudsman referral, and
  • A civil claim for damages for unlawful entry and property damage.

I look forward to your response.
Yours faithfully,
[Your Name]

You could either send the above or contact a solicitor, look for a firm that handles Actions Against Public Authorities, Civil Rights, or Police Misconduct, OR standard civil litigation / personal injury solicitors.
Many offer free consultations or “no win, no fee.”

Edited

Wow, thank you so much.👏 Please accept this virtual knighthood plus medal of your choice!

OP posts:
CypressGrove · 04/12/2025 01:02

ReadingSoManyThreads · 04/12/2025 00:53

Bloody hell, it's quite obvious that this means certain chemicals, not every single chemical in the world! Haven't you read the full thread? There's only about 2 dozen others who have been equally as obtuse

I suspect previous posters have come across people IRL who self diagnose with 'I'm allergic to chemicals' and know the type.

Negroany · 04/12/2025 01:07

logiccalls · 04/12/2025 00:30

Thank you for the response, which is illuminating in the attitude: Someone who can, albeit with difficulty, make it to their door, and to the lift of their flats, will be able to go out anywhere, but only with a lot of expense and planning, and with a friend or paid helper available to accompany them and drive them, or else with a taxi waiting at the entrance door, with a driver to assist them in and out.

That way, they can go to the private dentist each year and also, if they are willing to pay, get an annual or occasionalprivate health MOT, (NHS doesn't do them, or if they do, not comprehensive ones) If they live in flats, and if they can get to the lift, they can go to the entrance hall to collect their mail.

They can get their annual flu and covid jabs, privately. That way, they have an appointment, and in a place they can be sure has a place for the driver to drop them right by the entrance, and a friend or helper to assist them into the door. The nhs is apparently supposed to arrange home visits for jabs for those who find getting to the surgery impossible or impossibly difficult. They also, in theory, do some kind of MOT or routine health checks, but most people never hear about them.

Getting friends or paid helpers plus taxis, to go into a crowded NHS g.p. waiting room, or crammed NHS hospital, to get a blood test, even once in decades, is unwise activity for anyone who would not manage an infection easily, living alone and unable to walk more than a few steps unaided. Being largely housebound is not the same as being completely confined to a bed, or a prison cell, you know.

Why would they "not manage an infection well" if they are so very very healthy, due to avoiding "chemicals" and pills, and are metabolically twenty years younger than their calendar age?

Not that any of that makes sense anyway.

There's never anyone else in my GP waiting room, by the way. Last time I went to the hospital for a scan I was with one other person who went in before me, and then when I went in she left, and when I came out there was one person waiting. If you never go, nor use the NHS at all, why are you so sure it's "crowded" and "crammed"?

logiccalls · 04/12/2025 01:09

RozGruber · 04/12/2025 00:51

What does “allergic to chemicals” mean? Chemical is a catchall word for everything — water, oxygen, salt, alcohol, and hundreds of other substances that humans need to survive. If a person were indeed allergic to chemicals that person would not be alive. It’s like saying you are allergic to food.

Do you realise how commonplace and increasingly frequent allergies are? And, of course, many people are sensitive to/ intolerant of/ allergic to any number of foods, often entire food groups. Maybe look up FODMAPS? You must have heard of peanut allergy, but there are far more things than that, and the food sensitivities are in many ways more difficult to manage than an extreme allergy which would put the person straight into hospital: All manner of rashes, skin reactions, gut problems, pains and illness is due to reactions to foods or to chemicals.

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 04/12/2025 01:12

UnintentionalArcher · 04/12/2025 00:44

‘…we don’t usually make appointments for home visits as by their nature the patient is housebound and therefore able to be visited any time‘

I think that’s pretty awful. A housebound person may have guests, be in a work meeting or in the shower; a housebound person may be having sex, or taking a nap. They may just be watching TV but surely deserve the dignity of an appointment?

The sort of housebound person seeing a district nurse is pretty frail and tends to prioritise getting their necessary medical care.

It would be breathtakingly rare for them to be in a work meeting, having sex or in the shower. There may be people visiting (guests) but they are generally very worried about the person and happy to be interrupted.

I've done a few visits to people who aren't answering the phone and every time I've found someone critically unwell. On the one occasion we couldn't access the property we escalated it to the police and the person had sadly died.

Vaxtable · 04/12/2025 01:12

if You/your friend can pay for a private MOT why didn’t you pay for a private blood test so none of this would have happened?

Clonakilla · 04/12/2025 01:30

logiccalls · 03/12/2025 23:10

You would, if your life had been threatened by a persistent stalker, who had nearly managed to kill you previously, wouldn't you?

No, I’d call the police. What do you think a lawyer can do?

Sounds like a misunderstanding that could have been easily resolved by answering the phone.

Hopefully this person can access counselling to make it possible for her to reach out to the police if she feels she is being threatened and to answer calls from a
withheld number in these circumstances as next time someone may be trying to tell her the building is on fire. Her inability to interact normally is understandable but it may cost her her life.

AnnaQuayInTheUk · 04/12/2025 02:09

District Nurses make home visits to people who can't leave the house. They don't make home visits to people who can get out and about with taxis, help of friends etc

So the District Nurse believed you to be totally housebound. Otherwise you wouldn't be requesting a Home Visit. Therefore she was very concerned when there was no answer to her knocking on the door. She therefore escalated the matter as a welfare concern.

To be honest OP all this could have been avoided if you'd gone to the GP surgery for your blood test.

Diditthough · 04/12/2025 02:23

Ahhh, I was with you all the way until This is bullying and abuse of power, instigated by that extremely aggressive nurse, and enabled too readily by a fire brigade

It wasn't bullying or abuse of power. It was a welfare check

I agree they could of text to explain who they were

ThisLittlePony · 04/12/2025 02:49

Diditthough · 04/12/2025 02:23

Ahhh, I was with you all the way until This is bullying and abuse of power, instigated by that extremely aggressive nurse, and enabled too readily by a fire brigade

It wasn't bullying or abuse of power. It was a welfare check

I agree they could of text to explain who they were

Edited

Agree. It sounds absolutely ridiculous. Breaking down a door to the extent described is not a noiseless, vibration less thing. And they’ll have been there bloody ages arranging it all and getting permission to do that.
how on earth is it “bullying”?!

Ahfiddlesticks · 04/12/2025 02:58

JudgeBread · 03/12/2025 22:18

The fire service can be called to gain entry to a property where the ambulance service have reasonable cause to believe someone's life may be at risk inside (it's one of the most common things we're called out for actually, usually it's elderly patients who have fallen or injured themselves in some way and are unable to come to the door).

A district nurse wouldn't be able to make this request though (in our region at least), it's only done under specified circumstances - it has to come from ambulance and ambulance have to be present at the scene, so it's very odd that the fire service responded to a gaining entry job without ambulance presence. Again this might be region specific though. Whatever the case the fireman would be acting purely on what he'd been told, if he wasn't told about the deafness that's not his fault.

I'd seek legal advice if possible, it sounds like someone has acted outside of their remit here (or you're not getting the full story).

Edited

In my area a district nurse or social worker "with cause " could get the appropriate service (here it's police but in my lat job it was FS) to open the door. Didn't need to be an ambulance. Only the police could force a person with capacity to leave the property though - the gaining entry is fine though.

I don't think this person has an recourse to getting the money from either the surgery or the fire service but if they privately sue the surgery they may possibly win. Definitely not the fire service though.

It does sound like this could have been prevented though by the person.

Hippobot · 04/12/2025 03:12

This sounds highly unbelievable. The person managed to go for a private health MOT yet couldn't leave the house to go to the GP surgery for a blood test. Wants nothing to do with NHS doctors or "chemicals" and, despite having paid for a private MOT, didn't pay for a private blood test to follow it up. Is also deaf but could communicate with a fire fighter through a door and was aware of door being banged for hours. Nurse spent hours of the day constantly ringing the phone number to the point that it was impossible to make an outgoing call yet nurse managed to alert fire brigade despite being constantly on a call to OP. Why would the fire brigade drill holes through the door? And if the nurse needed the door put in for a welfare check they would have alerted the police. Why did the OP want to phone a lawyer about the banging at the door. What good would that do and how would they have conversed with said lawyer over the phone if deaf?

Hippobot · 04/12/2025 03:21

logiccalls · 03/12/2025 22:52

Perhaps it would be useful general information to know there is a range of sight impairment and of hearing impairment, (and mobiliity impairment) so that, for example, a person may see, with glasses, but not very clearly, or a person may hear, with a specially loud phone setting, in one ear only, and needing to contstantly apologise, and ask for a part-sentence to be repeated: In direct conversation, such deaf people half-hear and half-guess, and need to see the lips: Through a door, the voice would need to be unusually clear (and even then, only with the unwanted assistance of a hole straight through said door)

Some people, quite understandably, sneer that another person 'can walk' because they have been seen to walk about in a room, often close to something they can grab such as the back of a sofa: But that doesn't mean they 'don't need' a wheelchair to get themselves half a mile up the road. They couldn't possibly walk that far. Does that help to understand?

Contacting neighbours or the caretaker would normally be initiated by text, never voice. Text is the natural friend of deaf people, or, as they are sometimes called 'deaf and hard of hearing' people. Blind people are often and more correctly called 'blind and sight impaired' people. But the words 'deaf' or 'blind' are less cumbersome.

Someone who wears glasses isn't referred to as blind just because they need glasses. What on earth are you on about. So whilst the door banging was going on and you had no idea who it was or why they were calling you, you were going to convey all of this info to a lawyer by text message with the expectation that what exactly was going to happen? If you were afraid why would you not contact the police or a friend/relative. What on earth would a lawyer do?

marmalade007 · 04/12/2025 03:30

Yeah, this is very odd. My DS is a solicitor , if you rang him to say someone was banging on your door, he'd call the police. If he happened to be there he would deal with it but otherwise it's a bit bonkers ringing your lawyer when in imminent fear of assault. Would you ring your bank manager next? You seriously had no time to dial 3 numbers? And they were there for HOURS. Hmmmm.

Hippobot · 04/12/2025 03:32

Here's a novel idea OP - get a door with a peephole when you replace the damaged door. Then you'll be able to see if it's a nurse, fire fighter, "druggy" or dangerous stalker.

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