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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:
XWKD · 04/12/2025 03:48

There's something not right here. An awful lot of doors must get broken down if that's what happens when there's nobody home and they get no response. Allergic to chemicals?

Herbisaurous · 04/12/2025 03:48

Never mind the whole door incident.

Is no one else wondering where OP lives that means they can A. Call their GP surgery, B. Just request a blood test and C. Get any kind of appointment, never mind a home visit?

Here you need to pre-book your illness 12 weeks in advance of actually wanting to speak to someone, via an online system that opens at 7am each day and is almost impossible to use before it will then tell you they've reached their capacity for requests by 7:02am and to try again tomorrow

WiddlinDiddlin · 04/12/2025 04:09

If I had...

Requested a DN visit for a blood test - I would be expecting calls from an unknown/withheld number and potentially expecting a visit.

If someone were hammering at my door and persisted and did not announce themselves 'DISTRICT NURSE, HELLO?' (which every DN has done that I've ever had) - I would call the police, not a lawyer.

If I were fearful of stalkers at the door I'd have a spy hole fitted so I could check who was outside and a chain fitted to the door so I could check ID's without fully opening it.

If I were a DN called to a house I believed was expecting me, and got no response and knew the householder was severely disabled and unable to leave the property, I would ask for a welfare check, yes.

At any point you could have said 'Who is it?' or even 'Who is it, text me who you are'...

You took absolutely no responsibility here and people did the wrong thing in trying to do the right thing. Had you been lying on the floor taking your last breaths or in agony with a broken hip etc, you'd be bloody grateful.

LoudSnoringDog · 04/12/2025 04:22

I joined mumsnet in 2003. This is without doubt, the most insane post I’ve ever read in here. wtf

PermanentlyExhaustedPigeonZZZ · 04/12/2025 04:27

The only thing I'm surprised at is you didn't contact the police. If the knocking and then drilling was happening for a long time surely?

tripleginandtonic · 04/12/2025 04:42

FullBl00m · 03/12/2025 22:14

Can’t be bothered to read the full rambling message. “The Person” was being deliberately awkward.

And should answer the phone. GP surgeries amd hospital appointments always are private numbers. Aren't the police normally called rather than the fire brigade?

sashh · 04/12/2025 04:50

So a nurse arrives to take a blood test.

S/he knocks on the door -no answer

Phones the patient's number, can hear it ringing but no response

There is a parcel outside the flat indicating the person who lives there may be incapacitated or worse.

Phoning their manager / senior person the advice is to get the fie brigade to help.

PodMom · 04/12/2025 04:52

The flat occupier pays and learns a valuable lesson. Why on earth did they remain quiet in their flat while someone is damaging the door? I understand possibly being too scared to open the door but you’d shout through the door that you were calling the police, etc. or answer the phone which was ringing all the time! Flat owner sounds like they need some mental health input anyway as they’re obviously not functioning normally.

tripleginandtonic · 04/12/2025 04:59

The removal of the parcel doesn't necessarily mean the occupant had taken in it in. A neighbour could have or it could have been stolen. Or the person who had left it took it back.

PigletJohn · 04/12/2025 04:59

"So a nurse arrives to take a blood test."

The situation escalated badly, but it is poor practice to turn up without making an appointment and getting it confirmed. Perhaps there is an assumption that the time of NHS staff has infinite value (can't spare the time to do it) and the time of patients has zero value (they are expected to be available at any time.) This is even worse than a plumber's appointment.

It is also poor practice for any organisation to have a policy of making "number withheld" phone calls and refusing to leave a message and say who they are. If you insist on behaving like one of the millions of scam calls made every day, you must expect to be treated like a scammer.

oneoneone · 04/12/2025 05:15

PigletJohn · 04/12/2025 04:59

"So a nurse arrives to take a blood test."

The situation escalated badly, but it is poor practice to turn up without making an appointment and getting it confirmed. Perhaps there is an assumption that the time of NHS staff has infinite value (can't spare the time to do it) and the time of patients has zero value (they are expected to be available at any time.) This is even worse than a plumber's appointment.

It is also poor practice for any organisation to have a policy of making "number withheld" phone calls and refusing to leave a message and say who they are. If you insist on behaving like one of the millions of scam calls made every day, you must expect to be treated like a scammer.

In a situation where this has allegedly happened:

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.(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 .

And this conversation with a receptionist somehow miraculously resulted in the unannounced arrival of a district nurse to conduct said blood test, on a person who has never spoken to the GP, no less? I really don't think it's the district nurse who's acting like the scammer here.

Surely there's something missing in this retelling?

PigletJohn · 04/12/2025 05:22

But this is actually policy.

"It is also poor practice for any organisation to have a policy of making "number withheld" phone calls and refusing to leave a message and say who they are. If you insist on behaving like one of the millions of scam calls made every day, you must expect to be treated like a scammer."

PollyBell · 04/12/2025 05:22

With all this activity wouldnt the neighbours have noticed?

Hollybollyhughes · 04/12/2025 05:23

What a load of cobblers. Time wasting too for really busy professionals unlike this rambling load of guff.
Hard of hearing people often put a notice on their door to advise callers but that wouldn't create this load of bullshit drama, would it.

Shoxfordian · 04/12/2025 05:24

Maybe answer your phone in future

PigletJohn · 04/12/2025 05:26

Shoxfordian · 04/12/2025 05:24

Maybe answer your phone in future

I'm really pleased that you don't ever get scam phone calls from hidden or fake numbers. How do you manage it?

Missey85 · 04/12/2025 05:38

Completely legal it's a welfare check if I miss appointment with my psychiatrist and don't contact them yes they've sent the police in the past and they made me phone my doctor and get a new time

oneoneone · 04/12/2025 05:41

PigletJohn · 04/12/2025 05:26

I'm really pleased that you don't ever get scam phone calls from hidden or fake numbers. How do you manage it?

I don't do anything special to prevent them, but get maybe 3 a year. My DH, on a different phone carrier, gets fewer than that. Do you get a lot?

PodMom · 04/12/2025 05:46

Just wondering OP, does your GP know you’re deaf? Because if so and it’s on your records then it would have been more sensible if they’d texted you before coming. Or written a letter. Or can you not open post because of the chemicals?

Some ideas for future is to to get a light which lights up in the house if someone rings a doorbell, really good for deaf people. Maybe also a cctv camera/ring doorbell so you can see who’s at the door and then you won’t be worried about if it’s a stalker or not.

Rozendantz · 04/12/2025 05:48

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.

And also, invest in home insurance...not because they'd necessarily pay in this situation (I've no idea if they would) but because it's the smart thing to do in case your house burns down and the firemen at the door take too many hours to get inside to put it out

Bedhead1234 · 04/12/2025 05:50

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

Just to say I loved this thoughtful and helpful response and all the effort to help the op. Seriously your post is worth the bs people are comming out with,

Clearly not enough people willing to think about the obvious realities of being disabled and traumatised.

F you all, ofcouse different types of deafness exist - banging and taking are different frequencies and people have different ranges of loss???
Ofcourse trauma responses like freeze, flight, fright affect people.
And no shit people are allergic to chemicals - allergies are chemical reactions...

Y'all are gross

Bedhead1234 · 04/12/2025 05:51

The nurse sounds like a
jobsworth idiot - and a massive twat.

She said the op had ' refused the blood check ' not that she feared for ops safety.

If she'd used the intercom ( like a normal professional at work ) and not slipped in unannounced, like a fare dodger - this wouldn't have happened.

she didn't use the intercom, as the op had no prior contact to expect anyone, lives in high crime area with drugged up/drunk people in close proximity and is disabled and traumatised. How was op to know.

The nurse failed to make contact in a normal way and went to banging and shouting.
The nurse acted unprofessionally and gained access unduly.

You should put in a complaint about her behaviour to her department and PALS

Nousernamesavaliable · 04/12/2025 05:55

This wpukd have been deemed a non access visit. Attempts wouldnhave been made to contact you, ypur gp and next of kin if availiable on records. The parcel on the door step would have also raised concerns. The banging on the door and lisrening would have been for any signs of life!
You knew a blood test was pending and could have prevented it.
Where i am you would be liable for the costs.
From a different perspective....imagine being that 'nurse" you arrive for a simple visit, non access, as soon as tjat visit is on your diary you have a duty of care to that patient.
Are you aware that district nurses along with fire service find people dead or close to death? This happens, and is horrendous for all involved.
You.feel the victum right now....i feel for the nurse whose whole shift was likely taken u0 with your situation and the patients that needed tjeir visits that didnt get them!!!!

JustMyView13 · 04/12/2025 05:59

This happened to my nan. She was deaf & didn’t hear the police knocking for a welfare check. I think she’d knocked one of her assistance alarms unknowingly, then went to bed. The police broke her door down trying to gain access and she woke to police stood at the foot of her bed, she was most furious. Anyway, they said it’s her problem to fix & to try her home insurance.

WizardOfAus · 04/12/2025 06:01

Bedhead1234 · 04/12/2025 05:50

Just to say I loved this thoughtful and helpful response and all the effort to help the op. Seriously your post is worth the bs people are comming out with,

Clearly not enough people willing to think about the obvious realities of being disabled and traumatised.

F you all, ofcouse different types of deafness exist - banging and taking are different frequencies and people have different ranges of loss???
Ofcourse trauma responses like freeze, flight, fright affect people.
And no shit people are allergic to chemicals - allergies are chemical reactions...

Y'all are gross

You mean you loved the Chat GPT generated drivel?