I am sending this to you because I find, after the surgery complaints form is rejected, there is no way of sending it to them:
I am writing on behalf of my father, who, in his 90s, finds online forms & procedures impossible. With me here to help he has spent over half an hour trying to get to speak to someone using the GP surgery's over-complicated phone procedure (press 1 to hop, press 2 to skip, press 3 to scream existential angst soundlessly to the dead etc.). The first time, navigating –we thought correctly– we were curtly informed by recorded message “I cannot take your call right now, goodbye” & the line was cut. We tried a few more options, fruitless, until eventually we managed to speak to a receptionist.
The reason for the call: my father has had an ongoing problem with a presumed urinary tract infection for which he has received antibiotics from the GP practice a number of times & which have seemed to worked, the constant sudden &uncontrollable urine flow has been stemmed, usually for at least a few months. Because it had returned yet again he's asked to provide yet another sample, which he did earlier in the month. As he had neither received a prescription, nor the result, we tried to find out.
We eventually found out a result had come through & it was clear. Meaning that no infection was detected. We also had the shock of being told that “No Action” was recorded against this. No one had informed him. This was ongoing, a distressing problem which was affecting his mental health &well-being; but noone bothered to say he would have no further contact about the matter.
Other factors:
Earlier this year my father fell at home &, after over 3hrs with 2 wonderful paramedics) was taken into Watford General hospital for an operation on either his hip or the bones joining the leg to the hip; it has never been clear; the notes, as his carers, my sister & I understand, are very unclear, if not contradictory. Once out of hospital the expected healing did not happen, my father was unable to move, in great pain. This was not taken seriously for weeks until I intervened, sent an email & went into the GP Practice & the receptionist promised to pass on what I’d said.
Two days later a paramedic came and assessed my father; found shockingly the operation had not been successful, bones were not aligned, pins not in place, that my father was in more pain than he’d actually let on.
He was admitted to hospital once again (going only after my sister& I pleased, as he was wary & distrustful). This second operation has (hopefully) been more successful, my father is now able to move more (although not without sticks or walker}, he is gaining confidence & has, with supervision, walked the few yards across the needed for regular coffee mornings. This social meeting with others is extremely important for him.
With the urinary problem my father cannot move beyond the confines of one room as he wets himself. It's obviously imperative the problem is addressed. To write, as we discovered only because an expected prescription didn't arrive, no action, no suggestion of future action. Irresponsible &heartless.
The effect: My father never previously had depression but found the inability to move beyond the confines of one room, sleeping in his chair, very hard to come to terms with. He told me, for the first time in his life he understands how I sometimes feel (I am what used to be called a manic depressive. I feel deeply for him that he's experiencing this).
Other factors: I was told when asked to speak for him, that he isn't registered as house-bound yet The district nurse ¶medics all say it &it has been made clear multiple times that he's unable to travel. Appointments with the hospital happen with ambulance assistance only. We've never heard of “registering” what is obvious. I then found out that, shockingly, despite numerous calls & emails, online forms; despite me being his accepted liaison in hospital, neither my sister nor I are registered as being able to speak for him if & when necessary. What more do we need to do? How many more forms do we have to fill in? What on Earth would happen if he was unable to make his wishes known?
Explanations
Calling for help
What we expected is to be taken seriously, some follow-up undergone & medical resolution possible. He has 3 carers a day for an hour in all. I live near but it isn't possible for me to be always there &, in all honesty, he is my father: I cannot & will not be his carer.
Resolution needed: Contact with a doctor or other qualified medical practitioner in order to address the problem.
To compound all this I then find I cannot even send this complaint to them. I am accused of being spam or sending from outside the UK. FYI: there is no VPN. It is their own online form!
Being listened to