"Changing doctor is causing me worry and frustration"

I moved address. I immediately signed an application form to register with another doctor and returned the form before the begining of May and was told this would take at least two weeks before I heard from them as it was Monday Bank Holiday.

I eventually got a letter of acceptance and I rang immediately to make an appointment for a Registration Medical. I was told they were very busy and the earliest appointment was 2nd June. By now I had run out of tablets so I managed to get a repeat prescription for some from my old surgery.

Well now we are coming up to yet another Bank Holiday and I need another prescription (only a months supply but one tablet I was given 28 but was taking two a day - this should have been 56 tablets).

So I rang my new surgery up and was told - we can't give you any prescription go back to your old doctor (a good job it was only in the next village and not Lands End!!!). When I rang them they said they had nothing to do with me now I had signed on at another doctor. Some of these tablets were for blood pressure but by now my blood pressure was getting higher and higher.

I gave up and went to another Group Surgery and asked their advice as to what I should do. She was extremely helpful and said she would ring up my new doctors surgery and tell them that they should give me a repeat prescription and that I had brought in my old repeat prescription and all the tablets that she was taking.

So back I went to the new doctors surgery and was greeted with this very objectionable receptionist who refused to let me speak to the practice manager. Eventually I admit I made a firm announcement that I was not leaving until I had seen her. Eventually I did and she explained the procedure which I understood but as I explained...what do I do for tablets in the meantime?

She said I will TRY and get you a prescription for Friday. I asked for the phone number and what times they were open and she said "did you not get a leaflet when you received the acceptance letter" and I said no. She then said "no probably not as all these doctors here are leaving" and she probably thought it not a good idea to send it out. So here it is now Thursday - will I get my tablets or till I just have a heart attack instead when I run out of the medication?

Incidentally I had received a new medical card from Carlisle so the new surgery had received my papers and anyway the Practice Manager said usually in these cases electronic mail to the old surgery would suffice. I did not move because I wanted to, I had to move as I was out of their catchment area so there was no secret about it. But franklly this procedure of the NHS for changing doctors should be reviewed and quickly. When you are only allowed a months supply of tablets and the change takes over 6 weeks there is something very wrong with the system.