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"Removed from GP Practice because I work away from home"

About: General practices in Lanarkshire

(as a service user),

I received an email from my surgery three weeks ago asking me to confirm my living arrangements. Someone had contacted the surgery saying I don't live in my house.  For the last 20 years my work requires working away from home.  I advised the surgery that the address they have is my only residential address and that work takes me away from home.  I provided them with detailed proof of my residential status.  

Yesterday (nearly three weeks after providing the doctor with detailed information) I received a letter from the practice manager saying that they had removed my wife and ,myself from the practice as it is their "understanding" that I don't physically live in my house all the time. They advised my to register with a local doctor. 

I cannot register with another doctor as I work at different sites for periods of a few weeks at a time.  I don't have another permanent or even semi permanent location.  I am 62 years old and receive a lengthy monthly prescription for a serious heart condition. My wife's mental health is fragile and she is on anti depressant medication.  We feel we have been cast aside because of malicious gossip.  When does working away from home get you binned by your GP practice?  I also spoke to another Lanarkshire GP practice who were taken aback that I was removed because I work away from home.  

When our current prescription runs out, we will have no access to medication.  The situation is a travesty.  We have our own home within walking distance of the surgery. All our furniture and personal belongings are in the house.  We even have a car in the driveway.  Yet we are removed from the practice because we don't physically reside there all the time.  I was not aware of a minimum residency requirement.  
I have been collecting our prescriptions from our local chemist. Despite only having one home, the surgery has removed us because I work away.  We cannot register with another practice as I travel to various locations.  I need medication to keep my heart working.  If my wife cannot get anti-depressant medication her withdrawal could have serious ramifications.  
We have a home in Lanarkshire and  have contributed all our lives to the NHS and now find ourselves without access to a GP because I work away from home. When our final prescription is finished I will have no access to my life saving heart medication and my wife will have no access to medication she has been taking for two and a half years.  Without my heart medication, I will become ill and require hospital attention.  By removing me from his practice, the doctor has consigned me to attending the A&E for treatment.  Surely this cannot be right.  
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Responses

Response from Lesley Mallon, Risk Management Facilitator, University Hospital Hairmyres, NHS Lanarkshire 3 years ago
Lesley Mallon
Risk Management Facilitator, University Hospital Hairmyres,
NHS Lanarkshire
Submitted on 15/12/2020 at 14:02
Published on Care Opinion at 14:02


picture of Lesley Mallon

Dear Kirkmuirhill patient

Thank you very much for taking the time to post details of your experience on Care Opinion in relation to your GP practice.

I was very sorry to read that your GP practice has deregistered both you and your wife from their practice. Please be advised that GP’s are independent contractors and are responsible for investigating and responding to any concerns a person may have about their service and are not registered to respond directly to feedback through Care Opinion. I would therefore invite you to contact the Practice Manager if you would like a direct response about the service you experienced.

I hope your practice is able to resolve the issues you have detailed.

Best wishes.

Lesley

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