"Accessing GP services during Covid-19"

My mum was diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic about 1 year ago. Her first HbA1c test was due in March which didn’t take place as our Gp practice closed it’s doors and sent out a text message to all patients basically saying not to get in touch with the surgery. To date this advice hasn’t changed and my mum has had no blood tests!  Recently the surgery was affected by a coronavirus outbreak which made things worse and hasn’t recovered. The automated voicemail service doesn’t give an option to speak to a member of reception staff except in emergencies which my mum wasn’t willing to do in case any other patients had a more urgent need. At no time has there been contact from the GP surgery. 

Following my concerns my mum contacted the local community health clinic who carried out the blood tests for the surgery who said that my mum should be able to have her routine bloods done and advised my mum to call back, speak to someone on whatever line possible and ask for a treatment card to be left. 

On calling the surgery, my mum was greeted with a poor attirude and to be told that no routine blood tests were being carried out currently. When my mum pointed out that she had only been recently diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic and had not blood tests done since January she was asked “well do you have any concerns with your diabetes?” To which my mum said that she had concerns that she had had  no blood tests done since January! They then backed down and said they would check if a diabetic nurse was available (they weren't) and that my mum had to call back on the Monday at 10am for a summary to be taken and her details to be passed to the diabetic nurse.

As a community pharmacist working in another health board where routine bloods ARE being taken (and have done for a considerable length of time) I find this an abysmal level of care. This encounter also left my mum feeling that her concerns weren’t valid and that she had to wait until her diabetes worsened before the surgery would arrange the HbA1C test. 

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first kind of story of this kind.