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"Clinically Extremely Vulnerable unable to see you"

About: Clifton Road Surgery

I am a Clinically Extremely Vulnerable patient who has a number of long standing lung and heart conditions and hates to go to A&E at any hospital, yet I can't get a face to face appointment at primary care. I have repeatedly dealt with all of my conditions out of hours to avoid going to the hospital where you will come across Medical people who are always asking the same questions and look at you as if you are a fraud because they either are unable or train in people with multiple health diagnosis are thanks to Covid 19 are to busy or out of their depth in dealing with multiple health issue's so have little to no trust in them. yet I try and deal with the different problems and wait to see a GP who maybe understands all of the health diagnosis and problems I have. Yet I can't get to see anyone. So after waiting a whole weekend to contact the GP surgery I am faced with having to take and wait even longer to get an appointment so that means it's now at least 4 days of breathing problems and struggling to treat myself even if it means overdosing my inhalers or any other medications yet I can't access a doctor and get the help required. It doesn't matter if it's lung, heart or even the bowels or the hands and feet and the painful temple pain and visual problems I am up against the COVID practice is constantly told to me. Have you give up with people who have been declared by your own practice as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable so we have been left to our own devices or is it an oversight?

I understand that I cannot have certain medical checks for the Lung conditions but to be effectively left to be dealing with them when things are at a stage when help is needed has led to a worsening of symptoms and in general condition which as medically train professionals you really need to be aware of and all thanks to the COVID 19 protocol. So where does that leave some of your patience no treatment and worsening health?

Right or wrong the GP practice is the main point of health treatment even when pre-Covid 19, where is the help we need as and when need even though we do what we can and wait to have access to a GP?. As the Surgery has put on on the at risk then it is the Surgery who are resonsable for our health care and not at the mercy of hospital medic's who will refer us back to the GP surgeries. Just who is resonsible when patience cannot get the help needed? Why are we being shunted from pillar to post and for what? Suffer until you have a PCR test result and then if you are lucky get someone on the phone a week later who we don't know and maybe a week later a possible face to face again who hasn't got a clue because they don't know. At times it does appear to be a case of "OH not them again, they must have a mental problem". Sorry no I don't apart from the lack of help and care when needed.

Not everyone who has breathing problems is a COVID 19 risk. We need access to our doctors when we are having problems, we are not a risk to you so see us.

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Responses

Response from Clifton Road Surgery 3 years ago
Clifton Road Surgery
Submitted on 11/01/2022 at 14:17
Published on nhs.uk on 12/01/2022 at 09:31


I am sorry to read you are unhappy with our service, in particular booking an appointment.

Currently GP surgeries across the country are experiencing significant and growing strain with declining GP numbers, rising demand, struggles to recruit and retain staff and knock-on effects for patients. In addition, GP practices have been at the forefront of the NHS’ response to the COVID-19 outbreak, delivering vaccine appointments whilst maintaining non-COVID care for patients throughout.

On top of this reduced supply we have seen our patient numbers rise significantly, to the point where we are applying to close out list, as numbers are becoming unsustainable.

As guided by NHS England, and due to the ongoing COVID crisis, we are following their Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) which in turn puts pressure on our services. For example, the restriction on the amount of patients we can allow in at any one time and still ensure everyone (patients and staff) are kept safe, hence why most appointments are now conducted on the telephone or video.

When all our appointments have gone we do tell patients they will have to try again the next day. Our phone lines open at 8am each day and we do, of course, have appointments bookable on-line via Patient Access and the NHS App. Our call numbers are approx. 1000 each day, the demand for an appointment has and continues to increase.

You ask if we have given up with “people who have been declared …. Clinically Extremely Vulnerable” I hope this response assures you we have not. However, we do have to follow protocol and appointments are conducted via telephone and/or video before patients are brought in for a face-to-face appointment - this ensures the safety of all our patients and staff.

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