We have received an email detailing one of our readers’ problems booking appointments at his local GP surgery. Please have a read and help him by leaving a comment about your own experiences afterwards.
Our reader writes:
We moved to a village a year ago and we are now having problems with our GP practice.
Initially, they said it was ok to make appointments by email but recently they have said that they will no longer accept booking requests by emails!
The Practice Manager has a pretty shocking attitude and he insisted that we use the text relay service (much to our dismay!). I explained that we do not like using this system and he said other ‘hearing impaired’ people don’t have a problem with it (I’m pretty sure that we’re the only two deaf BSL users in the village!).
Our previous doctors welcomes emails for emergency appointments and we used their Patient Online booking service to make routine appointments (not same day appointments). We live in a village and this is the only practice for us so changing GPs is not an option.
The Practice Manager insisted we use the text relay service and advised us to download the software onto our phone and laptops.
Last Friday, our daughter had an ear infection so I reluctantly tried using the text relay app on the phone and as some of you will know this requires undivided attention until the end of the call.
I sat on the desk using my mobile trying to get through to them for 20 to 30 mins but it just kept being put through to a different number which then just rang and rang.
It was hugely frustrating for us because a hearing person would just call and request an emergency appointment so I complained about this to the Practice Manager who got defensive and insisted the system is working well and if we don’t like it then we can just go to the Practice and request an appointment!
I explained that he is treating us differently to other customers and is a breach of disability laws but he said the reasonable adjustments are in place and that’s all they can do!
Separately, I explained that with my wife having Usher she may have difficulties getting to the Practice by 8am to request an appointment because it would still be dark in the winter and I may not be around – can she email and request an later appointment – he said no.
If she wants a same day appointment then she has to go to Reception by 8am which is when they allocate same day appointments. The practice manager’s attitude was aggressive and patronising!
I am extremely frustrated and felt we were not getting anywhere. I suggested we have a face to face meeting to discuss our concerns but he was dismissive.
Can I ask Limping Chicken readers how you make appointments (emergency or same day appointments)? Is it right that we are being forced to use text relay?
Thanks. I would be interested to hear what you think. I’m now off to bang my head on a brick wall (for the bloody umpteenth time!).
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pennybsl
March 24, 2016
The Practice Manager’s role is clock-a-block full of budgeting and ’employer care’ in the GP surgery. What is happening is the fragmentation and polarisation of local GP surgeries as ‘businesses’.
Like local councils following their own insular practices and policies by not being enforced by central Government to pass on good practice, GPs are also not connecting regionally; if they could connect, they would provide safe & consistent good practice for all patients with diverse communication preferences.
This link is only 18 months old, but useful:
http://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-subjects/long-term-conditions/meeting-deaf-patients-communication-needs/5077260.fullarticle
grahamlewis04
March 24, 2016
This sounds really awful. It sounds as though they have been told that text relay is used by everyone – it isn’t and also if you are phoning your GP you may wish to have a confidential conversation! I can understand why they may not want appointment requests by email as they may not have enough team members to monitor email constantly. So a suggestion to try and move this forward is can you send a voice text to them so that they get the message through their phone network and can then phone you back? If this doesn’t get resolved, you can always make a complaint to the practice and also speak to your local Healthwatch service.
Elizabeth Graham
March 24, 2016
There are two ways to complain about the Practice Manager.
1. Go through the CCG (The Clinical Commissioning Group) for your area, and request that the Practice Manager goes on deaf awareness training as a matter of urgency. Explain that the GP Practice is breaking the Equality Act 2010 because of the ignorance and inflexibility of this person.
2. Contact your local Healthwatch (www.healthwatch.co.uk) and explain the situation on the online form. They will record that there is a complaint about this, and monitor the situation.
Neither of these ways will get immediate results, but it will help to raise the issue through the right channels, so that proper notice is taken of your complaint.
MW
March 24, 2016
You could also raise this matter with the Local Government Health and Well being board and ask them to look into this experience that you had alongside Healthwatch. Your local CCG does have a complaint service – do ask them what was the service level agreement in their contract they have with your GP practice and how this is scrutinised where access and equality matters and maybe ask then to address a resolution to your experience with the Practice Manager. Do you have in your locality ICAS or Voiceability – both advocate service for people trying to seek redress in health care services. I am not sure if the Care Quality Commission would be interested in hearing your experience and could well sign post you. It s a sorry state of affairs that we are seeing what Penny rightly says a lack unity and conformity in the policy decision on health care service delivery. NHS England might also need to be made aware of this. However, I am sorry I cannot point you to who in NHS England we need to raise it with since this organisation doesn’t have clear information on who who deal with what whats and often the case are not grass root engaging.
ollie
March 24, 2016
Okay
1) In my practice after much persuasion I managed to get the practice to “trial” email appointments which has worked the majority of the time although there has been occasion where I have not been able to get a response and have ended up either a) going to the practice (and as i am deaf i usually get seen quite quickly despite turning up in middle of day) although it means waiting aorund while the receptionist consults a dr. it is not 100% failsafe but is better than what we had before
2) before they launched the system i would have had either to get my dad to phone up or go to the surgery in person.
3) if it was me i would see if i could get a symthetic GP on side as they can influence decisions (certainly by my experience) especially if they are a partner in the practice.
4) the text relay is not failsafe because the other end may think its a junk call and hang up. This means training is required by the practice staff to make them aware of this.
5) Urgent appointments can be arranged during the day not jsut at 8am – may mean you have to wait in the waiting room for 30 mins or so
6) if your practice manager is dismissive of your concerns then i would be complaining to the CGC group and healthwatch and get them to chase.
thanks
Oliver
MW
March 24, 2016
http://www.swisscottagesurgery.nhs.uk/
Ollie – you might like to look this up and see what this GP Practice does in their work. We do have a website we can access now to make an appointment. Not for walk-in though. My practice does have email but they are very slow in replying and it is not a great system – need challenging.
MW
March 24, 2016
In addition I have forgotten to add – each GP should have a Public Patient Group PPG and from that the surgery listen to the needs and well being of the local users as to improve their services.
From my experience d/Deaf people (not all) have been excluded from getting involved in this and that is unfortunate and need to be fagged up with CCG. Some will not take responsibility in the provision of communication support.
You might want to query this and ask if access will be provided for you to attend – so you can raise formally (they have to minutes it) – your need/experience for the surgery to make better improvement in their service level agreement regarding access and how this can be improved) – you might want to make suggestion on the different forms of telephony system etc and that staff need training on Equality and d/Deaf awareness.
It is sad that PPG is a platform that we can bring our issues to the table but it is not well suited in meeting disabled and d/Deaf people and again NHS England and CCG have failed to safeguard us in this process for support.
MW
March 24, 2016
sorry flagged up should be said …
Cathy
March 24, 2016
I have not booked interpreters for GPs for years! It was not until I found I had difficulties with a nurse, in a new practise, who said “you need an interpreter!” I told her that reception refused and told her that it is by video link only. The nurse refused to accept this and it was her who got the clinic to book face to face interpreters, not me! Now they book them automatically without me requesting them!
I appreciate your difficulties with bookings but I have spent my life walking there and back to book appts! I didnt mind as the exercise helps keep my weight down!
However, on the serious side, this problem is as old as the hills and although you may have a case for discrimination, do be careful because they can argue that reasonable adjustments have been made with text relay. In this instance you are highly likely to lose.
I dont know any clinics that accept emailing to book and they would have to have someone constantly monitoring emails, this is probably why they do not accept it.
You could take your case to the Equality Commission and see what they come up with? There is no easy solution here if text relay is not suitable for you. Good luck.
pennybsl
March 24, 2016
Picking up from the last several (great!) comments, there is one issue we Deafies must be aware of, and may enable us to ‘reassure’ the Practice Manager – once something is put down on ‘print’, it becomes a legal item.
In other words, many services avoid emailing, preferring automated systems or text rely etc. as long as there is no text ‘in print’ which could be used as evidence in court.
One way to “pacify” the PM is to request and agree to a code of conduct using emails as ‘spoken communication’ in the same way hearing people’s messages are being recorded, and ….somehow reduce the risk of being sued…..
We know it’s not fair — but if anything could restore the email link for this family, it’s better than a long-drawn out legal challenge.
ohdear
March 24, 2016
I had this many years ago and still ongoing. Before, anyone can turn up and just make an appointment, no problem. The last Labour government decided there was some equality issues and tried some pathetic attempts to improve services. On the first come first serve basis, 50% of the bookings are available per day and the other 50% kept back in reserve, (something like that). Minicom, ho ho, haven’t used one in the 21st century. Basically you have to go in 8 am and hope for the best.
Sharon hirshman
March 25, 2016
Health watch is one good way of sorting out issues and the other would be a formal complaint to the signhealth and get them to help u out as they have lot of experience with people like yourself. Maybe signhealth will contact your surgery with support of health watch. Good luck.
Linda Parkin
March 25, 2016
Last year the NHS produced its Accessible Information Standard – we fed into this, along with other Deaf organisations and encouraged people to do so as well. It is supposed to be fully implemented by July 2016. I suggest you read their Accessible Information Standard implementation guidance, then refer the practice manager to key points. You can find it here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/patients/accessibleinfo-2/
MW
March 26, 2016
http://nhsconfed.org/resources/2016/03/what-comes-into-force-april-2016
There is a lot of confusion to when AIS comes into force so please look up this link and you can see it is in force APRIL 2016. I am already seeing some services not getting up and ready for it.
MW
March 26, 2016
ah Linda you are right ..by July……odd when they say comes into force in April and then to read by July .
Ann Jones
March 26, 2016
Thank you all for your helpful and timely information. I am preparing to meet my Practice Manager. The last straw came when I turned up at the Community desk for a blood test, to be told that my appointment had been cancelled. I was told that phone calls had been made to me three times. I asked to see the contact information which clearly said Deaf. When I give out my mobile number I always emphasise that it’s for texts only. It provided entertainment for the queue forming behind me as she and I both stuck to our guns!
Action on Hearing Loss
April 4, 2016
The upcoming NHS Accessible Information Standard provides clear guidance on what health and social care providers, including GPs, must do to make sure their services are accessible for people with hearing loss. Under the standard, people with hearing loss must be able to contact their GP in an accessible way, if they find it difficult or impossible to use the telephone. It’s worth noting that the standard doesn’t require GPs to provide multiple contact methods, however it’s good practice for GPs to offer a range of contact options, so people with hearing loss can contact their GP in the way that’s best for them. The standard also states that if necessary, compliance with the standard should be supported by staff training, for example on the use of Text relay. To find out more, please visit the Accessible Information Standard website: https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/patients/accessibleinfo-2/
MW
April 4, 2016
For Action on Hearing Loss….can you please explain how this can be enforceable ..when it is mandatory, when it does have legal obligation, but it operate on a carrot and stick method….to what will AonHL ensures that we are advocated when they “behave badly” and to not to leave individual d/Deaf patient mentally stressed out trying to fight a just cause on the paying lip service and empty words – asking for help it isn’t quite there with voluntary orgs like ICAS and Voiceability and more so Healthwatch. It is good we are making moves but it is not in the right direction to start with – it should be enforceable monitored by those who knows the subject matter our access needs. I am not confident of this process when you speak of “clear guidance” it is?