Mental Health - Struggling

Nashota

@Rosie_Scope Hi, could you expand on what you meant, please? I did ask about it further up as well.

The admin staff at the medical centre do seem to be more responsive and helpful than the medical centre that I'm currently with, I sent them an email for an update on the same day I emailed this other medical centre, received no response from them but received 2 from the other place in the same day.

I wanted to ask on here if anyone knew if you can use your current SystmOnline account if you switch to a different medical centre, I did look it up but wasn't sure if it was correct, so wondered if someone could verify it, but not sure where to ask about it on the forums.

Thanks in advance :)

Rosie_Scope

Hi @Nashota, what I meant was I wonder whether you or someone you know could contact them to ask a few questions about the reasonable adjustments that you need to access care and ask what they can offer you. If it's all in writing or by email, that can be used as a record later should you need it.

You could tell them what kind of things happened at your previous health centre so they are aware of what went wrong in the past.

You could then perhaps list some of the adjustments you might need from them such as only having home visits and not asking for you to speak on the phone when you have a communications partner, and ask what kind of adjustments they can offer you. You could also ask how they could make sure that the adjustments are done consistently. For example, how would all the staff (including reception/admin) be made aware that you have reasonable adjustments in place so that you're not put under stress by people booking you in for appointments that you can't manage.

I hope that makes some sense, my brain's a bit muddled today!

While I was searching, I found this page about reasonable adjustments for doctors surgeries. You might have already found it but I'll share it just in case it's useful:

NHS England » Reasonable adjustments

I'm not too sure about the SystmOnline account I'm afraid, I hope another member might be able to let you know their experiences with that one 😊

Nashota

Hi @Rosie_Scope thanks very much for the explanation, that's a really good idea, I'm supposed to have things set in place currently but they appear to either be ignored or missed, so yes I could do as you've suggested, the admin staff from the one that I'm thinking of switching to do seem to be quite nice, helpful and understanding.

As for home visits, I probably won't need them for this medical centre, I do currently and I was down as housebound but then told to attend as I've explained, my son hasn't received a response to his reasonable adjustment request he made on my behalf as of yet. This other medical centre is thankfully closer but I would still need about 4 or 5 adjustments, which aren't exactly over the top requests, communication partner, appointments for times when it's quiet in the area and at the medical centre, to be able to email the GP prior to appointments, to go into a quiet room IF needed and for their staff not to make appointments and referrals without first speaking to me. I don't think they're unfair requests? 3 of them are supposed to be set in place at the current medical centre.

Rosie_Scope

They don't sound like unfair requests at all @Nashota. Hopefully the new place will be more understanding and can get things sorted for you after all you've had to deal with at the old one.

Nashota

Yeah one can only hope @Rosie_Scope I'm waiting on Pohwer to get back to me to see if they can help at all before I move to the other medical centre, I was put on their waiting list.

Nashota

@Rosie_Scope I emailed the other practice, I asked them various things in relation to my medical records, the form to register there as I wasn't sure what info they'd want in "disabilities", I mentioned that I'd need about 5 reasonable adjustments but they were nothing major etc, hopefully they respond. I'm really hoping that Pohwer are able to deal with the records so I don't have to bother anyone at the other practice about it.

Rosie_Scope

Sounds like a good start @Nashota, hope you hear back from them soon! And fingers crossed Pohwer get back to you as well. Keep us updated with how you get on 😊

Nashota

I will, thanks @Rosie_Scope I have not yet heard back from them but I think my son will email them on my behalf if they don't respond, he's my carer so it should be fine.

I also sent feedback to CQC yesterday about it because it's almost 3 years since this all started and almost 1 year since a manager contacted me and said they had 30 days to get back to me, they also have a leaflet that tell you that they will get back to you in 30 days and that sometimes it could take longer in which case they will let you know and keep you informed which they've not done at all, from my knowledge they've not even responded to my son's reasonable adjustment request that he did on my behalf. The medical centre's communications are terrible.

Nashota

I heard from the practice manager the other day and her email caused me become very anxious, agitated and my headache appeared to turn into a migraine, they are acting bloody stupid.

This was her email minus my details: -

"Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding to your email. I have been having a looking at the correspondence we have received since I introduced myself as the practice manager and explained I wanted to help resolve your complaint.

 

I can see you outlined your concerns in an email to me in July, however, I can see many of the concerns listed were addressed by Lynsey previously. Can you kindly let me know what, if anything you feel has not been resolved and what your desired outcome would be.

 

You’ve had concerns regarding the accuracy of some of your records. Do you also have any specific examples of what you find to be factually incorrect or inaccurate that we can review?

 

You and your son have also mentioned about reasonable adjustments for you. Can you also have a think about what you feel would be reasonable to support your care here at Grange Farm Medical Centre?

 

The clinical lead and I would like to meet with yourself or your advocate via a video call on Teams soon to discuss this further. Our aim is to work with you as best as we can to resolve your complaint."

When I responded I was very blunt, I told her that I wasn't happy and that I didn't understand why they were again asking for information that had been sent to the practice several times, I said shouldn't she have access to my emails and the email that the person I spoke to about the concerns sent to the ombudsman (she literally lists in her email what the issues are and how they'll be addressed/resolved!), I also said that I was surprised that she expected me to know that certain things had been resolved when they hadn't bothered to keep me informed/updated or send me a letter. They've been told about my medical records and the the reasonable adjustment question is just stupid because she also got a letter about that as well! Also, they know full well that I struggle to speak to people and yet think I can do some sort of meeting?! I told her that I didn't think it would help to speak verbally and that I preferred things in writing.

I should have also said that I didn't see the point in talking about the same things that I'd already addressed with someone else but I was too annoyed. Hopefully she gets the gist that she's annoyed me with her stupid email. IF things have been resolved, why hasn't anyone sent me a letter stating that!

I'll wait to see what she says when/if she responds, but I'm going to say to her if everything has been resolved then can she kindly send me a letter about it instead of her thinking that I'm telepathic.

Pardon the rant but this medical centre gets more and more ridiculous.

I've also applied for a photo ID so hopefully I shouldn't have too much issue with my online account when I do register somewhere else.