Do NOT get me started. My GP is all online requests but it’s gone too far. I fell off the Covid jab list last year as my recurrent cancer isn’t one typically recognised and it took so much effort for me to get back on as I just kept getting emails and triage nurses who didn’t get it. “You’re not on the eligibility list”. I KNOW, but it’s immune related and they don’t know why, it’s normally related to HIV, but I don’t have that. “WELL IF YOU HAD HIV”. Well, I don’t. “Well we can’t give you the jab then”. AND ON AND ON AND ON. “Can you get a note about it from your consultant?”. 1.) WHY CAN’T YOU, isn’t that your fucking JOB?, 2.) READ MY FILE and use some common sense and 3.) I CAN’T GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY CONSULTANT FOR AGES EITHER.
When I eventually (and I am talking about a month and so many phone calls/ emails) got hold of a doctor, they were incredulous that I’d gone through that just for a jab that I ACTUALLY SHOULD HAVE and have changed my file to “must have doctor contact at all times within 24 hours” and the twice I’ve had to contact them since, I’ve still had to remind the triage team of that before they would allow it.
And yet, on the other hand, I had a rash on my chest a few years back, got prescribed a shampoo for it, it comes back intermittently and the shampoo clears it up. I’ve just run out so sent an email asking for another bottle. “You need an appointment”. “Can I just send a picture of the rash which is exactly the same as last time and save everyone some time?”. NO! Cue an appointment someone else could have had, in which the doctor just said “oh, yeah, here’s a repeat prescription” and that was it.
Like everyone else, I love the NHS and I realise why it’s on its knees but they waste SO much time and resources just by not using common sense. It’s endlessly infuriating.