I recently made a complaint against my doctor because she put me on the wrong pills and caused me side effects and she also tried to tell me what to do with my life etc.

I complained about her to the practice manager and the general medical council.

I am quite happy to see other doctors at the surgery just not that one.

Got aletter today saying me and my family have to register elsewhere? my kids have cystic fibrosis and my wife is pregnant and that is not fair on them and just because i made a complaint which i have every right to they cannot treat me like dirt like they have surely?

Unless the rules have changed recently then the practice has the right to refuse treatment to any patient at any time, and to request that a patient (or a whole family, if they really have a tizzy) change doctors and register with a different practice.

The local health bods do have a responsibility to allocate you to another GPs list, but again, you can be rejected off this list if they think that they have a reason to do so.

This is the situation that many people who complain find themselves in unfortunately. It shouldn't happen when people are raising genuine problems, but it does, and it can affect future treatment too, as the practice that you get allocated to will know that you have been asked to leave your previous practice.

I know that this isn't fair, not just on your family but also on you (assuming that your complaint was genuine and not malicious), but there really isn't anything that you can do apart from try to lose the anger that you feel toward the medical profession as a result of this and try to settle down with your new doctors. If you try to fight this one out you will probably find ever growing problems, so my advice is to not rock the boat unless you have a REALLY good reason to do so (especially for your wife and children).

I do know someone who was left with only one practice in the whole of Sheffield that was prepared to take them as a patient, and that was totally at the wrong end of the city.

I think that in your doctor's defence they are likely to say that they couldn't know what pills would cause you side effects before you had taken them so that was not cause for complaint, and also that part of a doctor's role is to explain to patients the relative risks that lifestyle choices have on their health and so that also was not cause for complaint, and so they have judged your complaint to be malicious, and so have decided that they no longer want you on their list as a result. It's also normal to have families registered together so if you move it's normal for your family to move too.

None of this is meant to belittle your complaint, and I hope that you understand that, but your GP practice are perfectly within their rights to refuse to treat you without having to give a reason, and the sooner you accept this and move on with a new practice, the sooner you can make sure that your wife and children have the access to medical attention that they need.

I'm not in the NHS BTW, but was around doctors and the NHS for a long time as a medical rep.

I think the law needs to be changed on this issue as it is totally wrong, my wife is pregnant and kids have cystic fibrosis and now they are going to have to find a surgery which is miles away as there are not many close by.

I have a good mind to take the matter as far as possible, i don't beleive in doctor's surgery's removing people and their family from the list just because a complaint has been made

Originally posted by yorksguy05
I think the law needs to be changed on this issue as it is totally wrong, my wife is pregnant and kids have cystic fibrosis and now they are going to have to find a surgery which is miles away as there are not many close by.

I have a good mind to take the matter as far as possible, i don't beleive in doctor's surgery's removing people and their family from the list just because a complaint has been made i think its a disgrace,if they feel they need to ban you they could at least keep your wife and children on their books,can you appeal against there decision:mad:

not sure if i can appeal to be honest, if i could i would, i am considering taking it as far as possible, contacting all medical organisations and even my local councillor to see if this can be stopped from happening.

Have you considered contacting The Star and shaming the surgery? This may result in a u turn for your family, or the offer of medical care from another quarter.

Were your side effects very severe? Were they not explained to you at the time of prescription? Was there any warning on the packaging?

Side effects are possible from any prescription, and I have experienced quite a few nasty ones myself. Fortunately my doctor was very reasonable and we were able to sort out an alternative to this treatment.

YorksGuy. I'm curious...did you speak to the said GP about it before you complained?
Hopefully it wont cause too many problems with the kids as I imagine you've got specialist hospital care for the CF at the Childrens?
Gps are perfectly within their rights to have you removed from their patient lists and as they function as a Practice this means removing you from the whole Practice rather than just one doctor usually. I have to agree with medusa66 that complaining further will probably not yield much and may result in you finding it even harder to find another GP.
Good luck!

Originally posted by alysonpeach
Have you considered contacting The Star and shaming the surgery? This may result in a u turn for your family, or the offer of medical care from another quarter.

Contacting the star is something that i would definately do if required, the surgery would be made to look shameless and embarrassed and would also give them a bad name with people in the city :thumbsup:

Originally posted by AGB1
YorksGuy. I'm curious...did you speak to the said GP about it before you complained?
Hopefully it wont cause too many problems with the kids as I imagine you've got specialist hospital care for the CF at the Childrens?
Gps are perfectly within their rights to have you removed from their patient lists and as they function as a Practice this means removing you from the whole Practice rather than just one doctor usually. I have to agree with medusa66 that complaining further will probably not yield much and may result in you finding it even harder to find another GP.
Good luck!


I did complain to the GP twice and got a unsatisfactory response, so i involved the general medical council and they investigated it but they did not take any action in the end.

I have no problem with any other of the doctor's there just that one, but i am the kind of person that will take it as far as possible if that's what it take's.

which area of sheffield are you in,you never know they may have done you a favour,and like the others say if you do take it further you my have difficulties finding another surgery,it is disgusting that they can penalise your family but i think you may be in a no win situation,try leaving it a few days and see if you can reason with the surgery in question :confused:

Originally posted by roughy101
which area of sheffield are you in,you never know they may have done you a favour,and like the others say if you do take it further you my have difficulties finding another surgery,it is disgusting that they can penalise your family but i think you may be in a no win situation,try leaving it a few days and see if you can reason with the surgery in question :confused:


I attend norfolk park surgery, basically they changed my medication that i had been on for 16 months without telling me, even though they deny this and i had severe effects, they made me feel terrible, also because i am on disability living allowance the GP said i should get off my arse and goto work and gave her personal opinion on my life etc etc, i suffer from quite a few things so i did not appreciate this one bit :(

I've had a few problems with one of the docs at my GP surgery recently as well as with their appointment system. I recently spoke to the prac nurse about it and she gave me the name of the prac manager and recommended i complain in writing about it....

I'm not so sure i should now.... :suspect: :suspect: :suspect:

To be fair it sounds like this has got blown out of proportion a bit. A GP is allowed to make suggestions with regards to your lifestyle and healthcare and perhaps in doing so he/she thought they were doing you a favour. Whether or not you chose to heed their advice is, of course, completely up to you. Giving a personal opinion to a patient isnt against the law for doctors, although it's obviously something approached with care and tact.
It would appear that some tact was lacking here and maybe the GP said too much. The thing is the GMC would be hard pushed to do anything about something realtively minor.
The medication problem is again something that happens often. Sometime drugs no longer become available, or change slightly or are replaced by newer, better drugs. In changing your prescription your GP was again doing what he/she thought was best for you. The fact that you suffered side effects is not their fault as it couldnt of been predicted.
So the fact of the matter is that the GP has little to answer for in the original complaint IMO.
What I'm more concerned by is the fact that your family is obviously quite dependent on primary care and needs a good, local GP. The fact that they have removed your entire family is simply not fair in my opinion. It may be worthwhile, writing to both the GP and practice manager stating this and asking for further consideration. If you try this approach before going in guns blazing with the media etc I would like to think that they would reconsider at least letting your wife and kids back onto the list.
Good luck!
alex

yeah good idea, complain to the press ,then no gp will put you on their books!
when u had said side effects, did you go back to the gp and report this? they could have altered the medication or changed the treatment plan.

Originally posted by yorksguy05
I recently made a complaint against my doctor because she put me on the wrong pills and caused me side effects and she also tried to tell me what to do with my life etc.

I complained about her to the practice manager and the general medical council.

I am quite happy to see other doctors at the surgery just not that one.

Got aletter today saying me and my family have to register elsewhere? my kids have cystic fibrosis and my wife is pregnant and that is not fair on them and just because i made a complaint which i have every right to they cannot treat me like dirt like they have surely?


I would imagine it would be hard for them to say they are objective in your treatment, if you have lodged a complaint against them.
therefore it is in yours and their best interest to register at a different practice.
plus if you feel this doctor is incompetent, then its hardly going to be appropriate for you or your family to see them.

Originally posted by yorksguy05
........ so i involved the general medical council and they investigated it but they did not take any action in the end.

....... i am the kind of person that will take it as far as possible if that's what it take's.

Errrrrr to take youre first point if the GMC didnt do anything then what does that suggest to you?
As far as I can see they like nothing better than striking docs off these days.

And Im guessing here, but your second point probably explains why they have removed you .

Cheers - no offence

D

Drugs have side effects. They're explained in the packaging. These side effects occur to some people and not others. This has absolutely nothing to do with your GP, they have no way of predicting what will happen without trying it.

GPs have always advised people on their lifestyle. And if they were telling you to go and get a job, does this mean that they are currently certfying you sick and are no longer prepared to do so? In which case of course they are within their rights to do if they believe you are medically fit to work.

The other doctors will not treat you because you made a complaint against their colleague and:
a) Are scared you will also file unfounded complaints against them
b) Feel they can no longer give you or your family objective treament.

Move on, get another GP, and make sure they've actually done something wrong before complaining about them.

Originally posted by ukdavvy
Errrrrr to take youre first point if the GMC didnt do anything then what does that suggest to you?
As far as I can see they like nothing better than striking docs off these days.

And Im guessing here, but your second point probably explains why they have removed you .

Cheers - no offence

D

The medical profession is not unknown for its damage limitation exercise tactics notabbly if the need to protect their rear-end is the first port of call. Furthermore, the GMC is hardly known for being the easiest of adversaries in disputes of this nature.

Given the terms and tone of the original query, I feel it may be useful to do a little navel gazing with cost-benefit analysis to shed light on the various views presented. It is entirely possible there is substantial merit to the concerns raised; regrettably the adversary may not be open, honest and transparent in their activities, most notably if they have something to hide.

Originally posted by yorksguy05
I attend norfolk park surgery, basically they changed my medication that i had been on for 16 months without telling me, even though they deny this and i had severe effects, they made me feel terrible, also because i am on disability living allowance the GP said i should get off my arse and goto work and gave her personal opinion on my life etc etc, i suffer from quite a few things so i did not appreciate this one bit :(

Do you read your presecription and ask questions?

Seriously, my health is a cooperative venture between me and my GP. I'm on long term meds at the moment and whenever I get a repeat prescription I check it and if there is any difference (and there hasn't been) I'd be asking what the problem was and why it's changed.

What does happen occasionally is that the manufacturer of my medication is changed - same drugs, different box. Again, before leaving the pharmacy I check and if the box is different ask about it.

And my GP has commented on my lifestyle - I don't smoke or drink but am carrying some weight - as my medication is to deal with blood pressure I think he's got a right to ask me to lose some weight if I'm expecting him to throw the full panoply of modern pharmaceutical science at me. :)

Costs the NHS a lot less if I can lose the lard!

Joe

Thing is i had been on my medication for 16 months and without even consulting me they changed it, when i double checked the next day when i rang up the surgery they said i had to take them and theyh gave me very bad side effects, at the end of the day there was no need to change my medication the ones i was on worked fine and everything, it was totally unessecary to change them, i went to see a different doctor a week later and they put me back on my original pills.

I have severe asthma and suffer from afew other things and when a gp says to you that you shouldn't be on disability benefits and you should be working when there is no chance of me working at all is totally out of order

If you are on disability benefits, particularly dla, you have had to go through lots of hoops, lots of medical checks, lots of form filling, so the doctor is basically saying then that his colleagues who decided you were entitled are all wrong. Contrary to popular belief it is very difficult to get disability living allowance, even with long term health problems, so I would think if youre getting it, youre entitled. He has no right to say these things. Im not surprised you wish to complain.

I wonder if GPs have had some pressure from the Government, who want to reduce the amount of people on disability living allowance.