Instructed to get a new GP, because I moved 5 minutes away.

[Andrea_Shapiro]

I'd appreciate some guidance on this, as I'm very upset about it. I visited my GP on Tuesday for a pain relief review, and because I'd moved half a mile up the road, I asked for a change of address form. I received a letter today from NHS central operations to advise me that my name would be removed from the practice that I've been with for 26 years in 30 days, and to register with someone else. I called PALS, and they advised me to put it in writing to the lead GP/ Practice Manager, given my RA and shared care agreement. However, I feel so angry & upset, I fear I'd sound rude. I've moved from L12 7JW to L12 8TQ. One minute in a car. I walk that distance in 20 minutes with my walking stick, and I'm SLOW....

[Hidden]

Oh that's awful for you Andrea - especially as you were so delighted to get a bigger place to live at last I recall (bungalow?). I know how important my GPs have been to me and think you should fight your corner as it sounds ridiculous to me. Why don't you go and see your GP and tell them how you feel - it may just be the practice manager being over zealous and your GP may be unaware but be able to fight your corner for you if they are made aware? TTx

[sylvi]

You should contact your practise manager and tell them you don't want to move. Its a disgrace how they treat people. Hope you have some success. love sylvi.xx

[Hidden]

You dont have to live in a particular area any longer, the rules changed so that you could choose your GP, so not allowing you to continue in the original practice sounds like they want to be rid of a patient rather than anything else. Are there GP surgeries closer to where you live now? The old surgery should be just as close if it is only a couple of minutes by car. This is pretty disgusting treatment if they didnt give you a proper reason. I would definately lodge a complaint to the practice manager.

Good luck Pet xxx

[Treesha]

Hi andrea i live in L12 what surgery are you at? If youre in a bungalow i imagine you may live on our estate. There are 3 surgeries fairly close by. I used to go to the large pracitise next to dental surgery but found the doctors not to my liking shall we say! I changed to a smaller one next to school and have had no problems. As has already been said write to the practise manager and central operations but try not to sound too angry. Maybe wait until you have calmed down. Good luck xxxx

[Andrea_Shapiro in reply to Treesha]

Hi Treesha. I'm at Stoneycroft, and I know there's considerably closer ones around Deysbrook, but I wanted to stay where I am. I'm thinking that it's because I'll cost too much in the long term, as Stoneycroft are still accepting new patients. Selfish, old me having RA, hey?! I'll try to appeal to the practice manager's better nature, if she has one.....

[Beth58]

Hi Andrea, this is one of the reasons I decided not to move (but I was going 30 miles away) wayout of the catchment area. Yes we have patient choice but that appears to be more about hospitals and consultant's than GP's they still have a catchment area mainly due to the likely need for home visits, district nurse care etc. But to take you off their registrar due to a move half a mile up the road that sounds a bit harsh.

I agree with the other comments and make a complaint. Initially I'd make an appointment to see the practice manager or lead doctor and discuss the situation (just incase this has been an error!).

If you get no joy, write a formal letter of complaint detailing the facts of the matter, you can ask the practice manager who to address it to, if the GP practice are sympathetic they're more likely to be helpful and perhaps even take the matter up on your behalf.

Good luck and my very best wishes.

Beth xx

[Mel_]

Morning. Firstly, I hope the move went well? My understanding is that you have the choice to register at any GP these days - within reason, as commented above the rules changed a while ago. I have a medical surgery minutes away from me but I am registered with one about 10 miles away as I was not happy with the one in my home town. I would actually telephone and ask for the surger manager to call you back. The only reason I can think for this to happen is that you surgery have too many patiants on their books and the NHS are trying to even the numbers out, that does not mean you have to agree to it though. Good luck

[chrispe]

I used to work at a surgery last word goes to go .they have to agree to visit out of area.so ask to speak to lead gp and explain your reasons most agree if you approach them direct. Good luck I am 6 miles out of area

[helixhelix]

Hi Andrea - just what you don't need right now! My understanding is that under last gov't there was a proposal to ditch catchment areas for surgeries, but a cost to this because of out of hours visits and so on, and docs weren't too happy about losing control. Anyway I think this gov't has quietly ditched the proposal so surgeries do get to decide their catchment area and can object to people who live outside it. So I'm interested why others think it has changed and would be good to have more info as I can't find anything that says we do have choice over our GPs.

So rather than storming in to complain I'd try the softly, softly flattery approach to start with and speak to practice and explain how important they are and how brilliant you think they are etc etc, and how small the change is. If that doesn't work you can try more aggressive routes, but I'd start calmly if you can bear to. Would be interested to know how you get on as this will be relevant to me soon too - and I don't want to change GP either. Good luck. Polly

[Zeen]

Hi, I was in exactly the same possition just over 18 months ago. I was struggling really badly with my R.A. at the time. I had a word with the receptionist and told her that we were moving, to an area 30 minutes away from my surgery. We live in the country so the catchment area is bigger but I was still out of their area mainly because if a home visit is required it is too far for them to visit. She suggested that I speak to my G.P. I told;him that I was very worried about having to go to a different surgery, and thankfully he let me stay there saying that he would O.K. it with the rest of hs team. Fortunately I did improve to the extent that I could face the move eventaully and am now in a surgery that is 15 minutes away, not my closest I might add, but they were very welcoming when I approached them. It has proved to be a good move and I am very satisfied with my treatment there. I have been there for 5 months now. So yes I would very quietly have a word with your G.P. and see what he/she says. I can not really see what their objection can be considering you are moving such a short distance. I hope you get it sorted soon, worry and stress are the last things you need with R.A!! Best wishes Zena x.

[pinkdee]

thats awful. my gp is in the next town and about a 15 min drive away. ive been with them for years and moved house several times (each time a bit furthur away) they were happy to keep me on there books even though there is a gp surgery practically across the road from my house . the only thing they did say was that the doctor wouldnt make house calls because of the distance. you should give them a ring or pop in for a chat.

[Green230461]

Same happened to me. I had been with doc 12 years. I moved two miles and was told I was no longer in the zone. I found a new doctor surgery six miles away. So how does that work? I am not a difficult patient just an expensive one.

[Neonkittie17]

Not the way to treat someone who has been there so long. 😑 Hope you can get them to change their decision. x

[LoneEra]

This is one of those ancient posts (9 years old) that gets dragged up due to the “Related Posts” function. I wish HealthUnlocked would get an algorithm that selects by date as well.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to LoneEra]

Argh I didn’t notice that. It’s very frustrating. Thank you for pointing it out.

[LoneEra in reply to Neonkittie17]

I’ve done it before! It’s a silly functionality without date filtering. Wish they would change it

[Neonkittie17 in reply to LoneEra]

I hope they can but maybe it’s something they can’t control at the mo?

[LoneEra in reply to Neonkittie17]

It’s a developer request - they’d need to update the algorithm. Maybe someone from the NRAS team could suggest it to Health Unlocked to improve the user experience? Tagging Hidden just in case!

P.S. Hope you’re ok today, Neonkittie ❤️ I’m going to get my watercolours out tonight.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to LoneEra]

I am sure your suggestion will help thank you re the algorithm. Thank you for doing that. Ooh lovely! I’ve got my watercolour tubes and pan box on the table (and my Inktense and Graphitint water soluble pencils too) but may be tomorrow before I can do anything as I’m writing a letter to my rheumy and also some gardening and tidying. Enjoy your painting. What have you got planned? Would love to hear. I’m tempted to paint my pansies in their pots and the lovely little containers of trumpet pale lemon daffs. Also have some lovely photos I took of some local landscapes. Hope to be back out there in the remote landscape, drawing and painting soon. 💗 I’m ok thanks, just the usual medication dilemma. 🤨 Hope you are alright too. 🙏🏻

[LoneEra in reply to Neonkittie17]

Pansies sound lovely. Good that you’re spending the day getting organised. I must do some tidying this weekend. You have so much great art kit...sounds amazing being a professional artist. I can only dream!!

I’ve been working a lot today so my brain is a bit frazzled, so I’ll probably do some watercolour doodling. I use this as my mindfulness now - paint an abstract watercolour background and then add to it with pens. Very soothing ❤️ x

Abstract watercolour painting

[Neonkittie17 in reply to LoneEra]

Whoooo ... That’s amazing. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💗 I love it. Very aquatic. (Reminds me of Yes album covers and Roger Dean!) Your work IS professional standard and it doesn’t matter what qualifications or degrees or anything (even though they do give you some level of technicality as in my case printmaking, but I can’t go and near print studios at the mo anyhow!) I hope you have framed some of these lovely works and put them on your walls.. I’m awful at putting my own work up! I’ve been doing some sketchy things recently with some awkward media as I like to challenge myself! I am just getting back into watercolour.

Here’s a little A5 oil pastel sgraffito sketch I did freehand last year of my fave shop in London. I entered it for a competition but I couldn’t get the online form to include my theory and details, so it got disqualified!🤨 Most of my print work is quite large and not always easy to photograph. I’m doing smaller when I sketch and draw now. It was rather challenging with the black waxy oil pastels being scratched off and stopping those drifting all over the work. I went for the sketch effect rather than perfect architectural representation. I have done that kind of work often, but it drives me mad! When the oil pastel dries it eventually looks decent. It does freak me out doing sgraffito as it’s like etching in so far as once you’ve scratched off the black to reveal your colours underneath, you can’t easily put it back on without spoiling it! Think I like doing sgraffito as it is so much like etching a plate. Anyhow, here’s to making art and the joy it brings! Here’s my sgraffito sketch I called .. Sunset on Liberty. x

Multi-coloured oil pastel sgraffito of the liberty building/store in London.

[LoneEra in reply to Neonkittie17]

Love that!!! All the gorgeous colours underneath but then the textures and all the detail on the store front. W😍W. It does sound like a tough technique...like you say you can’t really put any back 🤣 Printmaking always amazes me. And I bet you can’t wait to get back into a proper studio.

I do frame the odd thing - but I give most away to friends and family. I keep meaning to dedicate more time to it and maybe open a little Etsy store, just as a sideline. But my day job is super demanding and by the time I’ve written 10, 000 words every week, I’m worn out! Hopefully if I can finally get my meds sorted it will all fall into place.

Looking forward to our next art chat already! ❤️ x

[Neonkittie17 in reply to LoneEra]

Thank you so much. 💗 It took some hours to do in sessions as my eyes went a bit gaga, but I’m glad I persevered with it. Not sure if would have made the final 30 but I didn’t think anyone would have done a sgraffito! I’ll never know anyhow! It was the pleasure of doing it anyhow.

I am very impressed you find time to do your art of you are working full time at a busy job. Well done. However, it can be very relaxing if you do make time for it. My intention is to do an IG page for my art but I do have a few on my regular IG.

I’d love to be in a print studio again soon but being on Rituximab kind of holds me prisoner at the moment 🤨 so I have to keep distance but hopefully things may change. I am thinking of getting a little hand operated press for myself for at home. Look forward too to another art chat. 💗x