Keep away from surgery

[birkie]

Good morning ❤️

I had an appointment at my surgery on Monday 16th March to fill in a form with the doctor for my universal credit assessment appointment. I was told this was now being cancelled due to the coronavirus and to keep away from the surgery all none emergency appointments have been cancelled I was advised to contact universal credit and inform them as my assessment appointment is for Fri 20th March and cannot go ahead without the doctors form. I did just that explained this to the lady on the phone her response was "we can give you until the 30th of March to obtain the form from your gp" rang surgery back to explain this and was told receptionist said I don't think that date will be possible you will need to keep ringing the surgery up in a weeks time but the 30th is a no go 🙄 rang universal credit back to tell them their answer "you will need to contact us with info as and when you can obtain an appointment at your surgery you are a wear this could affect your benefits if you dont🙄.. Hummm seems the whole world and the NHS/GPS are on lock down but the benefits system are still bullying people into getting to appointments.. Wonder if they have sanitizers at their desks..🤔 😒😒 Also I need to hand my prescription list in to get my meds we have no other way of doing this..the world's gone mad... 🌎🙄🙄

[BadHare]

Try the Money Saving Expert website for advice re your form. There’s also a forum where people may be able to help. Try the Citizens Advice Bureau, too, though I don’t know if they’ll be in lockdown mode. They may be able to offer phone appointments. If those fail, post on Twitter. There are some very knowledgeable legal peeps that I’ve seen offering help.

Ask your surgery to send you registration & log in details for Patient Access. You can order repeat prescriptions online.

[helvella]

Did you see the DWP's statement yesterday?

gov.uk/government/news/coro...

No idea if it will help, but...

[birkie in reply to helvella]

Hi

Yes I did but don't think it's getting through to the people taking the phone calls.. 🙄

[EbonyEvans]

Can the surgery not post you the form? Is it not downloadable? They don’t seem very helpful.

[birkie in reply to EbonyEvans]

Hi EbonyEvans

No I have to be present when the gp fills the form in.. Its about my health issues and recent TT.. Unfortunately they call this a change in circumstance so I've to go through the whole process getting photo copies proof of operation ect it's such a pain I left my original endo/surgeon and prescription papers in the photocopie shop thank god I know the gentleman his keeping them for me till Monday I'm not well either as levo is not working for me was going to see endo on an emergency app think that will be cancelled to.. 😒😒

[EbonyEvans in reply to birkie]

I understand now. Sorry to hear it’s only house’ another suggestion is a phone consult. I wish you luck with this. It must be a mind field and so annoying.

[StitchFairy]

Surely you must still be able to drop off and collect a prescription. My current surgery allows repeat ordering online but my previous surgery had a box on the wall in reception for you to post your paper repeats into.

[birkie in reply to StitchFairy]

Hi StitchFairy

I only have the box option at the moment I'm gona ring on Monday to ask what I should do... Honestly they told me to keep away unless it's an emergency 🙄

[StitchFairy in reply to birkie]

It's difficult for everyone, including the surgery staff at the moment I guess. All the usual routines are being abandoned and everything is in chaos. Hope you get a sensible solution on Monday.

[TSH110 in reply to birkie]

I call having no benefits an emergency! Contact your MP about it - I hope you have a good one. You could go to the surgery tell them it is an emergency and simply refuse to move until they sort it out. It’s a disgrace I bet they will be drawing their pay cheque as usual.

[birkie in reply to TSH110]

Hi thanks for your reply TSH110

I really think its weird that hospitals surgerys and the likes are doing the keep away thing and the benefits system don't seem to care they want you to attend assessments ect. But I'm sure in the news it said sanctions would step down whilst the virus is ongoing.. I've to keep rining both the surgery and the DWP to arrange the assessment appointment 🙄

[TSH110 in reply to birkie]

Sounds a nightmare, not exactly joined up government is it! I just worry you might end up penniless and they use a ridiculous loop hole to weasel out of paying you what you are due, and on top of all the coronavirus crazy panic not to mention what could well hit in reality. I would definitely inform your MP you never know, they might take some action as it is clearly an absurd situation to find yourself in. If those two organisations can’t sort out your appointment now there is no chance once this darn virus really hits - look at Italy!

[birkie in reply to TSH110]

Hi thanks for your reply

I'm hoping that they just leave the appointment for a better time it's my surgery that's closing things down to emergency only appointments it's not my fault or others like me so the DWP should be a wear of this..the DWP lady I spoke to did cancel my app for Fri 20th march but told me to keep ringing to up date them and now I've just received an email reminding me I have an appointment on Friday the 20th with the assessment team.. God help us if that virus hits.. We can't run our benefits system to run in line with government changes due to the virus... We're all doomed 😊

[TSH110 in reply to birkie]

Off to hell in a handcart!! 🙄

[LAHs in reply to birkie]

Here's a funny one. Our federal mandate (in the US) is that we must not be in a group of 10 people or more (Social separation, 6'). The next day I was summoned for Jury Duty i.e. be with a a group of 13. The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

[birkie in reply to LAHs]

Hi

I had to post my prescription through my surgerys letter box then ring to ask for it to be delivered... No milk at my supermarket either I'm in England.. I can go and get food in a supermarket wid loads of people then go home it's mad.. 🙄🙄

[birkie]

Hi Lora7again

It's madness OK I can understand why their doing it but what a bout people who have ongoing illnesses and are ill right now we seem to have been forgotten about. I had a rather important appointment at my surgery it was cancelled with no info when I could get another one just to keep ringing up!! I also had an emergency app with my endo and that's gone out the window.. But my app for a mammogram was fine had that on Fri no hand sanatizers in site.. ✋🙄

[LAHs]

Same here. I finally got up the courage to have cataract surgery on my right eye. I got an appointment for 6 weeks hence, that brings me up to one week before my appointment (next Monday) then wam! all elective surgeries were cancelled. They said call us back when all this Covid-19 is over! Well, I suppose it is the right thing to do, but it's a bit disappointing. Our Bay Area is under " shelter in place" meaning stay home. This is in order to flatten the curve - so that hospitals can cope with the demand. Oh and btw, you should see the shelves in our supermarkets, it took me 2 days and four supermarkets to get a bottle of milk.

[birkie in reply to LAHs]

Hi LAHs

I've been told to self isolate due to my 3 auto immune illnesses and my thyroid TT and my T3 meds are not working I was supposed to see endo about this but that's gone up the creak.. So I'm just left to get on with it hence me still being up I can't sleep and have hyper symptoms.. 🙄🙄🙄