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Patient told 'no home visits' just days after major cancer surgery
Reporter: Jan Harwood
Date online: 27/06/2008
A 79-year-old woman recently released from hospital has been refused home visits by her doctor because she is staying temporarily just a few hundred yards the wrong side of the surgery's boundary.
Doreen Blanthorn was released from hospital last week after an operation to remove a large tumour from her bowel. She is currently staying with her daughter, at the Green, off Royle Road in Castleton, while she recovers from the operation.
Mrs Blanthorn contacted her GP at Cutgate surgery to arrange home visits while she gets better, only to be told that her doctor could not come to her daughter's home because it is a few hundred yards the wrong side of the Sudden junction, which marks the boundary of the surgery's catchment area.
If a doctor from Cutgate was to travel to Mrs Blanthorn's daughter's house they would have to travel just one tenth of mile further than they would normally have to to visit her at her own home in Shawclough.
"I was very distressed when my doctors told me they couldn't visit," said Mrs Blanthorn. "I've been with them for forty years and they have always been excellent but I'm not sure whether I'll go back to them now. I'm only planning to stay here until I get better then I'll be moving back home. I could change doctors but what if the boundary of the new one doesn't reach my house?"
Mrs Blanthorn is currently using her daughter's doctor and while she says that he has been excellent, Mrs Blanthorn is worried that he doesn't know the full history behind her treatment and does not have access to her medical notes.
Rochdale Online contacted the Rochdale Patient's Council about the situation. Chairman Paul Mainwaring said: "I suppose a boundary is a boundary, you have to draw the line somewhere, so technically the GP is not doing anything wrong, but the rules need to be more flexible, especially in a scenario like this where the patient hasn't moved home permanently. She shouldn't have to change doctor for what could be just a few days or weeks."
A spokesman for Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust said: “It would be inappropriate to make any comment on this matter without knowing the full details of the case – however, if the patient concerned would like to contact our Patient Advice & Liaison Service our trained counsellors will be able to help in getting more information. The team can be contacted on (FREEPHONE) 0800 121 4430.”
Have Your Say
This is not just silly! It is also a scandal when it causes distress to an elderly woman convalescing after major surgery. If someone needs care, a good doctor should be willing to travel those few metres beyond the boundary in order to care for his or her patient. Since when did basic care stop at Sudden junction?
It's ridiculous, doctors are employed to look after their patients. What difference would 1/10 mile make to his journey? Mrs Blanthorn is still his patient. She does not need that sort of grief after going through major surgery.
In my experience as a residential home manager, I have found that GPs would often visit elderly residents who came to the Home for a short "respite" visit and were therefore outside the practice boundaries, because it was clear they would be going back home soon. For a GP to refuse a home visit for the sake of a few hundred yards is appalling. It is bureaucracy gone mad.
PS I hope Mrs Blanthorn is recovering well and feels better soon.
Paul Mainwaring is right. A little bit of flexibility wouldn't go amiss here. This looks like a sad case of pen pushing sticklers winning over common sense.
Once again we see the services are being run for the benefit of those running the service. Considering the salaries of GPs and practice managers, one would expect far more consideration for the customer - the patient. Except that in this brave Orwellian world, the patient is the product and the PCT is the customer.
It's disgusting how this lady is being treated.
I'd like to know if it is the Doctor who has refused to visit or is it the receptionists who have made the decision?
PRIVITISATION, I believe, is the cause for this. If there weren't the stupid 'private' campaigners then our NHS would be great. BUT NO someone has to take it away. Well fight back, LETS HAVE OUR NHS! I ain't letting this drop!
The patient is a very ill 79-year-old who is deeply distressed, do they really expect her to be ringing up some alien service she has never heard of to discuss why her doctor is a pillock? The PCT know the name of the patient and the name of the surgery involved, the response is therefore the usual bull shine!
By Journeaux @ 27/06/2008 16:18:58
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