We all know the pressure on GPs who work ungodly hours; more or less twelve hours a day, seven days a week, sacrificing their family life and leisure time to care for their patients and to comply with torrents of NHS dictate that come thick and fast, a constant never ending flow. NHS is in a mess, mainly due to holier than thaw attitude of our out of touch politicians. GPs, junior doctors and nurses as well as auxiliary workers are paying the price.
Recently new “Data Protection Law” (GDPR) was introduced that forced GP surgeries to adopt new procedures so as to comply with bureaucracy, that led to new form layout for patients when applying for copies of blood, X Ray and other such test results. This is particularly important for elderly people to take these results when seeing Hospital Consultants, so as to avoid unnecessary repetition of such tests.
The half page original form is now three pages long that many elderly patients may find it complicated, difficult to fill in and the waiting time to collect printout has gone up from a week to thirty days, as GPs have to log in every request, keep a register and give reference numbers that may take time in busy surgeries.
We are fortunate that our Surgery is patient friendly and goes out of the way to help their patients. Such forms come ready with patient’s personal details already printed so that we have to fill in just the details of what test results we want. Test results are also available on most part within 14 days and if needed urgently to fit in with hospital appointments, then Surgery will oblige if at all possible. But unfortunately that is not the case, the norm in many other Surgeries who stick to the rule rigidly.
Unfortunately in this fast changing world where money making is more important by any means, fair or foul, there is a risk of personal date being stolen and used fraudulently, innocent people losing their life savings, pension pots to crooks. But if people, especially OAPs, follow simple rules, never to answer unsolicited calls, open their doors to salesmen, throw away junk mails and deal with banks, building societies and such financial institutions personally by visiting their offices, we may never become victims of such frauds, although this may cause some inconvenience. But it is worth it for peace of mind.
Kumudini Valambia
By email
