Am I overreacting......

[Squirrel]

...or do I have a right to be angry at this?

Yesterday my 3 year old son had to go for an eye appointment at Peterborough hospital. No dramas as both myself and Mrs Squirrel are on leave at the mo, and anyone who knows me in person will agree that the boy's eyes need to be checked out.

Anyway, we were asked to provide proof that our son had the right to free medical care in the UK, I got a bit shirty to be honest, and mentioned that he was born in that very same hospital and that if they checked their records, then that would surely be enough...

...not good enough.

I flashed my RN ID card (dangerous in P'boro, I know) and the Mrs flashed her RAF ID card (even more dangerous for her) but still...

...not good enough.

They said that they needed something with name and address on, so we showed them the appointment letter they'd sent...

...not good enough.

I flashed at this point, and asked why the obvious fact that we were both speaking English, with a North Wales and North East England accent respectively, didn't indicate that we were indeed UK citizens...

...indignant response.

Thankfully Mrs remembered her driving licence was in the car so she nipped out to get it.

BINGO good enough.

Does anyone have a clue why this happened? I'm at a fcuking loss!!!!!

 

[wave_dodger]

Odd that they chose to do that but, in a way despite the obvious angst it has caused you and Mrs S, I am equally pleased.

My logic being there are far too many healthcare tourists. Mrs WD works in a hospital in S'oton and is just stunned by the massive numbers she has to treat who simply shouldn't be getting any care at all.

We are being taken for a complete ride.

I'm a bit bemused they didn't immediately look at the ID cards and let the matter drop especially as I thought the Trust in Peterborough had a link to the military?

Hope the little one is ok.

 

[Squirrel]

Cheers WD,
It wouldn't have been so bad had they informed us with the appointment letter that we'd need to bring something along, that was part of what annoyed me to be truthful.
Honestly mate, they just shrugged at the ID cards and didn't give them a second look.
The lad's fine, obviously blessed with his mum's eyesight , thanks very much for asking though.

 

[wave_dodger]

The NHS is crumbling - despite working for the same trust my wife got a letter today with a date for a forthcoming operation and a second letter with a post-op follow up with a date that was last week? She went in for a pre-op assessment today and came back an hour later because that was cancelled but no letter had gone out. Astonishing incompetence and largely because the admin and clerical support are the first ones chosen for saving measures.

 

[thingy]

The NHS is crumbling - despite working for the same trust my wife got a letter today with a date for a forthcoming operation and a second letter with a post-op follow up with a date that was last week? She went in for a pre-op assessment today and came back an hour later because that was cancelled but no letter had gone out. Astonishing incompetence and largely because the admin and clerical support are the first ones chosen for saving measures.

The government made it clear some years ago that they were cutting backroom staff as part of the Gershon cuts. One result of this is that hospital reminders are no longer sent out by many hospitals for appointments made several months before. It is a false economy of course, but on the NHS budget it appears as a saving, whereas the wasted time because people do not attend their clinic greatly exceeds the admin costs.

 

[Gombear]

You have my sympathy.

Our son is changing university and returned home at Christmas. However, he does not start at his new university until October.

He wanted his medical records that were sent to his first uni, to be returned to our GP’s surgery. To do that he has to fill in a new registration form and provide proof of address, even though he had been with the practice since he was born.

Eventually we were told to leave it until he resumes his studies and arrange transfer to the new uni, “in case the documents get lostâ€. So now, with his records at the other end of the country, he seems to be regarded as an itinerant student and has to arrive 15 minutes before any appointment to fill in a temporary form each time.

Not as extreme as your experience, but frustrating just the same.

 

[Jenny_Dabber]

I'm sorry to hear that you were put through the ringer, you shouldn't have been.

Onsight of both your MOD ID's, the matter should have atleast been settled, however, with a lot of commonwealth and such, joining the mob these days, I can understand why. HOWEVER, you should have been informed prior, esp when you made the booking.

Still goes to show how unprofessional the NHS can be!

 

[ex_rubberdagger]

The NHS is crumbling - despite working for the same trust my wife got a letter today with a date for a forthcoming operation and a second letter with a post-op follow up with a date that was last week? She went in for a pre-op assessment today and came back an hour later because that was cancelled but no letter had gone out. Astonishing incompetence and largely because the admin and clerical support are the first ones chosen for saving measures.

I have to agree with your sentiments reference the NHS crumbling. At the moment its one crisis after another and to quote someone on here which is relevent to my line of work "The ambulance service, hitting the targets but missing the point"!! It's all about nice shiney figures folks and patient care comes quite a long way down the list of priorities!!

The point also raised about people coming into the UK and abusing the system is interesting although i have to say that there are enough UK citizens that blatantly take the piss knowing full well that we have to take people to hospital if they wish to go. E.G Homeless drunks that call 999 3-4 times a day because they want a nice warm bed and as if by magic a nice warm ambulance appears!!

Morale is low and people are certainly voting with their feet at this end i can assure you!!

 

[SILVER_FOX]

Another example of life in Britain today. I agree with wave dodger on the matter of NHS tourists but common sense, rather than jobsworthnes (is that a real word?) should have kicked in when ID cards were presented.

SF

 

[ex_rubberdagger]

Another example of life in Britain today. I agree with wave dodger on the matter of NHS tourists but common sense, rather than jobsworthnes (is that a real word?) should have kicked in when ID cards were presented.

SF

Even if it were the case that those producing MOD I.D cards were from the commonwealth. So what they are serving in H.M forces and should have all the benefits that U.K born serving personnel get!!

 

[Jenny_Dabber]

See, I'm gonna have to pay out £2000 for dental treatment,as I can not get on the NHS, which is appauling, considering I am entitled to free dental treatment, up to a year after giving birth. However, still job hunting aka unemployed and most probably won't be able to afford treatment for another year, which means having to put up with pain :rambo:

 

[scabz]

Shouldn't we be celebrating the fact that our beloved NHS is checking that only UK citizens get treatment?
I wouldn't trust anyone with an ID card, some of them don't seem to be from this planet, let alone the UK...

 

[stan_the_man]

Guys
I don't know about the NHS but down here in the South West its been flower picking season back breaking graft I agree, but guess what they can make good money, however, I didn't see many UK citizens amongst them in the fields. Its beneath them to go out and work and just too easy to survive on benefits.
I have no problems with Europeans coming over to work and pay tax. Its the lazy b*stard Brits that do feck all and get the primary care they have neither paid for or deserve.

 

[Maxi_77]

I would suggest a short letter to the board congratulating them for attempting to ensure only those qualified obtained treatment, but also pointing out that it would seem sensible and provide greater potential savings if they one, carried out those checks earlier in the process, and two reviewed and published what is acceptable evidence so that patients are prepared with the correct evidence, and that tax paying servants of the nation are not insulted.

 

[rod-gearing]

Was the person checking your id 'local' or someone from another country as there is a trend in the NHS now to supplement 'local' staff with foreign workers.

I had my passport checked at Manchester by someone wearing a Burka whilst I was searched before entering departures by a Polish security guard.

The mind boggles.

A service id card used to be almost as good as a passport years ago.

What is this country coming too.

 

[ex_Yeo]

Shouldn't we be celebrating the fact that our beloved NHS is checking that only UK citizens get treatment?
<snip>

I feel even this is bollocks, my wife isn't a British Citizen but does pay tax & NI, since we moved to shitty Northamptonshire she can't register with a GP. UK Govt are quite happy to take her tax money but won't give anything back.

Ian

 

[FlagWagger]

I feel even this is bollocks, my wife isn't a British Citizen but does pay tax & NI, since we moved to shitty Northamptonshire she can't register with a GP. UK Govt are quite happy to take her tax money but won't give anything back.

See from your location that you're living in the cultural hell that is Corby - on my recent return to the UK, I spent most of my time in the Corby area visiting family and found it hadn't improved since I left 20+ years ago. You have my sympathy.

 

[FLAGHOIST]

A service ID Card was used as a passport to a degree. The card often shown would be met with glad to do business with you, but not now, it is like everything else we held dearly, it is useless. I remember a couple of years ago returning from holiday in Greece, and being asked by a (I will be polite) a foreigner from the middle east, for my passport, and to stand still whilst they checked for entry.

The result, well put it this way, it took a little longer to get out of the airport.

Regards, Chris

 

[Nutty]

I'm sorry to hear that you were put through the ringer, you shouldn't have been.

Onsight of both your MOD ID's, the matter should have atleast been settled, however, with a lot of commonwealth and such, joining the mob these days, I can understand why. HOWEVER, you should have been informed prior, esp when you made the booking.

Still goes to show how unprofessional the NHS can be!

JD

Are you really saying that a Member of the UK Armed Forces who comes from, lets say Australia, or his children are not entitled to use the NHS when off duty. That surely cannot be right.

Is that just your opinion or do you now work inside the NHS and have knowledge of Policy?

Nutty

 

[Karma]

I'm a bit bemused they didn't immediately look at the ID cards and let the matter drop especially as I thought the Trust in Peterborough had a link to the military?

I find the whole issue of ID cards quite frustrating, it used to really p!ss me off that Bournemouth airport wouldn't accept a pussers ID card as valid, even with a cab from Culdrose sitting on the apron at the same time.

I've just recently had the issue in a central government department where my service ID card wasn't accepted as valid ID, instead they wanted a utility bill! The head of personnel security was quite receptive to my opinion and very quickly things changed, I also managed to get them to accept my DVA owned clearances, without having to repeat the process (although there are three departments where external clearances aren't accepted, still).

The public sector should be better at this, whilst we clearly can't be allowed to wander in and out of one anothers buildings, the various ID cards should be acceptable to one another as valid.

In the case of the NHS, whilst I'm very much in agreement with the principle of devolving budgetary and operational authority to the lowest possible level, Primary Care Trusts, there are some areas where DoH could, and should, provide some policy; ID management being one of them.