A week or so ago I wrote this letter to my NHS Primary Care Trust. Reproduced below is the reply I received on why my notes were not at my surgery and why I had been de-registered from the practice.
Note the reason quoted “Patient works on ships”.
That would mean that if I had chosen to start my career in 2004, by my simple maths, and allowing for 40 years of service. I would have to have registered with the practice 80 times.
Unbelievable.
UPDATE:
I received this.
Dear Mr Filthy Engineer
Thank you for your e mail regarding the removal of your name from your doctor’s list.
As you will appreciate, our Agency has no option but to comply with the NHS Regulations in the case of patients who are not resident in the UK.
However, you may wish to contact the NHS West Kent Primary Care Trust’s Customer Service department on 0800 0 850 850 if you wish to discuss your concerns with a member of the helpline staff. If you prefer you can e mail them at customerservices@wkpct.nhs.uk
Kind regards
Sylvia May
My reply.
Dear Sylvia,
I thank you for your reply. On that basis I should be able to reclaim my NIC's from 2004 onwards if I was deemed to be non resident in the UK by yourselves.
Regards
The Filthy Engineer
Perfectly believable. Probably an EU reg or something dreamed up by a spotty faced junior at the DoH. They all love bloody silly regulations like this 'cos it keeps them in a job. Logic doesn't come into it unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteSee http://dioclese.blogspot.com/2011/10/youre-patient-bugger-off.html if you haven't already.
But why do they think you work on ships now?
ReplyDeleteIn anycase, what kind of reason is "works on ships?" The Isle of Wight ferry is a ship; I don't think any voyages last 3 months.
I suppose there might be some staff quarters on there, maybe staff do a straight fortnight and have a week off, how do I know, but I'm pretty sure the Solent counts as our territorial waters even if someone has become the ship's cat and lives there permanently.
The NHS seems unable to cope with the idea that people may move about for their work.
Have you claimed a (Tax AND NI) refund yet, for the time(s) they involuntarily de-registered you?
ReplyDeleteWhat do they do about servicemen and women who serve abroad?
ReplyDeleteAnon.
ReplyDeleteThe same according to the regulations of 2004
Servicemen and Woman are, I think, registered with their own Medical Officer?
ReplyDelete