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GP refused my prescription for insulin!

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
B

Babysaurus

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Another rant, so I won't be offended if you log off now and don't read any further 😉

Just went to get the prescription I ordered on Saturday only to be told by the pharmacist that the surgery wouldn't issue it and instead were apparently going to call me (they haven't.) I used the absolute last of my insulin last night filling my pump and it would be due, all things being normal, to run out tomorrow mid morning. Hence, I would have NO insulin.

Thankfully the wonderful pharmacist has 'loaned' me a couple of bottles of Humalog which they had in to keep me going. I have a midwife appointment at the surgery tomorrow so plan to have a word with the practice manager. My mother also suggested I ask the GP to write down precisely the amounts they are prepared to prescribe, and the reasoning behind these decisions. I will then ask for a copy and suggest they keep a copy on the basis that if anything happens to either myself or this baby as a result of this I shall sue.

So f**king angry! As if I don't have enough on my plate!

😡
 
OMG are they allowed to do that??? its like a death sentence!!
 
Would that not account to medical neglect, not prescribing something you need to live and to ensure your baby develops well ? You need to get on this and do make threats - they are putting your life at risk, get your consultant and dsn on the case too. 😡 Let us know how you get on and best of luck 🙂
 
This has disgusted me and the doctor responsible needs reporting to the appropriate bodies. What the h*ll are they playing at? I'm truly sorry that you have been subjected to such ignorance from someone who is no doubt earning in the region of ?100k a year to do an absolutely terrible job that everyone on this forum could do better.

Thank goodness that your pharmacist has more sense. I hope that you receive a profuse apology and that the surgery are suitably reprimanded for their ignorant and dangerous actions.

Grrrrrrrrr!!!!! 😡
 
Babysaurus whilst its all fresh in your mind and before baby comes along - write down the whole story - so that you know exactly what happened and when.

If you can before you go to the Midwife appointment contact both your diabetic team and obstetric team. If they have answer phones call the switchboard number and ask for the person you want to be bleeped. I am sure that they will understand as if the pharmacist hadn't been prepared to give you a loan (which will be covered by your next prescription) you would have ended up at A&E.

Make a note of what they say and make sure that you tell the midwife - and insist on seeing the Dr. Hopefully by then someone at the hospital will have called your surgery and had words.

I hope that you are able to get some satisfaction.
 
Thank you everyone. I am still quite flabbergasted at it all. It is truly bonkers.

I am going to ask to get everything they are saying in writing tomorrow - I have a midwife appointment and then a hospital, diabetic ante-natal, one in the afternoon - asking them, the GP surgery, to explain their reasoning behind their decisions on what I am supposed to require each month. I also hope by doing that they may actually think twice about what they are saying and the reasoning behind it.
The GP clearly does not know about Type 1 diabetes and pregnancy, and as I said before this is not a problem (she's a GP not an endocrinologist after all) but to then make decisions based on very limited knowledge is completely wrong.
I'll keep you posted - thanks again for the virtual support! x
 
Never mind loggin off. I want to come over there and have a word with your GP !!!😡

Excellent advice from everyone. It could be one hell of an embarrasing case for the surgery if the GP doesn't crawl under a stone and hide.

Speechless.

Rob
 
Time to contact PALS & make a formal complaint I think, as if your pharmacist hadn't saved the day your baby could have died as the extreme consequence of this GPs ignorance - sorry if that's blunt but as you obviously know it IS that serious. 😡 Do you have a practice manager / senior partner at your surgery? I would be putting a formal complaint in that way too. I really think you need to go formal on this as this plonker clearly needs retraining & someone else another time might not be so lucky as you have been in having a good pharmacist.

Another angle of attack too - do you have the DUK booklet on pregnancy & diabetes? Costs about ?3 i think but worth it - you can get it onthe DUK website - its simple & clear & i was able to use it to justify myself when i went in asking for the prescription dose of folic acid before ttc & later when they were getting shirty because i was testing / injecting a lot during pregnancy. Sad / infuriating that we have to fight these battles!!!!!! Seething on your behalf!!! 😡 Hope you're ok & not letting this stupid situation stress you out too much!! Xxxx
 
I would want to know what qualifications this so called GP has to with hold insulin from a type 1 diabetic.

Perhaps the GMC should be involved as well?
Letters CC
GP
Consultants
DSN's
Practice manager
PCT
GMC

DUK ring their care line and tell them what has happened.

If no joy the press as well at a later date asking if this is taking cost cutting a bit to far (with holding insulin from an insulin dependant diabetic)
Bottom line though is this so called Dr should not be allowed to practice.
 
Babysaurus, before you do anything let your practice give you an explanation. The reason I say this is that if you fall out with either your GP or the practice they can, and they certainly do, cross you off the patient register and then you will have to attend another surgery. Write everything down and Best of luck. AM x
 
Austin Mini said:
Babysaurus, before you do anything let your practice give you an explanation. The reason I say this is that if you fall out with either your GP or the practice they can, and they certainly do, cross you off the patient register and then you will have to attend another surgery. Write everything down and Best of luck. AM x
Click to expand...

Sounds as if attending another surgery would be in her best interests.
 
This is disgusting! Def get your diabetes consultant on to this! As soon as mine emailed about test strips I've never had a problem. Also a great idea to get things in writing. Keep us posted chick and good luck. X
 
I would just add a word of caution here.

I would get the facts from the GP before compiling a complaint. You need to be sure just who has refused to issue the prescription, ie the Dr or a prescription clerk. In your previous thread you said that you were told that if you needed more insulin you would need to make an appointment and explain why. Its possible that a clerk could read such an instruction on your notes and not produce the script for the Dr to sign.

This would change the nature of the complaint from one of a GP refusing to issue a prescription to a procedural issue within the surgery.

I know from a practical point of view the result to you is the same - but the point at which the refusal occurred would be of prime concern to anyone investigating the complaint.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. I am hoping that meeting the practice manager will start to help with getting to the bottom of this. Margie the pharmacist said it was the GP (it's actually a large practice) who queried it, but I will have to double check precisely who decided what. I am still quite appalled at the orginal GP with their talk of only needing 4 test strips a day etc, so regardless of this recent event feel as if this needs to be raised.

Twitchy I get the impression you had similar issues re having to justify what you needed....? Its horrible isn't it! I felt quite tearful earlier as I felt quite powerless, and as if they were assuming I was asking for far too much or had an illness that was either my own fault or not a big deal. Surely they ought to know that my requests are not absurd considering the circumstances, and also if they don't know due to their lack of knowledge on the subject perhaps they are not the one's to be making the decisions. As someone said in my previous ranting thread, if things went wrong with me or the baby it would be documented as poor self management on my part rather than anything else.

I'll keep you all posted. Thanks again x
 
Babysaurus said:
Twitchy I get the impression you had similar issues re having to justify what you needed....? Its horrible isn't it! I felt quitRe tearful earlier as I felt quite powerless, and as if they were assuming I was asking for far too much or had an illness that was either my own fault or not a big deal. Surely they ought to know that my requests are not absurd considering the circumstances, and also if they don't know due to their lack of knowledge on the subject perhaps they are not the one's to be making the decisions. As someone said in my previous ranting thread, if things went wrong with me or the baby it would be documented as poor self management on my part rather than anything else.

I'll keep you all posted. Thanks again x
Click to expand...

Sadly yes, personal experience! There are quite a few gps in our practice & not all are as up to date as you'd like/expect...I had one try to tell me lots of ketones wouldnt affect the baby! Erm, not what DUK say!! 😱 Thankfully after another blip re test strips they tend to let me get on with things but you're right, it's so horrible having to fight for something they take for granted - like hubby said, ask that doc how much insulin they used on a given day & whether it was 'reasonable'! 🙄 All in all it seriously tempts me to buy one of those T shirts that says 'be nice to diabetics - they have enough pri**s to deal with already!' (i wonder if they do maternity sizes lol?!)

Hang on in there hun...best of luck for tomorrow, will be thinking of you. X
 
I agree that you need to establish the facts before complaining.

I would hope that there will be a more senior partner of the practice who will be unimpressed at this GP potentially putting the practice in a position of malpractice.

We had a situation recently where one GP had been very dismissive and not ordered tests that we felt he should have done. A follow up appt with a more senior GP has recitified it and he ordered them rather hurriedly. There are GPs and there are GPs. Some think they know it all from day one and can't be told anything. The practice may be grateful of being made aware of this so they can keep an eye on them in future.

Rob
 
Awful! I have had problems myself when requesting BM strips.

Hope you get some answers please let us all know.

You have everyone here behind you xxx
 
Morning! I am a bit more calm and logical this morning, which makes things better for going into the surgery and speaking to, I hope, the practice manager. I think I was more prone to getting wound up and tearful yesterday which wouldn't have done me many favours, today I am a lot more calm about it.
Following advice on here, I am going to find out exactly who decided what, and then I am going to ask why. Exactly why, and also why they came to the decisions they came to and why this decision was thought to be in the best interests of both the patient and the practice. I think whittled down to this may expose that a) it is actually just due to cost and b) the doc (if it was a doc, but if definitely was the first time) doesn't have the level of expertise in the area needed to make such decisions. I am then going to ask for all this written down, along with agreements about future amounts I am 'allowed.'
I am hoping that this will get them thinking a bit more, and also being a bit more flexible. I will state that I will NOT need these amounts forever, but currently they are crucial for the wellbeing of both myself and my baby.
Grrrr....
 
Good luck and don't hesitate to get them to speak to your DSN if you think that is necessary.
 
I am then going to ask for all this written down, along with agreements about future amounts I am 'allowed.'
Click to expand...

There are no if's or but's regarding how much you are allowed! You need as much as you need. There is no negotiation in this dept.
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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