On Antibiotics Yet Again! And a BP check!

[MikeyBikey]

About 5:00 yesterday afternoon my phone pinged and I saw I had a message from my GP practice. I assumed it was maybe a follow up on a 7-day BP momnitoring exercise I completed the day before. But no it was to say that an infection (but not which one - so must ask at the Foot Clinic {awaiting on transport} ) had been identified on the swab taken at Podiatry last week and a prescription sent to the local pharmacy.

The BP check had been asked for following a medication review. You record them via your phone via a poorly thought out and clunky piece of software. Each time (morning and evening) despite it being your personal link and phone it asks some basic security questions. It also only allows you to record a reading for the time slot you are in so it was only for 5.5 days as I assumed I could fill it in retrospectively. I have previously done both BP and BG and BP on a spreadsheet but the practice software strips all attachments.

Afterwards I decided to check which antibiotic had been prescribed via the Patient App and then had to do four Captchas - why when you need a password and 6-digit code sent to your phone.

I worked in IT for over 30 years and am surprised how poor much many websites are. DWP, NHS, major banks, etc. Personally I think to many requirements and design is done on the hoof, and professional standards and common sense are basically lacking!

 

[helli]

I agree with you on the design of software.
Coincidentally, I just received a message from my surgery. It was sent to the NHS app which I had to open with a password and then navigate to the messages section.
When I got there, I discovered it was to repeat the message that I also received via SMS to remind me I have a blood test tomorrow morning. Which I already knew.

My local healthcare team seem paranoid about people missing appointments. Every hospital appointment is accompanied by at least two SMS, two emails and a link to a website. If you do not go to the website, you also receive it via snail mail.
I understand the cost of missed appointments but the cost of all of these messages (yes, I know they are automated but SMS is not free) will add up, especially with the number of appointments I am currently having (at least one per week).

Judging by the design of the paper form I completed for the DEXA scan this week, the lack of design of websites is just a continuation of their "traditional" behaviour.

Sorry for hijacking your thread with a personal rant. Hope the Foot Clinic (and transport) goes well and everyone is happy with your BP exercise.

 

[Docb]

Also hope that the antibiotic works for you @MikeyBikey.

Absolutely agree with you about the NHS communication systems. The number different communications you get, each requiring a different way of responding, is something that would not be tolerated in any other major business dealing with the general public.

It would seem that the neurology department at the local hospital now has its own system, designed by somebody working on a big screen Apple computer and then presented to somebody on a phone. You eventually work out that you can see the letter cancelling your appointment that would have been sent to you in the olden days. Absolutely ridiculous.

 

[MikeyBikey]

Also hope that the antibiotic works for you @MikeyBikey.

Absolutely agree with you about the NHS communication systems. The number different communications you get, each requiring a different way of responding, is something that would not be tolerated in any other major business dealing with the general public.

It would seem that the neurology department at the local hospital now has its own system, designed by somebody working on a big screen Apple computer and then presented to somebody on a phone. You eventually work out that you can see the letter cancelling your appointment that would have been sent to you in the olden days. Absolutely ridiculous.

So do I!

I am hoping to get it tomorrow but have to work out the logistics of it.

For a recent appointment I got a letter. Some days letter a text saying there was a letter for me in the NHS App which turned out to be a copy of the appointment letter. Then a week before the appointment a text to which I had to reply either ATTEND, CANCEL or REBOOK. Then a few days before the appointment a reminder text. If it wasn't important I would be tempted to miss it and say I forgot!

 

[EMcKT]

Agree, I am fed up going through all the NHS app stuff to find out that it is yet another appointment reminder. I had four for yesterday's appointment which ended up being cancelled due to staff sickness. We phoned and cancelled my flu jab due on Saturday as I had such a dreadful cold........from Prague. And don't get me started on the Dear Mrs T........how was your experience at the surgery????????