Primary care for elderly patients

[skylark, BSN, RN]

I'm asking for help from anyone in District or Practice Nursing, to find out the current guidelines or targets for care for the elderly population.

Long story short, my 91 year old mum has not seen a GP since she moved house 6 years ago. I took her to the local surgery to register, and without even seeing her, they just started mailing her repeat prescriptions to her.

She cannot get an appointment, firstly because she cannot understand the robot that answers the phone and direct calls, and secondly because I cannot call it from overseas as it only takes calls based on local number recognition that matches the number to a known patient.

 

I'm sure there are NHS requirements for primary care, like an annual visit, regular A1Cs, etc, but they are failing at every step.

I will be making a complaint, but I would like links to the relevant policies that I can quote at them!

 

TIA

[XB9S, BSN, MSN, EdD, RN, APN]

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-health-check/

 

This is the only thing I could find Skylark 

[skylark, BSN, RN]

That's interesting as it seems to be for under 75s only. I will need to dig a little more to find out the plan for the over 75s! But thank you, I can search for links from there. It's difficult to find NHS info from overseas, as Google keeps giving me the local guidelines instead!

 

[Ck9, BSN, RN]

Skylark, sorry to hear about your mom. I don't know much about the UK's standard of care. My mom has a dear friend she visits yearly in Creswell, both in their early 80's. It takes time to get into the office (the GP's rotate locations, so you have to wait until there is someone at the location for an appointment)  however there is usually a visiting nurse (this process begins with the GP placing a referral to have a nurse visit a patient at home) My mom is also a retired Critical care nurse, so there have been times where she will hear her friend c/o sob, burning on urination or blood and she gets after one of the sons or grandchild to contact the GP.   With this in mind, just get your mom in for appointment with a GP and take it from there. Perhaps siblings or friend living there can assist.  Another place you may want to try is the hospital, there must be a clerk or someone who can assist with numbers.

Interestingly I just received The Royal Marsden book  : rmmonline.co.uk  or rmmonline.org or [email protected]

Best Wishes,

Ck

 

[skylark, BSN, RN]

Ck9 said:

Skylark, sorry to hear about your mom. I don't know much about the UK's standard of care. My mom has a dear friend she visits yearly in Creswell, both in their early 80's. It takes time to get into the office (the GP's rotate locations, so you have to wait until there is someone at the location for an appointment)  however there is usually a visiting nurse (this process begins with the GP placing a referral to have a nurse visit a patient at home) My mom is also a retired Critical care nurse, so there have been times where she will hear her friend c/o sob, burning on urination or blood and she gets after one of the sons or grandchild to contact the GP.   With this in mind, just get your mom in for appointment with a GP and take it from there. Perhaps siblings or friend living there can assist.  Another place you may want to try is the hospital, there must be a clerk or someone who can assist with numbers.

Interestingly I just received The Royal Marsden book  : rmmonline.co.uk  or rmmonline.org or [email protected]

Best Wishes,

Ck

 

I'm looking for actual NHS policy framework documents regarding standards of care. They can't just ignore a patient over 90 because they don't understand how the phone robot works. And I can't call for her as I am overseas and the freaking robot won't connect my call.

I'm sure there are still standards for elderly care, and chronic disease management, I just can't find them from overseas!

The "visiting" nurse sounds like a District Nurse  but they need a referral and a reason to visit. Referrals can only be made from a discharging hospital or from the GP. 

I was a DN myself for years, but the policies and frameworks have changed since the last time I worked in that role, almost 20 years ago, and I have no way of accessing them now.

[DavidFR, BSN, MSN, RN]

Skylark, I sincerely hope you've found a solution by now. However, if not, have you thought of signalling her to the local social services department as a solitary, at risk eldery person?

I too am gone yonks form the UK and don't know how these things work. I know things have deteriorated incredibly since our day, but I'd like to think social services can't ignore a vulnerable old lady?