Nhs Sharing

[hazydaisy]

Recently admitted to hospital and discharged with letter to my local surgery
Letter addressed to a doctor whom I have never seen and left the practice last December
Really gives me confidence for my treatment

[bhg481]

In our area letters are usually addressed to the practice head.

[Mamyalynne]

Records not being updated is quite common sadly Daisy, they always ask me when I go to Hospital if there have been any changes.

Hope you're OK.x

[tonyav]

I'd ask at the practice about this, Daisy.

[webbo3]

The hospital will use SCR to check your records unless otherwise told and letters are normally sent to the surgery on record where it will be checked by one of the doctors.

[Mamyalynne]

The practice will get it, that's not a problem.

[rowanwitch]

Practice have not updated the spine, you would be registered with a random doctor for admin purposes even if you never see them. Often it's the senior partner but more likely the one with the shortest list. When a GP leaves for whatever reason their patients are reallocated and that change should be made to the nhs network. In reality a busy practice probably couldn't spare one of the receptionists to spend a few days doing this so it gets left. No harm to the patient as individual records are held by the practice as a whole and updated as things change.

[fiction-factory]

I've not been impressed by the inefficiency of the NHS on the few occasions we've needed it (results being lost, equipment returned to hospital being chased up as not returned, dentist double booking, same out of stock medicine constantly being prescribed, etc). But in this case I'm sure someone at the practice will open the letter- it won't be forwarded to the old doctor.

[bednobs]

In all honesty it was probably addressed with a sticker that was on a sheet in your notes. As the letter will get there anyway it is better not to reprint the stickers every time a gp leaves

[hazydaisy]

What notes?
Hospital not in my home town
Was never asked for the name of my doctor
Inefficiency or guesswork?

[ducksie]

I'm guessing the NHS have a nationwide computer system that they can access your notes whatever town or city you are in once they have your main details like DOB and National Insurance number so they just go with that and by attending that hospital you now have notes and a medical record there.

[woofgang]

Unless things have moved on VERY rapidly over the last few years ands have been kept VERY quiet, all a hospital who has no previous NHS (not GP) note on you can find out from the national register is which surgery you are registered to and maybe which GP assuming its been kept up to date by the surgery.

[jno]

tell them about the change next time you go to hospital.

[hazydaisy]

What change?
Which hospital?

[ducksie]

Woofgang explains it well, it's not guesswork or inefficiency.

[237SJ]

I don't think it matters which doctor your letter is addressed to - it's academic and makes no difference