Difficulty Accessing Reasonable Adjustments at My GP

Trying another GP practice is a course of action I am open to if necessary. At present, my focus is on advocating for my rights within my current practice.

Mostly what the doctors says or wants dosen't seem to get through to the reception staff.

Maybe you could try another GP practice?

Yes I think you are likely right in that their avoidance is so they can't be held accountable. I wish you luck in resolving this issue.

I agree. What is considered effective communication by them may not be effective communication for me; it is inherently subjective. This is why I asked them to clarify their idea of effective communication.

I also wonder whether their reluctance to have this open conversation is related to avoiding accountability. Without a clear commitment to avoiding vague language, there is no basis to hold them accountable if their communication remains unclear, whereas making a commitment could make them responsible for following through.

Similarly, what is considered reasonable may not align with my perspective. I believe any approach should be consistent with the Equality Act. “Reasonable” does not mean perfect; it means practical and fair, balancing the needs of the disabled person with the organisation’s capabilities. Making an adjustment should not create additional barriers.

I believe that an impartial third party is needed to help resolve these matters effectively. I also believe they could do a much better job of explaining their idea of “reasonable” and collaborating with me.

Thank you for sharing your views.

I think it is poor that you were met with impatience and abruptness. If you were discussing reasonable adjustments that should have been an open conversation.

Receptionists being aware of your communication needs also seems reasonable to me. 

I guess what is effective communication could be ambiguous. What is effective to them may not be at all effective to you.

I absolutely understand your need for timeframes. I am very similar in this. But I can see from a GP practice perspective that they may not always be able to commit to the same timeframe. They would be making themselves liable if they made a timeframe and then couldn't see it through. 

The problem with reasonable adjustments is that what people see as reasonable varies. Your perspective of reasonable is clearly different to theirs. However, it sounds like they could be doing a much better job of liaising with you, explaining this to you and working out what could work for both sides.

I'm not sure of the best avenue for this but it sounds like you need an impartial 3rd party to help you to sort this out.

If a clinician I am engaging with is not fully up to date, I would appreciate honesty regarding that. Deflecting or being dismissive is not acceptable.

While I understand that I can seek care elsewhere if I am dissatisfied with the service at the practice, I believe the surgery has a responsibility to take reasonable steps to ensure patient satisfaction and appropriate care.

I have not yet spoken with the nurse but remain open to doing so. I do find it unfortunate that formal authority (e.g., an autism specialist) appears necessary to support the implementation of reasonable adjustments, even though I am capable of advocating for myself.

I appreciate your suggestion.

ah apologies for misunderstanding about who you spoke to. is there another dr at the practice who might be more helpful? 

I had a conversation with my GP last week about diagnosis and he happened to mention that neurodiversity wasn't really covered at medical school decades ago. i'm guessing there are Drs who are less up to date than others. 

The more I read on here about other GPs the more grateful I am that I finally found one that is helpful. I met a lot of less helpful along the way, I thought I'd just been unlucky but maybe thats the norm. 

The other thing my drs has is a named learning disabilities co-ordinator. im not sure how widely spread this is, but theres a nurse who is able to review care plans. Maybe worth asking if theres a nurse at your practice?

This is an issue with the whole practice. I am not happy with the way the practice manager and GP have responded to my requests and concerns. This is why I decided to meet with the doctor face-to-face. I wanted to see whether the written communication was coming solely from the practice manager, but I learned that the doctor shares the same attitude.

I also find that the receptionists do not have the authority to implement reasonable adjustments. They forward my emails to the practice management and doctor to handle. I get the impression the practice manager has power over the GP's.

What differences have you observed between the position of the GPs and that of the administrative staff?

Thanks for suggesting the PPG. Yes, it would be worth trying to get involved with the PPG. 

I discussed my adjustments with the practice manager and my doctor. 

Thanks for your message. I agree that asking for clear communication and clarification should not be questioned. It reflects poorly on the GP practice, and I believe they are aware of this. I think this is why they avoid replying to certain questions in my emails, but avoidance only creates confusion.

I have quoted equality legislation and met with my doctor face-to-face to discuss reasonable adjustments, but I was met with stress, abruptness, impatience, deflection, and dismissal. It was jarring considering I have experienced this individual being professional in previous interactions.

In my medical record, it is noted that “I feel” the onus should be on them to suggest reasonable adjustments. According to my understanding, the Equality Act requires them to proactively anticipate my needs.

With regards to the receptionist, every time I hear this person's voice, I hang up. I do not wish to deal with them at all. I do not have the same issue with the other receptionists. To answer your question, having patience, slowing their speech, and being cooperative would be helpful.

When I asked the practice what “effective communication” means to them, they refused to share.

When I asked for timeframes for how long it would take to reply to my emails, they declined to set any, stating that they decide what is urgent and a priority and that it depends on staffing.

I believe they avoid promising reasonable adjustments to protect themselves from complaints. What do you think?

Is this an issue with the GP's themselves or the reception staff and practice manager? I often find there's quite a difference between what the position of the GP's is and that of the admin staff. 

All GP surgeries are legally required to have a PPG (patient participation group). it might be worth trying to find about more about your practice's PPG.

I got the impression (perhaps wrongly) that you were discussing your requirements with receptionists/administrators. I think its better to discuss with a dr or nurse who will have better understanding. 

Wanting clear communication and clarification shouldn't be questioned in my opinion. It's very easy to do and make their surgery more accessible. This sounds poor on the end of the GP practice. I'd be tempted to send them an email quoting some equality legislation and pointing out that they are legally obliged to make adjustments for someone with autism.

The phone call is more difficult. The receptionist may have thought they were being helpful. I completely understand that they were not. If you'd continued to struggle, what could the receptionist have done that would be helpful? The phone is a barrier for me in many circumstances. I really wish there were more alternatives (that don't take 5-10 working days to get a response) to needing to sort things by phone.

As for the interim measures, I really think it depends on what this means. There is absolutely a gap in support and it would make a great deal of difference to many individuals if there was support at a lower level. But I don't think GP surgeries have the funding to implement this. But you may be referring to something completely different than what I am thinking of.