How ridiculous.

Meheehee said:

It’s great for people who use it but so many people don’t use smartphones

I think what is driving this is that the number of "holdouts" from using smartphones is dropping so fast that they are becoming statistically insignificant, so in Spoks words "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few".

To illustrate this, here is the graph of smartphone use by age group - note how fast the elderly are adopting their use: (from www.uswitch.com/.../ )

I agree that there needs to be an option left for these people to use old tech but I do suspect they will increasingly be ignored if we do not help them to learn how to use the tech.

I've taught lots of people to use smart phones from those in the retirement complex where my mother lives and many are in their 80s and 90s. Most are quite capable of learning and find a lot of use for it (including Grindr would you believe!) and find the new options this opens up to them to be amazing.

There will always be stubborn hold outs or those with mental issues but I think these people are also likely to have issues with the existing system for various reasons.

It will all come down to whether it is cost effective for the service provider (GP / bank etc) to maintain and staff a legacy system just for the handful of people who will not change.

In an ideal world both systems would be supplied but these companies are all driven by cost now so it is inevitable they will follow what is cost effective.

Perhaps we should work more on enabling people to use the tech instead and use some of the abundant older but stil usable tech we often discard when we upgrade.

It's unclear if the GP would now refuse to issue my repeat prescription without a review. What they are very particular about is the need for me to have my annual thyroid-related blood test.

For as long as I've been taking anti-depressants, the annual medication review has mostly consisted of me saying the same thing, which is that if something happens in my life that causes me to feel more stressed than usual, I feel like the Sertraline I'm prescribed might as well be a placebo. However, without it, I flipping well know about it because I then feel so much worse (constantly angry and tearful, etc). When life is less stressful, it's like the anti-depressants help to keep me on an even keel.

As I've stated, I understand the need for medication reviews, although I do find them rather tedious.

I completely agree. My mum and I have had this conversation a lot.

It’s great for people who use it but so many people don’t use smartphones or even have a computer. It’s the digital age and basically they are making it impossible or very nearly impossible to survive without all this tech. When it comes to appointments if anything digital has to be done I do it for my gran because she hasn’t got anything that can use it.

Same with banking as well, so much of it is digital now and all the branches in town are closing. Where I live there are two branches still open, the others are gone and the buildings are disused.

It’s not fair for a lot of people, they need to take a step back and look at this because if my gran didn’t have me and my family she wouldn’t be able to manage half of it by herself. They don’t cater enough for people who can’t or don’t use the tech.

Strange indeed.

Does this mean moving forward the doctors won't issue you with a repeat prescription until you have your medication review?

Sporadic Sparkly said:

Of late I have been feeling as though everything and anything (no matter how simple) is an effort, and requires far more energy than I have at my disposal.

This may be a good time to seek advice from your GP.  They may want to increase your dose or switch you onto a different medication. 

Will they allow you to have a telephone consultation? 

I realise how tough these things are, but I also realise how certain medications can really transform lives.

I wish you well Sporadic Sparkly and nice to see you back here.

(⁠•⁠‿⁠•⁠)

I really dislike the way the NHS is going, and the fact that it now seems to forcing people to be more reliant on the likes of smart phones and apps. Although there are still ways and means of doing things without smart phones, I think the NHS is now deliberately trying to make it as difficult for possible for patients who refuse to embrace technology, or struggle to use it.

That’s so ridiculous, I think Cinnabar_wing is right I reckon they try to deter people from making appointments.

When I was under mental health services they sent me this website with resources on it for helping with mental health and when I clicked that link, bearing in mind it was the same day the link was sent, when I clicked it the page opened and said this page is unavailable. Lol. When I messaged them and said the woman apologised and said she’d send a different one. The next one did work.

My GP surgery phased emails out completely more less, now it’s letters, texting and they have their own whatsapp chat which was setup earlier this year. It basically updates you on scripts and appointments, and you can check to see if things like bloods are back which is helpful. Suits me way better than having to call up and ask. The only thing you still have to do is phone up to arrange an appointment to see a GP or nurse.

Why am I not surprised? Lol.

That does sound rather stupid of them, especially if they didn't state anywhere the time dependancy.

This year, the school contacted us to say the inhaler kept there for my daughter was past it's expirary date. So I did the email request for a new one from the doctors, and on the presciption when we picked it up from the pharmacy, there was a tiny typed note on it that she was 2 years past her asthma review. They hadn't bothered to actually contact us directly to tell us! 

I think they go through the motions and hope people don't actually make appointments!