Victim of ChoiceTM

Dr Rant hasn't been altogether enthusiastic about the Government's NHS computerised fuckwittery in the past, and 'Choose and Book' has rapidly become the bane of a GP's life in it's hitherto brief existence. On a good day, with a following wind and a slice of luck off the tee, Choose and Book adds only about 5 minutes to the process of referring a patient to a specialist. It doesn't actually offer any more 'choice' than the patient had before really (the 5% of people who don't want to 'go local' know where they want to go anyway), and in fact it actually reduces real 'choice' by preventing the GP referring a patient to a specific, named consultant (a universal freedom enjoyed before New Labour made the world a better place by inventing Choice^TM).

Until recently, I hadn't actually considered what it was like to be one of the patients who had been wrung through the electronic mangle that is Choose and Book. I had always assumed that they had left with the piece of paper showing a telephone phone number and their super secret password, and a been able to book their appointment over the phone before their cup of tea had gone luke warm.

One of Dr Rant's patients has kindly given him an insight into the Choose and Book experience by copying him in on a letter of complaint that he penned (after the diazepam prescription to calm him down). It is safe to say that a few chuckles were raised during the weekly practice meeting, and we have a new entry at number one on our 'favorite patients top 40 chart'.

Here are a few 'choice' excerpts:

After several phone calls I successfully arranged an appointment at Hospital X

A week later I received an undated letter telling me that this appointment had been cancelled "due to unforeseen circumstances" and that "a new appointment will be sent to me". The explanation is pure government bureaucrat-speak which tells the poor patient nothing - and which is, one assumes, the intention.

I then received a letter offering me an appointment at Hospital Y. No mention was made of Hospital X, my preferred 'choice'. When I phoned for an explanation I was told that Hospital X does not offer the service I need.

Why give me an appointment at Hospital X if they don't provide the service? And if a mistake has been made why not offer me a straightforward explanation?

I then received another appointment, this time for Hospital X which, as you'll see above, does not offer the service. Which of these two appointments would you prefer me to attend?

I have a lifetime's experience of dealing with mindless bureaucracies and this one takes the biscuit. My complaint is not about your very courteous staff, but about your system which, I invite you to agree, is horribly defective. How do seriously ill or confused patients cope with it?

To cap it all, several weeks after this started, I have now received another letter, signed by you, berating me for not having booked my appointment yet!

At present I have only copied this letter to my GP. Before advising a wider audience of the major shortcomings in the way the 'Choose & Book' system operates I would welcome your comments.

If only all are patients had 'anger management issues' like the Dr Rant Team, life would be even more fun!