"An absolute disgrace. Refused legitimate NHS..."

I have been a patient at Selborne Road Medical Centre for many years and have always been very satisfied with the service.

My usual GP who was also a senior partner left the practice last year and we now have a three partner practice.

This was not of major concern to me because I have previously seen other doctors working at the practice with no problems at all.

Today I attended to collect my repeat prescription which my usual GP had started to prescribe two years ago.

I was surprised and a little upset to when the receptionist told me that I was not entitled to NHS treatment for my condition because prescribing was limited to specific cases and that as I did not have any of the qualifying conditions that I could not have a prescription on the NHS.

I explained to the receptionist that when I was stared on the medication two years ago by the former GP partner who told me that those limitations on prescribing had now been lifted and the treatment was available to all on the NHS.

The receptionist was very kind and patient and agreed to go in and ask the GP to reconsider.

After seeing the GP the receptionist told me that I was not entitled to NHS treatment and that my previous GP had been "bending the rules" and should not have been prescribing the treatment.

I was shocked at this because I had always thought this particular GP was a competent and caring doctor.

The receptionist gave me a copy of NHS choices about treatment for my condition.

Highlighted by the doctore was a section saying branded treatments are not available on the NHS unless you have a qualifying condition (this was followed by a list of qualifying conditions.

Admitting that I did not have any of the conditions I took a private prescription and paid at the chemist for the medication.

However, on getting home I read in full the guidelines on the sheet that the doctor gave to me.

It clearly states on the guidelines that Generic (i.e unbranded) forms of medication are available to ALL NHS patients by GPs and specialists.

Moreover, it also clearly states that the rules prohibiting treatment on the NHS was lifted in 2014!

Despite being asked twice by the receptionis to review the decision the doctor still insisted that they were right when in fact they were wrong.

Moreover, the rules changed in 2014 i.e three full years ago - how are we to believe that are doctors are up to date in their medical practice.

It is interesting also that we now have a three female partner practice and my condition is related to Men's Health.

I will let you draw your own conclusions from that observation.