Even after all this time you can still send me a fax

[venta]

Aww. When large institutions try to engage with the modern world, it's quite cute.

This morning I rang the doctors' surgery. "Hello," I said, "I want to order a repeat prescription, which I think you now prefer me to do over email. How do I register for this service?"

The receptionist who'd answered ummed and erred for a bit. Then she ahhed. Then she asked me to wait a moment. Then she came back on the line and ummed a bit more, and asked me to hold again.

Eventually she came back on the line and asked: "Do you have a fax number?"

I said no, I didn't. She erred some more. Eventually, she took my phone number so she could call me back to explain the prodecure to me.

She just phoned back. I was braced for a fairly intricate registration process. It turns out that what I have to do is send them an email them stating which prescription I require.

She's now given me the "email number" and I'm all good to go.

Comments

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

My surgery has an online booking system, but you have to physically go into the surgery and get them to set you up on the system - you can't just register. Apparently this is so they can ensure that only genuine patients register, but why they can't just check your NHS number and DOB against their records I have no idea.

[snow-leopard.livejournal.com]

I am quite surprised with that.
I would expect them to register an email address on your account so they could verify that requests are coming from you rather than anyone emailing them and saying "Hi I'm Venta please can I have my X, Y and Z"!

[marjory.livejournal.com]

At our surgery one must now either go to the place in person or use their bespoke on-line system. I have a username and password which they gave to me when I rang. Luckily for me, the receptionist knew what I was talking about and called me back so I wouldn't have to stagger in, the callback letting them check numbers that I was who I said I was. Not that anything I'm prescribed could remotely be anything anyone would want to take recreationally, but then it is a strange world and I am innocent in its ways. I suppose with your antihistamines at least, there might be a meth lab somewhere, but that's a slim possibility.

Our new system is all a bit unfair on the old folk, methinks, unless all of them are committed silver surfers and/or have someone who will drive them/go for them if they are unable to make the trip. It's fine for me as I don't much like talking on the phone and have a House Mitch.

[lnr]

Ours just has a form on the web:

http://www.shelfordmedicalpractice.nhs.uk/default.asp?id=38

Which also feels somewhat retro - since there's no form of login there either.