Can the NHS force me to take treatments.
Can the NHS force me to take treatments.
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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Thursday 6th June 2019
quotequote all
I have a very rare skin disease and have tried treatments but unfortunately the do little to improve with massive side effects, ended up loosing a job over it (they are chemo drugs just lower dosage)

Basically the hospital won't let me stop seeing them and my gp refers back to them so i'm in this loop where i can't withdrawal without being tied to the hospital, which seems unfair as it is my life.

I don't want to keep cancelling appointments, ive written to them to refer back to GP but they just ignore it.

Rewe

1,016 posts

121 months

Thursday 6th June 2019
quotequote all
Of course you can.

Or are you asking if you can still be treated by the NHS but using a different regime?

un1corn

2,143 posts

166 months

Thursday 6th June 2019
quotequote all
The only time doctors can force treatment on you is if they deem (legally), under the mental capacity act, that you, effectively, don't have the capacity to understand or appreciate the consequences of withdrawing treatment.

So in short, because you're not talking to dragons coming out of the moon, yes, they cannot force you to be treated.

Psycho Warren

3,087 posts

142 months

Thursday 6th June 2019
quotequote all
what the unicorn says is correct.

However refusing the type of treatment they offer means you might end up with no treatment at all as they can be picky as what they offer you depending on what the NHS has authorised as well as postcode lottery, specialists preference etc.

Your best bet might be to seek a professional second opinion for an alternative treatment - assuming there is one available on the NHS. They might listen then.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Thursday 6th June 2019
quotequote all
maybe force is the wrong word, it just seems i can't op out i.e they keep making appointments and won't allow me to not book one.

pavarotti1980

6,343 posts

113 months

Friday 7th June 2019
quotequote all
Thesprucegoose said:
maybe force is the wrong word, it just seems i can't op out i.e they keep making appointments and won't allow me to not book one.
Just DNA twice and your care will stop with the consultant quite quickly after that. You will then require re-referral from your GP if you require further specialist treatment.

What is it that you actually want to happen?

Stop taking medication altogether or be switched onto different therapy? There is a NICE treatment pathway for conditions such as psoriasis so its likely that the consultant is sticking to that. However there are now a lot more therapies available which may be available depending on your condition and its severity

Pica-Pica

16,594 posts

113 months

Friday 7th June 2019
quotequote all
If you are getting side effects, there is a general ‘Yellow Card’ app, whereby you can report these side effects.

https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/

As others have said, you can refuse treatment.

Also, on what grounds did you lose your job? If you feel you have a disability, and they have not made reasonable adjustments, they may be in contravention of the Equality Act.

Tango13

10,084 posts

205 months

Friday 7th June 2019
quotequote all
Psycho Warren said:
what the unicorn says is correct.
No help to the op but this did make me smile hehe


GreatGranny

9,519 posts

255 months

Friday 7th June 2019
quotequote all
Have you been seeing the same specialist all the time?

You have the right to choose where you have the treatment so maybe another consultant in another area/city/hospital may offer more suitable treatment.
The NHS don't really like you doing this because your own CCG gets billed by the CCG treating you and it complicate things and costs more but they can't refuse.


IanA2

2,897 posts

191 months

Friday 7th June 2019
quotequote all
Thesprucegoose said:
I have a very rare skin disease and have tried treatments but unfortunately the do little to improve with massive side effects, ended up loosing a job over it (they are chemo drugs just lower dosage)

Basically the hospital won't let me stop seeing them and my gp refers back to them so i'm in this loop where i can't withdrawal without being tied to the hospital, which seems unfair as it is my life.

I don't want to keep cancelling appointments, ive written to them to refer back to GP but they just ignore it.
I'm guessing it's something like methotrexate which is not a nice drug, especially if it's not working. That said, it's not one that one would stop without medical supervision. Were I in your position I'd get my GP to refer me to somewhere like Guys. They have a big dept. Good luck.

Pica-Pica

16,594 posts

113 months

Friday 7th June 2019
quotequote all
GreatGranny said:
Have you been seeing the same specialist all the time?

You have the right to choose where you have the treatment so maybe another consultant in another area/city/hospital may offer more suitable treatment.
The NHS don't really like you doing this because your own CCG gets billed by the CCG treating you and it complicate things and costs more but they can't refuse.
You are not treated by a Clinical Commissioning Group, the CCGs are the ones who hold the purse strings. They buy services from service providers, e.g. hospitals.

A GP (within a CCG) may offer treatment via the NHS or a private hospital. The GP’s CCG will pay from their NHS budget.



https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/who-commi...