"Calls should be handled holistically"

Over the Christmas period up until now, I unfortunately haven’t kept well, including having sepsis and being investigated for vasculitis. I have many long term health conditions.

I have required to phone NHS 24 on multiple occasions. I’ve felt ‘judged’ by staff on the telephone, often they are referring to how many times I’ve called the service, I do not feel staff should comment on this as they do not have access to a patients full history and as far as I’m aware, their is no limit to the calls allowed by a patient. This is not holistic care. I discussed this with professionals involved in my care and they have reassured me that I’m not accessing services inappropriately.

On 2 occasions, I’ve contacted NHS 24, I’ve been advised to go to the pharmacy, if my record was looked at properly, they would see I’m on long term steroids, and that pharmacy first can’t prescribe me anything due to this. As I’ve been told by the pharmacy. 

Furthermore, I spoke with a dental nurse recently, I had a sore in my mouth, I advised them I was on long term steroids and recently recovering from sepsis, I was met with them saying I phoned NHS 24 x amount of times over a period, why did they feel the need to bring this up when it’s not dental related. I also explained I’m immunocompromised and recently recovering from sepsis their answer to this was asking if I had sepsis the other day when you were seen by NHS 24, I was told their was no services overnight. I was strongly advised not to attend A&E. I was seen by my practice the next day who are escalating the outcome of this. 

I feel when a call is made to NHS 24 it should be dealt with holistically and reference shouldn’t be made to how many times a persons called the service when they are not in full possession of the facts.