East Lancashire health and lifestyle survey from the NHS.

[MargaretR]

I received a questionnaire a few weeks ago and binned it.

They are not accepting my non-compliance and have sent another, which adds "you may receive a phone call from your GP practice to check that you have received the questionnaire and whether you require any assistance completing it".

Since I have not contacted my doc for four years, he is not likely to care whether I complete it or not. Some practices provide annual health checks to us elderly persons. My doc just pockets the annual fee for having me on his list. (I don't mind that - I know that if I got shrapnel wounds he would be useful - he is army trained.)

A website for completion online is provided also.

There are 12 pages of 49 questions. Some are intrusive -
"How well are you managing financially?
What is your religion?
How would you describe your sexual orientation?
What is the highest level of qualification that you have?
How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with life as a whole?
How many natural teeth have you got?
Do you ever feel lonely?
On an average weekday how do you spend most of your time?"

There are the usual questions relating to diet, exercise, alcohol, smoking and 7 questions about your neighbourhood.(eg. do you feel safe?)

No doubt this personal info will be entered in a database and be statistically analysed.

The expense the NHS is going to to get very personal info is a little eyebrow raising.

I am sure that the money would be better spent on frontline services.

PS There wasn't an option to respond "None of your business!"

[Margaret Pilkington]

A few months ago we got notification about something similar....it must have been around the Easter Bank holidays....the letter informed me that the people carrying out the survey would send an interviewer to ask questions....and gave the interviewers name.
I rang the number given on the letter declining to participate....I also e-mailed them, again to decline the'invitation' to participate......not that it mattered one jot.(there was no-one there...it being a Bank Holiday weeknd)
They still sent some chap round with a clipboard to interview us. I told him that I had contacted the company and declined to paticipate.
This man then started to berate me about 'people like me' wanting to take advantage of the NHS, but not wishing to answer questions about my experiences.
I told him that there was nothing in the letter that said it was compulsory, and I was exercising my right to refuse. He then said 'well what about your husband'........I told him that we had discussed the situation and did not want to take part.
I also told him that I had contacted his company to ensure they didn't send someone on a wild goose chase......he said he hadn't been told.

The NHS needs to concentrate on doing what they are supposed to do...treat the sick.
I just wondered how much this survey was costing, and how many cancer drugs it would have bought, or how many Doctors/Nurses salaries it would have paid.

[garinda]

I threw mine straight in the recycling sack a few weeks ago.

Just last night a (very nice) woman called to ask why I hadn't filled it in.

When I explained that I struggle holding a pen, she offered to fill it in for me.

She then asked what age bracket I fell into.

When I told her she said I was too young for the survey, apologised, packed up, and left.

Complete waste of time, and money.

[MargaretR]

Originally Posted by garinda

I threw mine straight in the recycling sack a few weeks ago.

Just last night a (very nice) woman called to ask why I hadn't filled it in.

When I explained that I struggle holding a pen, she offered to fill it in for me.

She then asked what age bracket I fell into.

When I told her she said I was too young for the survey, apologised, packed up, and left.

Complete waste of time, and money.

As a conspiracy theorist, I find that alarming.

The survey will reveal which of us elderly 'useless eaters' are likely to cooperate in a programme of voluntary euthanasia

The world population needs reduction by all means possible, and this would be one way (cheaper than having wars and epidemics)

[garinda]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

As a conspiracy theorist, I find that alarming.

The survey will reveal which of us elderly 'useless eaters' are likely to cooperate in a programme of voluntary euthanasia

The world population needs reduction by all means possible, and this would be one way (cheaper than having wars and epidemics)

It was odd.

I might join the theorists after all.

The new form the woman brought had my address printed on it, though not my name.

Perhaps because I have a condition more normally seen in the elderly, perhaps I'm down on a secret list of pensioners, due to be knocked off soon.

[accyman]

Originally Posted by garinda

When I told her she said I was too young for the survey, apologised, packed up, and left.

so how old did she think you looked then lol

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by garinda

I threw mine straight in the recycling sack a few weeks ago.

Just last night a (very nice) woman called to ask why I hadn't filled it in.

When I explained that I struggle holding a pen, she offered to fill it in for me.

She then asked what age bracket I fell into.

When I told her she said I was too young for the survey, apologised, packed up, and left.

Complete waste of time, and money.

Now I'm a bit peed of, I haven't even been given the chance to throw one in my white sack this is down right favouritism Rindi

[lettie]

I haven't had the chance to bin one yet, and by the sound of it, I may be considered too young.
I do tend to write perverse or sarcastic things on surveys but I have to admit that some of them are useful in order for the Govt to plan future services and the funding of such services.
Sure Start services came from such surveys (amongst other evidence). We all know that children from poorer families are disadvantaged with health, education etc but until the powers that be have evidence, they won't fund a service to try and rectify the situation.
Having said that, many health workers also said that throwing money at the problem and opening Sure Start Services wouldn't work........ How right we were..

[MargaretR]

I considered replying with rubbish answers (as I did with the census) but then realised that it might prompt a visit from men in white coats, whereas I am only knowledgeable about dealing with Men in Black.

[Restless]

I have had 4 of those but until recently I hadn't visited the docs new surgery @ the acorn center so I never bothered filling it in.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by lettie

I do tend to write perverse or sarcastic things on surveys but I have to admit that some of them are useful in order for the Govt to plan future services and the funding of such services.

I accept that there needs to be some information gathering, but surely this is better done by people who actually want to volunteer the information.
If you make it clear that you don't want to participate, then that should be enough, it should not be the practice for someone to come and intimidate you into answering the questions.

I would have complained about our interviewers attitude, but having sent the form back with the information that we didn't want to participate, made this impossible.
I did try to remember the e-mail details, I had deleted the sent e-mail from my files, figuring that I would not need it again........Lesson learned.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Now I'm a bit peed of, I haven't even been given the chance to throw one in my white sack this is down right favouritism Rindi

There's a very well worn path up to my front door.

The party beavers, hand-delivering my latest collector's edition of Britcliffe Monthly.

Those worried for my soul, because I haven't heard the 'good news' some Jesus geezer wants to be my friend.

Skin care companies, keen to sign up the most boyish pensioner in Britain.

Deputy Leaders of councils, hoping for my silence, by 'filling me in'...with all the available information about something or other.

Now the NHS, wanting to know what I thought about the art work, and soft furnishing in their waiting rooms.

I think I'll get one of those electronic gates.

[Margaret Pilkington]

A spud gun might be more of a deterrent.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by accyman

so how old did she think you looked then lol

Who knows.

Though when I answered the door she did ask if my mummy or daddy were in.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I accept that there needs to be some information gathering, but surely this is better done by people who actually want to volunteer the information.
If you make it clear that you don't want to participate, then that should be enough, it should not be the practice for someone to come and intimidate you into answering the questions.

I would have complained about our interviewers attitude, but having sent the form back with the information that we didn't want to participate, made this impossible.
I did try to remember the e-mail details, I had deleted the sent e-mail from my files, figuring that I would not need it again........Lesson learned.

The think that annoys me more than anything is, although I haven't received one, yet I can't honestly believe the necessity. The last time I was in Hospital (2009) the sister had to complete a questionnaire on admittance which took around 15 minutes, plus at around the same time the ambulance drivers started to fill in forms, in triplicate, for patients being transported using oxygen, that was both journey's, but on my last trip it seems that's been stopped, what patients want is less red tape not more, but of course that would mean fewer pen pushers and we can't have that can we