Man claims he is being denied NHS services
Stuart Harnwell, who claims he is being denied health services. Photo: Stuart Harnwell - Credit: Stuart Harnwell
A Norwich man claims he is being denied access to a proper health service .
Stuart Harnwell, 38, suffers with a variety of physical and mental health conditions which mean he needs regular contact with a doctor.
In 2016, when he was still living in Basildon, Essex, he had a disagreement with his GP, leading to him being placed on a special allocation scheme (SAS).
A SAS is designed so patients who have been removed from a practice patient list due to violence can still see a doctor at specific locations and times.
Mr Harnwell denies he was violent, and said his doctor was told she needed to attend a course on how to deal with mental ill health after the clash.
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But three years later Mr Harnwell is still on the SAS which he says means he cannot access healthcare properly.
He said: "I'm banned from any doctors and if I want any medication I have to ring up and wait for it. If I want to see a doctor I have to ring up and they're supposed to send me somewhere."
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But Mr Harnwell said this rarely ran smoothly and he has now not had liver or kidney tests, which he is supposed to have every six months, since being on the scheme.
After he moved to Norwich in December 2018 he met with someone from the scheme. He said: "He explained to me the longest you're meant to be on this allocation scheme was one year and one day. You can't appeal against this, you're on it. I've had nothing but horrendous treatment full stop."
Andy Brogan, executive chief operating officer at Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust which runs the SAS in Norwich, Great Yarmouth, and King's Lynn, said: "All patients remain on the scheme for a minimum of a year. During this time we work with them to address their needs and behaviour with a view to them returning to mainstream care when appropriate."
He said he was unable to comment on individual cases but the behaviour of all patients was reviewed every quarter to try and get them back into mainstream care.
But Mr Harnwell said: "I never assaulted a doctor, it was a clash of culture. How many other people are there who just give up with it?"
