A pensioner – who is in remission from bowel cancer – was turned away from a GP after being told they were “already dead”.
Alan Rocket was trying to re-register at his previous doctor’s surgery when staff refused to hand over his medical records.
Reception staff at the Shenley Green practice in Birmingham informed the 69-year-old that he was “deceased” – which left the retiree “completely stressed”.
Rocket had to go home and collect his passport as a proof of identity.
“It was really upsetting. Five years ago this month, I was diagnosed with bowel cancer,” he told The Sun.
“I’m in remission now but I’m still not 100 per cent clear.
“So to be told I was dead completely stressed me out.
“I told my daughters and they were upset too.
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“I wasn’t getting anywhere so I got my ID and came back and said, ‘Here you go, I’m alive’.”
He added that employees had “smirked” while they shared the news of his earlier death.
Rocket said that he was not able to register at the practice for another 24 hours – despite bringing his ID documents.
A spokesman for the surgery said that there was a “technical issue” with the patient records.
The GP surgery also apologised for any inconvenience caused.
Another cancer patient was also unable to access his medical records or reorder his medication after he was registered as dead.
John Ashcroft – who is in remission from prostate cancer – received a call from his GP telling him he was deceased in late July.
