Bureacracy

Following on from beingjdc's post earlier, here are my recent experiences with bureacracy.

While trying to register with a local doctor yesterday, I had to show them my lease to prove that I lived in the right area, my passport to prove that I live in this country, my NHS card (fair enough) and then fill in a medical questionnaire (again fair enough - it takes months for your records to catch up with you). But having spend ten minutes or so completing this questionnaire I had to make an appointment with a health care assistant to register with the practice (isn't one available until 15th Sept) and they won't register me *until* that appointment. So the point of me sitting there filling in their questionnaire then and there was?

Oh and talking about that questionnaire - not only did it ask 'How long do you intend to remain in the UK' - well, err I *live* here you know, it asked 'First language', followed by 'Any English?' - how anyone who speaks no/limited English is supposed to even get that far on the form.....

And all of that's before we reach the family planning questions on the back - 'Which method of contraception do you use?' - Well I don't use any, but that's because I've never had sex - as I felt the need to write on the form. Saying you use no contraception *without* giving an explanation just looks bloody irresponsible.

Then when I got home, there was a letter from a firm of baliffs wanting to remove property belonging to a previous tenant for failing to pay her Council Tax, so I phoned them, explaining that said person doesn't live here anymore, that I do, and that the Council already know I live there - and so I have to send them a copy of my lease and of a utility bill.

Bureacracy

Following on from beingjdc's post earlier, here are my recent experiences with bureacracy.

While trying to register with a local doctor yesterday, I had to show them my lease to prove that I lived in the right area, my passport to prove that I live in this country, my NHS card (fair enough) and then fill in a medical questionnaire (again fair enough - it takes months for your records to catch up with you). But having spend ten minutes or so completing this questionnaire I had to make an appointment with a health care assistant to register with the practice (isn't one available until 15th Sept) and they won't register me *until* that appointment. So the point of me sitting there filling in their questionnaire then and there was?

Oh and talking about that questionnaire - not only did it ask 'How long do you intend to remain in the UK' - well, err I *live* here you know, it asked 'First language', followed by 'Any English?' - how anyone who speaks no/limited English is supposed to even get that far on the form.....

And all of that's before we reach the family planning questions on the back - 'Which method of contraception do you use?' - Well I don't use any, but that's because I've never had sex - as I felt the need to write on the form. Saying you use no contraception *without* giving an explanation just looks bloody irresponsible.

Then when I got home, there was a letter from a firm of baliffs wanting to remove property belonging to a previous tenant for failing to pay her Council Tax, so I phoned them, explaining that said person doesn't live here anymore, that I do, and that the Council already know I live there - and so I have to send them a copy of my lease and of a utility bill.