A patient aged 12 has become the youngest patient to use the Choose and Book appointment system, after her practice required her to use the system to book a hospital appointment.
Shani Sakin was sent a letter by her GP practice near Bristol asking her to contact the Choose and Book team to select an appointment time to see a hospital specialist.
The 12- year-old from North Somerset was sent the letter because practice staff felt she was an appropriate age to take control of her own healthcare needs.
In a statement, the Wrington Vale medical practice, said: “We’ve taken the view in this practice that anybody aged 12 and above may well have issues that they want to discuss with members of the clinical team that they do not wish to share with their family parents or guardians.”
However, Sakin told the BBC that the letter bemused her and she felt too young to cope with the responsibility.
“I found the letter confusing. I don’t think I have the right kind of responsibility to be able to deal with it because I’m quite young," she said.
She added: “I’m not sure I’m ready to make those kinds of decisions. I don’t know what I’m getting into.”
Her grandfather agreed and told the BBC: "Quite frankly I think it’s ridiculous. I can’t conceive that a 12-year old is capable of sorting out the whys and wherefores of that appointment system."
The Department of Health says the age of patients taking responsibility for their care is at the practice’s discretion.
A spokesperson told E-Health Insider Primary Care: "It is the responsibility of the referring clinician to assess the child’s maturity to understand all the issues involved and their ability to make a decision on their own behalf.”
The practice agreed saying: "I can see that a parent or guardian might say it’s silly to send a letter to a 12-year-old, but if we have a policy which says we want to, at all costs, avoid breaking the confidentiality that a 12-year-old may well have entrusted to us, we have to have a blanket policy."