‘GP surgery couldn’t deal with my autism - so they kicked me out’

A furious mum feels discriminated against after being removed from a GP practice list because “they could not deal with” aspects of her autism. Melody Wakelin, from Ashford, says due to the condition and having ADHD she struggles with phone consultations and asked for face-to-face appointments instead. But bosses at Sydenham House Medical Centre say her demands were “unmanageable” while an NHS spokesperson said: “Staff should not have to face abuse when working.

” Mrs Wakelin, who denies ever being abusive or rude, told KentOnline: “They never made any adjustments for my disabilities. “Due to my autism and ADHD, I struggled to understand the doctors over the phone so I asked if I could have face-to-face appointments where possible. I really struggle with accents and often need to see people's body language to be able to communicate.



“The only other thing I asked for was some assistance with the e-consultations. I really struggled doing them and my husband often had to do it for me. “Now because they didn't want to accommodate my reasonable requests they have decided to remove me from the surgery.

” The former personal trainer has been battling a chronic illness since 2017 when she started experiencing symptoms such as severe brain fog and muscle spasms. Speaking to KentOnline last year , Mrs Wakelin said she used to be an active, hands-on parent to her two children but has been reduced to “trying to be a mother from the sofa”. In August, the Singleton resident had surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in London to remove a cyst which had been growing on her heart for the past 13 years.

Two months later, Mrs Wakelin had surgery on her skull at the Adam Brooks Hospital in Cambridge. Now the 43-year-old has been left without free healthcare and is having to pay for private appointments until she can find a new GP. Mrs Wakelin, who was born in Ashford but spent much of her time growing up in Canada, describes her removal from Sydenham House as “completely unfair”.

“It’s crazy to me that this kind of discrimination still exists,” she said. “They couldn't deal with certain aspects of my autism and it's just easier for them to kick me out.” Mrs Wakelin also claims the GP accused her of “being too loud” in a dispute that has been going on for “years”.

In 2020, her psychiatrist wrote a letter to Sydenham House explaining the struggles she faces with autism and ADHD. It said: “She presents with a number of communication difficulties commonly found on the autistic spectrum. “She also tends to find it difficult to change the volume [.

..] to appropriately adapt to the environment and therefore may come across as loud, overbearing and demanding, even though none of these impressions may be intended.

“I do a lot of occupational health work as well and for employers of workers on the autistic spectrum. My advice always is to be extra careful in avoiding such misunderstandings, to escape possible accusations of discrimination on grounds of disability.” However, bosses at Sydenham House, in Mill Court, Ashford, say a “breakdown in relationship and trust” forced them to make the decision.

A letter sent to Mrs Wakelin on September 17 said: “You requested to only have face-to-face appointments with the same GP as you cannot understand other people's accents over the telephone due to your autism. “You stated that you were unable to submit any e-consultations as you found this difficult due to your autism/ADHD. Following our meeting we can see you have submitted two e-consultations successfully and further referrals have been actioned for you.

“We are finding your expectations unmanageable and we feel we have an irretrievable breakdown of our relationship and trust. We do not have the resources to manage your demands and feel that this is beginning to have a detrimental impact on our staff both clinically and administratively.” In September last year, Mrs Wakelin was diagnosed with atlantoaxial instability (AAI) and occult tethered cord syndrome (OTCS), which is likely to be a genetic issue from birth.

AAI is where the atlas bone, which sits between the base of your skull and first cervical vertebrae, is unstable and can dislocate. With OTCS, the base of the spinal cord tethers itself to the other parts of the spinal column, crushing and disturbing nerves, causing problems with neurological function in the legs and with both bowel and urinary function. Mrs Wakelin was also born with a lifelong condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a genetic connective tissue disorder, which can see joints become lax and bones dislocate.

Following the two surgeries this year, Mrs Wakelin says her symptom are gradually improving. “I'm able to move around my house more and spend more quality time with my children,” she said. “But I’m still unable to do a lot of things physically like the laundry, changing the bed sheets or picking the kids up from school.

“I am still in recovery after my skull surgery so this is the worst time to be left without a GP.” Sydenham House was approached for a comment but the request was forwarded on to NHS Kent and Medway. A spokesperson said: “NHS staff should not have to face abuse when working.

“Abuse of any kind is not acceptable and the NHS will take appropriate action against those behaving in this way. “Our people feel pride in what they do and they should be free to work in safety.” Asked by KentOnline, Mrs Wakelin firmly denied ever being abusive or rude.

.