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AIBU?

to think that my son should have access to his pre-school boosters?

28 replies

oneofthosedays · 09/02/2011 13:42

I'm a bit annoyed that I can't get DS (3.5y) in for his pre-school boosters. We registered with a new GP surgery before xmas (due to move) and tried to arrange an appt with then then but they said they didn't arrange the appts it was done from a central point and was given a phone number to chase up. When I finally got thru to someone (after being passed round several depts) they said they still had all old address and GP details so changed all that with them and they said an appt would come out automatically in the post.

Well it arrived yesterday but is for a morning clinic and I work every morning (and DH is full time), both used all annual leave to cover school holidays and it would have been after the deadline for submitting annual leave request at work anyway (have to give 2 weeks notice) and all holiday slots are full so it would be declined anyhow.

So I rang the GP surgery as it says on the letter if you are not able to make the appt, only to be told that there is only an immunisatin clinic 1 morning a week at this surgery and imms could not be booked in at any other time. She said I could cancel it and wait for another appt slip but it would be for this same morning clinic again. I explained that I work in the mornings but can do any afternoon and is it not possible to arrange something for an afternoon. The reply was a curt 'no'. I asked her if there was anything else I can do or will DS not be able to have the booster, she said he wouldn't be able to unless I come to this one clinic.

How frustrating?! I then asked for the contact no for PALS which she said she didn't have. And that was that, I'm a bit upset and really not sure what to do now? Can they seriously not vaccinate DS because I can't bend over backwards for them?

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HecateQueenOfWitches · 09/02/2011 13:43

parental leave? unpaid time off?

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oneofthosedays · 09/02/2011 13:45

Unfortunately finances quite tight so unable to take any unpaid leave and had to use my last emergency leave day the other week when DD wasn't well.

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MadameCastafiore · 09/02/2011 13:46

They are not asking you to bend over backwards - they have a clinic for this kind of thing and as a parent it is your duty to make sure you take your son if you want him to be immunised - you are allowed to take time off of work as far as I know for things like this.

You are denying him access not the GP IMO.

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curlymama · 09/02/2011 13:48

She should have been able to give you the PALS info, that was unreasonable, but tbh their need to run their surgery efficiently is greater than your need to work.

It does seem unreasonable that they can't give you a regular nurses appointment for the jabs, but if they can't they can't. It's your job to fit in with them, not the other way round. That's because health always has to be top priority, so the way they see it is that you should work round them.

This is what parental leave is for.

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BecauseItoldYouSo · 09/02/2011 13:49

Do a google search for the PALS number for your local PCT. I have used them on many an occasion for problems at GP offices. They will be able to sort something out for you.

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falsemessageoflethargy · 09/02/2011 13:51

Have you used up all of your emergency leave already? Blimey, its only Feb.

Can you not just take a sick day or something?

I think their attitude is fair enough (if a bit irritating - at ours the nurse can do any vax) to be honest if you want to go on a saturday or an afternoon then you'll have to go private or get someone else to take him or find another gps with a more flexible attitude.

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flootshoot · 09/02/2011 13:52

I do understand your frustration, my midwife only does Tuesdays and as I only work Mondays and Tuesdays, every appt has meant me losing a quarter of a weeks work. So yes, it's annoying - but it's tough luck I'm afraid, GPs are busy places.

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fedupofnamechanging · 09/02/2011 13:52

I think they are being a bit arsey tbh. It's not that big a deal for the GP to do the booster in a regular appointment time. My GP would, if it was genuinely hard for me to attend the clinic.

Can you change to a more accommodating surgery?

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flootshoot · 09/02/2011 13:54

falsemessageoflethargy I'm guessing OP's leave year runs from April to April - mine does.

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falsemessageoflethargy · 09/02/2011 13:55

Ah I see - mine is Dec-Jan. Even so I always leave 5 days free in case of this sort of thing which meant I lost them this year as cant carry them over but I'd rather lose them than not have any in reserve iyswim.

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oneofthosedays · 09/02/2011 13:58

My emergency leave day was the last day of annual leave I had left, the rest, as I mentioned, has had to be used to cover school holidays.

I don't believe I am preventing my son's access to his imms, if I can't afford to take an unpaid day, I just can't - we are stretched to the limit as it is financially.

I can't take a sick day as unfortunately I had a bad virus over xmas and was of sick for several days, if I have another sickness period I will get a written warning (work are really strict on sickness absence).

I get that they want to keep all the imms to 1 morning clinic and can't be really flexible to meet the needs of every tom, dick and harry but surely they've come across people who work and may not be able to afford to take the time off?

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IWantAnotherBaby · 09/02/2011 14:01

Actually it may be a big deal for the boosters to be given at any other time; the nurse giving them needs to have a doctor on site in case of eg allergic reactions, and not all staff are trained in immunisation. If they have told you that you can't book in at other times, this is likely to be why. Especially in a small surgery, GPs do not usually give imms at all, and there may be only one nurse that does.

I think you have to take time off; it is your responsibility after all.

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BecauseItoldYouSo · 09/02/2011 14:01

Both Doctors and Nurses in a surgery can do the shots. They are being inflexible. I understand having surgeries for them but not everyone can work to their schedule. Have you tried speaking to the practice manager?

If you don't want to do that, call PALS, like I said they will sort something out for you.

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curlymama · 09/02/2011 14:10

I think it would be unreasonable for you to complain to PALS tbh. With some of the horror stories you hear about what can go on in hospitals, this is hardly a big deal is it?

It's your responsibility to make sure your child is immunised, not the surgery's, not PALS, yours. You knew that he would need immunisations at some point, you should have saved some time, not just assumed that the GP would be able to do it at your convienience. What will you do if your child gets ill again and can't go to nursery? Or was not seriously ill but needed an appointment at the dr's but they could only give you a morning slot? This is the same thing.

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VerintheWhite · 09/02/2011 14:14

Could it be you spoke to the wrong receptionist? Maybe others are more reasonable? Worth a try!

Maybe they could fit you in first at 8.30 or 9, so you only miss a small amount of time? Or you could wait until April and factor it into your leave.

I also think they are being very unreasonable, our surgery also have set times but as its important they do make exceptions and fit people into other appointment times.

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BecauseItoldYouSo · 09/02/2011 14:15

PALS - Is the Patient Advice and Liason Service. They are there to Advise on anything to do with the NHS and it's services. This is the function of their job, they will be happy to help you.

It is your responsibility to make sure your child is immunised but surgery's need to be flexible and your's is being completely inflexible. Your tax dollars pay for the NHS.

It is NOT the same thing as a child becoming seriously ill.

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oneofthosedays · 09/02/2011 14:18

I've now been given the number for the PCT and have managed to speak to the lady who generates these appts (I think) and she said she will ring the surgery and ask if they can just book DS with a practice nurse for an afternoon appt, she seemed a bit surprised when I said the surgery were initially unable to do this.

If I get no joy from that then I'll look into contacting PALS. I really don't mind where his jabs are done or who does them, even if it's a nurse at another clinic or whatever. I really don't mind if the surgery can't get DS in as long as someone, somewhere, is willing to pick this up from them and get DS his jabs.

PP is right, it is my responsibility to ensure DS gets his jabs but surely this shouldn't be at the expense of being unable to meet bill payments due to unpaid time off? I don't think being available from 12.30pm daily is being inflexible, though it obviously is for my surgery.

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TheButterflyCollector · 09/02/2011 14:21

I don't see the necessity for insisting that you must attend that particuar clinic or not at all. If I were you and I wanted my child innoculated I'd just book an appointment with the GP and then tell him/her what I wanted when I got there and hope that they were sympathetic to my request. After all, they are capable of innoculating a child, surely?

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GeekCool · 09/02/2011 14:22

What about the Health Visitor? I'm in Scotland so it may be different, but our HV's can give the jag (ds had his last week) and certainly will arrange it outside of a specific clinic.

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ThreIsNoSpoon · 09/02/2011 14:22

Also arent there something like three doses in a vial and they ave to use them all at the same time or it is wasted, hence the clinics?

hope you get it sorted OP.

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Mumwithadragontattoo · 09/02/2011 14:25

I'm glad it's being sorted. I personally agree with you that the surgery should be more flexible.

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iskra · 09/02/2011 14:38

What if OP was a teacher or a doctor, or some other profession that has inflexible working - would posters respond differently to her then?

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falsemessageoflethargy · 09/02/2011 15:21

I imagine if the OP was a teacher then they would take their dc to get vaxed in the school holidays. There's quite a wide date range for the preschool ones after all.

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Sidge · 09/02/2011 15:38

It's actually quite difficult doing child imms out of the normal imms clinic and in a normal practice nurse clinic.

The imms are rarely (if ever!) given by the GPs - our policy is for 2 nurses to do child and baby imms so that the vaccines can be safely checked, and the schedule confirmed (it is quite complex and it's safer for 2 nurses to double check what's due).

For pre-schoolers we find it easier for 2 nurses to give the jabs simultaneously.

In my normal PN clinic I work alone and some afternoons there is no other nurse in the surgery. We do book children in for imms into a normal clinic but TBH only as a last resort and only when we know there are 2 nurses available.

It does sound like your surgery is making things quite difficult, but I think going to PALS is somewhat of an over-reaction; your first port of call should be the practice manager.

I think you'd be better off asking to speak to the senior practice nurse and explaining your situation to her and asking if there's any chance the jabs can be done at another time. It may be that you could go in first thing at the start of clinic and maybe be a little later for work? Would work let you go in half an hour late and make it up at the end of the morning?

Hope you get it sorted.

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Lizcat · 09/02/2011 16:13

I had a similar problem with my surgery, the only imms clinic Tuesday morning as a self employed person this is my busiest morning I can lose £1500 by not working then.
In the end I spoke directly with one of the practice nurses who I know personally who wasn't even aware the receptionists had this policy. She checked that I was happy to hold DD myself and then agreed for her to be booked in to a Friday afternoon clinic.

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