AIBU to have handled it the way I did?

[LivingOnTheDancefloor]

Maybe IABU, I am interested to see what you think...

Last week I called my GP practice to ask for an appointment for DD as I suspected she had tonsillitis. The gave me a same day appointment, 6pm, great.

Around 5pm, I could see that DS was a bit under the weather, very cuddly, didn't play. But nothing too bad.
By 5:50, when we were getting ready to leave for DD's appointment, DS was looking like hell, white, crying, etc. very unlike him.

I took both DCs to the GP and said "I only have one appt but I think both children need to be seen, is there a way to do this? I can see that something is wrong with DS, just look at him"
The receptionist wasn't happy about it. She just said I should have called before coming, the appointment is for one child only, etc (but didn't comment on DS's state, didn't really look at him)
All I could say was that DS became like this when I was leaving for the appt so what would have been the point? I would have called at 5:50 instead of asking in person at 6.

She wasn't happy, mumbled something, and went away, said she will see what the doctor says. I really felt I was an inconvenience to her (personally) when I was just trying to do what I am supposed to as a mum.

So we waited. About half an hour after our appointment time, and considering we were the only ones left in the waiting room I went to the reception desk to ask for an update.
Turned out the receptionist left and the only other staff person wasn't fully aware, he could just tell me that I was next.

Luckily the doctor saw both children, and I am glad he did because he told me to get antibiotics for both, but said DS needed the medicine straightaway (even calling a pharmacy and asking them to stay open 5 more min for us) and said that if he didn't get better in the next hour or so we might need to go to the hospital.

Was I wrong to take both children? What could I have done differently?

Both children are younger than 3, if it makes a difference.

[coronalover]

YANBU, I would probably have done the same thing. The receptionist was at the end of her day and most likely not her sparkling, usual self

[Gottagetmoving]

You absolutely did the right thing.
It wasn't a case of you trying to get a minor matter with another child squeezed in one appointment.
There has to be flexibility for situations like yours. The Receptionist was doing her job to explain about the appointment rules but she is not a doctor so cannot make a decision whether your child can be seen,
I can't see what else you could have done.

[KathArtic]

Each patient is given a 10 minute (?) appointment so in theory you would be delaying other patients by needing longer with the GP. This is regardless of what was wrong with your DS. It is unfair for those who have followed the procedure and then been delayed.

I suppose it is no different from seeing the GP for one thing and then producing a list of ailments. You should say you need to see the GP for a couple of issues and get a longer appointment.

In this case I don't think anyone would complain waiting for a poorly child and you would probably have needed to take him to OOH or similar anyway.

[butterfly990]

Totally agree with your actions.

In Dublin you pay €50 to see the doctor and I know of people who in this scenario would have been charged €100. On top of these charges you also would pay the full cost of the medicines prescribed.

[LivingOnTheDancefloor]

Thanks.
Honestly, I wouldn't bring two DCs to only one appointment on purpose. And if I had to pay for appointments I would have thought fair to pay for two.

[Bluntness100]

I think in this case it escalated fast and was pretty much an emergency, so you did the right thing, in normal circumstances they try to not allow people to do this, for the sensible reason if enough did they wouldn't get through all their parents in the day. They do see a lot of people in a given day and do need to be highly efficient with managing their time and they rely on the receptionists doing that for them. The issue is a small number of receptionists lack some people,skills or just get fed up with it, and so are unable to deal empathetically with patients. The docs themselves are polite enough to the patients but I'm sure a fair few then go and kick the receptionists arse.

[harderandharder2breathe]

Generally no you shouldn't take both children to one appointment

But you had no way of predicting how quickly DS would become ill and obviously you did the right thing judging from doctors reaction.

[CherryChasingDotMuncher]

I'd have done the same. It wouldn't take 10 minutes to diagnose tonsillitis. To make a separate appointment when your son was right there and ill seems a bit daft and jobsworthy

[Stormwhale]

Yanbu. The whole system is fucked up if a doctor can't see a very poorly child without it being an organisational disaster.

[Maz2444466]

Tbh when it comes to DC's health, I don't care if I'm 'technically' wrong because I didn't go through the system, if anything was to happen to them and they were seriously sick because I was too worried about following protocol I would never ever forgive myself. Little kids can deteriorate really quickly. Tbh the receptionist should have been more accommodating, I'm glad they were both seen. x

[youarenotkiddingme]

i think you did the right thing. You came concerned in the immediate for you Ds and rather than take DD to GP, go to pharmacy, go home and ring OOh and wait for call back asked for the medical advice their available to glance an eye over the child.

I've done it before. Ds had allergies when he was younger. He have hives that appeared and spread rapidly. GP surgery is 200m away. He wasn't needing ambulance at that time or even a and e. But I didn't know how to prevent such an emergency so I bundled him in car and went to surgery. The dr said that was most sensible and we waited in reception for half an hour whilst she saw patients (having quickly seen him and I'd given antihistamine at home) and then she checked him again and sent us home.