Should I complain about this receptionist?

[staywoke]

I completed an antenatal referral form at my doctor surgery 6 weeks ago. Reach 11 weeks and no correspondence at all. I rang the doctors reception as I was sure I'd need a 12wk scan soon etc and the receptionist told me the midwives won't make contact until far beyond 12wks. I know this isn't true, I've already got 2dc. So I politely disagreed with her and said that wasn't right and could I please have a number to call their office directly. She began arguing with me saying that she knows for a fact they won't make contact yet and I couldn't have a number. I started getting a bit annoyed and said I wasn't interested in discussing it with her I'd just like a phone number. We argued on the phone for over 5 minutes before I said I would come to the surgery to get the number from someone in charge and she reluctantly gave it to me. Midwives were shocked at her behaviour and poor advice when I rang AND she hadn't even sent them my referral form.

Wibu to write a formal complaint about the receptionist in question? Am I being over the top? I know some people aren't even aware they are pregnant by 12 weeks but it still seems very dangerous and unprofessional to be aggressively advising patients on matters you know nothing about. I just feel as if pregnancys could be at risk.

[ZZZZ1111]

Yes I would complain, and she needs to know so can change her practice. As you know, you need to have the scan by a certain time point (by 14 weeks?) so that the nuchal test can be done.

[CookieLady]

Complain! That's disgusting. Jobs worth.

[FooFighter99]

What is it with GP Receptionists who think they're God? How dare she give you wrong and potentially harmful advice. She shouldn't be giving advice full stop as she is not medically trained!

File a complaint and tell her to get off her high horse

[DJBaggySmalls]

Please do; she may be a misguided pro lifer.

[PassTheWineAndFags]

Definitely complain to practice manager and request they respond so you know they have it. I complained once and discovered the receptionist in question destroyed my letter!

[Cornettoninja]

Email the practice manager, should be easy enough to find online.

Either she's badly misinformed/ignorant and needs training or as another poster pointed out there's the possibility she's got her own agenda.

I'm in nhs admin (so no axe to grind really), and while you get some fabulous support staff the fact is the pay is pants and there's a lot of people who shouldn't be any where near the public or processes that people rely on.

[Stuffedshirt]

Yes definitely complain. I had an incident recently with a HCA. I spoke to the practice manager on the phone and then had a face to face meeting with her. She was very thorough and fully investigated my complaint.

I told her that my main reason for complaining was to prevent another patient being treated the same way. She agreed it was out of order.

I think we should all complain more. It's only if we complain that it becomes known that services are poor and lessons can be learned.

All practices have a complaints procedure, which starts with the practice manager. You can take if further if you're not satisfied with their actions.

[LadyDawn]

Absolutely, definitely complain. What if this had been your first dc and you did not know any better :-/ . Well done for being persistent!

[OlennasWimple]

Yes! Find out the practice complaints process (shoudl be on their website) and follow it carefully

[Allchangeathestressmotel]

Happened to me too,was forgotten and as such didn't get my scan until 14+3. Complain.

[TarragonChicken]

Thought this might be about a GP receptionist! Yes, I would make a complaint. I think YABU though to assume it was this receptionist's fault that your referral was not received.

[LouKout]

Sounds like she was just wrong and needs more training.

I'd complain so that she can be trained better. I dont agree with the common obsession with saying that receptionists think they are gods though.

In reality they follow rules and don't have that much power.

[CoraPirbright]

Definitely definitely complain. Thank goodness you knew what you were talking about - just think if a first time mother who isn't really aware of procedures comes up against her!! She was rude, arrogant, aggressive, inept and ill-informed. Just one of those would be just about bearable but all of them combined in someone who handles the public regarding health matters is an utter disgrace. She should be reprimanded and made to go for retraining (at the very least imo, in my heart of hearts I think she should be fired!)

[ButtonBoo]

Definitely complain. I reckon she noticed that she hadn't sent your referral off in the first instance and was trying to buy a bit more time so she could quickly get it in the post

[Scarydinosaurs]

Such dreadful advice. Yes complain.

[Monr0e]

Yes definitely raise this with the practice. Apart from anything else she is woefully uninformed. Not booking until after 12 weeks will impact on the screening tests available to women as well as carrying out an accurate dating scan

[staywoke]

Thank you for the responses. Okay, i will try find a complaints procedure for the surgery tomorrow. I hate to get her in trouble but she was awfully rude and I am worried about how many other women she may say it to, especially first timers as mentioned above!

TarragonChicken
I can't be sure of course. I only say it was her because there are 2 receptionists and she's the one I gave the completed referral form to. She also forgot to give my gp a health questionnaire I needed for university which resulted in me missing the deadline.

[AllDayIThinkAboutFood]

YANBU. Definitely complain.

I had almost the same problem. Receptionist refused to make me an appointment with a midwife until I'd had my pregnancy confirmed by them (takes 2 weeks for them to do a test and get results apparently) and then I had to wait 3 weeks to have an 'early bird appointment' with a health visitor where all I got told was don't smoke, don't drink, don't eat this stuff (complete waste of time). By that time I was 9 weeks. Then the only midwife appointment available was 4 weeks away. I told her repeatedly I would be 13 weeks or so by that point and I wanted all the screening tests done and it would be too late by then but she didn't give a shit. Baby measured at exactly 14 weeks by the time I had a scan (I rang EPU and sorted it myself), so scraped under the cut off by 1 day. It was insane all the running around and actual begging I had to do to get my booking appointment.

With my first DC it was so easy. Rang my GP surgery and had an appointment with a midwife a week later and she also sorted out all of my scans and tests whereas this time I've had to arrange my own 20 weeks scan and GTT. Completely ridiculous.

[stealmyhappiness]

i had twins and didnt have my first scan until 16 weeks despite knowing i was pregnant from 2 weeks. i thought it was supposed to be around 13 weeks but not set in stone?

[Cheby]

Yes definitely complain. Booking should be around 8 weeks with scan between something like 11-14 weeks to confirm dates and possibility for trisomy screening with the combined test. There is a short window for the combined test (which should be offered to all women) so delay in booking can mean this window is missed.