GP displaying family photos, children's pictures dedicated to 'daddy' or 'mummy'

I think anything like this in the workplace is a bit cringey

I think YANBU given all this. It sounds completely over the top. One photo or card, fine, but all that in a workplace. Someone up thread said it’s a private office, but it’s really not, it’s a consulting room! And the environment should be appropriate and professional. What would people think, for example, if there was specific religious or cultural symbolism all over the room?

To be fair I dont like to think of hcp as normal people as I then feel weird undressing infront of them. I like to live in the land of denial that my drs are just drs and nothing else. But as for this specific post the op is being very unreasonable

I don't really know how this lady's GP could be expected to know about her DIL's predicament?

And then choose to take down his children's pictures as a direct result of that. It wasn't her DIL that the doctor was seeing?

So they may have moved it if there was someone who'd recently had a loss, you've no way of knowing.

I'm sorry for their losses. But the doctor displaying their family pictures or drawings in itself shouldn't be taken as an insult.

I'm more concerned about a mother in law going with her daughter in law to the GP to discuss fertility issues, rather than her partner/ husband.

Where is he in this?

A massive over reaction. Unfortunately the world doesn’t stop when someone loses a baby, whatever the sad circumstances. It’s terribly sad for the grieving family but other people are entitled to have children and display their family photos.

I understand it may cause distress to some people but these people are humans too. Those pictures may get them through the day. Make them smile after being screamed at while working a long shift. Make them smile after having to tell some one some horrible news.

It's awful and i sympathise but you cannot be offended by people having children.

How dare doctors display anything about being people in their own right. Yes you're being totally unreasonable.

I understand the point, but think you are being unreasonable- or your friend is.

There are reminders all around about things many people can't have in their lives or feel sad about.

Is your friend really trying to police how other people behave?

All I'd say is that some people who have family photos on their desks have them facing away from whoever is sitting opposite, partly to protect their own privacy.

Just something else for the terminally offended to be well, offended about.

Everything is raw when a loss is fresh so everything hurts but other people existing or having families is not about you or their fault. A GP isn't even really much to do with fertility (apart from referrals) and nothing to do with pregnancy/miscarriage.

Theres much worse things you have to constantly hurdle of an infertility journey.

I was told by a GP not to waste NHS time with a referral and to accept it wasn't going to happen and to just 'be happy I had at least got to experience being pregnant'.

I had a ultrasound tech I was paying a lot of money to do a fertility ultrasound tell me women are selfish for doing IVF.

I had a miscarriage nurse tell me don't be sad I bet you'll be pregnant again next month everyone falls pregnant again straight away... I'M INFERTILE (spoiler it took 3 more years and IVF to get pregnant).

It also always fun at your infertility appoints where you are repetitively told being infertile is not covered on the NHS because its a 'lifestyle choice' to have kids and to be put in a waiting room surrounded by abortion posters (apparently having sex and getting pregnant when you don't want kids is not a choice and totally covered on the NHS but having a medical condition thats no fault of your own is a 'life choice').

It suck but life goes on without you and other people cannot stop their kids existing and shouldn't have to hide it. Its a grief just like losing your mam and seeing someone else with theirs, but no one says people should hide having a mam etc...

YABU. My daughter’s dad died when she was 10. She found him. She tried to do CPR. She has major trauma and PTSD. She does NOT expect no one else to talk about their Dads; nor does she stay in for 6 weeks before Father’s Day etc.

She understands that she is not the main character in anyone rise’s life.

I can phone my drs at half 8 and have a phone call appointment by 10am, then if needed I go into the surgery! (I'm aware I'm very lucky in my area)

I agree it’s being very over sensitive. Some people don’t seem to see HCP’s as normal human beings with normal lives, it’s just a job. If anything the photos make the doctor seem more human. I’ve seen some patients get actually quite angry that they can’t see a particular HCP because they are on annual leave or it’s their day off on the day they want to come in…it’s like they think the HCP lives at work and does nothing else 😂

We all have hard lives and different challenges its not fair to expect others to change their lives of be miserable for our benefit.

You have no idea how ‘fertile’ he is. Maybe they have experienced miscarriage? IVF? Adoption?
Was your SIL actually upset by it? Or has MIL got offended on her behalf?

If I’d waited till I was 40 I’d not be able to have had children either, due to severe endometriosis. Did they start trying later? The fertility clinic I went to refused patients over 40 which I found interesting. It was a really strict cut off too, so 38 yes, 39 yes but 40 they would deny the referral. They had strict criteria for BMI too.

The GP also has their qualifications on the wall. You don't have a medical qualification either, does that upset you? Should people keep their kids in their houses in case it upsets you. My friend died of cancer should people hide their friends. If someone goes into GP that has had an arm amputated should the GP hide one of their arms so not to offend.
Life doesn't work that way. Unfortunately your issue (or mine) are not a concern of many other people.

It's a reference to the Simpson's that became a meme. Homer has to give up his dream job to go back to work in the power plant because his wife is pregnant again. They put a plaque on his workstation to demoralise him. He covers most of the letters with pictures of his new baby to make it say "do it for her".
Clearly a niche reference!
The GP might benefit an emotional boost during the day.

I agree this thinking is ridiculous. Should the gp also no walk incase he offends someone who is unable to use their legs?
Also, how do you know that his children aren’t also little miracles after a traumatic time. Or adopted. Or the gp has countless other situations where things may not be as perfect as is thought by the outside world.
I really feel for the lady who had the miscarriages but I don’t think that everyone she encounters from now on should be secretive about their children.

I don't/will never have children, probably never a partner either, and yet I would actually quite like it if the GP had photos on display. I was commenting to someone the other day that I found it hard to talk to my GP because there was nothing 'humanising' about her, somehow - she is totally by the book, impersonal, follows the protocols to the letter etc, and I know nothing about her. No idea if she's married, has children, walks her dog, plays tennis, likes music, nothing. Whereas other health care people I see, you find out random things via bits of small talk - not hugely personal, but just vague snippets often in response to what I say - I'm from another country, which comes up sometimes, and they might say they've been there or ask about it; or I do a hobby and they might express some interest or similiarity or whatever. Just tiny, not very outing details, but it makes them seem more human, and easier to talk to. And having things done by their children would be an example of that.

This is the way I’ve always seen it.

I think the objection due to infertility is over sensitive and a bit silly.

However, I question how sensible it is for a GP to share details of their private life to that extent. Some patients will ha e challenges and I wouldn’t necessary want my children's school/identity shared with them.

I think pictures at Disney indicate a need for the GP to check their privilege and be a little more self aware.

This is so bizarre. They are human beings who want to be cheered up by family photos. They are not your medical slaves!

Huge overreaction.