GP bollocked me for a Facebook comment

[Lliria]

So, I don't know if I ll be the only one but basically my GP used my telephone consult to bollock me for a comment I made on FB.
Like all local FB groups there's always a whinge topic and even though our GP practice is very good sometimes the 7am App for making appointments just doesn't work so by the time I can call though all the appointments have gone sometimes by 9am. So I commented on a post that was already running about this- nothing mean just agreeing..
Weeks later I managed to book a phone consult off the 7am App. The GP called at 7.20 then 2 minutes into the chat had a proper go at me about my comment and said I'd hurt people's feelings etc.
I was shocked that a medical professional sabotaged my appointment to do this.
What I wrote in my private life has nothing to do with my medical consult - surely
Why is he reading through everyone s comments then using his position to say something ?
I feel it's inappropriate.
I've never even seen him as a patient.
I'm actually quite upset and feel I've taken the can for the other 62 people that made comments that day.
Maybe he was stressed but it's not ethical is it ?

How did she ‘publicly humiliate staff’ by criticising the app system? She was referring to a service, not to individuals.

While it is clearly aggravating to have your precious appointment time used up by the GP having a go, it is usually the other way round. Many times I finally got to see a patient who had waited three weeks for an appointment, sat down with them to hear what they wanted to discuss, and they used up half the appointment complaining how long they had to wait, how they didn’t want to tell their business to the receptionist, or how empty the waiting room was. You have just ten minutes! Use them wisely.

Though no defender of the NHS's worst aspects I'm confused by all the laying into the GP when OP hasn't told us what she actually said - and why claim they're "taking the can" for what other patients have said when they can't possibly know whether they've been spoken to as well?

I don’t have time to explain it, but you don’t have a proper understanding of how GP surgeries work. They may, on paper, be private businesses. But they are funded primarily by the state, and are very very tightly controlled in what they do. They’re not like normal commercial businesses.

It’s really odd that people are defending this. It’s completely unprofessional. The patient does not have a responsibility to keep her opinions under wraps. The doctor does have a responsibility to remain professional and not use up the little time patients have in medical appointments to express hurt feelings. Sure, I can understand on a human level how it could happen - the NHS is in such a bad place and it must be hard. We are all human and we all make mistakes. This was definitely a mistake on the part of the doctor though.

Do you not think complaints should be reviewed, with a view to seeing if the surgery has fallen short or there are ways the service can be improved?

I can well expect you get people being inappropriately demanding and, of course, you are working to a tight budget. But at the same time, presumably you are interested in providing a good standard of service? It can’t be the case that your practise is perfect in all respects, all the time. There’s a problem if surgeries just dump patients if they dare to complain, and don’t fairly listen and respond to legitimate feedback and complaints.

You said it and you were called on it. If you could stand over what you said then you wouldn’t feel disgruntled. But you do. Because he exposed you for bullying behaviour

There was a lot more to it, it was the final straw. She had done many other things that we had tolerated, including being verbally and physically aggressive on multiple occasions. She had been warned numerous times.

We put up with a lot from her, but slagging us off in the public domain was a step too far. Although apparently not, because NHSE forced us to keep her on our list until she finally died at a great age, having caused us all a lot of unhappiness.

We have a complaints protocol and all complaints are addressed accordingly. The protocol is part of CQC requirements. Someone can complain that they don’t like the decor in the waiting room and they will still be responded to.

But my statement stands that if people aren’t happy, then can move. Just like they can move their kids to different schools, change their bank, change their supermarket etc.

Do you have a mechanism for complaints so that people don’t feel they have to complain during appointments? I’m with your patient on the need to disclose medical issues to the receptionist. I find it very uncomfortable. In my GP surgery she generally bellows my response back to me and it’s so embarrassing.

Either way I don’t think it’s appropriate or professional for the GP to bring it up in a medical appointment. If it’s really bad I’m sure there are procedures to remove hostile patients. There’s no excuse for going about it like this GP chose to.

I think the issue here is that PPs are not clear what OP means by a bollocking.

Did he shout, stamp his foot, threaten consequences such as removing her from the list, use inappropriate language etc? In which case totally unprofessional.

Did he say ‘there’s a note on the file that you made a rude and aggressive post on the practice FB page. This upset the staff and we’d ask that you divert your complaints through xx channel or via person Y going forward’?

I say this because when I told my kids yesterday: ‘FGS, I bought 3 tubs of sour cream this afternoon and there’s only one left! How many times have I asked you to only have half a tub a day?!’ [In an exasperated and likely whingey voice.] They considered that a bollocking. I felt it was a justified moan…

I would write a formal complaint to the practice manager at your GP surgery.

Well theoretically, yes, they can leave. But often people are aware that the other GP practices also aren’t offering a good service and we all know they’re underfunded and that applies to all practices.

Often patients want to stay with a practice but have a better experience, if that’s possible. And it’s often a mixed bag. Our surgery has some brilliant GPs who are great once you actually get to see them. There’s also one I’d crawl over hot coals to avoid seeing, as they appear incompetent. Trouble is, all the other patients seem to have realised this,, as he’s often the only one with spare slots at short notice. So the dilemma is move surgery to avoid the useless GP, but then lose access to the good ones, when I might move and find myself worse off. Really, I want the surgery to be offering a decent service and be responsive to polite feedback.

I understand that there are human reasons why the GP might feel like doing it. I can definitely empathise with that. It is surely unprofessional to express it in a medical appointment though, regardless of whether it is a justified moan or a bollocking. I am a University lecturer. I would never consider castigating a student for making a comment on social media because they upset the office staff, let alone choose to do this during a rare and necessary ten minute meeting that is very difficult to arrange.

Also the detail of what the GP actually said, which is another thing we've not been told - just that he "bolllocked" OP, which can mean very different things to different people

As I said, not enough information to draw any conclusions

People trying to get an appointment are either worried and/or ill

So I think a bit more care and consideration from the surgery wouldn't go amiss

(and no one should be abused)

Yes, all gp surgeries should have a complaints procedure. Have a look on the surgery’s website for information. If not, speak to the practice manager directly.

It was odd, but if you write a comment identifying the practice in a public place I guess that's the risk you run.

It doesn't. You don't know whether there are any other GP surgeries that would take them on or not.

Most GPs are partners and the business is theirs - unlike a lecturer employed by a uni [I am one too] - so they are entitled to comment that they see the patient has been unhappy with X at the surgery and that it’s noted on the file.

My point is, that a) we don’t know the nature of the comment OP made (no screen shot) and for it to have been noted on her patient records I am going to infer it was very strongly worded/somehow inappropriate; 2) whilst I also would not ‘castigate’ a student, I would raise a matter with them if they had made an abusive/rude comment on the staff/student forum rather than go and speak to their tutor or a similar officer.

What my post states is that we really do not know that she was indeed ‘castigated’ rather than the matter gently probed and and she was advised to use different channels next time?

A student may feel castigated, however, when embarrassed by the fact that their conduct has garnered notice and elicited comment. It’s all a bit subjective without a copy of the actual post made or a transcript of the actual conversation had with GP.

I suspect the OP has chosen to massively misinterpret the GPs actions here. She has not been "given a bollocking". She has been informed of the consequences of her actions by commenting on Facebook on the relationship she has with the surgery. She has upset people. The GP told her this. If she wants to trust the service and the consultation she has received she needs to have faith in the people facilitating it. She clearly has a standing , (ex dentist?). Every single person I know from GPs, HCAs , receptionists and practice managers are in the job to help and do the best they can. Quite frankly this idea that we pay for it and treating the GP surgery like the staff is why we are in this position. Engage with your practice. Speak to the practice manager if needed.

I agree. Having to discuss a medical issue with the receptionist might put some people off calling in the first place.
Even if certain things can’t be changed straight away, there should be mechanisms in place for patients to put forward their concerns.

@inamarina OP has been unclear about what she has said.