To think getting the people who book the appointmentsare twats

[Domjolly]

Rung up to day to book my lad an appointment to get new braces

He broke the other ones during half term (before any one says anything i am paying £80 for new ones)


Any who i asked if i could have the last appiontment of the day as i dont want ds to miss a whole day of school for a 20 minute appointment


The sodding lady on the phone CLEARLY said " we like to try and keep the last appiontments empty because the nurses like to go home early on a friday WTF wouldnt be all

Its not as if it closes at 8pm the last clinic is at 3:45

I challaned her and said what did you just say you purposley keep the last slot emepty do every one can leave early she tried to back track and say she didnt say it when i told her i was on a iphone and had recored the phone call he relented and booked the slot WTF is going on in the NHS ffs shoddy shoddy shoddy oh is a nurse in private hospital and he could never ever get away with this i think most people dont even relise the clinc is open till 3:45 because they have been strearing people to lunch time appointments cant ruddy believe it

[ClutchingPearls]

I'm ok with actually recording. I suppose saying you have when you haven't just doesn't sit right with me. It makes it sound less of a "oh, I thought you said, I'll just check" and more of a threat. The lying about it just changes the tone of it for me.

[landofsoapandglory]

I worked in a Orthodontic department and it was very, very rare that we, the nurses went home on time. Sometimes we didn't even get a lunch break. The appointment slots in an Orthodontic department are not set in stone at 15 minutes, they are asked for and booked in accordance with what the Orthodontist requests.

When you agree to undertake Orthodontic treatment for your DC, you are agreeing to them attending the hospital, or clinic, every 6-8 weeks for on average 18-24 months. DS1 is due is off in April and we have been attending for 4 years. Most clinics will not allow you to book repeat time slots of 8.30, or 4.15 for every appointment because everyone wants those appointments and so it wouldn't be fair for your to monopolise them.

I think you were really, really rude to the receptionist TBH. Orthodontic appointments are difficult to find for DC who have broken their braces because they are booked up 6-8 weeks in advance, so whilst I appreciate the idea behind you wanting an after school appointment, you should understand it is not always possible.

The NHS have a hard time sometimes. DS2 had to attend the fracture clinic on Friday afternoon last week. We had a 4.20 appointment. The clinic was running late by about 2 hours. The woman who had a 4.30 appointment (which was the last one) was kicking off and being rude, her adult daughter was mouthing off and moaning, whilst we sat quietly. The nurse took the other woman in before us and when we queried it we were told it was because she had made a fuss! DS2 was seen at 6.50 and we left at 7.20! Those nurses and that consultant didn't get home on time!

[CuriousMama]

I think OP probably got annoyed and worked up as this is affecting her ds. I know I get protective of my dss.

The country's going down the pan because of this sort of attitude imo. Awful considering how many are out of work.

[shewhowines]

Haven't read whole thread.

YANBU

It closes at the same time each day presumably. It is not on that they don't issue appointments when demand is at its highest on a Friday, purely because they want to go home "just because its a Friday" and they want to start their weekend.

I'm sure I, and many others, would like to do the same but we don't because it would be deemed unprofessional.

[PessaryPam]

Landodsoap that is a wild extrapolation. It is not much to ask that the appointments system is actually adhered to and if they always overrun then the management should change the system so it tallies with reality.

[skratta]

YANBU, I think, because a slot is a slot and if it is available and you ask, then wanting to get home early isn't a reason to refuse. However, it may have been a way of saying that they wanted to get home on time, and if it usually overruns then that would be early. Usually I'm about 30mins late because of problems usually involving delays in the theatre or emergencies from A&E (I'm a doctor btw) which I need to either finish as I'm consultant, or stabilise. So I will refer to getting home in time as early.

[landofsoapandglory]

Have you worked in Orthodontics PessaryPam? Only I have, in 2 hospitals and 2 dental practices so I know how it works. I, also, have had 2 DC go through orthodontic treatment so know that some appointments take 5 minutes and some take 40, hence why the appointments are not set in stone at 15!

It is impossible for the 'management to change the system so it tallies with reality' because what do you do when a patient comes in for a 15 minute appointment to change a couple of bits on a brace, but then ends up needing a new wire, a couple of brackets re bonding because they have broken it, as well as everything else that was planned for that appointment!

What about the other patients that need fitting in between the patients with appointments, because they have broken their wires, they have bits fallen off or digging in?

They are the reasons why they probably keep the last 15 minutes free on a Friday afternoon, so the nurses and Orthodontists can actually leave on time, or just after on one day a week!

[BimbaBirba]

Landofsoap YABU and a bit unfair to play the card "do you work in orthodontics? No? Then shut up"
You don't need to work in orthodontics to think it's not good practice to avoid booking in the afternoon slots because staff want to go home early!

[landofsoapandglory]

Bimba I was saying no such thing, I was defending myself after being told I had made a "wild extrapolation" earlier!

[BimbaBirba]

"Have you worked in Orthodontics Pessarypam? Only I have..."

[Fillyjonk75]

If they turn out to need more treatment than their slot, why not book them a different, longer appointment at another time? That's what my dentist would do.

[landofsoapandglory]

Because Filly if they turn up and their brace is broken the Orthodontist usually fixes it so that the treatment continues to work. Also, most Orthodontist's have very few slots for 6-8 weeks because it is a rolling treatment, IYSWIM. There is, also, the possibility of the treatment that has been done in the past starting to undo whilst you wait for the next appointment, it is not just like waiting for a filling.