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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be irritated by Doctor's receptionist?

73 replies

jellyfl00d · 29/10/2013 13:49

I need to see my Gp this week, so I rang yesterday to get booked in, but they will only make appointments on the day this week due to annual leave.
So I rang again at 1pm which is the allotted time,only to be told their clock said 12.59 and I could not make an appointment. My clock said 1pm, we probably spoke for the 1 minute it took for her clock to get to 1 pm but she made me ring back, at which point I couldn't get through!! Arghh!

OP posts:

NightScentedStock · 29/10/2013 13:52

Very petty of her. Hope you got an appointment in the end

ShatnersEmptyCatacomb · 29/10/2013 13:53

YANBU. I once stood at the reception counter and phoned the phone on the desk there because the woman told me they could only make appointments over the phone. She almost laughed when she picked up and realised it was me

NightScentedStock · 29/10/2013 13:57

Shatners that's hilarious!

Original poster

jellyfl00d · 29/10/2013 13:58

I hate the fact that they are so petty yet they think they rule the surgery. It's such unprofessional behaviour. I work for a hospital and we wouldn't get away with such awful behaviour!

Yes I eventually did get an appointment, painful process though!

OP posts:

Original poster

jellyfl00d · 29/10/2013 14:00

Shatners that's brilliant, how to show them up for the utter twits they are being!

OP posts:

mummytowillow · 29/10/2013 15:58

The receptionist at my ols surgery used to insist on asking 'what's the problem' and would get shirty if you ignored her.

She asked my ex the question and he replied 'I've got a sore dick'. She then got the hump, so he said you asked!

thebody · 29/10/2013 16:00

complain to the manager or the GP.

don't generalise as our receptionists are lovely.

ShatnersEmptyCatacomb · 29/10/2013 16:01

I'd have snorted like a pig if I'd been in the waiting room, mummytowillow!

SoldAtAuction · 29/10/2013 17:26

I recently had to see a new doctor, who would be the one to preform a small procedure. He is quite gruff, good at what he does, but no bed side manner.
His receptionist told me (as I was filling out paperwork, so couldn't get away) that he was so good at what he does, that
"People call here, and ask if the can book an appointment with God! "

I looked a bit surprised when she said that, and she noticed and said, " Yeah, he's that good"

She also has a big sticker in her window, with a picture or a stork, that says home deliveries are for pizza!

SoldAtAuction · 29/10/2013 17:27

To be fair, the receptionists at my family doctor's practice are wonderful

Twighlightsparkle · 29/10/2013 17:31

They are lovely at mine too.

ooerrmissus · 29/10/2013 17:36

Until recently I thought it was the law to hate doctor's receptionists as they are all generally horrid.

But then I moved surgery and the new ones are lovely.

Complain, OP.

Dobbiesmum · 29/10/2013 17:39

Well if the appointment system shows the time the it was made and someone higher up saw it she could have got into trouble.. A couple of minutes seems silly but you never know what she had been told.

Purple2012 · 29/10/2013 17:45

They are horrible at mine too. They won't let you book an appointment more than 4 weeks in advance. So when I had an ongoing problem and my doctor would tell me to make appointment in 6 weeks I couldn't do it. I wwould ring in 2 weeks later only to be given an appointment in 5-6 weeks time.

And they get shirty if you don't tell them what the problem is.

claretandamberforever · 29/10/2013 17:47

its likely the slots were timed to open at 1pm so she physically couldnt book into them as she didnt have the computer rights to override it.

She could have still made small talk with you for a couple of minutes though til they opened.

aniara · 29/10/2013 18:14

I once went to the health centre in tears as I needed antibiotics for a severe UTI with a high temperature and horrible back pain, but was told the earliest appointment was about a week away. Not their fault, but as it was really urgent I thanked her and said I would have to go to the A&E instead, to which she angrily replied: "No, you can't go to the A&E and waste their time! You haven't been in an accident! You just have to wait like everyone else". So what does the E stand for then..? Luckily, the other (amazing) receptionist pitied me and somehow managed to arrange so a doctor could see me straight away.

So, in my experience most of them are nice and helpful, but when they're not it can be really horrible.

thebody · 29/10/2013 18:18

Sold I remember that Primrose Shipman used to refer to Dr Shipman as God.

if any doctors receptionist or any doctor for that matter started to refer to themselves as God it's time to report them.

Original poster

jellyfl00d · 29/10/2013 18:40

She wasnt rude to me and I wasn't rude to her, but it's just utter nonsense, I spent the extra minute on the phone to her til the requisite time but she still made me ring back! Grrr

OP posts:

ForalltheSaints · 29/10/2013 19:44

You are probably more assertive and confident than someone who is an older person, or for whom English is not their native tongue.

Complain to the doctor and offer to appear in support of her or him in an employment tribunal.

AnyoneforTurps · 29/10/2013 19:46

She wasnt rude to me and I wasn't rude to her, but it's just utter nonsense, I spent the extra minute on the phone to her til the requisite time but she still made me ring back

That is bizarre - and rude; I say that as a GP.

When I read your OP, I thought the problem must have been that the appointment software would not release more appointments till 1pm. Lots of practices block appointments to ensure some are available for urgent problems that arise during the day and, though you can over-ride it, it might take longer than just getting you to wait a minute. However, making you ring back is absolutely daft. I would contact the practice manager - probably wouldn't make a formal complaint but ask if s/he knows that his receptionists are being such jobsworths.

Mim78 · 29/10/2013 19:49

It is very silly of her.

*ForalltheSaints - you have a good point about older people and people who don't have such good English.

I have to say I have resorted to crying in the past to get round them, but feel that should not be necessary!

DipMeInChocolate · 29/10/2013 19:56

I've recently changed surgeries due to their "ring on the day" policies. Completely unhelpful in every way. Just changed to a lovely local small practice which is exactly how GPs should be.

breatheslowly · 29/10/2013 19:56

YANBU. Our GP appointment line opens at 8.30 and it irritates me that it still goes to answerphone until 8.32. We have a clock that uses a radio signal to get the correct time, so I am certain that my clock is right. Obviously I am a bit of a pedant. However your example is weird.

DipMeInChocolate · 29/10/2013 19:57

There's no need to listen to an engaged tone for 30-40 mins at 9am just to see your Doctor.

Original poster

jellyfl00d · 29/10/2013 21:08

Thanks Anyone for the insight, I might speak to practice manager as it's not an isolated incident.
Breatheslowly I have had that problem too, time must stand still for my surgery as well as yours!

OP posts:

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