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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think the receptionist should have fitted me in?

33 replies

TwoTearsInABucket · 25/11/2013 20:59

I went for my discharge appointment with the midwife today. DS2 is 11 days old. He has a cold and it has got worse today.
When I stripped him off to be weighed the mw said that he his breathing was a bit laboured and I should see the dr to get some saline drops.
I toddled off to reception at the surgery. I asked if I could see a Dr because my baby was not breathing easily, although he didn't have a temperature.
Her answer was: We don't have any appointments, ring tomorrow at 8am or ring 111 after 6.30pm.
So basically, even though its a very small baby with breathing difficulties, we can't help.
I was quite shocked, went home and DH was really cross. He rang the surgery and asked to speak to a doctor.(You can speak to a doctor, ie triage, after all the appointments have been used up.) Receptionist said no, DH said so I have a week old baby with breathing difficulties and you're telling me I can't speak to a doctor? Doctor rang back after 10 mins and told him to take DS2 in.

Luckily it really is just a cold, he is very snuffly and was starting to not feed properly because of his blocked nose. Dr said that a baby with breathing issues should always be seen. Receptionist obviously thinks otherwise.

AIBU to think that the receptionist shouldn't have turned me away in the first place? Or am I being PTB (precious third born) about it given that it is just a cold?

OP posts:
longjane · 25/11/2013 21:02

Newborn should not turn away ever!

grizzabellia · 25/11/2013 21:04

Our surgery always seems to find appointments when you tell them you have a sick baby/ toddler. And if there are no appointments that day, in general, you can get the on-call doctor to call you back. I don't think you are being unreasonable it is very difficult to distinguish what might be serious in a baby that young. The receptionist has no right to be acting as a medical triage - she would be in trouble if anything was missed as a result!

Gigondas · 25/11/2013 21:04

No she shouldn't - most surgeries do tend to have a policy of seeing very young kids (and as its your ptb I imagine you would know if something amiss enough to need a and e).

Complain to practice manager. I did as had similar issues with receptionist (I have serious health issues and have been told I can ring surgery and dr will ring back - she wasn't passing messages on). They took it very seriously.

grizzabellia · 25/11/2013 21:05

In fact, I would be tempted to make a formal complaint.

SomethingkindaOod · 25/11/2013 21:05

YANBU, you should have been fitted in that day. In the surgery I worked at you would have been told to go straight in right now with no delay. Any other answer would have been a disciplinary matter, cold or not. You need to talk to the practice manager to clarify the procedure.

Shenanagins · 25/11/2013 21:06

Receptionists at my surgery are brilliant. Whenever i have phoned for an appointment for a sick baby they have fitted me in even when i was unsure i needed to be seen that day - they said with a small baby things can change quickly and the Drs always want to see them.

you should raise this with the practice manager as the receptionist shouldn't decide who gets to speak to the dr.

Original poster
TwoTearsInABucket · 25/11/2013 21:07

DH is going to write a letter tomorrow. He is a bit annoyed with me because I didn't make a fuss at the time. I was so surprised that she said no that I didn't push it.

OP posts:
BenNJerry · 25/11/2013 21:08

YANBU. When DS was 3 months he bumped his head. Me being a first time mother I panicked, rang NHS Direct, then rang my doctor's surgery. They offered to see him within the hour! He was fine and I'm sure they thought I was overreacting but they still fitted him in. The receptionist was being ridiculous.

TheCharWoman · 25/11/2013 21:11

Yanbu. They should always see babies, especially when a problem has been identified by another hcp. So sorry you had that extra stress, glad it is nothing too serious. We're not into hugs here are we, but have some Cake

Sleepyhead33 · 25/11/2013 21:13

Some here.Whenever Imhave called re my baby or toddler I have been told to bring them straight in.
YANBU

gordyslovesheep · 25/11/2013 21:13

I'm not sure - I understand your concern BUT he had been seen by a nurse who had simply suggested saline drops to unblock his nose - he was bunged up not really 'breathing difficulties' so I think you where a little over the top

BUT she should have followed protocol

WooWooOwl · 25/11/2013 21:14

Maybe the receptionist figured that as you'd just been given advice from the midwife, that you could take yourself to the chemist and buy some saline drops.

Original poster
TwoTearsInABucket · 25/11/2013 21:16

Thanks for the cake, always gratefully received.

Initially when I said to the mw that he had a cold, she tried to tell me that he didn't, just newborn snuffles from trying to get rid of goo. Then she saw that he really did have a cold and started to look concerned.

The receptionist could see how small he was and she had just checked me in for my discharge appointment, so knew that DS2 was about 10 days old. grr.

OP posts:
Original poster
TwoTearsInABucket · 25/11/2013 21:21

Fair enough about being over the top. I was feeling a bit fretty and he really does only have a cold.
Mw did say to see if I could see a Dr though as she wasn't sure if I could buy saline drops over the counter for a baby under 3 months.
She was also the one who said he had laboured breathing after looking at his chest. After that I wanted it confirmed that it was only a cold as I wasn't sure how serious it was any more.

OP posts:
EnlightenedOwl · 25/11/2013 21:34

Receptionists are medically qualified don't you know! You must complain.

thebody · 25/11/2013 21:41

not sure you can be 'over the top' with a 11 day old baby?

of course they should have seen you.

complain to the practise manager in writing to make changes or they might have a future tragedy on their hands.

littie babies can get very ill very quickly.

GemmaTeller · 25/11/2013 21:44

Complain to the practice manager.

When I worked at a doctors we were told never to turn away/deny an appointment for a baby, even if there were no appts left we always fitted them in/tagged them on the end of surgery.

Musicaltheatremum · 25/11/2013 22:00

I hope your little one is ok. Laboured breathing in a baby of that age should be looked at. I do not understand receptionists who do this. I honestly wonder what the doctors are like to allow it to happen. I was sitting in my room at work today and a father came in with a baby who had been constipated for a few days. The HV was phoned and am not sure what they said but a few minutes later my colleague who was duty doctor was seeing the child. Not really an emergency but they needed advice and we weren't horrendously busy this morning.
Reception staff should not triage patients. In fact they should be triaged by the most senior member of staff. This is where NHS24 etc fall down the calls are triaged by protocols not by someone able to think outside the box.
Anyway I will get off my high horse and do write a letter and ask for their policy on emergencies and how the non medically trained staff can decide that the problem can be left.
In my surgery the midwife would have come through and spoken to us and asked us to see the baby. They're all so lovely none of us would refuse.

Original poster
TwoTearsInABucket · 25/11/2013 22:04

The midwife who saw me was just covering and said that at her surgery she would have done exactly as you said musicaltheatremum, but she didn't know the surgery so didn't feel she could do that.

DS2 is sleeping ok. He is still snuffly but the drops seem to be helping.

OP posts:
Amy106 · 25/11/2013 22:05

A newborn with breathing problems?! You can't be too careful.
How's the little one now?

BrianTheMole · 25/11/2013 22:06

I'd complain.

Szeli · 25/11/2013 22:07

FYI you can get saline drops in the supermarket for any age mostly, did the mw perhaps mean for you to get a script rather than paying?

Still the receptionist wouldn't have heard your conversation and it was recommended by a nurse you see a doctor I think it needs flagging with the practise manager

ImagineJL · 25/11/2013 22:07

The receptionist should have spoken to the on-call Dr if there weren't any appointments. I think some retraining is needed there.

ILoveNoodles · 25/11/2013 22:08

Listen you were not over the top.
Babies can change so rapidly that most gps have a policy to see babies sooner rather than later.
Mine didnt. This happened to me twice.
First time my first ended up in hospital.
Second time it was missed that my second baby needed anti-bs.
Made a complaint and it has made the surgery change their protocol and retrain staff.
I wish I had complained the first time round.
Do not feel like you are wasting any ones time or being precious.
How will they know and understand the right way to do something if it's not brought to their attention.

rpitchfo · 25/11/2013 22:15

YABU - but i don't think its your fault

Community midwives are usually very experience. They probably no more about new borns than your average GP anyway. If it was urgent she would have told you to go to A&E. She should of told you it could of waited a little while.

The recptionist acting as a triage though..hmmm that's another matter altogether and something that really irks be about primary care.