Just back from doctor's and am fuming and livid

[deckofcards]

Before I write a formal letter of complaint, am I being unreasonable?

Went to doctors' before Christmas for a routine appointment and repeat prescription. Needed a blood test and to have ears syringed (have been going deaf). Dr gave me print out and told me to make an appointment with the nurse. Went to reception and asked for an appointment with the nurse which is what I thought I had been given.

Arrived this morning, having fasted. Called in by a sweet enough girl although she wasn't wearing uniform and didn't properly introduce herself as a nurse or anything else. She took my arm and sweetly put it on a pillow, told me I had very deep veins (which I know but it isn't usually a problem but sometimes a doctor has been called), tried the other arm using elasticated cuffs that were clearly broken because they kept popping open and she later said they were no good. She gave me a glass of water to hydrate me better for the veins (which I would have thought would take more than a mintue to work). Still no joy so she went to get a colleague to help her.

The colleague was the receptionist who leaned over me reeking of tobacco and tried to find a vein. I questioned this and was told she was also a trained phlebotomist. The original one then said they would have to give up as the vein wasn't pronounced enough but she would start on my ears. I asked if she was a qualified nurse and she said, no a health care worker.

I declined her offer to deal with my ears and said that I would prefer an appointment with a fully trained practice nurse.

I went out to make another appointment and have been offered one for today with the proper nurse for my ears and have another on Thursday morning for blood tests. I am extremely grumpy that my time has been wasted.

Am I wrong in thinking that if I am told to make an appointment with the nurse and ask for an appointment with the nurse I should be given an appointment with the nurse or advised either when making the appointment that it is not with a nurse. I certainly should not embark on treatment without being appraised of the full facts.

It was clear that the person I saw this morning was not capable or experienced, it did nothing to inspire confidence that she got the girl off the reception desk to help her (and who reeked of tobacco) and I left feeling cross, upset, disrespected and messed about. I would have thought as a minimum of a health care assistant is expected to take blood or syringe ears (and I think the latter is more of an issue actually) then there should be a fully qualified nurse on the premises to supervise, not the stinky girl from reception.

Is this really what healthcare has come to and surely I'm not being unreasonable to expect the tin to contain what it says on the label.

I am minded to make a formal complain to the surgery but needed to get that off my chest first and to take some feedback - hopefully from those who work in surgeries. Oh, and the receptionist/phlebotomist told me it wasn't just my time that was wasted from their side the healthcare assistant now had 30 minutes with no patient because she wasn't doing my ears. My response to that was that had I been told my appointment wasn't being made with the practice nurse in the first place that wouldn't be the case because I wouldn't have made the appointment.

Sorry - very long but I feel better for a rant - and even more that the entire episode was totally out of order. But am I being Unreasonable to think that.

Because despite everything, staff have to be nice to patients. And accommodating. And understanding of their perceived needs.

Otoh mumsnet does not exist to sooth the consciences of those who have behaved like twats.

Hth.

I think it's worth a complaint, because the Dr and receptionist need training that they should explicitly say that the procedure will be booked with a HCA (the GP employs the HCA and presumably knows which procedures she is used for in his practice, so it's not unreasonable to expect him to name the correct person). The HCA needs training that she should introduce herself properly. None of the above would bother me as a patient, but you are clearly one of those 'professionally offended' types, and sadly there are a number of you around so the practice should get their terminology correct to avoid time wasting in the future.

For everything else you wish to put in your complaint YABU.

Hobnob: That made me laugh. Nothing like being to the point!

I cannot believe how clueless you are OP. Time wasters need to be addressed - people just like you.

If you can afford it then I suggest you go private in the future.

I'm actually laughing at your posts now OP.

Are you the queen?

I'm actually laughing at your posts now OP.

Are you the queen?

Why don't you go private yourself then Op rather than state because of one bad experience which wasn't even that bad, every other bugger should pay for it.
You are getting more UR by the minute.

Ah, but she wouldn't get insurance for her pre-existing health condition pooka.

If you don't like the way the NHS works OP, the person you should complain to is your MP. Targets for funding are set centrally, by seeing you for your underlying health condition, no doubt your GP will be achieving a tick in a ridiculous box. The reason you can no longer see the practice nurse to confide your personal issues with are because GP surgeries aren't charities. They are businesses.

I'd be embarrassed to make such a fuss at my drs over this.

Asking for the nurse, fine, you've got what you wanted so what is the problem?

They have done nothing wrong.

You were being reasonable up until the point where you started to be slightly personal with regards to the differences in HCW and PN - it clearly seems you rate nurses vastly higher than HCW; they may be more qualified to do more procedures but they are not "better" than HCW, in the same way not all doctors are equally as competent.

I would be annoyed if I'd booked an appointment with a nurse and was not told of a change. I wouldn't be annoyed if the role was taken by someone qualified, regardless of whether they were able to complete the procedure. Look at it this way - you started off in your job at some point and probably encountered difficulties, but had to go alone. So did this HCW - add into the mix she could be nervous, or your veins could indeed be very hard to find and you have to give some kind of allowances.

I had a blood test done by a very experience Practice Nurse who jabbed a needle into me repeatedly because my veins were terrible - she's done it since within a minute; I know she's competent and I know there are countless variables to take into consideration.

You are being unreasonable in the sense that you sound deeply entrenched in this idea of high self worth. If the receptionist didn't say you were being unreasonable (although you appear to have a selective memory as you said someone had mentioned you wasting time, so what is it?) then why do you need confirmation from us?

If quite like to see a consultant everytime I have a gripe but I don't.

They assessed your need and decided a HCA was the best port of call. YABU

As for the holier-than-thou sentiments that reek off your posts, ugh - go private if you are that important.

YABU. Sounds like the HCA was just having some difficulty finding your veins. It's common in smallish practices for some staff to double up as phlebotomists and reception staff.
Veins can vary day to day, as can difficulty with venepuncture.
I don't think you have much ground for a complaint to be honest.

Do you know that phlebotomy is actually nothing to do with nursing?

It is a skill/discipline all on its own. Generally nurses (unlike doctors) don't get taught to take blood. On a phlebotomy course you could have a nurse, health care worker and (God forbid!) a receptionist all learning the skill together. In fact add a car mechanic, a florist and pizza delivery man and they all would learn the skill together and be at the same level after the course. Ear syringing is the same.

What was disappointing was the attitude you were presented with not the concept of a non-nurse doing these procedures, surely? Roles are so diverse now.

It's not worthy of a complaint. How can you say she was incompetent and in the same breath admit that other HCPs have had difficulty in getting blood?! That is so hypocritical.

Oh and also, private hospitals are businesses, so you'll find that most employ HCAs to take blood.

Actually lots of nurses won't syringe ears as it is quite difficult so Yanbu.

You are being massively unreasonable. So because you made assumptions about someone's fitness to treat you, you think it's perfectly acceptable to walk out of an appointment in which you'd be getting exactly what you came in for? You do know that there will be numerous other people in need of that appointment don't you?

You are within your rights to ask for someone else but they are not wasting your time, you are wasting theirs.

Thanks all. Too late to cancel this afternoon's appointment with the nurse I think. That would be wasting time. However, taking your advice I shall be registering with the private GP service at my local private hospital and once I've seen the GP there for the initial consultation I'll make a private appointment for the bloods, so I'll cancel that one for later in the week.

Perhaps the NHS is in the mess it is because it's been so badly managed and the fact it's in a mess doesn't mean that any member of the public should be subjected to levels of unprofessionalism.

I think that would suit you better.

I do think some of the comments on here have been a little harsh. Name calling is a very unattractive trait.

HotDog I have it on excellent authority that the Queen would never be so rude or ungracious

Mrsmorton, excellent post. Wake up and smell the political landscape OP. This is not the good old days of nurses being there to soothe ruffled brows, this is the reality of what Lansley/Hunt and cronies have done to the health service. A reality which given the politics you espouse in your last post you at well have voted for.