To think this man had no right to rage at the GPs receptionist because appointment was late?

[listsandbudgets]

I had to take DS to the GP last night. The appointment was at 5.40pm. We were finally seen at 6.50pm. GP was already running late then took ages with the man who went in just before us at 6.10pm for his 5.30 apointment - I think he had to be admitted to hospital and she didn't want to leave him until arrangements were made. The last appointment was for 6pm.

The receptionist was obviously working late in order to deal with what was going on. She told us that there would be a long wait as the doctor was dealing with an emergency.

By 6.15 the person with the 5.50 appointment (the one after ours) were shouting at her and demanding she hurried everything up. She explained the sitaution again. THey started shouting at her then banging on the GPs surgery door shouting that they had to be seen. GP came out and told them to leave the premises or wait quietly. They calmed down a bit but still went up to receptionist every 2-3 minutes to insist she hurried things up.

AIBU to think that

1. They should be grateful that the GP was prepared to see them at all given how late it was and their behaviour
2. They should be bl**dy grateful it wasn't them who needed admitting to hospital they were there because they thought they had scabies according to what they were shouting
3. Banging on surgery door when you know GP is dealing with an emergency is completely beyond reason

They ranted and raged at me too trying to get me to complain and I point blank refused. I told it wasn't the receptionists fault or the doctors fault and that I didn't mind waiting because I'd rather have a GP who spent time with people and dealt with them properly then shoved them out in 5 minutes when they clearly needed help. he called me a sanctimonious busy body

DD (8) did not help when she said very loudly "mummy I think that man is very rude, I think we're lucky to live in a country were we can see a doctor and not worry about money"

Sorry epic post didn't realise how angry I was about it. Call it therapy!!

Yanbu.

But some gps are always running late. At the previous practice I was with I never waited less than 45 minutes, usual waiting time was over an hour. They had 3 receptionists, 2 nurses and 10 doctors! (plus various health care assistants, midwives, etc) I waited in good grace on every occasion keeping one, and then two children occupied with books, etc.

On the ONE occasion I was late for my appointment I got such a telling off by the GP. I explained I could not find parking, and had to park down in sainsburys store carpark, and been unlucky scraping up the side of the car in the process. The gp continued her rant and told me that this would not have happened had I been healthy and cycled. There was a REASON there were no carparking related to the surgery, they believed we should all walk, cycle or use public transport (the only car parking space was for doctors at the clinic btw) and she had raised 5 kids and not been dependent on the car. I tried to explain I was ill, and could not cycle in to surgery with two kids in tow. This was met with Bah Humbug!

A terrible surgery. I am with a different surgery now, where doctors are human, and waiting times humane.

I was less than 5 minutes late btw. I never realized I was in for such a bollocking, even though I still was kept waiting 45 minutes to be seen.

I guess they had written down my time of arrival in their system.

Yes I've seen that at my drs too. Receptionists arguing with a patient over a few mins when the dr was running late anyway.

schlurplethepurple I have a chronic, long-term condition and I am called for an annual review every year but it does seem like a waste of time given that I'm reviewed by the consultant who manages my condition 4x a year. Out of interest, what is the point of these annual reviews if you have one long-term condition that is monitored by the hospital? Most of my meds are injection form, so come from the hospital pharmacy anyway, so GP cannot prescribe.

He should have been kicked out of there for the door banging and shouting.

God he'd hate my doctor. She was recommended when I moved here and she runs 90 mins late minimum. 8.30am? You're in about 10am if you're lucky.

Last time I went I had a procedure done, came out of her room and went downstairs and it was all locked up, couldn't get back into the reception! A member of staff, think a nurse or HP emerged, was very rude and told me the surgery was closed. Don't know what she expected me to do about it, sleep there all night?

Oh this happened to my dad - he collapsed in the waiting room and as a consequence everyone's appointments were delayed as both GPs attended to him.

My mum said the outrage was deafening - even though everyone had seen what had happened, they still complained furiously to the receptionist -in front of my poor mum who had been left in the waiting room while my dad was taken to a consulting room!

Unbelievable but true.

Obviously they need more staff or a walk in clinic/minor injury clinic or nurse practitioner or something to relieve the strain.

The clinic should have more staff available on standby for the odd occasion when a patient has to be admitted to hospital or the GP is running late? I hope you like paying tax as that would cost a fortune.

YANBU.

I remember I was waiting well over an hour to see the midwife once, I was getting fed up with it (didn't complain though). Just before my turn she came out with her arm around a woman who had obviously been crying and was on her way straight to hospital.

I just felt grateful that wasn't me.

Yes his behaviour was unreasonable but sometimes I wish the receptionists would keep you informed if there are likely to be delays. I recently had to go to the doctors and was kept waiting 40 minutes. I wouldn't mind if it was explained when you checked in for your appointment that the doctor is running late but it is annoying when you are kept waiting and have no idea how long it might be.

YANBU, I'm amazed they didn't call the police and have him removed. I can't believe he hammered on the GP's door when she had someone in with her!

I can't believe he hammered on the GPs door when she had someone in with her

Believe .
(As I said,, I'm not a GP) but I put a notice on my door to tae a seat, please don't knock etc.
Most days someone will knock (despite the notice) or just walk right in
What about a Please Don't Knock means just open the door and walk in ?

And yes, I do run late on occasion because some patients take longer. Some take longer to get ready (complex footwear to be removed/ replaced). I might have to write letters, phone GPs , many things.

I had a 9am appointment , the GP was there at 8.55 but spent 15 minutes discussing appointment cases with the Receptionist. So off to a late start (ok, not late late but I was first appointment so it would have snowballed)

Merrylegs - sadly true , people do get outraged. Hope your Dad was okay.

I'm quite shocked at some of these tales; I have never waited more than ten minutes at my doctor's.

Of course he was out Of order for his behaviour. But.....

I took DS2 to the GP last night. We waited an hour and 10 minutes over our appointment time. In that time a man was berated by the nurse for turning up 10 minutes late because "it is important to run on time in a doctor's surgery!" An elderly lady called in, without an appointment, to have her urine dipped. The nurse did it, and she needed to see the doctor. The duty doctor, who we were seeing fitted her in straight away, "to save her waiting" and she was in the surgery for 15 minutes.

I was raging inside. I am ill (have a fluey thing) and am disabled. Sitting in that chair caused me severe pain. When we had been seen we had to make another appointment, and they offered me 5pm. I said no, because I am not sitting there over an hour again. The receptionist just shrugged, I also mentioned the other woman being squeezed in and the nurse being snippy, she just looked at me blankly!

There were poorly babies and toddlers all getting upset, it was tea time so they were hungry, it was boiling hot in there and it was just a shitty atmosphere. The senior partner was in her surgery doing paperwork. At a previous surgery I went to, if there was a doctor free they would see the patients who were waiting ages to lighten the load. It was so much better.

On Friday I had to go for an injection after a four day migraine, I sat for 45 minutes under the bright fluorescent lights. I felt sick and just wanted to go home.

Hmmm - like Quint I got the hump with a receptionist at my GPs ...(didn't say anything but fuming inside)
Forgot my appt time (my fault), could have cancelled at last minute but got there just 5 min late. Receptionist kept me waiting for 2 mins (no queue she was doing some paper work). I apologised for being late and she said because you are late I'll have to ask the GP if they will still see you. GP did see me no problems, they were running late anyway (person before me was waiting and someone came just after me for the next appt) . Can't think of the word to describe her attitude but maybe she needed more training/guidance on how to deal with members of the public...I think what really annoyed me was the way she kept me waiting to speak to her first (not sure it wasn't deliberate in retrospect) and then the lecture. (And I looked it up afterwards - practice guidelines is this happens if you are more than 10 min late - she wasn't even right about that!)
However I will never ever complain being kept waiting. Years ago, as I was leaving a routine appt, my guard was down and I let slip that I was suicidal. GP kept me there for 40+ min -until she sorted things out for me and was sure it was 'safe' for me to go - I think she literally saved my life. I did then have to walk out tear stained through the packed reception - all the people I had kept waiting...(no one said anything though).

I work in general practice, this doesn't surprise me. If the receptionist had been male I can guarantee he wouldn't have been shouting and creating.

Ynbu
I can however understand what the other guy was saying.

Ive waited for nearly 2 hours in gp surgery to get ds seen who was latheric, temp of 39.8, complaining of head hurting and pain in limbs plus had been sick to top it off ds has sn and I had a baby with me.

......and candy coated, the GP practice gets paid for doing the annual reviews, that's why!

I think the attitude of the receptionists can often be huge factor. I mean it wouldn't hurt to explain they are running behind. Instead some choose to say nothing then act as if your the problem. Like somehow despite being early, waiting over an hour and despite allowing plenty of time for appointment and to get home/work/feed baby etc it's not ok to enquire if they will get seen or can they re schedule.Of course people will get to the point where they will ask how long it's going to be. As long as they are polite About it surely it's not an issue.

Totally agree OP. A lot of people lack empathy. It's like when there has been a crash and people complain they had to wait ages in traffic. I'm not particularly religious but I always think 'there but for the grace of God'

We'll you say a lot of people lack empathy but this is a drs. You have no idea what the person making he fuss is going through. They may be just as sick or scared as the person the dr is with.

Not an excuse for abuse but don't dismiss them either.

I suspect he will be either receiving a telephone call or a letter in the post removing him from the surgery.

I did asked once the receptionist how long the dr would be (running about an late) not because I was in a rage but because I needed to get my mum to collect my child from nursery. But I ask politely and got a polite response back. As it was they were waiting for an ambulance to take a very pregant lady to hospital.

On the other hand I bemused the amount of people getting stressed about how long the fracture clinic was taking (the Dr had been called away to an emergency before the clinic even started). But as I explained to DD I look at appointment times as a time to turn up and we will be seen when Dr is available, but due to the nature of the fracture clinic they can run very late.

Not a case of dismissing, but if someone in the drs needs an ambulance they are obviously sicker than the person kicking off.

But how can you know that. His blood pressure could be very high or he's out of vital medication. Presumably both patients got themselves to the drs the only difference could actually be that one got in first and the other got kicked out or left without receiving treatment.

You'd be at the number of patients who expect to be "fitted in".

Maybe they've brought a spouse and think that they can squeeze in afterwards.
Or they misread their appointment and turn up at the wrong time/ wrong day/ wrong clinic
Or they double book themselves " Well I have an appointment here at 2.30 but I've got a hospital appointment at 2.45. I thought you could see me now"
(Erm, you booked this over a month ago. You've double booked yourself you've had tie to sort it. I'm not going to move people's appointments)

Then they get a Cats Bum Face when I say "I can't do that I'm afraid"

Giles quite right, our surgery has an electronic "arrive me" system to check you in, and as it does so, it says "you have an appt with Dr X, who is running on time or y minutes late" or whatever so you know.

That's one of the reasons I love that surgery and use it although it's not my nearest. It is so thoughtfully set up and the best GP practice I've seen in this country.