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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

aibu to think that if your a pensioner then turning up to the early blood clinic is selfish

196 replies

meddie · 14/05/2014 11:23

Unless your there for a fasting blood sugar or need a very early morning sample, why was the blood clinic rammed with pensioners at 7:30am who had been there from 7 (to get an early ticket). Thus making people late for work, because when they arrived at 7:30 for the 7:30 clinic there is already 20+ pensioners waiting with their tickets causing waiting times to be over an hour fromthe off.

Is it unreasonable to expect an early morning clinic put on for those who cant go during work hours, to be kept for those who need to get to work

OP posts:
Delphiniumsblue · 14/05/2014 19:07

I would say that these days many of the OAPs need to be early to start the childcare for their DCs going to work. I don't see how you can look at someone and judge the circumstances.

MissYamabuki · 14/05/2014 19:16

You are so NBU OP.

feathermucker · 14/05/2014 19:18

Yabu.

Plus, a 7.30 clinic? You're bloody lucky to have that luxury.

I presume you actually mean a phlebotomy clinic?! It doesn't take long to take blood.....be patient Wink

DrinkFeckArseGirls · 14/05/2014 20:15

At our practice, there is something called 'commuters clinic'. It's aimed at those who work from 8 or 9 till the evening. So the op is not entirely unreasonable in assuming such service for those working full time is needed.

You might want to pitch the idea to the practice manager, OP, so they can make the distinction.

MiddleAgeMiddleEngland · 14/05/2014 20:21

My DH is a pensioner. He's the busiest person I know. He has to get to the clinic early because he often has a full day of voluntary work ahead of him - which equates to more hours than his professional job ever did.

Just because they are pensioners it doesn't mean they have all day to sit about accommodating you. Sorry, you're being VU.

crazynanna · 14/05/2014 21:06

Thing is, not all Phlebotomists are actually employed by the Practice, they are 'hired' via budgets from the local Hospital (as in our case), so Practice blood tests are timed mostly according to a contract/availability of staff from the Hospital.

CrohnicallyHungry · 14/05/2014 21:42

middleage theoretical question here. Let's assume there is only one early morning appointment left and both I and your DH need a blood test urgently. Therefore one of us will have to 'book time off work'.

So either I have to make time up at work to allow me to have time off, which means booking my daughter into an extra session at nursery as I already work all the hours she is there. Or I have to accept a reduction in pay to allow for the work I haven't done. Either way I am worse off financially for having to have a blood test done in working hours.

Or your DH can apologise profusely for not being able to fulfil his voluntary duties- which as he isn't paid for it he won't be financially penalised.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 14/05/2014 21:50

I see ageism a lot on MN, it's appalling.

itsbetterthanabox · 14/05/2014 21:52

You obviously don't know their circumstances. But if someone is free all day then it is selfish to go during times that most others are restricted to. I don't travel during rush hour unless I need to when I'm not going to work and when I was a student I didn't make late night or early morning doc appts when other times were available.

banterwiththehunks · 14/05/2014 22:00

What a vile post. Op would you rather anyone over the age of 60 is just shot sO threy don't inconvience you?

slithytove · 14/05/2014 22:05

I don't think yabu actually. You've not stated a blanket rule for all oaps, just that if they could go later it would be courteous. If an oap works and can't attend later, then that's exactly why they should use the early clinic.

I am on mat leave, and make an effort not to take any appointments (doctor, dentist, hairdresser) before or after school hours, because why not! I have more flexible time then other people. So I completely get where you are coming from.

Delphiniumsblue · 14/05/2014 22:09

I agree, DameDiazepam- how anyone can look at someone and just judge by looking that they have their day free beats me!

crazynanna · 14/05/2014 22:13

Well, speaking personally, saying for non-workers to come in later doesn't really make any difference to waiting times, as we have so many patients, we don't really clear the queue until at least 12pm. It's usually heaving until then, so the workers will usually still wait even early in the morning.

EmpressOfJurisfiction · 14/05/2014 22:13

I think it's been deleted but there was another thread started by some odd trolly character who was very excited about starting this thread to wind us up. Lots of shouting. And then it moved on to dinner.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 14/05/2014 22:19

Are you do special that everyone should book their appts to make your life easier?

Going to the surgery is inconvenient to everyone regardless of their age. It's a necessary evil.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 14/05/2014 22:20

So not do

CrohnicallyHungry · 14/05/2014 22:22

Crazynanna- our clinics are quieter. They only open till 11:30, and generally if you go in after 9:30am there will only be a couple of people at most in front of you- compared with waits of at least an hour if you turn up before 8am. So having non workers attend after 9 would even the wait times out.

crazynanna · 14/05/2014 22:26

Yes, it could work if you are that quiet,CrohnicallyHungry, but I suppose a busy London highly-populated area/hospital, just getting the patients bled is a wonder, be they fasting, working, elderley..or just a patient

slithytove · 14/05/2014 22:27

Aaaah yes, shouty Barry

revealall · 14/05/2014 22:41

The Op wasn't judging the elderly people on face value- she was listening to their conversations. Why do most YABU views on here miss that?

People get mighty stroppy if folks use the disabled/mother and child spaces without finding out why people need be closer to the shops or needing more space.
Timings for those that work should be respected in the same way.

Musicaltheatremum · 14/05/2014 22:59

I can understand the OP. yes they may have been working but being a GP and doing a 7-8 clinic once a week for general appointments it is amazing how many of our elderly patients who don't have any commitments (I know because I know the patients) come to these clinics.
We aren't allowed to keep them for the working people though that is clearly stated in our agreement with the hospital.
Nor do we finish early if we do them (loads of people ask me if I finish early on the days I start at 7am) and we don't get paid for providing the extra surgeries either. The government took several thousand pounds away form us and told us we would only get it back if we did the extra hours. So working harder to stand still.

londonrach · 14/05/2014 22:59

Yabu. Depending in when medication hits some people are better first thing. Also from my experience alot of pensioners have very busy lives full of caring for dgc, volunteering, working, gyms, clubs and friends.

Quangle · 14/05/2014 23:03

Absolutely hate this sort of thinking. Self-important nonsense.

Wooodpecker · 14/05/2014 23:06

Do people actually think like this? I mean really? And then go to the trouble of adding it to the internet for us all to read in the hope we would agree?

Nowt as strange as folk.

ZenNudist · 14/05/2014 23:09

Did you mean to be so ageist ?

Everyone knows that if you turn up ona first come first served basis you need to be early to get an early slot. See nhs walk in centres and similar.