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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Or is the receptionist?

45 replies

curiousgeorgie · 04/12/2014 10:51

I have a bad cold, I sound awful (over the phone) but it is just a cold and obviously not serious..

My DD has woken up today with a really swollen eye and seems really unwell. I called the doctors and asked for an appointment for her and the receptionist said that if I was ill but didn't need an appointment for myself then I shouldn't come into the surgery where people can be immuno suppressed...

Now, I would never get a doctors appointment for what is just a cold, but my DD really does need to go and there is no one else available to take her as DH, friends and family are all at work!

I had a bit of an argument with her and she said I could have a phone consultation about my DD... But because I can't really just describe what's wrong with her I'm annoyed and I don't think that's the best care. Her eye is so swollen, she looks awful.

She deserves an appointment, AIBU?

OP posts:
MinnieM1 · 04/12/2014 10:55

Bloody doctors receptionists!! Think they're so important!
Obviously there's going to be unwell people in a doctors waiting room - that's kind of the whole point!
YANBU atall, she sounds like a total jobs worth and I'd be saying if you're not allowed to go to the doctor then a doctor will have to come to you
I don't know this 100% but I'm pretty sure they can't refuse a child medical care

funnyface31 · 04/12/2014 10:56

I think it it not up to her to judge you. Surely, they could of offered an appointment and sat you in a spare room or wait in the car until called.

I would ring back. Hope your Dd and you both get better soon.

Marcipex · 04/12/2014 10:58

Of course your DD must be seen asap.

And in an ideal world, someone else could help, but hey, this is real life.

The receptionist sounds like a loon.

Make sure you use the alcohol gel for hands in the surgery, it's quite good at stopping the cold germ spreading.

Good luck.

NoSundayWorkingPlease · 04/12/2014 10:58

Phone back and get an appointment for you. Then turn up with your dd and ask the Doctor to go and get her notes, and tell them exactly why you had to do it that way.

MinnieM1 · 04/12/2014 10:59

Funny face it was just going to add the same thing, they should have a separate waiting area for contagious cases, I've had to sit in there when I wasn't sure if DD had chicken pox or something else so as not to infect anyone else (good job because it was indeed chicken pox) so they could sit you an your DD in there

WowserBowser · 04/12/2014 11:00

No, YANBU, she needs to be seen.

However, (not you op) receptionists are told to do this. They get a lot of stick but it isn't their decision to query patients. She may have gone over the top but people have to remember that this is their job.

R4roger · 04/12/2014 11:01

but you only have a cold, people everywhere have colds. Did you explain you have no one else to take your DD

R4roger · 04/12/2014 11:02

and hand washing is the answer

Marcipex · 04/12/2014 11:02

I think it's reasonable to ask if someone else can bring the child.

It's not reasonable to refuse medical care for the child, if that's impossible.

R4roger · 04/12/2014 11:04

can you check with pharmacist first about the eye?

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 04/12/2014 11:05

I did, she said I sounded awful myself and I said it was just a cold. She asked if someone else could bring my DD and I said they could if it was after 4 (when my brother finishes lectures) but she only had an earlier appointment and couldn't give it to me. Then she said she could only offer me a phone consultation..,

That will be after morning surgery and I'm hoping the doctor might think she needs to be seen.

I appreciate things like chicken pox etc, but people everywhere have colds. Can you really hide from them??

OP posts:
Marcipex · 04/12/2014 11:05

I used to be a doctors receptionist; our doctors would have been incandescent if they'd found I'd refused an appointment for a sick child.

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 04/12/2014 11:06

Can a pharmacist diagnose and give a prescription? If they can then I will just walk down to the pharmacist?

OP posts:
LittleprincessinGOLDrocks · 04/12/2014 11:08

They usually have to provide a waiting area for potentially infected patients or allow you to come at end of surgery. When DS needed to be seen about something important, but we knew he had been in contact with chicken pox (DD had them) we rung and asked for advice and the receptionist moved him to the last appointment and told DH to bring him at his appointment time (not before) to the staff entrance. He was then taken straight in to a Drs room which was not in use that day, and the Dr came through to him. Then after he was seen DS left through the staff door (and I presume the Dr washed and went back to her usual room and the other room was cleaned). Surely your surgery could do the same or something similar?

R4roger · 04/12/2014 11:10

you would have to pay at the pharmacist, why dont you try and see, or try 111, perhaps the GP would be ok with telephone consultation?

musicalendorphins2 · 04/12/2014 11:29

Would you consider wearing a mask? I would think that would do, am not sure, but definitely get your daughters eye looked at. Good luck.

SnowSpot · 04/12/2014 11:31

YANBU. Your dd is unwell. You are unwell but functional, so you need to take her.

I see the receptionist's point, but there should be a place where you could wait out of everyone's way.

slushie · 04/12/2014 11:32

A pharmacist won't be able to give a prescription, but they will look at her eye and will give advice and recommend a product to buy (if there is one)

Sparklingbrook · 04/12/2014 11:37

How bizarre. we have an automated appointment line and don't have to speak to anyone human, so that wouldn't pick up someone with a cold.

Hope you can get her seen.

shadowfax07 · 04/12/2014 11:39

YANBU. As someone who's currently immune suppressed because of chemo, it's my responsibility to make sure that I don't get infected. Of course waiting rooms are full of sick people! I had an appointment with Orthopaedics yesterday (unrelated problem), they were very happy for me to wait in a consulting room away from the main waiting area. I did ring to check first though.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 04/12/2014 11:41

Sick people in the surgery! Heaven forfend!

Yanbu. Call back and get that appointment.

The surgery should look after everyone properly including the immuno suppressed and for some that will mean special clinics and home visits. Sounds like the receptionist can't get manage all the requirements of the job.

Coffeethrowtrampbitch · 04/12/2014 11:43

Ridiculous. I'm on immunosuppresants and sitting in the doctors waiting room right now. I'm no more likely to get a cold here than I was on the bus on the way in.

I would take the telephone consultation and tell the doctor you were refused an appointment, and why. I expect they will tell you to come in with dd anyway so they can see her eye (perhaps you could email the surgery a picture of it to show how serious it is?)

Hope she and you get better soon.

RiverTam · 04/12/2014 11:46

why can't your DH take her then? If both parents work then one would have to be late or whatever to take their child, so as you are ill anyway it seems to me this should fall to your DH.

On the one hand it sounds ridiculous but on the other there is a solution.

wheresthelight · 04/12/2014 11:48

to be fair she is only doing her job however I do agree that some can be incredibly officious and irritating as they are not always the most personable of people and a bit too rigid in the surgery regulations

GritStrength · 04/12/2014 11:51

Sick people in a doctor's surgery, whatever next.

OP YANBU

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