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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Doctors appointment 'did not attend' on my notes

51 replies

Waitingimpatient · 21/10/2015 11:35

About a year ago I had a gp appt that I had to reschedule but due to miscommunication between the receptionists I ended up with a 'dna' on my notes. Apparently after three you have to leave the surgery. I asked them to take it off, they would not

Yesterday I was meant to have an appt. on Monday I'd received a text reminder (as I always do) and it said 'if you need to cancel text CANCEL to this number' which I did.
I've always phoned before but seeing as they always send these texts (and also ones asking for feedback) I thought I'd do it as was in a rush and it was easier than being on hold on the phone.

I got a shitty phone call today. Apparently I did not attend again. I explained I had replied to the text so I had in fact cancelled as per the instructions in the text to which the receptionist shouted at me "you shouldn't have done that. We don't get the texts you are always meant to phone" wtf??? Why send them then. She then proceeded to tell me one more 'dna' and I have to find another surgery

They can't do this can they? And what is the point of them sending these texts if they are useless.
AIBU to be fuming about this, the way I was spoken to and these two undeserved 'dna' on my notes?

OP posts:

73dexter · 21/10/2015 11:38

Yanbu. Could you phone /write to the practice manager about this?

waitingforcalpoltowork · 21/10/2015 11:41

contact the practice manager tell them the system does not work and about the way you were spoken to

i would find another practice too that's pretty shitty behaviour

i missed an appointment because i was ill i was also too ill to appreciate the irony they let me off when i said i couldn't carry my sick bowl and none of the baby's nappies fitted me

Snossidge · 21/10/2015 11:41

I'd write to the practice manager to complain.

SilverBirchWithout · 21/10/2015 11:46

It sounds like the surgery define cancelled appointments as DNAs. Maybe you need to be more cautious when you make future appointments and stop cancelling at the last minute.

Original poster

Waitingimpatient · 21/10/2015 11:46

Will speak to the practice manager then. I really don't see why they bombard me with texts, to confirm appt, remind of the appt, ask for feedback afterwards and offer a service to cancel by text which doesn't actually work? Then they have the cheek to shout at me about it!

OP posts:

VocationalGoat · 21/10/2015 11:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GreenSand · 21/10/2015 11:48

I think the first might be hard to proove now. But I'd keep the text showing you'd followed the instructions, and cancelled, and ask for this one to be removed. I'd also put in a complaint about the response from the receptionist.
Are there any other surgery you are close to? Sounds like you might want to try somewhere else?

BondJayneBond · 21/10/2015 11:50

YANBU.

I'd write to the practice manager to complain. Explain that you followed the instructions given in the text to cancel the appointment. If the text system does not work, and they know it does not work, then they should not be telling patients to use it, and it is wrong of them to penalise you for following their instructions and using the text service that they incorrectly told you to use.
I'd also complain about the receptionist shouting at you. I'm sure it's a frustrating scenario for them, but this mix-up has been caused by someone working at (or for) the GP surgery, not you.

arethereanyleftatall · 21/10/2015 11:51

I would enquire first as to whether cancelling counts as a DNA. It's possible it does. So, it could mean three cancelled appointments and you're out?

Katarzyna79 · 21/10/2015 11:54

they did that to me it was a new regime change like dictatorship thing lol. I did completely forget about my appointment but I was never informed that they had this new system of this many ticks and you're off the list, so it did annoy me. I told the receptionist it was my fault I forgot but no one informed me of this new system and id never missed an appointment before.

also what ticks me off is gps can make me sit around for 30-50 mins but if I am 5 mins late they wont see me. I did complain.

Go in funny how they aren't so bitchy when they meet you face to face. In my last gp most of the receptionists were lovely but there was always one who was completely rude, why work there, this is a job where you have to face the public and have patience if that's not possible then why are they there?

waitingforcalpoltowork · 21/10/2015 11:55

if its three cancelled appointments and you're out policy i would definitely move practice there are any number of reasons to cancel an appointment ive had to cancel one due to sickness and diarrhea (smear test appointment) an antenatal appointment (due to already having the baby) all sorts of things and i had a valid reason not to waste there time

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 21/10/2015 11:56

Write to the practice manager. It's common practice do give DNA's now (I work at GP surgery)

Cancelling doesnt count as DNA. They might get annoyed if you cancel 10 mins beforehand meaning the appointment cant get filled.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 21/10/2015 11:58

Complain and ask them to correct the information they hold about you as per their obligations as Data Controllers under Principle 4 of the Data Protection Act. That usually sorts things like this out

As for the shouting at you that's outrageous. I don't work with the general public any more because I want to scream at the fuckwits ALL THE TIME I'm really not cut out for it.

ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/principle-4-accuracy/

catfordbetty · 21/10/2015 12:05

This is an example of a conscientious person falling foul of a system designed to penalise the feckless. Agree with all pps about contacting the practice manager. Remember to ask for a confirmation in writing that your records have been corrected.

Original poster

Waitingimpatient · 21/10/2015 12:08

Apparently cancelling doesn't count as 'dna' but they won't have it that their text system is a problem!!? I said they should put a poster up informing patients it doesn't actually work and let people know and they kept saying "it's run by an outside agency" it's just ridiculous. Waiting to hear back from the practice manager as she was busy and I had to speak to the same rude receptionist who demanded to know what my query was about

OP posts:

ilovesooty · 21/10/2015 12:13

I work with the same software (not in a GP surgery). If one of my clients cancels at short notice I am only given the option of recording it as DNA. You need admin rights to override that.
As for the person complaining about the DNA policy and timings - GP s can get called out to emergencies and home visits. They sometimes need to spend longer with clients who present in distress and crisis. And you seriously expect the same rules re timings to apply to doctors and patients?

SalemSaberhagen · 21/10/2015 12:18

I got a DNA for being in labour! The midwives told me it would be fine but I still got a shirty letter.

dimots · 21/10/2015 12:19

Is it possible that the CANCEL option was to CANCEL the text reminders rather than the appointment itself? If so you need to ask them to phrase it more clearly.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 21/10/2015 12:20

The "3 and you're out" policy does seem rather harsh! That said, they put a sign up in our GP surgery stating how many appointments were missed during the previous month & it clearly is a big problem. Especially when there is so much demand on a GPs time already.

These 3 strikes though, is that 3 within a year, 3 within two years etc. or just 3 over a lifetime? I had a DNA back in June because I was involved in a car crash on the way to the surgery and, at the appointment time, was being attended to in an ambulance. The Dr still said she didn't have the option to take it off my screen notes, but that it wasn't anything to worry about.

Over the course of a lifetime, I'd think it's pretty easy to miss 3 appointments for genuine reason. Especially when their own text system doesn't seem to be working very well!

PallasCat · 21/10/2015 12:34

YANBU. Practice manager - if you did what their text told you, you are not at fault and shouldn't be penalised.

Bogburglar99 · 21/10/2015 12:39

Write to or email the practice manager. As everyone else has said, if the system doesn't work, don't penalise the patient!

I would have assumed the option to cancel by text was to avoid wasting the receptionists very valuable time, and done so ...

OnlyLovers · 21/10/2015 12:41

Write to the practice manager rather than phoning, to avoid the receptionist if nothing else!

Eminado · 21/10/2015 12:46

It sounds like the surgery define cancelled appointments as DNAs. Maybe you need to be more cautious when you make future appointments and stop cancelling at the last minute.

Yes silver because we can ALL predict when we are going to
-give birth

have a car accident
go from cramps and light bleeding to full on passing our dead baby

How stupid we are.

MackerelOfFact · 21/10/2015 12:49

I don't disagree with the three DNAs and you're out rule at all. DNAs cost the NHS something like £170 million a year, and practices aren't allowed to charge patients for the missed appointment, so getting rid of flakey patients from their list is the only way they can really deal with offenders at a practice level. Someone who desperately needed that appointment may have been turned away or forced to wait because someone couldn't remember or be bothered to cancel or turn up to their appointment. Cancelling with very little notice isn't much better.

However you did try and cancel the appointment via a means you understood to be acceptable. They need to amend their messages. It might be run by an outside agency but they are clearly supplying them with the information in the texts!

Eminado · 21/10/2015 12:53

Someone who desperately needed that appointment may have been turned away or forced to wait because someone couldn't remember or be bothered to cancel or turn up to their appointment. Cancelling with very little notice isn't much better.

Huge huge assumptions being made here!!!

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