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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Doctor's fucking punctuality

314 replies

AnotherTimeMaybe · 20/04/2016 18:37

So went to doctor today and he was late again! Previous patient came late so he couldn't just chuck him out and he took me half hour later ,I was late for school pick up ended up paying late care
I don't get it, why are they allowed to be late we are supposed to accept it or leave and miss the appointment for which I had to take day off! And if we are late they wait for 5 minutes and then you go back to the bottom of the queue
AIBU ? Is this a life sentence?

OP posts:
seafoodeatit · 20/04/2016 19:12

YABU, it's not up to the doctor. I have to see a consultant a few times a year and every time I go I'm told a few patients have showed up late and therefore they're running behind schedule, usually a one hour wait at least past my appointment time, I really do wish people would bother showing up on time for their appointments!

arethereanyleftatall · 20/04/2016 19:14

Only read the first few posts, but omg yabu.
This boils my piss.
Be fucking grateful you're not the One who required emergency extra treatment, thus pushing the doctor late. Ffs think before you rant.

Fluffycloudland77 · 20/04/2016 19:14

YABU.

A lot of us wouldn't be alive without them.

ElectronicDischarge · 20/04/2016 19:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sallystyle · 20/04/2016 19:17

It really can't be helped.

I did a clinic today as an HCA and I was complimented on being early to call them in. Then I had one patient who had trouble walking, so it took a long time to get them into my room, then it was hard to do my basic tasks due to decreased mobility. That then made me 20 minutes late.

I can't imagine how hard it must be for doctors who are expected to work out what meds a patient might need, or if they need a referral or to even talk and put their mind at rest or discuss their mental health. That's before you get to the emergencies that happen.

It is annoying waiting, but one day it might be you who needs the extra time.

BTW if a hospital doctor arrives late for their first appointment the most likely cause is they were hold up on a ward round. Most do a ward round before clinic, they aren't drinking tea and deciding to roll in when they want. Being late also affects them as most of them want to be on time for their surgery list or whatever.

I get pissed off when people moan at me because they have waited a while to be seen. We want to get home on time, we don't want to be late either. To give decent patient care there is simply no choice at times to make people wait to be seen.

cleaty · 20/04/2016 19:17

My GP sometimes runs late. But I know when I went in for what I thought was a routine appointment, but wasn't, that he spent all the time needed. Personally I would rather wait and know that I am seem properly.
I had a GP once who would only spend the time allocated to the appointment He always ran on time, but if you were really ill you would not get the time to talk about any issues or worries.

Bishybishybarnabee · 20/04/2016 19:18

A few years ago my DP was the reason a neurosurgeon was running late for his clinic. He was busy saving DP's life in a very unexpected emergency. I'm sure it must've been frustrating for all the people waiting for their appointments, but I would take that anytime over being the one the doctor needs to prioritise.

ElectronicDischarge · 20/04/2016 19:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PortiaCastis · 20/04/2016 19:19

I am amazed at the thread title!
There are a good few GPs on this site and I'm sure when they've finished doing their session and a lot of paperwork for whatever reason, they'll be along to reply about their fuckin punctuality

lorelei9here · 20/04/2016 19:19

My doc runs late
She takes more appointments than she is meant to and frankly I think many of her patients have been saved worse problems because of her dedication and commitment
Others in the surgery run to the clock, do you have others at your place like that? They may suit you better
Also, did the previous patient arrive late or run, late? If they arrived late and you were there waiting, I suppose they could have fitted you in
But generally doctors run late for good reasons

WreckTangled · 20/04/2016 19:19

Wow YABSU! I didn't realise anyone actually thought like this?! Ten minute appointments, two minutes for the elderly patient to get up and walk to the room, another two minutes for them to get their coat off and get up onto the couch for an examination and that leaves six minutes for the examination, consultation and writing of notes. If the appointments were longer then there would be less available.

Half an hour isn't much to wait I don't think. One if the gp's at work regularly runs 60-90 minutes late because she's bloody fantastic. One of her patients complained to the man who had been in before him tell him he had cancer, why should he have to wait? The man who had just been in had also just been diagnosed with cancer.

Redglitter · 20/04/2016 19:20

Doctors aren't running late because they're updating Facebook and reading magazines.

I went to the docs years ago for test results

They (thankfully were incorrectly) but I was absolutely shocked and devastated. The doctor didn't realise this was potentially really bad news. We talked about how I felt. She ran another test. Got me a glass of water and discussed what happened next. Sorted out a hospital referral etc I was hysterical what was she meant to do say oh sorry your time is up and throw me out? I was in over 30 mins and was aware everyone else was now inconvenienced but under the circumstances I needed the time.

Delivering bad news must be an even more frequent thing for consultants etc.

You have no idea what's going on behind that consultation room door but if the doctor is running late it's not just to wind you up

SallyMcgally · 20/04/2016 19:20

Best doctor I ever had always always ran late. Sometimes 40 mins, but sometimes more than 2 hrs. We would be in there for either 5 mins (tetanus jab) or 40 mins (v sick toddler with breathing issues). When we moved country, losing him as GP was one of the worst wrenches.

Believeitornot · 20/04/2016 19:20

YABU

Ten minutes isn't enough time for an appointment.

WiIdfire · 20/04/2016 19:21

Some scenarios for the OP:
10 minute appointment - 9 minutes in, finished the consultation about blood pressure tablets, 'oh before I go doc, could I just get you to have a look at this lump in my breast?'
What should I do? (Hint: this is the real reason they came, they were too scared to say it in the first place)

10 minute appointment to deliver the news that they have cancer, need a big operation, chemotherapy, etc. The patient is in tears, the family have a lot of questions, time is up. What should I do?
Frail patient comes in with shortness of breath. They take 5 minutes to get their coat and jumper off so I can listen to their chest. They have a chest infection and need to go straight to hospital. I phone the reception to ask them to call an ambulance then call the hospital to speak to the medics... Oh wait, time is up whilst I'm on hold. What should I do?

On my way to clinic in hospital, as Im leaving the ward, the alarm goes off by bed 6. Thats my patient and they are having a cardiac arrest. What should I do?

If the OP thinks they can do a better job, please do share your advice.

arethereanyleftatall · 20/04/2016 19:23

I would love to see a system implemented whereby people who moan about this because they're too stupid to see why a doctor might be running late, be moved to the back of the line.

WorriedMutha · 20/04/2016 19:23

Married to a GP who sees 36 patients a day, morning and afternoon, at 10 minute intervals and typically runs an hour late for each session. It is nigh on impossible to get an appointment and receptionists are stressed out with the abuse they get because of this. Those of you suggesting 15 minute or double appointments only need to do the maths and work out how much harder it will be to get appointments if the appointment times reflect what is often the reality. It is a no win situation for everyone but sure it would be a massive help if the coughs and colds could stay the F away. YABVVU but you probably realise this by now as you haven't been back. Don't get me started on the number of his generation of GPs who are hastening their retirement plans.

Rubydoobiesmum · 20/04/2016 19:23

If the doctor saw every patient who was "only 5 minutes late" then they could be up to two hours over by the end of the day.
Too many people think a 9am appointment means walking through the front door at 9am, not arriving 5 mins before and going in at 9am. That also goes up if an appointment over runs.
Doctors (and dentists) try not to over run but it can't be helped sometimes - at our local surgery an old dear complained her doctor was running 10 mins late. This was despite the fact a patient had had a heart attack in the waiting room and she had seen her doctor (who had given CPR) help wheel him to the ambulance.
I'd rather over run by half an hour than have a doctor miss a symptom due to not having enough time with a patient and said patient ending up dead.

Believeitornot · 20/04/2016 19:24

The attitude of the OP is exactly why politicians keep fucking meddling with the NHS.

They think they know better than the medical profession, they think that they have the magic answer "if only doctors did X or nurses did y".

Honestly, if politicians back the fuck off and listened to the experts then things wouldn't be pissed around so much.

It is the same with teaching. And other professions.

booklooker · 20/04/2016 19:24

There are clubs where GP's meet up to sip gin whilst puffing away at fine cigars. They do not give a hoot about appointment times.

They share belly laughs at the misery they are causing their patients, and just scribble on prescriptions.

I thought this was an open secret

Original poster
AnotherTimeMaybe · 20/04/2016 19:26

I absolutely understand if there is an emergency- I have had it happen before I've had doctors tell me they had a difficult case so no issue at all, what the hell it could be me

But if it happens all the time absolutely 100% of the time why don't they allow for more time in the first place? If they know on average they will overrun on 9 out of 10 appointments why don't they allow for his extra time like they allow for emergencies
If something is happening constantly isn't it worth looking into?
Not a rant anymore it's something that's been bugging me for ages

OP posts:
MsBlandingsBuildsHerDreamHouse · 20/04/2016 19:28

I am (sadly) a huge user of healthcare as I have a complex disease, so I spend a lot of time waiting at the hospital to see a wide range of HCPs. However, I'm still going to say YABU.

I'll never forget when I was waiting to see my GP many years ago when I was in my twenties. It was a single-GP practice and he was running very, very, very late. Turned out it was because he had needed to go out to an emergency where the patient had died, he'd then needed to stay with the partner of the person until a family member could get to them. He then had to get back to his surgery and just crack on seeing all the rest of us.

I can't begin to imagine how hard that must be - no decompression, no gaps between patients, no opportunity to offload (even if that's offloading irritation rather than distress.)

Anyway, since that day I have never, ever minded waiting. I've always had in mind that there's stuff going on behind closed doors that I just don't know about.

arethereanyleftatall · 20/04/2016 19:28

The problem with this thread Is that there are approximately 3 posters who have agreed with the op. Unfortunately, they're the first three. Everyone is reading the op and the first few replies, getting (understandably) irate and then bashing out an 'yabu you imbecile' post without realising all the other posts are also doing that.

CornishDoll82 · 20/04/2016 19:28

I think we can lay the blame solely at the Conservative's public service/ austerity cuts. My local surgery has gone from always being on time to routinely running 45 mins late (nightmare with a little baby) and they said they just can't afford to get another doctor and demand has increased in area with reduced budgets

WreckTangled · 20/04/2016 19:30

They do have breaks maybe one twenty minute and one ten minute break per session, but they work through them. They can't predict an emergency or three of their patients not turning up for their appointments. If you double the appointment times only half of the patients get seen it wouldn't make sense.