To be upset that they gave my appointment away

[sepa]

I made a Drs appointment for my 7 week DC today. I turned up 2 minutes late and they had given my appointment away. The appointments at my surgery are 10 minutes long so would have had maybe 6 mins left by the time I got into see the dr!
I know I shouldn't have been late (I was changing a poopie nappie) but having had to wait over an hour on many occasions for appointments for me previously I think it unfair to lose out by 2 minutes

I completely agree that there needs to be a limit and I don't think that DC is any more deserving of the appointment than anyone else. I suppose I just thought they maybe wait a little longer for a baby.

I can see everyone's point of view though and maybe I am being a bit over sensitive

poverty sorry I couldn't help laughing, I read your rory sentence in the voice of scooby doo (no idea why)

So, how come when I get to the doctors 15 minutes early (it's just the way I am..) I always end up wating about half an hour past my due time - sounds like no-one can win this one.

I read your rory sentence in the voice of scooby doo (no idea why)

Oh no. That's going to be in my head now, every time I say SORRY!

Don't worry OP. I'm sure everyone understands that new baby panic. I hope you get some good advice and help from the hv.

I'm amazed that your surgery was on time!! I'd be irritated that my appointment was given away so soon. Our surgery calls if you are late (I haven't ever been late!) so lucky us I guess...

Sorry, but everyone being 5 minutes would NOT make the doctor half an hour late at the end of the day! In fact it would make them 5 minutes late, as they would be finishing each consultation 5 minutes late, and the next patient would be arriving at that time, so they would not have to wait at all.

Sorry, but everyone being 5 minutes would NOT make the doctor half an hour late at the end of the day! In fact it would make them 5 minutes late, as they would be finishing each consultation 5 minutes late, and the next patient would be arriving at that time, so they would not have to wait at all

No, because everyone who is late still expects to have their full 10 minutes. I see 18 patients per surgery back to back. If I over-run by 2 minutes per patient, my final patient will be seen over 30 minutes late.

To be fair even if you were on time the emergency patient would probably have been seen before you anyway.
Babies have impeccable timing when it comes to pooing versus your need to be somewhere!

I wonder if the surgery was under more pressure yesterday due to the doctors strike. Maybe patients turned up (or the surgery thought they would) who might have gone to A&E if there wasn't the strike.

A seven week old baby and you were only two minutes late.. I think you deserve a medal. It's nigh on impossible to get times right with little babies! I think they were unreasonable, they could have shown some human decency and given you a 'hall pass' given you're a new mum. Congrats on your baby too.

Oh and, why is reflux a HV thing? I'd have thought that was a doctors thing.

I work in the NHS and see patients in an Outpatient clinic setting.
We are told to see if 15 mins or less late to still see patient. Our appts are 15 mins long

^this

Thank you for al your child congratulations

I suppose I'm more annoyed with myself for being late. Being late messes with my moods as I really hate it!

bollocks, thread moves too fast.
Babies have impeccable timing when it comes to pooing versus your need to be somewhere
^this!!

Arriving 2 minutes after your appointment started is actually 5 minutes late by the time you've booked in though (unless your surgery is way more efficient than ours ...). Call me weird, but I'd expect people to arrive at least 2 or 3 minutes before their appointment started, not on the dot.

At our surgery for an on the day "emergency appointment" you have to sit and wait for someone not to turn up (or for the doctor to get through appointments super fast) so they absolutely would push the emergency patient through asap.

I think you are being a bit unreasonable (which is totally acceptable with a 7w/o!). You still got seen so it wasn't so much that your appointment was given away, more that the emergency was slotted in ahead of you which sounds on the surface to have been the best option if the doctor was available and you weren't there.
I think it's quite usual for doctors to suggest the HV as the first port of call for reflux, frustrating as it might be if you end up being referred back to the GP.

I'm not surprised you're a bit sensitive at this stage - it's normal, and you're probably not used to going to the doctor often either. But they are under huge time pressure, and they simply can't leave 2 minutes when there is someone who needs to be seen. Don't be cross with yourself - it's annoying but it's easy for things like this to happen when you've got a baby.
I hope you get the help you want from the HV and that the reflux is transient .

Hi Shiny

I think Liara is right. If first patient is due at 8.30 for a 10 minute appointment but is 5 minutes late you see here at 8.35 - 8.45. The next appointment was due at 8.40 (10 mins after 8.30). If they arrive 5 minutes late then you see them at 8.45 so you are still only 5 minutes late. If they all arrive 5 minutes late at the end of the day you are still only 5 minutes late.

Haha. Child congratulations! Phone added in child

Hi honest - in that scenario, you're right- if I start and finish every apt 5 minutes later than scheduled, I'd only be 5 minutes late at the end. But in the real world it never works like that because you get a combination of appointments taking longer than scheduled and people arriving late. And Sod's law dictates that late arrivals always happen when I am by some miracle running on time whereas prompt patients end up waiting.

This is why I pretty much never refuse to see anyone who is late - there has to be give and take on both sides and I recognise that patients are often kept waiting. However I will ask very late arrivals to wait till the end of surgery (unless emergencies/small babies/people with mental health problems etc) - otherwise it seems unfair on those who are on time.