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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Doctor's appointment

537 replies

10greenapples · 04/08/2017 12:03

I missed a drs appointment for my dd as I just wasn't going to make it on time. Anyway today I recieved a letter which says if one more appointment is missed she won't be allowed another one for 6 months! We can cancel an appointment but need to give an hours notice. So we will only be seen at the walk in if another is missed which is 8am-11am and a 2 hour wait. Aibu in thinking this seems pretty harsh?!

OP posts:
ZerbaPadnaTigre · 04/08/2017 12:06

Why were you running late?

Trb17 · 04/08/2017 12:06

No sorry I don't think this is unreasonable. I struggle to get GP appointments yet over 200 are missed each month at my GP! (They publish this data in the surgery).

If you were running late you should have called to cancel over an hour before.

HeartburnCentral · 04/08/2017 12:06

Yabu. It was rude not to tell them you were not turning up. Someone else could have got an appointment if you had given proper notice.

GameOldBirdz · 04/08/2017 12:06

Not harsh at all. There's a small minority of people who abuse the NHS completely. They think that because you don't have to pay (well, you do but through taxes rather than like paying for a service) then it's fine. Millions of hours and pounds are wasted through inconsiderate and feckless cunts missing GP appointments.

I don't think for a minute that this is you, OP. But you have to look at it from the surgery's perspective- a missed appointment is a missed appointment whether it's through lack of care, genuine emergency, just forgetting or whatever.

Sirzy · 04/08/2017 12:08

You should have made sure you made it on time. If some sort of emergency occurred you should have phoned and cancelled or if you really couldn't phone before then you should have phoned asap and apologised

MrsBobDylan · 04/08/2017 12:09

Yabu, I'm surprised you expect anyone would think otherwise.

Original poster
10greenapples · 04/08/2017 12:09

Traffic was why we was late. There was an accident on the road and traffic was diverted. Calling an hour in advance wouldn't have helped as it doesn't take an hour to get there so I didn't know I was going to be late as didn't know that had happened until I left my house.

OP posts:
KindleBueno · 04/08/2017 12:09

Not unreasonable I'm afraid. A missed appointment isn't the same as a cancelled one and there's no excuse for not bothering to ring

MrsOverTheRoad · 04/08/2017 12:09

It's not "harsh". The NHS is barely coping and if everyone did what you did and didn't bother to turn up or call...then people who needed the doctor urgently, wouldn't get in!

MsPassepartout · 04/08/2017 12:09

It does seem a bit harsh but it also makes me wonder if your surgery has a big problem with lots of patients simply not turning up for appointments. That'd be a bigger problem for them if there's a high demand for appointments from other patients.

Did you phone the surgery to explain that you couldn't make your DD's appointment? Or did you just not show up?

Katescurios · 04/08/2017 12:10

Sorry but I think it's fair. You could have called and cancelled if you weren't going to make it on time. The last 2 times I've needed to see a doctor I've ended up having to go to a walk in centre because our surgery had no appointments to book. Last time I actually got in to the GP they had a scrolling message on the wall saying that over a 100 people had not shown up to booked appts the week before. Think about the 100 people who had needed to see a doctor and hadn't been able to get in.

Original poster
10greenapples · 04/08/2017 12:10

Even if I had called it wouldn't have made a difference as they said it needs to be an hour in advance.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 04/08/2017 12:11

If you had called and said "sorry I am stuck in traffic" at least they would have known and they may have said "it's ok, still come in and we will see her when you arrive" as they could move others up.

No matter the reason it's rude not to contact them.

Mari50 · 04/08/2017 12:11

Not harsh at all. Maybe if you had some understanding of what a doctors appointment costs you'd get some perspective. I'm sure if £50-100 had been taken for the appointment you'd have made sure that you attended it- that's what it costs, who should pay?
People with an attitude like yours are helping to ruin the NHS.

Original poster
10greenapples · 04/08/2017 12:11

No I didn't call, I was out trying to get to the appointment. I never have credit on my phone as quite simply can't afford it. I only use my landline and as I said was out trying to get to the appointment.

OP posts:
ShotsFired · 04/08/2017 12:17

It was your responsibility to call and cancel/tell them you 'd be late as soon as you realised. Yours.

It is nobody else's problem that you don't have a working mobile, or didn't turn round and return home, or buy credit, or ask to borrow a phone...or any of the things you could have done.

Somebody else could have used the appt - maybe there was someone waiting for a slot as a walk in? Or the next person in line etc.

You are a grown woman, I'm afraid that comes with responsibilities.

KindleBueno · 04/08/2017 12:19

Sorry I still think YABU. You should have allowed yourself enough time to be getting there.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 04/08/2017 12:21

So why didn't you turn up late and explain what happened? Or ring and explain?

Original poster
10greenapples · 04/08/2017 12:22

I left with plenty of time to spare. I can't help that the whole road was closed off and traffic was not moving.

OP posts:
Giraffey1 · 04/08/2017 12:22

Surgeries have a massive problem with missed appointments. Apart from wasting GPs' time, they also mean that other patients who could have been seen, weren't. If you didn't have a phone with you to tell them you were running late, yo could have carried on=, got to the surgery and explained rather than not turning up at all and not telling them. You had enough credit to ring them up and ask for another appointment!!!!!

ilovesooty · 04/08/2017 12:22

I think the letter is perfectly reasonable and I also agree that not calling them so that they could at least adjust timescales in the surgery was really rude. Having at least minimal credit on your phone is your responsibility.

Sirzy · 04/08/2017 12:22

So why didn't you phone and apologise as soon as you got home?

Original poster
10greenapples · 04/08/2017 12:23

They won't see you if your later than 15 minutes. There's signs up telling you that. So I wasn't going to waste my time. Me explaining wouldn't make a difference, they still wouldn't see us.

OP posts:
Original poster
10greenapples · 04/08/2017 12:24

I didn't ask for another appointment where does it say that? I took her to the pharmacy instead. And I didn't go straight home after hence why I didn't call.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 04/08/2017 12:25

So you where wasting an appointment anyway then....

Doesn't matter how soon you went home. At first chance you should have made contact and apologised.

You where rude and it's scary that you really don't seem to be able to see that!

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