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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:
ilovesooty · 04/08/2017 12:26

So you never contacted them at any time to apologise?

ilovesooty · 04/08/2017 12:27

You could have asked the pharmacy to contact them.

orangefeet · 04/08/2017 12:27

I think that you should have contacted them to apologise. Doing nothing is rude.

Giraffey1 · 04/08/2017 12:28

Sorry OP, misread your post re asking for another appointment.

Original poster
10greenapples · 04/08/2017 12:30

It was my sister who suggested taking her to the pharmacy after when I explained I had missed the appointment. So no I wasn't "wasting it" it clearly states in the letter that it needs to be cancelled an hour in advance so what good would calling after do?

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 04/08/2017 12:31

At the physio I go to it's part private and part NHS. There's a notice showing how many people just didn't turn up for their appts each month,it averages out at FIFTY!! Shock if you're lucky enough to be referred for physio you should bloody well attend ,the people who have to pay £40 a session will make sure they do or they'll be billed and won't be allowed to re book.

Sirzy · 04/08/2017 12:32

What good would phoning someone and apologising for not making an appointment do? Errm it's called manners!

caffeinestream · 04/08/2017 12:32

If she could have been seen at the pharmacy, why waste a GP appointment in the first place?

It's a long wait here for GP appointments and I'd be annoyed I had to wait three weeks/take a day off to been only to find someone else hadn't turned up for an appointment they didn't need in the first place.

ilovesooty · 04/08/2017 12:32

If you'd called at the time they would have known they could call the next person in early if they'd arrived. Surely you can see it's basic courtesy in any case?

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 04/08/2017 12:32

I can't imagine e ever not ringing to explain why I didn't turn up for an appt,even if I wouldn't have been able to see a doctor. It's good manners apart from anything else.

KurriKurri · 04/08/2017 12:33

It's not harsh - harsh would have been striking you off the list. You've been told if you do it again you'll get a six months ban. They've also said if you need to cancel give an minimum of an hours notice. So a ban is entirely avoidable - just don't miss another one.

Someone didn't get an appointment that day because of you, - it may have been unavoidable, but it remains the case. The least you could have done is phoned and explained what had happened - if you'd done that, they might have been a bit more lenient.

Trb17 · 04/08/2017 12:37

Yet another AIBU where you ask the question but then won't accept the answer.

If I'd been stuck in traffic I would have still gone and apologised at reception and explained.

Letter from GP is not unfair. You did miss an appointment and you didn't inform them in time. Why that happened is irrelevant and GP letter is fair.

Ginormoustrawberry · 04/08/2017 12:38

The fact that you are struggling to understand why you are in the wrong is one of the massive reasons the NHS is in the state it is!

StarryCorpulentCunt · 04/08/2017 12:38

I can't believe you can't see how unreasonable you are.

Original poster
10greenapples · 04/08/2017 12:38

Well if they didn't think she needed to be seen why would they give me an appointment? Anyway I accept that I am being unreasonable, just never knew this was a thing so was abit surprised to get the letter

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 04/08/2017 12:40

Yes, manners are a thing,who knew?!

IdentifiesAsYoda · 04/08/2017 12:41

I understand you didn't know and hour in advance, but not ringing at any time after that smacks of not giving a shit

For instance, instead of being on here moaning, you could be phoning them. Not to complain, but to apologise.

Pigface1 · 04/08/2017 12:42

Is this the first time you've missed an appointment? I'd like to bet it's the second time and they're operating on a '3 strikes and you're out' rule. Which is perfectly reasonable. So is '2 strikes and you're out' actually. So yes, YABU.

IdentifiesAsYoda · 04/08/2017 12:43

BTW, you didn't need to explain just in order to get what you wanted, you needed to explain in order to apologise. You know, so people don't think you are a dick

ShellyBoobs · 04/08/2017 12:43

OP: AIBU?

EVERYONE: Yes, YABU!

OP: No I'm not!

/end thread

kikibo · 04/08/2017 12:44

Well technically this was what they call "force majeure" in the lingo which usually means you are excused from any repercussions if you genuinely did everything you could to get there. Though you should have explained the traffic and the fact that you couldn't call when you got there. When something like a major road accident happens they can hardly expect their patients to anticipate that, can they?

I agree that missing appointments just because you can't be bothered is plain rude but if there is a genuine reason, you shouldn't be told off. Stuff happens.

toastandbutterandjam · 04/08/2017 12:44

My surgery always send out texts saying 'every missed appointment costs the NHS £160. Please call if you cannot attend or are running behind'
I called once, 15 minutes before my appointment to say there had been an accident and I was running late - They thanked me, said they'd see those behind me now and see me when I arrived. I ended up on time though. You should have called - even if it was when you got home, just to apologise at the least. I'm sure you wouldn't just 'not turn up' if you were meeting a friend.

I'm also waiting a long time to get doctors appointments (I see my GP regularly as I have to). I've also had to sit in walk in centres for hours with ear infections (I get really poorly with them) because I can't see my GP. Every appointment is valuable and someone could have used that appointment

AllToadsLeadToHome · 04/08/2017 12:44

The reason there is a long wait when you turn up on time is because they overbook appointments to make up for the ones that don't bother to turn up, inconveniencing a lot more people.

Although it may not have been your fault that you couldn't get there, you could have phoned and explained when you had access to a phone and apologised. And keep the cost of one call on your phone so that you don't have to be inconsiderate and rude again.

IdentifiesAsYoda · 04/08/2017 12:45

kikibo

You have missed the point

Original poster
10greenapples · 04/08/2017 12:45

No it's not the second time, it's the first.

OP posts:
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