Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
Coconutspongexo · 04/08/2017 15:27

Erm of course they'd want you to ring and cancel so that other person ringing for an appointment could have it!!

What do you mean 'if appointments are hard to come by' don't you read/watch the news?

lettuceWrap · 04/08/2017 15:27

It's very rude to miss ANY Appointment and not to call and explain why (preferably before you miss it, but certainly as soon as you can afterwards). I'm pretty sure there would have been no letter if you'd called and said "I'm so sorry I missed our appointment, there was an accident and the road was closed for an hour".

Judydreamsofhorses · 04/08/2017 15:29

At my surgery there are now no advance appointment bookings at all, because so many people didn't turn up. We have to do "fastest finger first" at 8am, which is massively inconvenient re work (I'm a teacher and always try to arrange appointments for after work, or when I don't have a class, but this isn't possible under this new system). Consequently, I never go to the doctor.

I recently had an 8.30 dentist appointment, which is when the surgery opens, and woke up with a vile bug, which meant I couldn't leave the house - I left an answerphone message at 7am, but fully expected to still be charged for the missed appointment. In the event I wasn't, but I would have been fine paying the fee.

ShotsFired · 04/08/2017 15:31

@10greenapples And if my child needed an ambulance I would call 999 which is free

I'm afraid this one line sums up your entire entitled attitude - the NHS isn't some benevolent charity - it costs a fricking fortune and that bill is paid for by us all.

I was starting to feel a bit sorry for you with the inaccurate kicking about things like the driving (when you had taken the bus) and phoning (when you explained it was a min £5 top up you don't have).

But this takes the biscuit.

MommaGee · 04/08/2017 15:32

OP the thread is pointlessly circling.

You were on a bus in route to the doctors - correct? So why didn't you just do the journey as planned and ask them to see to your child who could barely open her eye? Instead you used free Wifi tocall your sister in Jamaica for advice but couldn't then call the doctors.
It is worth saving up for a £5 top up (are there any routes you can walk instead of bus for example) to have some cover in the event of an emergency, or you being late etc. The latter is called manners. If it had been a tip to the park with friends would you have just not turned up?

Slimthistime · 04/08/2017 15:32

OP I think you are saying you didn't want to use a busy to call and apologise after you got home

I agree but you could have sent an email or letter if they still don't do email.

and yes, the NHS is collapsing under the weight of demand

Original poster
10greenapples · 04/08/2017 15:33

It is free to call an ambulance. WOW now I'm being shot down for pointing out facts

OP posts:
MommaGee · 04/08/2017 15:33

ShotsFired I think she meant the phone call was free to make from her phone. Which at point of use it is. She wouldn't need credit on her phone

Original poster
10greenapples · 04/08/2017 15:34

I didn't call her I messaged her.

My drs doesn't have an email, not that I'm aware anyway.

OP posts:
Goodasgoldilox · 04/08/2017 15:36

Greenapples, it isn't 'free' to call an ambulance in the UK. It costs about £250 each time. (It has to be paid for by someone even if you aren't given a bill.)

ilovesooty · 04/08/2017 15:37

Well there's always letter.

You simply don't seem to realise how rude it is not to contact the surgery at all.

ilovesooty · 04/08/2017 15:37

Good she meant that the phone call is free.

Original poster
10greenapples · 04/08/2017 15:38

Someone said I needed credit if I needed to call an ambulance, I simply pointed out that isn't true.

OP posts:
PutItOnYourPancake · 04/08/2017 15:40

OP. The circumstances were tricky. But YWBU. You were in the wrong. You could have used the call facility through WhatsApp. You could have returned home to let them know. You could even have potentially avoided the letter by calling once you ot home to explain. You've accepted YWBU so stop trying to justify your actions. People aren't being rude to you - they're shocked that you don't seem to have any conception of your social responsibility. Hopefully you realise now that your GP surgery was justified in sending you the letter and will act differently if this happens again.

RedRose2003 · 04/08/2017 15:42

Let's try this in a simple manner. Why did you never get in touch with the surgery by any means, at any point, to apologise for missing the appointment?

Original poster
10greenapples · 04/08/2017 15:44

I never knew that was a thing! Lol got to be honest I have never heard of any one ever doing that.

OP posts:
IHateUncleJamie · 04/08/2017 15:44

Do you work, 10greenapples? Or have to go to the Job Centre? Because in either case, you would need to phone ASAP if you are delayed, otherwise you face being disciplined or having benefits sanctioned. Or if your dd is going to be late for school, I'm guessing you would phone school to let them know?

Why would you treat the GP's surgery any differently?

RedRose2003 · 04/08/2017 15:46

Was that last post directed at mine, apples?

ilovesooty · 04/08/2017 15:49

So after all that you simply hadn't realised how rude your behaviour was by the sound of it.

Original poster
10greenapples · 04/08/2017 15:50

We are talking about the gp though. I've never heard anyone call the gp to say sorry.

OP posts:
Lweji · 04/08/2017 15:51

Lessons for the future:

aim to have some credit on phone for emergency calls that don't involve 999

do not assume you've missed the appointment. Check that it is indeed the case before giving up on it.

accept gracefully penalties for missing appointments, particularly if you never offered an explanation or tried to keep to appointment.

StormTreader · 04/08/2017 15:52

" I had other stuff to do as well I didn't just literally leave my house to go to the appointment."

You know the time you were going to spend at the doctors? The one you were already heading to? You use that same time to go in and explain why you were late in person, and they might even have still been able to fit you in if youd been lucky. It's not rocket science.

Sirzy · 04/08/2017 15:52

Why would you hear anyone do it? It is something most people would do without making a fuss. Just common manners says to phone and apologise if you miss an appointment no matter where no matter why!

AccrualIntentions · 04/08/2017 15:52

I've never called the GP to apologise for missing an appointment, but that's because I've never missed an appointment, I've always been able to cancel first. I'm amazed you don't think it's a decent thing to do though. If you'd called and explained then they probably wouldn't even have sent the letter.

Lweji · 04/08/2017 15:52

Actually, what did you do with the child that had a swollen eye? Did she go with you on your errands?

Swipe left for the next trending thread