To tell colleague she can't change her name?

[Professionalminefield]

To summarise:

I am a GP partner, and have been at the practice I work at for over 20 years. I changed my name when I got married, but continued to practise under my maiden name, as that's what my patients know me by.

We have a relatively new partner in the practice, who has the same first name as me. (Let's say it's Lucy). She is getting married in the summer, and is planning on changing her name both personally and professionally.

The issue is that, as I found out today, her fiancé's surname is almost identical to my professional name. My surname is Townsend, her married name is Townshend.

So our practice will have a Dr Lucy Townsend and a Dr Lucy Townshend.

This is absolutely not going to work for multiple reasons:
- Many patients, especially those who don't come that regularly, struggle to remember who their GP is, or which GP they want to see. They're not going to be able to distinguish between Dr Townsend and Dr Townshend if prompted on the phone.
- We are in an ethnically diverse area with high levels of immigration. As a result, many of our receptionists (who give out some appointments) and our patients are not native English speakers and will struggle to hear the very slight difference between the names.

WIBU to tell my colleague that she can't change her name?

OP YANBU. I have seen no mention of cost anywhere on this thread to your practice. It will cost a huge amount over the years. Each phone call about appointments for you/her will take longer. I imagine receptionists will need to take patients DOB and work out themselves who to make appt with. Referrals and correspondence etc also have the potential to get mixed up. What happens if one of you makes a mistake and the other gets blamed?

You don't come across v nicely about the matter and I hope your bedside manner is a bit better!

Your concerns are valid and you need to discuss the possible pitfalls with your colleague and work out a system to distinguish between the two of you. She may agree with you and keep her maiden name, or she may not. If you have middle names with different initials, then perhaps you need to go by Dr L A Townsend and Dr L B Townshend (for example).

You seem certain that you can forbid her from practicing under her new name at your surgery, but I would imagine this might be the kind of thing that could lose you a GP. I think you would be cutting your nose off to spite your face if you refused, when there are other options available.

You'll need to weigh up which would be the most hassle - letters informing your patients of your new system, or having to recruit another doctor.

Two doctors at my surgery married, they're now both Dr Thomas, just with their initial as the difference.
I know your first initial is the same, but how about middle name initials?

I love doctors. I work with them a lot and most would be arrogant enough to think it's totally appropriate to insist someone goes against tradition and doesn't change their name because surely their dedication to the practice should be greater than their commitment to their dh! (obviously people are totally entitled to decide whether to change their name or not and either is fine but it's not appropriate for an employer or business partner to get involved in this decision!)

Just realised that our practice has two dr Smiths but it's a village so we use first names anyway.

Put it on the agenda for the next practice meeting - the best interests of patients is what the practice is all about and this is compromised by two so similarly named doctors but needs dealing with formally. What does your practice manager say?

You sound a bit full of your own importance OP.

It's none of your business what name she chooses, just who exactly do you think you are?

If her name ends up the same as yours then you'll just have to find a solution and work around it, no big deal.

Surely the RCGPs or the GMC must have some guideline on this?

But also aren't there lots of GP surgeries where you get husband and wife teams - this must happen a lot, though presumably then the receptionist can ask whether it is the male or female one.

I agree with the posters who say have emoting with her and see what solutions she can offer first - she must have thought about it. Maybe she will offer to double barrel at work?

What do you other senior colleagues think? What does the retiring senior partner think?

Easy peasy, she’s known as dr Lucy, and you’re dr Townsend.

Tell her like it is... your practice, your rules.

What’s all this messing about?

Patients need to be accommodated and treated carefully.
Confusion does no one any good, especially if English isn’t a first language for most.
Think of the liability, and time wasting with repeat appointments etc.

You’re the boss, so act like one and tell her how she’s to be known in your practice to avoid money and time wasting, no shows and confusion, and to provide seamless service to your patients.

Step up BossLady, and, congratulations on your promotion to partner.

Your points are 100% valid . For the reasons give mentioned I feel you have the best interests of the patient at heart. This will be confusing for patients and I am sure it will pan out to be that way. I think first speak to her and diplomatically explain why and if she doesn't come round to your way of thinking then I guess I'm your position as you say you can make her.
Also, she is a newly wed so I can understand if she is upset she can't use her new name and I would be upset. I would consider using your married surname too if this gets confusing. Also, if she is legally called " lucy Townsend" then are you able to force her to practice under her maiden name .
Just a thought

But doctors have to practise under their qualifying name. It's really expensive and difficult to change that. Surely you know that?

I once worked in a place with two Barbaras with similar surnames. One was known as "Barbara", the other as "nice Barbara" I suspect in your situation you'll be known as "Lucy"...

This must happen in big practices with commmon surnames.

I’m sure asking if the patient wants to see the old Dr L A Townsend or the young Dr L B Townsend (nee Smith) will suffice.

I didn’t really think doctors changed their professional name though?

All the female doctors are Mrs Husbands name for personal and Dr Maiden Name at work.

Surely the GP booking system ‘knows’ which GP is the lead GP or allocated Gp for each patient so it’s not like they need to remember anyway?

My hairdressers even knows that...

Oh and you are completely unreasonable to even think of asking her this. She has every right to do so. You are grossly underestimating your patients' intelligence and the capacity of your admin staff to figure out a way to sort this. Depending on the legal relationship between you, I'd be consulting my solicitor for advice about discrimination/harassment/constructive dismissal. You absolutely cannot have any say whatsoever in the name of another adult. The only people whose names you can choose are you and your minor children. That's it.

In any case, you sound exceedingly difficult to work with and I'm sure Dr Townsend will be looking for a better job before long.

This is ridiculous, it would definitely be far too confusing for patients and if you have the authority to stop her from doing it I would. It's for the best of both your careers and more importantly the patients.

Why would a doctor post their identity on a forum? Either this is fake or unprofessional

You probably could just say no in a partnership if the other partners agree. However, I'd speak to her about it to see if you can reach a compromise as I agree it's too close for patients to distinguish. As the senior partner patients will know you as whatever name is used within your practice, so if you are Dr Townsend then you should stay as that for continuity. Patients are accessing your services in vulnerable circumstances and don't need to be having to think which name they mean.

When I was a child our GP's were a father/son practice and they both had exactly the same name. Dr Hugh X (not specifying surname as I think the son is still in private practice). The father was Dr X and the son was always known as Dr Hugh.

Could she double barrel?

My mate is a GP and also kept her maiden name for work, very common in your business as you know.

Doesn't the office have a computer record of who the person sees? When I call my doctor's office, they ask for my date of birth, then I confirm my name and they see "my doctor" in the system. They will offer me an appointment with him first. If that doesn't work, they offer me a different an appointment with him or one with another doctor. I know his name, but with that system it wouldn't matter if I didn't.

You are acting as though this is some gob smackingly new problem.

In the Olden Days when I was younger most of our GP surgeries were family affairs with dad as the founder and then each son coming onboard as they graduated. So whole surgeries with Dr’s with the same surname. Often the oldest son would also have dads christian name but obviously different middle name. Guess what - we all survived with no confusion whatsoever. People had common sense back then.

Let’s use the example of Smith
*Dad who is David A Smith - known as Old Dr Smith
*Son who is David T Smith - known as Dr David
*Son who is Tom Smith - known as Dr Tom
*Son who is Chris Smith - known as Dr Chris

See how easy this is! You will obviously be known as Old Dr X but you know that’s the benefit of being a senior partner .

Given that you are both partners be careful how you handle this, you can't veto it as she can just go ahead with it. You are then left with how you move on from the disagreement.

You have to come up with work arounds, plenty of people on this thread have given examples of similar issues that have not been insurmountable for patients and receptionists.

If you do go down the road of asking her not to use the similar name, perhaps phrase the request in terms on what's best for patients and referring colleagues and time management for reception.

Have a chat with her and gently explain the difficulties that may arise should she practice in her married name.
She may not even have thought about it.
I am with you. It would be very confusing for some patients and others

There's lots of options, so ask her what she thinks she should do. E.g. you could be known as Dr Townsend and she as Dr T.