Was I U with dr receptionist

[Namechangemum100]

Genuinely interested to see if my response was unreasonable...

Called Dr to make appointment for Ds to have his 12 week immunisations. He had his 8 week set last week but was crying too much in the surgery for me to book the second appointment as there was a wait.

Called today to be told there was absolutely no appointments, and he would have to wait until he was 14 weeks for the next appointment.

I pointed out to the receptionist that as the schedule is set for 8-12-16 weeks, they should find a space for him as I know they offer appointments on the day if you call up, therefore find it very hard to believe there is absolutely nothing for him. She told me that it was fine for him to wait until 14 weeks as sometimes vaccinations are delayed when a child is I'll.

Aibu in thinking that

A) everyone and his mother tells us how important vaccinations are, and therefore delaying his by 2 weeks is not acceptable unless for health reasons

B) if the government set out a schedule of 8-12-16 week vaccinations, then appointments should be given as a priority to small babies

C) delaying for a non medical reason and leaving a baby exposed is not acceptable

D) surely there is a reason why they stagger them in 4 week intervals and therefore leaving it 6 weeks may affect effectiveness.

She did eventually manage to find me an appointment (as I knew she would, it's always the way with our surgery) but it has left me feeling very frustrated when we have the fear of God put into us about vaccinations and how important they are, yet I'm being flippantly told that my son can have his delayed without a medical reason.

Waiting longer than 4 weeks won't affect the effectiveness of them......
they stagger to give a chance for the child to get over the first set and so on....

Personally I would prefer my child to be a bit more robust and 2 weeks won't make any difference so try not to worry so much. But I do understand your frustrations. It's scary when they're so little. I did breathe a sign of relief when my LO had all jabs completed

There is no problem at all having them two weeks later. I don’t get your urgency!

What do you want her to do? There aren't any appointments so how is she supposed to give you one? It's not her fault you didn't book your DS in early enough.

It's unlikely a 2 week delay will do him any harm but if you are concerned you can call NHS24 and they will reassure you.

YABU. I had to delay DSs last ones more than once as he kept getting ill.

If you were seriously concerned about keeping to the schedule you would have prioritised making the appointment over other stuff.
You delayed.
There aren't any appointments.
The vaccinations will be delayed.

It won't make a difference. DS was prem and had his late and the nurse said it was completely fine.

😂😂😂 "Booking an appointment takes a minute on the phone" Have you ever actually tried ringing a surgery? It takes more than a minute just for their end to ring after their endless messages.

Anyway, I can see your point OP as she did actually have an appointment, which has happened to me before, needed appointment, told there were none, pushed the issue as I needed it (can't remember why) and suddenly there were 2 for me to choose from. On the other hand, I work in a similar area and book appointments for certain things. If the slots are booked, I cannot magic any more up and it has to wait until more get put on the system. You can probably thank the amount of people who just don't bother to turn up, constantly waste appointments that can't be used and we still have to book them in to another one.

YABU they can't be given sooner than at 4 week intervals but fine to be given longer.
Its a really hard job when there are no available appointments.

Vaccinations are very important but not an emergency.

Will make no difference 2 weeks late. I think only our first set were on time due to bank holidays falling on vaccination days! As PP have said the distance between them is a minimum not a maximum. Difficult not to worry as a Mum (in terrible for it!) but receptionist/dr surgery wouldn’t tell you it was ok if it wasn’t

totally off topic and BTW OP you WBU but I am amazed how many vaccinations kids have now. Mine are 8 and 12 and I am sure they only had them at 4 months and 4 years. Maybe I have forgotten though and parenting is turning me senile

I'm sure the receptionist have to put up with many irritating know it alls on day to day basis. YABA, and you know it. Why should your baby trump anyone else...get organised, or accept that maybe you have to wait a little longer.

YABU

My youngest had his last set almost a month late as he was recovering from major surgery. His surgeon and paediatrician both said that the delay would make no difference.

Even if there are emergency appts left open, vaccinations aren't an emergency. It's not great to take up one of those slots as there will be people in genuine need of emergency medical care.

I agree OP, we had exactly the same issue here. I can’t stand my GP receptionists anyway, they’re crap. But when you have letters and texts and reminders about how essential your vaccines are it’s odd that they then don’t bother keeping appointments aside so you can actually have them.

And 2 weeks certainly makes a difference if the baby contracts said disease in that time

You could have called back that day, or the very next day to make the next appointment. But nope you waited a week. So it can’t be that surprising the appointments have gone and it’s your fault not the receptionist’s. But it really doesn’t matter, having the next set at 14 weeks then 18 weeks would cause no harm whatsoever. It happens all the time, the clinic might be cancelled due to staff absence, you could go on holiday over the date, you be might be medically advised to delay as baby isn’t well on the day... a small delay doesn’t make the vaccines less effective. You were vile to the poor receptionist and there’s no excuse. Don’t call back and apologise as that will tie up the phones for someone that actually needs to speak to the surgery but don’t be so rude in future.

Being a new mum can be a bit overwhelming and it's very common to get overly concerned about small things that are not actually as big a deal as the feel. I think your reasoning has suffered from this a bit here. The government push vaccinations so hard because getting the rates up high is critical for herd immunity. That one child is not vaccinated for an extra 2 weeks isn't really of any concern in the big picture.

So, yes, I think YWBU. But there may be times when you really do need to advocate hard for your DC against a seemingly treacle-like health or education system, so probably better to know you have it in you than to shut up because it's polite.

As an ex receptionist yes you have been unreasonable, there has to be a MINIMUM of 4 weeks between vaccinations. They are usually given at a vaccination clinic not as a on the day appointment. Maybe she gave you an appointment to shut you up. Prepare to be turned away if there is not 4 weeks between vaccinations.

Sorry but YWBVU.

Two weeks delay would be neither here nor there.

It would make NO difference whatsoever!

I'm a paediatrician and my baby's second set were delayed 7 weeks (4 different delays). These sorts of timeframes make no difference to it. Add to that the fact that the GP receptionists get crap from people all day long and are constantly blamed for things they have absolutely no control over and it makes you unreasonable twice over. They've now broken the rules for you and may end up getting it in the ear from their bosses as well as you.

If you have an issue about appointments, speak to your practice manager or even better- your local MP.

at your appointment book the next appointment while you are at reception before you go in for the jabs

@troubledlichen

Ok for starters...rtft...I have agreed to being unreasonable, however I was not VILE, i have not given a play by play of our actual conversation and was actually just trying to be firm as I thought they had to be at 12 weeks.

I also didn't leave it a week, his appointment was Friday, they aren't open over the weekend and I called on Monday at the first opportunity when I don't have a toddler clawing at me or a newborn crying.

I personally didn't see it as appropriate to hang around in a surgery behind a line of people with a baby screaming after having his injections. He needed comfort and nobody else needed to listen to 20 minutes of shrieking...I actually felt like this was the right thing to do and am shocked that other would find it acceptable to remain in the surgery under these conditions.

YWBU. Poor receptionist - who did she have to cancel to squeeze you in, the pressure she must have felt under. 2 weeks would have made no difference, we were offered appointments past the supposed recommended dates and even the Dr's said it was ok. You sound pushy OP.

@weallhavewings...great idea, I will certainly do this 👍

YABVU.

Yes, you can call up on the day and get (a usually emergency) appointment.

However.

These appointments are blocked off, and the receptionist cannot book them until that day, so they cannot just give you one of those.

Receptionists don’t like being difficult for the sake of it. Nobody wants to deal with agitated patients/customers/clients.

YABU

A 2 week delay makes no difference - vaccinations get delayed all the time as little ones get sick and they advise not to vaccinate.

There is no particular science behind the 8-12-16 week spacing - this is just what the UK has decided to do. Giving later has no effect. My kids had their vaccinations in Sweden where it is much more spread out with initial baby vaccinations at 3 months, 5 months, and 12 months and then the MMR at 18 months