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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not wonder why gp surgery’s get so much aggro...

45 replies

sophisticatedsarcasm · 30/08/2018 14:55

Just got back from drs . I literally walked in, checked in, sat down, took my phone out and the nurse called me. I mention how quick that was as I was early and they are usually late, she said it’s a really weird day as it’s so quiet today. Yesterday when I’d called up, firstly it took 20 minutes to get through, then she told me the only appointment was at 2.30, yet I get there today, the place is practically empty and the nurse says they are really quiet 🤐
I’m not really surprised that people get really pissed off and no wonder more people use the hospitals. I’m not saying people are right to get aggressive and rude it’s just I’m not entirely surprised.

OP posts:
Confusedbeetle · 30/08/2018 15:06

One of the reasons is that loads of people make appointments and don't turn up, well it is free of course. Please talk to a few people who work in GP practices to get a balanced view

WhirlyGigWhirlyGig · 30/08/2018 15:09

All the patients that day could've been uncomplicated ones meaning everyone is running on time, some people don't bother turning up, some people might've had to cancel their appointment that morning.

People that use hospitals inappropriately piss me off.

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow1 · 30/08/2018 15:10

Make the most of the NHS while we still have one

cptartapp · 30/08/2018 15:14

Practice nurse here.
People book appointments, some of twenty or thirty minutes and then don't turn up or cancel at the very last minute.
Staff get pissed off too, waste of everybody's time all round.

hibbledibble · 30/08/2018 15:17

It sounds like a lot of patients booked appointments, then did not attend. This results in less available appointments. Don't be angry at the practice, be angry at the patients wasting resources.

RoomOfRequirement · 30/08/2018 15:26

This post is pathetic. Everything goes right, you're seen early, nurse is polite. And you still come on Mumsnet to complain.

I give up. No wonder NHS staff morale is so low.

TheVanguardSix · 30/08/2018 15:27

GPs and nurses drown in admin. Perhaps it is quiet today. Maybe they have no patients booked in during their admin blocks which are dedicated to referrals, prescriptions, etc.
You may be an easy patient. But for every easy, in/out patient, there’s the guy going through chemo and COPD and diabetes and his wife has died. People are complicated. Healthcare is complex. It’ll be sad when the NHS has been totally transformed into an American style healthcare system. Enjoy it while you have access to what is still a good system. And how nice that you got in and out so quickly.

Spam88 · 30/08/2018 15:30

So confused by your AIBU, the NHS really can't win can they. Yes, it's an outage that you were seen on time.

HoleyCoMoley · 30/08/2018 15:30

And your complaint is what exactly, that you were seen on timeConfused

SquedgieBeckenheim · 30/08/2018 15:30

An hour of wasted appointments for me today due to patients not turning up. So I saw a few people early as they'd turned up early. Hope no one complained about that Hmm

Original poster
sophisticatedsarcasm · 30/08/2018 15:47

I’m just saying...... on a number of occasions I’ve called up for my dcs and when you first ask for an appointment they don’t have any thenwehn I mention it’s for my dd or DS all of a sudden one magically apprears. So if it was for me and I was really in need of the drs they wouldn’t have given me one. Yes kids are important, it just gives out a wrong impression. I’m not blaming the nhs I’m just saying for each individual surgery. generally I have to have a check up every 6 months which I book a telephone appointment for via online service but unfortuntley you cant book appointments for other tests online so I have to call up, I hate doing this as I genuinely hate calling and spending so much of my time waiting for them to answer. If my Nan calls up she gets appointment straight away. I know thier are annoying patients that waste people’s time and believe me them people piss me right off, especially when I’m and in and out in 3/4 minute kinda person I know not everyone has that it’s just when she told me that the only appointment was the one I had and you go thier and the place is empty. Yes some people may not have turned up and I take that in consideration however how likely is it that more than 5 have all not turned up. I know we are lucky to have the nhs but I still think some places need to work on thier resources.
Luckily we only have one rude receptionist, although I’m pretty sure I’m alwYs the one to deal with her.. they rest are really good. I guess it’s a case of the grass isn’t always greener.... but I’m on the patient side and just reporting what I’ve observed.

OP posts:
Original poster
sophisticatedsarcasm · 30/08/2018 15:47

Excuse my typos.... IPad is being a pain 😖😖

OP posts:
TheMatteEffect · 30/08/2018 16:07

People that use hospitals inappropriately piss me off.

Services that lead to people using hospitals inappropriately piss me off. A few weeks ago I couldn't get through to my practice during normal opening hours because they had switched on the "out of hours" answer phone... We (actually my friend as I was too busy vomiting) phone 111 who advised we went to the GP as a walk in as it was their duty to provide emergency care during practice opening times...

The GP refused to see me because I had walked in and not called up to ask if I should come in or I should go to A and E. At this point it was not something that required A and E or Urgent Care Centre... There were two hours until the GP closed - it was dead quiet in the clinics and waiting room.

Our GP partners are also the directors behind in our recently-privatised Urgent Care Centre which is where they were sending me

This is the third time I have heard of this happening to someone in that practice now; call me a skeptic but I suspect the GP pocket more money from the privatised Urgent Care Centre they direct then the GP practice.

kitkatsky · 30/08/2018 16:19

My surgery does telephone triage and I really wish all surgeries did. It's amazing. You call before 1130am for a same day appt. The doc calls you back and does a phone consult. If they want to see you they get you in that day, if you're falling with a cold or first day D&V they give you advice on treatment at home and recommend visiting the pharmacy. All genuine people of whatever age get seen when they need to be and as it's on the day appts most people don't forget and make their slot.

hiddeneverything · 30/08/2018 16:54

Your post has angered me. You must have nothing else to whine about.

Original poster
sophisticatedsarcasm · 30/08/2018 19:34

Good to know.. @hiddeneverything
Was it really worth you writing anything.....

OP posts:
Daffodils07 · 30/08/2018 19:46

My doctors only do the same day appointments, you can not book in advanced.
I've always managed to be seen on the same day and so has my children.
Most of the doctors have been fantastic and so have the nurses.
I expect them to be running late, if early or on time then it's a bonus.
My son held up a doctor for nearly an hour when we were waiting for an ambulance to come as he was having an uncontrollable asthma attack.
The receptionist even watched my 2 year old until my fil was able to come and get her.
I'll always be grateful to them, they have gone above and beyond and I'm sure most gps,nurses and staff do day in and day out.

InspectorIkmen · 30/08/2018 19:51

Actually I’m with hidden and everyone else who’s told you you’re being a ridiculous pain in the derrière.
You sound absolutely absurd with your sad complaint about - err - everything going right. Hmm

ChikiTIKI · 30/08/2018 19:54

I can see why receptionists have to triage callers to an extent. Obviously they aren't medical professionals but the practise only have a finite amount of resources.

When I was pregnant and had chest pains I got a call back and an appointment right away. When I didn't need an emergency appointment because my wrist had been hurting for 6 months (let's face it, it's not going to change in the space of a week) then I wasn't prioritised.

That's how it should be.

I don't know why you're complaining. They aren't psychic. How would they know if people are going to turn up or not. They can't double book. They're not an airline!

Glumglowworm · 30/08/2018 19:59

You’re moaning because you got seen promptly even though you were earlier?

Seriously? That’s an actual problem to you?

It sounds like lots of patients didn’t turn up to appointments they’d booked. That’s not the fault of any of the surgery staff now is it?

Get a fucking grip!

kaytee87 · 30/08/2018 20:03

Ridiculous thread Hmm

Can't find anything to complain about so will complain about being taken promptly and the fact that they keep a certain number of appointments by for priority cases (eg small children and elderly).

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 30/08/2018 20:06

YABU.

But I have to say, surgeries that insist on triaging all calls first or who only have same day appointments are an absolute PITA if you have a long term health condition and work. Much better to have a sensible system with a number of different types of appointments.

Better still would be a system with enough GPS per capita to cope with the workload. That one might be something we can dream about.

CigarsofthePharoahs · 30/08/2018 20:06

My GP practice have started an emergency service they run on Mondays (or Tuesdays if bh weekend) where you can phone up, you are guaranteed a short appointment that day with a variety of medical professionals available - including GPS, prescribing nurses and senior paramedics. You are allowed to go in with one issue only.
Worked well for me as one Friday morning my nose started to swell up and by the time the bh weekend had finished I was in agony. I had cellulitis. One emergency appointment later, I had abs and quickly got better.
Brilliant solution to the post weekend backlog of people who really don't want to A&E but would end up there if they had a long wait for a gp. This meant more appointments mid week too.
I like the telephone triage system. There have been plenty of times I've been directed to a prescribing nurse rather than a gp and had what I needed sorted out much sooner.

Mrsramsayscat · 30/08/2018 20:09

YABU.

PaddingtonsHat · 30/08/2018 20:12

If there are only a couple of members of clinical staff in, there will only be the equivalent number of appointments. So whilst there may have been only one slot left for you, the waiting room would seem empty