To complain about this receptionist?

[BirdPerson]

Went to my local NHS clinic this morning for an appointment - it’s a typical NHS outpatients building with different services in different rooms/floors.

Anyway, I was waiting with my 18 month old, we’d been there an hour already and though I’d gone equipped with snacks and books, she was started to get a little bored.

She noticed a childs activity table in the waiting area of an adjacent clinic, so I went in with her and sat down to have a play. Almost as soon as I did, the receptionist came out from behind the desk and asked me if I had an appointment. I said no, my daughter just wanted to have a little play. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘if you don’t have an appointment you’re not permitted to use our facilities.’

I didn’t quite understand/believe what she was saying, so I asked her if she was being serious. She told me she was and asked me to leave. I told her she was very petty and left, but I’ve been seething about it ever since and I want to put in a complaint to the Trust. AIBU?

Thanks for the input everyone. I’m quite certain that she was asking if I had an appointment in that particular clinic but there’s a chance she may have thought I like to tour local hospitals and abuse their play facilities for shits and giggles. So I guess IABU!!

She did you a favour I never let my kid play on waiting room toys they must be riddled with disease!

@shitholiday2018

Don’t be silly. Are you always so desperate to shout racism at the slightest negative comment that may yet be factual?

@shitholiday2018 - how is it racism if it's true? - another MN idiot just waiting to stand in their ivory tower and pour over words just waggle the race card finger - they were seen, caught red handed and kicked out - that's theft and vandalism

*posted too soon....

By the travellers - that's a hard fact not racism

You should have told her that you did have an appointment thank you, which you did, but did not tell her.

Did you miss the bit where she said the OP probably didn’t look like the sort cause that kind of trouble? After a para on travellers generally causing havoc? Travellers do not generally cause havoc, for the most part. Some do, just like some Caucasian middle classes do. We should still guarD against vast generalisations which fuel existing prejudices. And avoid comments about people looking (or not looking) like they might be trouble, especially where that appearance relates to a specific race or other category of person.

If those comments were said by an NHS employee during the course of employment they would be disciplined.

Flumpy your last comment shows the veracity of my previous statement. People used to say the same thing about black people in the 70s. Equally wrong and racist. People forget that travellers are protected by the equality act. Get some equalities training.

The people in your hospital were seen, caught and dealt with, as people. They do not represent an entire racial group. Good gracious.

This is a weird place sometimes.

YANBU OP.

hmm I don't think OP was being unreasonable. I fully support the NHS, but don't see the need to be jobsworth. And small child plays with toys is not exactly a shocking crime.

And the casual reference to travellers being troublemakers is horrible. I'm glad shitholiday2018 called it out (and hope your holiday wasn't too shit)

There really are no words

@shitholiday2018 - you're arguing yourself into a corner here
There was a problem in the local area where travellers had parked themselves on land and were causing havoc - including in the hospital
I'm not saying that all travellers are bad - stop assuming and using it to create tension and be a hero - you're not phasing me, I used to live in an area with a huge community of settled travellers and went to school with some of those travelllers, most of whom had settled into houses and I know quite a lot about the community I lived in (which was vast!), I'm talking about something very different

Thanks Grumpy! And I hope you aren’t too grumpy today.

Casual racism is everywhere, if it doesn’t get called out people will continue to think it’s ok. As many on here seem to, sadly.

God forbid someone who looks like a traveller make the same mistake.

I find it racist to insinuate that all travellers look the same way.

Flumpy - so what did the reference to the OP not looking like she was going to cause trouble mean, juxtaposed next to your travellers causing havoc comment?

Galactic , nice point, well made.

Only Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers are protected under the Equality Act. All other groups don't receive the same protection. That's just the fact of the matter, not my own opinion.

Can’t wait - you obviously haven’t read recent case law, the generic term of traveller and travelling community can indeed be a protected characteristic within the meaning of the Act.

Nice bit of racism there Flumpy. Always a welcome addition to any thread
since when were "travellers" a race?

The woman seems like a jobsworth type. Who would actually have an issue with a small child,playing with toys in a waiting room,?

@shitholiday2018 - a woman with a small child playing with toys is hardly what you may describe as dubious or questionable behaviour - however a receptionist of a clinic, who may be quite vulnerable on her own on a frontline may be told by those managing clinics to turn away anyone who isn't waiting for an appointment

Stop being a pedantic PITA for no reason except to
Make yourself look right when you're actually wrong!

shitholiday2018 I only get grumpy when reminded that everyone isn't basically kind and loving towards their fellow humans

Some of my best friends are etc etc has been found not to be a good explanation of previous discriminatory behaviour. Just don't do it! If you do, even accidentally, apologise. There's really not any more to it.

Oh my god, the ignorance on here is astounding. I’m out.

Sorry grumpy, that crossed with yours! Peace and love.

you too. You did your bit.