Surgery staff taking about me in earshot

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Apparently it's a "pain in the backside" as I've turned up 15 minutes early (I've not? It's 5 minutes early) and they invited me to wait in the waiting room yet this is now causing an issue? I'm the only one here.

When I arrived at the surgery the sign on the door says "please wear a mask. If you do not have one, one will be provided for you". I didn't have one. So I was provided one from a big stack on the counter.

She has said to her colleague "and she didn't turn up with a mask, I mean it's obvious isn't it?"

I'm sitting right here! And the sign on the door says I would be provided with one

I wasn't asked on the phone to arrive exactly on time or wear a mask.

Blu-tak a poster to the door that patients that need to bring their own mask and turn up on time (but not more than 4 minutes early) as otherwise the staff will loudly bitch about them if they are the only person In the waiting room!

letmethinkaboutitfornow

Wow.

That’s very rude and unprofessional of them to talk like that about a patient whether or not the patient is in the wrong. I would email a complaint to the practise manager or drop a message in the comments box because it’s not something they should be doing in earshot of patients.

If they require you to wear a mask that would be better communicated before patients enter the surgery either by phone if the appointment is made over the phone or a message on the app when making an online appointment.

Again it is a good idea if they don’t have patients hanging round in the waiting room and people meeting on the way in and out of appointments, but 5 minutes doesn’t sound too bad. They should have communicated this all beforehand.

Do mention it, because if they weren't talking about you they were talking about someone else, and they need to be reminded not to act like nasty childish bullies in the workplace.

I'm not sure why some pp are being so prickly with you; if the surgery need you to do certain things they need to tell you to do certain things and not imagine you will just somehow know.

Who has gone into a hospital?

Had when I buzzed on the door the receptionist asked me to remain outside until my appointment I would have been happy to do so.

She came to the door and opened it so I could enter.

I don't have a mask as I've not required one. Had I been asked to wear one, I would have.

letmethinkaboutitfornow - op was at the GP, not the hospital. She followed their instructions regarding a mask.

They sound dreadful. I know their job can be stressful but they were just plain rude, complaining about nothing within your earshot. Dreadful people.

Sounds like idle minds.
Contact the practice manager and suggest they don't sound like their being utilised enough and maybe even take this time to do some online training (in customer service).

Been to hospital twice this week and both times was given a mask. I expected this. Aren’t all hospitals providing them as standard?

How do you know they were talking about you? From the snippets you've posted, it could be anyone.

letmethinkaboutitfornow
Were you the receptionist?

Make the complaint you did nothing wrong, op.

That's shit OP. Doesn't matter if they were referring to you or another patient, fact is they are talking about patients in an unprofessional matter within hearing of people in the waiting room. Practice manager should be all over this unless she is one of the people involved. Working in a GP's surgery is a hard job but if you get staff who think its ok to start bitching about all the patients then they have a problem.

They were rude.

But is it not common sense not to be hanging around waiting at the doctors more than necessary at the moment ? I always keep a mask with me when out and about even though I rarely need to wear it. I think we all need to adapt to new routines and ways to limit contact and risk as lockdown eases.

I would have asked to speak to the practice manager there and then. How bloody rude.

I'm sorry, OP, that's rude and you might want to complain to your GP. Patients tend to find that procedure stressful at the best of times.

Here, patients wait outside until invited in by the GP and must now wear facemarks. If those aren't the rules in your practice then they have no basis to moan and are unprofessional.

Hope it went as well as it could have done.

I’d email the practice manager and explain things as you have done so here.

Regardless of why the staff felt the need to feel irritated, it’s completely unacceptable to talk about patients in earshot. Not only unprofessional, but if they talk in a similar fashion about other patients, very likely to be breaching confidentiality.

Make a formal complaint to the Practice Manager .

OP they were rude. As som eothers have said it I'd find it hard to remain silent.

However - the mask issue is valid - it's been public knowledge (daily briefings, government info widely publicised) in England for a week or two now that masks are needed in medical environments and public transport.

They were still rude to talk like that.

The practice provided masks for patients who didn't realise they needed one or forgot their own etc.
It's not up to reception staff to then bitch about patients asking for one of the masks specially provided for them.
It's a no brainer.

@monkeysox

It's rude of them to comment. Masks and arriving on time are widely known though

Not known at all by me, how would I know that, I've not been to the doctors for quite a while

Maybe you know but strange to think everyone does

YANBU. Not good at all. xxx Are the doctors ok? If the doctors are crap too, I would change to a new surgery.

I've been at this surgery since my own childhood. My own children attend it.

I've never had an issue ever before today.

What is it with the “I haven’t got a maaaask” business ? Why are people so useless?

I have made six masks. And I am definitely not a Great Sewing Bee contestant! There are a million types online to have a go at. And of course you can buy them. You buy your own loo roll; masks should be no different. Honestly, I am somewhat convinced that there are people who would demand that the govt (ie taxpayer) furnishes us with toilet roll and tissues.

Same thing happened to my mum at the council once (she was round the corner and they thought she’d left but hadn’t yet) - she went straight back around and confronted them! They were really shocked and apologetic. Very unprofessional