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.

Fantasy complaint email:

“Dear Dr.,
It came to my attention while visiting your office that either your clocks are incorrect or else your office staff do not know how to tell time. I believe you also need to have their hearing checked as they speak much louder than they believe they are doing.

I noticed these issues when I heard them loudly whinging about me being 15 minutes early to my appointment. I was actually just 5 minutes early which in lieu of receiving clear instructions about current protocol from you prior to my visit seemed quite sensible to me.

I also overheard them complaining that I accepted one of the masks you offer, rather than wearing my own already contaminated mask. Again, with no prior information regarding protocol from you, I used my best judgement. I’m sorry your staff found it lacking.

I have several suggestions to remedy these problems. check your clocks and provide staff with training on how they work. Please also consider hearing checks for the staff, since I’m sure they wouldn’t be so rude as to purposely complain about a patient within earshot.

Alternatively, you may want to discuss professional behavior, patience and empathy with them all. No one should have to experience being bad-mouthed in a physicians office during a visit.

Cheers,
Bernadette

Ps: nurse did a shit job on the smear but since I was a bundle of nerves from having a group of professional speak about me so rudely, it was probably not her fault.

@Chloemol

Yes rude. When I called for an appointment I was asked if I had a mask as I needed to wear one, to ring the bell and advise who I was and if they weren’t ready for me they would say and I wait in the car park and they come and get me

They shouldn’t have expected you to be a mind reader

This is exactly the procedure my practice are following.

is it not common sense not to be hanging around waiting at the doctors more than necessary at the moment ?

In non-COVID times I aim to get there ten minutes early for appointments (on average — depends how far away the appointment is, how bad the traffic can be on those roads, and so on), because sometimes there's a holdup. If they want me to be bang on time, they need to either tolerate the possibility I'll be ten minutes late due to unforeseen circumstances, or have a sign on the door instructing me to wait outside rather than letting me in then bitching about it. Cause I can't teleport on the dot of 10.59.

I swear some people think we're all GP frequent flyers and have been avidly following the evolving rules for our particular surgery 🙄

I've been living with vulnerable people and the only places I've been since March are a pharmacy (early on, and briefly, where nobody was masked and you couldn't buy them anyway), my student bedroom, to retrieve my stuff, and the back of a taxi. I couldn't tell you what the usual behaviour is in supermarkets, shops, public transport, takeaways, GP surgeries or anywhere else — I only know what the law and the guidance say, and that's not always the same as what people actually expect of you.

OP's GP surgery staff need to develop a little theory of mind — you know, that thing you learn when you're a little child — and understand that other people don't automatically know all the same info that they do. And then they need some manners.

I'm looking forward to my appointment in a couple of weeks. I'm not able to wear one and have already queried it with the surgery via email and have been told not to wear one.

I'm just waiting for the officious 14 year old on reception to have a pop about it and they will, they just can't help themselves.

Omg I'd tell them to get fucked,

Our GP surgery sent texts out last week informing us “as per government guidelines” we’d all now need to wear masks when attending surgery.

I’ve been wearing masks anyway (for shopping and when I went to breast screening at hospital etc) but in all honesty I can’t recall the particular government briefing which stipulated masks at GP surgeries...

I like what @HannaYeah said.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

How does anyone in glasses manage with a mask? As soon as I put it on my glasses fogged up. I had to take them off for the whole visit but I'm very very shortsighted without them so that added to the whole joyful experience.
Hi OP. I'm unsure about all masks but the ones I have, have a little wire bit on the top edge of the mask where it fits over your nose. Hopefully the standard "surgical" type blue pleated masks also have this.

Put the mask high up on your nose and squeeze the wire-y bit till it moulds onto your nose and put your glasses on over that. I've found that greatly reduces fog and also the spectacles/glasses stay on better.

If I were you I'd acquire a few masks and keep a couple in your bag (wrapped in a plastic bag) in case you need one another time.

You have my sympathy regarding the procedure - especially after the rudeness of the surgery staff - and I also think you should contact the Practise Manager. If this has happened to you it's likely happened to others. 🌹

Yes you need to complain it not in for them to be doing that. They shouldn't have let you in.

@RogueHumanoid - you mentioned you can’t get your b12 injection? Look at the pernicious anaemia society website - they have some great guidance and template letters to make clear to GPs that they should be providing these.

Puppy, I think Govt briefing announced compulsory masks a couple of weeks ago, initially just mentioning hospitals (often Ministers and officials in briefings can't seem to keep in mind health settings involve hospitals and primary care activity, much like they kept confusing the two or using the wrong figures with settings with respects to testing and infection figures when they said there was enough PPE when there wasn't in primary care).

I vaguely recall a mention to GPs surgeries and facemarks in the briefing after the weekend when they were reminded GPs surgeries exist and tend to have more visitors in aggregate than hospitals.

It's not just the briefings getting confused as PHE and NHSE sent contradictory comms regarding patients compulsory face mask wearing in GPs www.nursinginpractice.com/covid-19/widespread-confusion-over-face-masks-general-practice.

Even if it had been clearly communicated, there's no excuse for receptionists' rudeness. IME receptionists have been the least compliant and the source of most complaints and trouble regarding social distancing and compliance with revised rules when being affected the least compared with HCPS (Not having to don and doff PPE nor change outside for home visits).

bernadette, some people here have found rubbing with shaving foam (not depilator) then polishing makes specs mist-proof.