Vet practice and masks - aibu?

[WeirdlyKind]

Just driven my mum to the vets with her dog for a routine injection.

She has copd and lung damage from Covid which means only one lung works. This means she gets breathless very easily and masks make it worse. She does regular LF tests and we both had a negative one this morning.

The receptionist in the vets was very snotty with her, refused to accept she had a genuine medical exemption and told her she either had to wear a mask or stay outside. They also insisted it is still a legal requirement.

Mum decided to go outside which meant I had to take the dog in for the appointment and couldn't answer a couple of questions because I didn't know.

It just felt like a horrible, stressful experience for no reason.

Aibu?

Our vets won’t let anyone in. Cat has to be placed on table outside. You step back. They open door and collect. They ring you if they need to speak to you!

@Brownlongearedbat

The vets policy does not override the laws on disability discrimination. They can make any rules they like, but by discriminating against non mask wearers they are liable to find themselves fined in a county court (up to 9k, plus damages).

Yes, it does I'm afraid. The vets are still offering the same service. If you choose not to wear a mask, the service can still be carried out. You just have to wait outside. The employer (vet) has a duty of care towards staff and clients alike (health and safety at work act). I've seen first hand where someone has claimed discrimination, but basically been told tough. It is not discrimination.

Yes, it does I'm afraid. The vets are still offering the same service. If you choose not to wear a mask, the service can still be carried out. You just have to wait outside

Wrong, I'm afraid.

As she has a disability that affects her ability to wear a mask she has to be offered the same levels of service, including access to the building, as masked customers. Refusing her access to the building is treating her less preferentially than a masked customer on the basis of disability. A discrimination claim would be likely to rule in her favour.

We have been the vets in this situation. With advice from disability rights UK (whom the client reported us to in the first place) and lawyers, we were shown to not be discriminating. I'm not arguing. Those are the facts.

I'd like to point out that vets have been open throughout the pandemic. Full PPE everyday. (Whilst most complained about wearing it in Tesco's for 20 mins )
They gave their own PPE to the human hospitals, the scrubs, ventilators, done without oxygen or certain meds do they could be diverted to human care
Looked after , neutered and vaccinated all the bloody lockdown pets
All whilst trying to keep staff safe/obey the RCVS ever changing guidelines and care for animals.
They cannot social distance from each other . It's impossible
Whilst it's unfortunate the receptionist was curt, there was only need for one of you to be in : everyone would rather the mask wearing one
I'm amazed you were let in at all

Vets have such a high rate of suicide. I lost a young and gifted colleague in this pandemic.

Have some compassion.

@Londoncallingtothefarawaytowns

I'd like to point out that vets have been open throughout the pandemic. Full PPE everyday. (Whilst most complained about wearing it in Tesco's for 20 mins ) They gave their own PPE to the human hospitals, the scrubs, ventilators, done without oxygen or certain meds do they could be diverted to human care Looked after , neutered and vaccinated all the bloody lockdown pets All whilst trying to keep staff safe/obey the RCVS ever changing guidelines and care for animals. They cannot social distance from each other . It's impossible Whilst it's unfortunate the receptionist was curt, there was only need for one of you to be in : everyone would rather the mask wearing one I'm amazed you were let in at all

Vets have such a high rate of suicide. I lost a young and gifted colleague in this pandemic.

Have some compassion.

Very well said

@Datgal

We have been the vets in this situation. With advice from disability rights UK (whom the client reported us to in the first place) and lawyers, we were shown to not be discriminating. I'm not arguing. Those are the facts.

Why are the vets so paranoid ? My vets are the same. It's too much still, they won't even let you in the consulting room anymore, they take your pet away.

Our vets are the same (ie Fort Knox Covid protocols) and I find it really strange. I understood it during the height of the pandemic, obviously, but it seems odd now. I can’t think of any other private business that I use routinely that’s still operating in that way.

Because many practices are small teams.
Consultation rooms are small. Vets and nurses work in very close contact with each other.

If we all go off sick - who’s going to treat your animals?
Locum vets are literally gold dust.

My husband is a vet. No clients need to west masks to enter the building.

Vets were right for your mums protection apart from anything else. With a chest in that state, she needs to be careful.

Good job your vet is being sensible.

Vets, dentists, doctors all the same, still insisting on mask wearing. Why should they be able to insist on it when hairdressers, shops, cafes etc don’t? It’s nonsense now and needs to stop!

My local vet still won't allow anyone in the practice.
You have to wait outside, phone them up and , eventually a nurse will come out.
The nurse takes your details then goes back inside.
Eventually the nurse comes back out and says that the vet's busy and that you'll be seen shortly.
Eventually, the nurse or vet comes outside and takes your pet.
You stay outside.

We left the practice and went to a nearby one where you go in and wait, then you're called into the consulting room and talk to the vet.

Double checks the date because I could have sworn it's now 2022...
Why are vets still in 2020?

Everyone else has had the opportunity to have vaccinations and is now returning to normal working conditons. Social distancing was stopped last July.

Offering an inferior service to people because of their health/ disabilities is illegal discrimination.

Thing is, if hairdressers, shops and cafes have to shut because of staff ill with covid, the consequences are what? You don't get your hair cut, you can't get a brew.
If a dentist, vets or Dr has to close (especially in smaller places).... think about it.

Half of my vets practice team are off with covid this week, and getting staff has been hard work across the industry since Brexit so locum vets are a rare thing nowadays. Not to mention with proof animals can catch covid they also are mindful of that.

You could quite easily have phoned your Mum to ask her for the answers while in with the vet, really if you'd have put half as much thought into how to deal with it sensibly as you did in finding reason to be offended, you likely wouldn't have had a problem.

We will make exceptions if people are having their animal PTS. However the fuss people have made during all this is ridiculous. Demanding to be with their pet for boosters- why? People need to get a grip.

I like to keep an eye on how my cat is being treated.

What do you think we are doing with your pets when your not there?
We love animals - we are kind to them and always treat them like our own.

I'm sure you do but I've had bad experiences with vets, including locums who clearly don't know anything about animals and a bitch of a vet who I genuinely believe injured my cat. Because of that I like to see the vets 'in action' before I decide whether I trust them.

@TenoringBehind

Our vets won’t let anyone in without a mask. Anyone who can’t or wont wear one is given the option of staying in the car park and having the vet come out to collect the pet there.

Same here.

Agree with @StartingGrid also there are no fucking vets.
And nurses not far behind ...

Moving forward your mum could wear a visor to placate the vet. Utterly useless buy would shut them up and she could breathe.

**but

Our vets is the same. We've only just been allowed in the building, one at a time invited by text and asked to stay in your car until called. Never see the vet personally as your animal
Is taken out the back by the nurse and everything communicated between the nurse going back and forth.

I work for the NHS so used to wearing masks but the vets have ramped it up way more than I've experienced at work tbh.

Each to their own but I do wonder if this is how it's to be forever more now.

I no longer wear a mask at the vets. They don't allow you to go in the consultation rooms though and the waiting area is huge as it's in a pet store.

Working through the pandemic as a vet has been hell. I’ve hated every minute of car park consulting, and am glad we can have clients in the building again now. Every clinic has to take their own risk assessment however. We have had staff sickness , not just due to covid and it has left our team very short staffed at a time when the demand for veterinary care is higher than ever with an explosion of pet ownership. Some of our team have had covid more than once.

The difference to going to your supermarket is that we have close interaction between staff and have had to do so throughout to carry out our jobs effectively. Even in full PPE whole teams can still end up going down with covid. This leaves us with a nightmare situation as having insufficient staff absolutely affects the level of care we can give. We know clients hate that, but so do we. I have had several staff in tears under the pressure, working double shifts, not taking holidays and taking extra duties to plug the gaps.

Just because the restrictions have eased, doesn’t mean that Covid has gone away. Half my team were off with covid last week. We still have to be careful. The reasons we ask for masks is not to be difficult, but to ensure we can still provide for your pets. Car park consulting can still take place when needed, and service and care provided.

Please be kind, it’s too easy to criticise when you don’t have the full picture. The vast majority of vet professionals are dedicated and caring. They are working hard for you and your pets.

Yes, my Vets is the same. It's like going back in time 2 years.
All staff and customers fully masked, separated seating areas, do not cross the yellow lines etc, etc..You are told in no uncertain terms to put a mask on when you enter ( only just allowed to wait inside again ) 1 person per visit only..