To make a complaint about a GP?

[BowsandBaking]

I called the surgery to request a routine appointment for my 3yo who has been having increasing joint pain and headaches for the past month and a half.
I explained he has been struggling to climb the stairs over the past week and recently fell down from half up when his legs gave way. The receptionist and she told me to call back at 2pm for a same-day appointment. She said “I’m not medically trained but I feel this should be dealt with today”.

I called back at 2pm where a very harsh, second receptionist told me calls after 2pm are for medical emergencies. I told her that her colleague told me to request a same-day appointment. She reluctantly issued one.

The GP was fuming from the start. Sarcastically reminding me around four times during the call that the afternoon service is for emergencies only. I explained that I tried for a routine appointment but she’d made up her mind by then - she clearly felt I was an over-anxious first time mum. She suggested maybe I had traumatic birth.

She wouldn’t let me go into any detail. I tried to explain that he started new medication around the onset of symptoms and she cut me off. I tried to explain he cannot use his language to fully explain his symptoms as he has additional needs. She was questioning what I define as “additional needs”. I tried to explain that he’s under multiple of consultants for various complex medical needs and is awaiting an MDA for the additional needs.

She kept sighing. She ended up giving him an appointment to be seen tomorrow in such a way that it was very clear it was extremely unnecessary in her eyes. I felt so belittled.

The most important thing is that DS will be seen tomorrow, but AIBU to complain to the practice manager? I think this kind of belittling could prevent somebody seeking medical advice.

This infuriates me, they have a duty of care to all patients at all times. This dismissive behaviour is why I left troubling symptoms with my DD go on for much longer than I should have. This is also the reason I ended up helpless at A & E with a child admitted immediately with sepsis. My GP had no experience identifying the symptoms on mixed race skin and told me it was just a virus and stop calling the surgery. Thankfully she is OK after 4 nights in hospital but this behaviour could quite literally kill someone!

@MauveMavis

You are all aware aren’t you that the NHS is facing the biggest staffing crisis it has ever seen following a major pandemic response?

Staff are stressed, tired amd burnt out. There aren’t enough of us to provide the care we want to give (which as a clinician is stressful). Such stress enhances the burnout rate which increases the staffing pressures on the remaining staff smd so the cycle continues.

Yes, sounds like your interaction wasn’t that great but does it really merit a complaint? You got an appointment.

All of the keyboard warriors on this thread need to reflect on the reality of the NHS at the moment vs. the amazing gold rimmed experience you are being told you deserve.

Quite frankly as a frontline clinician I feel like I’m being ritually sacrificed by the govt/my employer. There is not enough time /resources for me to give the care my patients have been led to believe.

This is having horrendous consequences in my personal life. But even worse for the first time ever all my colleagues and I feel the same. No one has anything left in reserve it’s all been used up over the past two years.

'Amazing gold rimmed experience'? Crikey. All the OP was asking for was basic common courtesy and for her concerns to be taken seriously. It doesn't take any more time to speak to a patient politely than rudely. Sighing as the OP's GP did, in front of a patient, is inexcusable.

Also, what about the impact on hospitals if people are too scared to go to the GP for fear of getting their head ripped off, so wait until their condition becomes serious/life-threatening to seek help?

I'm a GP Receptionist with no medical training but I listen and retain information. Our GPs have always said a child who can't weight bear especially with no trauma would be an emergency appointment, usually advised to attend A&E to rule out a serious illness.

I think this is complaint-worthy but my advice to you is to wait until you've made some progress with this episode of illness, in the sense of having some idea what the problem is and a care plan going forward.

At the moment your complaint is that receptionist #2 and the GP were hostile and that had an emotional effect on you that you think other patients should be spared. While you and I might think that's a valid position, the only learning point likely to be taken from it is an advanced eyerolling practice session.

I think your complaint will have more effect a week or a month or more down the line when you're more likely to be able to say something like: she was dismissive of my concerns and if I had been put off from insisting on an appointment, we would have missed X diagnosis and the situation would now be Y.

I hope your DC improves soon.

@MauveMavis

You are all aware aren’t you that the NHS is facing the biggest staffing crisis it has ever seen following a major pandemic response?

Staff are stressed, tired amd burnt out. There aren’t enough of us to provide the care we want to give (which as a clinician is stressful). Such stress enhances the burnout rate which increases the staffing pressures on the remaining staff smd so the cycle continues.

Yes, sounds like your interaction wasn’t that great but does it really merit a complaint? You got an appointment.

All of the keyboard warriors on this thread need to reflect on the reality of the NHS at the moment vs. the amazing gold rimmed experience you are being told you deserve.

Quite frankly as a frontline clinician I feel like I’m being ritually sacrificed by the govt/my employer. There is not enough time /resources for me to give the care my patients have been led to believe.

This is having horrendous consequences in my personal life. But even worse for the first time ever all my colleagues and I feel the same. No one has anything left in reserve it’s all been used up over the past two years.

Look I hear you but my dh (hospital Consultant) is also under immense pressure - but would rather poke himself in the eye than be rude or nasty to a patient! As he always says "it's not the patient's fault". Yes this Government are shitting over all NHS staff and have been for years. But patients and their relatives still need kindness and courtesy.

All of the keyboard warriors on this thread need to reflect on the reality of the NHS at the moment vs. the amazing gold rimmed experience you are being told you deserve.

Why Is basic politeness a "gold-rimmed experience"? I had a bit of an emergency recently and, over various visits to GPs and hospitals in the course of two weeks, dealt with a total of 9 doctors and nurses. All of them were pleasant, polite and professional. I must be exceptionally lucky.