Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect the Doctors to be taking calls at lunchtime

110 replies

OwwwMuuuum · 20/01/2023 13:49

It’s my lunch break. I called the doctor for blood test results.

First, a message stating “due to staff sickness” they are not staffing the phones over lunch break (unless it’s an emergency). Variations of this excuse have been peddled since the start of the winter.

Second, a long message about respecting phone appointments and the decisions of advanced nurse practitioners etc etc.

The phone to reception then just rang out, there is no other way of retrieving my blood results and I can’t call back when I’m working.

YABU - busy doctors Surgeries shouldn’t have to plan their staff rotas to cover lunch breaks, when most patients are trying to contact them.
YANBU - patients should be able to reach their doctors surgery over lunch times.

OP posts:
KnittedCardi · 20/01/2023 16:20

Our surgery and dispensary are always closed from 1-2pm - it's a pita.

Cocobutt · 20/01/2023 16:30

YABU

There may be only 1 receptionist on and they should absolutely get their lunch break.

I work in a profession where taking your lunch break is frowned upon (even though I’m not paid for it) and it really pisses me off.
I think we’re one of the only countries in the world who think people should work through their lunch breaks.

2bazookas · 20/01/2023 16:31

MintJulia · 20/01/2023 15:32

'That's quite bizarre. There are loads of jobs where people can't make personal phone calls during working hours.'

But they can - go to the loo and make a call from there.

You'll no doubt be amazed to learn that in many jobs, when you're on duty you're on duty and can't just slip off to the loo mid-shift. Imagine, the bus you're driving crashes, the patient dies, 30 teenagers run riot,

NoNameNowAgain · 20/01/2023 16:40

More places should close for lunch. It improves morale when everyone has their breaks at the same time.
The only thing I used to find annoying was when French public loos closed for two hours.

dizzydizzydizzy · 20/01/2023 17:07

Go on the surgery website and see if they have eConsult. If so, you can use that to ask for test results.

memorial · 20/01/2023 17:11

Needmorelego · 20/01/2023 15:55

To be honest I actually do think GP surgeries should be open 7 days a week. Everyone (should) get at least one day off work a week. Ring on your day off.

Great idea. Do you plan to staff them wirh trees. Being their is a drastically worsening shortage of GPs already

memorial · 20/01/2023 17:12

Needmorelego · 20/01/2023 15:53

@WeWereInParis well if they have to fit everyone's lunch in at staggered times there will always be someone on early lunch. Ok maybe 10 is unusually very early but if lunches start at 11 then there will be less staff to answer phones and deal with patients who are actually in the surgery - phones will take longer to get answered, people in the waiting room getting irate because they have to wait.
It's most likely just easier to shut everything for a hour. If everyone is on lunch at the same time then there will never be a time the reception desk is understaffed.

As said many times now that depends on their being enough staff to do so. I really dont think people are getting the current crisis in general practice

memorial · 20/01/2023 17:15

Whammyyammy · 20/01/2023 15:12

Selfish doctors wanting to eat lunch during their busy day.... the cheek of it

Can't recall the last time I had lunch break as a GP (GP for 20 +) years. If I'm lucky I get my noodles/soup/sandwhich doing admin at my desk

Deathbyfluffy · 20/01/2023 17:16

Patineur · 20/01/2023 15:30

That's quite bizarre. There are loads of jobs where people can't make personal phone calls during working hours.

Show quote history

There aren't many where you only get one break per day - it'll be more than that, so they can call then.
If they only get a lunch break and nothing else then the shift will be less than 8 hours, so they can call outside of their working hours and the surgery will still be open.

SauSest · 20/01/2023 17:17

Our GP has a Results Line number which is manned between 1-3pm every day.
You can't get results at any other time but at least it is around lunchtime. I assume the person manning it has an earlier lunch

Needmorelego · 20/01/2023 17:24

@memorial well yes of course we need more GPs (and all the other health care workers).
We need lots more.
It's one of those vicious circle things - GP surgeries are only open Mon-Fri 'office hours' so on the evenings and weekends people are filling up the minor injuries departments, out of hours and A+E with medical issues that really should be dealt with by GPs.
It's bizarre that of all the medical services out there that GP surgeries still aren't 7 days a week - but like you say - there isn't enough GPs....but if people were costing the NHS so much by using (inappropriate) A+E services money could be re directed to the GP services.
It sounds obvious and simple - but if course I know it isn't.
If you are a GP then I love you and thank you for what you do. I have always had good experiences with the doctors I have seen.
I love the NHS and am so grateful for it.

Needmorelego · 20/01/2023 17:26

weren't costing the NHS I meant. Not were

Hobbitfeet32 · 20/01/2023 17:29

Why couldn’t you ring during your working hours? What job do you do that prevents you from making a call @OwwwMuuuum ?

lieselotte · 20/01/2023 17:30

Needmorelego · 20/01/2023 14:14

So you can have a lunch break but they can't?

It seems reasonable for a customer-facing organisation to be open and staffed over lunchtime.

lieselotte · 20/01/2023 17:31

Hobbitfeet32 · 20/01/2023 17:29

Why couldn’t you ring during your working hours? What job do you do that prevents you from making a call @OwwwMuuuum ?

There are loads of jobs where that won't be possible!

Original poster
OwwwMuuuum · 20/01/2023 17:34

It’s a huge surgery with multiple zones, loads of doctors, nurses, different treatments, usually 3 receptionists.

Those suggesting I nip out on a break and call then, are missing the point of my post. Businesses cater for demand and allocate resources for peak times. I’m saying that the surgery should do this too. Lunchtimes are already busy for them, that’s when one of the peaks of demand in the day are (the other being the morning rush) and I would just have expected that a large busy surgery would accommodate that. It’s quite worrying that they’re so strapped for staff that they’re having to limit services and essentially block the phones.

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 20/01/2023 17:35

@lieselotte not everyones lunchtimes are the same time. If they have limited staff they will have to pick a time in the middle of the day to have lunch. How would they know what time people in other jobs have their lunch?
"Lunchtime" is not a specific time of the day.

Mummyoftwo91 · 20/01/2023 17:36

I've worked in a doctors surgery, the staff sickness is unbelievable, where I worked we had 700 calls a day and sometimes one person to answer the phone, they are allowed a lunch break

cantkeepawayforever · 20/01/2023 17:37

It’s quite worrying that they’re so strapped for staff that they’re having to limit services and essentially block the phones.

A quick glance at the news would suggest that someone who has just realised that the situation in the NHS (as well as many other public services) is ‘quite worrying’ is a little behind the times…..

Mummyoftwo91 · 20/01/2023 17:37

Also blood test results can be seen online most the time, or given over email, usually no contact is made by medical professionals if results are normal

CornishGem1975 · 20/01/2023 17:38

Ours is closed every day between 1 and 2pm, but they open at 8am and don't close until about 6.30pm so in theory that's pretty accessible for most.

Parker231 · 20/01/2023 17:40

Redbone · 20/01/2023 15:22

My old GP’s practice was like this, it was so annoying. Even for routine appointments you could not phone at lunchtime and, by the time I had finished work, they were shut. Some surgeries do not seem to realise that some people have to work for a living!

DH was a GP practice partner. The surgery was closed for an hour at lunchtime so the receptionist could have a break. There was only one full time receptionist and one who worked 7.30am - 11.30am.

Hobbitfeet32 · 20/01/2023 17:40

So presuming your lunch break is around 13.49 @OwwwMuuuum .

@lieselotte I’m aware there are jobs that you can’t take a call. I’d like to know which one the OP does. Health should be a priority for ourselves so I’m interested in whether they do actually have a job that cannot take a call or whether they are just being awkward.
Maybe the staff training requires all the admin team to come together such as a team meeting?

noworklifebalance · 20/01/2023 17:40

It’s quite worrying that they’re so strapped for staff that they’re having to limit services and essentially block the phones.

It’s quite worrying that this is news to you…

Abraxan · 20/01/2023 17:46

snowsilver · 20/01/2023 16:01

I can see blood test results on the NHS App, no need to ring.

There are many surgeries not using this system.

On the apps (gp and nhs ones) I have I can see current appointments I have made, some of my past appointments, some of my past prescribed medication and my repeat medication.

I cannot make appointments via the apps.
I cannot view any other medical record.
I can't see test results of any kind.