To think a gp receptionist should have some empathy or get a different job.

[Dedodee]

Today I took my 90 year old df for a blood test at a health centre.
The test was on the 2nd floor, quick and efficient.
Back on the ground floor I rang for a taxi. Df hasn’t been out much lately and felt dizzy and had back ache. There were no chairs so I took him through to the empty waiting room of a medical practice also at the centre. The window looked out on the car park so an ideal spot to see the taxi arrive.
There we’re 3 people sat at reception. A woman asked do you have an appointment.
I answered no, we’re waiting for a taxi.
Before I could explain she told us to leave the waiting area.
I replied my df is 90 and can hardly stand.
She told me to sit him on a chair outside, I told her there weren’t any.
A man who was stood next to her looked really embarrassed and said it’s ok you can sit here.
At this point df was stood up to leave so we went outside where he leaned on a door until the taxi arrived.

Surely even the most hardened receptionist would make allowances for the elderly.
There we’re no patients whatsoever in the waiting area so at least 20 empty chairs. And I wasn’t rude but I did mutter fgs under my breath.

And I do realise that the general waiting area should supply chairs but they don’t.

So should I have allowed df to sit there or wibu.

Yes they should definitely. Anyone with an ounce of common sense alone would be able to see what's what with your father and would have allowed you both to sit and wait. Terrible attitude from the receptionist.

That's so awful 😞

That is terrible and she should be pulled up on it.

Your poor dad.

I would complain to the practice manager. She needs to have a better way of communicating.

If the chairs were movable I'd have taken one out to the other waiting area for him. She obviously had no understanding or empathy for your df.

I would complain. That is shitty.

I would complain, I think that’s awful and no excuse

Put a complaint in.

deal with it properly at tje time dont mention fgs sake under your breath. Be business like and put her in her place. Ask her what she would do if it was her father or father in law?

You could still complain but keep calm, muttering under your breath wont get your point across properly.

I think its horrible too. There is probably some wierd insurance rule that says the waiting area is for patients and attendants only. Because you were "customers" of the health centre and not the medical centre, she wouldn't let you use their waiting area. We have similar in our town, but its a dentist in a health centre, and there are signs up informing people that the waiting area is for dental customers only. There is no room for empathy anymore it seems.

I'd raise a complaint to the practice manager. If you can't have empathy for someone who clearly needs to rest then you have no business working in healthcare.

I would complain. I can’t think of any insurance reason someone couldn’t sit in a room where they had an appointment in a different part of the same building. The receptionist just sounds nasty

Put this in writing to the Practice Manager. The jobsworth Receptionist needs to be held accountable.

I agree.
I should have said something to her but I had struggled to get df to even go for a blood test so I didn’t want to have any unnecessary back and forth.

I don't think you have a right to sit there in the same way I don't think you should be using McDonalds toilets. Those facilities are for their own customers.....however I think if I was in the same situation as them I wouldn't have turned you away. I would however have expected you to ask/explain rather than waiting for the receptionist to address you. I think that might have got a different response.
Moving on, it might be an idea to get a collapsible wheelchair for future excursions.

I normally try to be open minded with these GP receptionist threads, tricky job, can't always magic up an appointment etc.

This is horrible though and I agree with emailing the practice manager. Your DF won't be the only patient who can't stand up for long or who doesn't have a car.

The real issue is that there were no other chairs to sit on. And I would make that the focus of my complaint.

Absolutely.

And I wasn’t rude but I did mutter fgs under my breath. how is that not rude?

Bexpcause I was stood at least 10 feet away and she wouldn’t have heard me. Df didn’t hear it.

She sounds like she was being very territorial, but I agree with a previous poster. Express your view at the time. There is no point having a whinge after the event on here.

I think she was being out of line and a bit ridiculous. However, probably not much point going into that when you email the practice- the focus as said about should be the lack of chairs or a bench outside.

I imagine at the time op was too focused on looking after her df. She may also have wanted to avoid making an issue of it in case it caused him any further distress. I know my parents would have been mortified if I'd started arguing with the receptionist.