Would you complain? Very rude hospital receptionist

[theprincessthepea]

Background
I had a blood test that I couldn’t make. My midwife booked it for the early morning, with only 2 days notice and it clashed with the school run which I couldn’t get childcare for. This is the second time they’ve had to reschedule this blood test. I take full responsibility.

What happened?
Although I couldn’t make the blood test I decided to go into the hospital anyway. I was about 30 minutes late. I expected them not to see me, so I went in to rebook the appointment as whenever I have tried to book it via telephone or the app it didn’t work.

I mentioned this to the receptionist on the maternity unit. I told her I need to do the blood test but have to rebook it for a certain time.

She went ballistic. She told me that I shouldn’t be missing appointments and they will put a note on my record to show that I’m an incapable parent. She then hinted that because I’m of a “minority ethnic” group I’m more likely to get a social worker visit. And because I mentioned that I was doing the school run then rushed over to the hospital. She said they will look into my other child to find out why I can’t find alternative childcare.

She went on and on, this was an open reception. She had a come back for everything that I said, and despite me mentioning I was at the hospital with another midwife 2 days prior (who told me to reschedule with her department) she went on about how I was making up excuses in an aggressive tone.

I was so angry after that, I teared up on my way out and felt so angry.

Has anyone ever been spoken to like this? AIBU to want to write a letter to complain? What would you do?

If she actually said those things to you, you need to contact PALS right now.

That's ridiculous and unacceptable please complain both to your midwife and Trust. She has no right whatsoever to make threats?? Was she definitely a receptionist or an overly bossy midwife / nurse???

Actually said ‘social work will look at your child’ or are you para phrasing?

And I'm an NHS HCP. How absolutely ridiculous

I would contact PALS immediately.
I would be livid if a receptionist made those comments to my patients.

2 days notice of a blood test is plenty. Did you cancel the appointment?

I would literally be furious. Contact the Trust now- did you get her name? I would have photographed her ID badge

If this is true then of course you should report her immediately. She sounds completely unhinged.

It doesn't matter!! It's just a blood test. There's no excuse for that behaviour and ut sounds like OP only had a day to potentially rearrange.

1.Admit fault for not cancelling your appointment prior to turning up half an hour late

2.Make a complaint about having your ethnicity mentioned as a reason you’re likely to be treated differently as a patient.

3.Make a complaint about being threatened with social service involvement due to missing a blood test. Obviously this is not basis for an SS referral.

What was actually said in regards to being an ethnic minority?

@theprincessthepea

She told me that I shouldn’t be missing appointments and they will put a note on my record to show that I’m an incapable parent. She then hinted that because I’m of a “minority ethnic” group I’m more likely to get a social worker visit.

can you tell us as near as possible what she actually said?

@reflecting2023 It does matter though. How is having two days notice not time enough to either cancel the appointment or reschedule? People do have phones!

Ok well OP let us know after you've called PALS/ the Trust
If it's true, name the person, the time, and that she made threats about safeguarding and breached confidentiality as it was in a public spaces

I don't understand why you didn't cancel the app if you knew you couldn't go?

Oh ok. Well we'll see

No I mean it doesn't matter in the context of this member of staff losing the plot and being malicious. If that happened to one of my patients I would report the staff member to their line manager.

I hope you rang and cancelled before hand. It's so hard to get appointments and people like you are wasting them.

I wouldn't have made it so long, personally. Not worth the effort.

It is pretty frustrating that some patients doesnt turn up for their appointment as it is a waste of resource and no one else could book into the slot you missed… however she has no right to speak to you like that and I would make PALS complaint immediately

Two days should be enough to reschedule, but don't underestimate how difficult it is to do that in certain hospitals.

I just spent two consecutive afternoons trying to get through to radiology to reschedule an MRI. The number listed on their website was incorrect, so afternoon 1 was spent trying to get through to that - and it alternated between ringing out, and being busy. I then called switchboard, who told me to cancel in the app. The app was down for maintenance. Then the following day, the app worked again, but told me I couldn't cancel online and I had to call another number. I spent two hours on hold before I got through, for my two minute call.
I'm currently on sick leave, but certainly could not spend hours on the phone like this when I'm working!

The system is just broken, and it's horrible to see patients getting blamed when it's actually impossible to do simple things.

I think there are two separate issues here. If you aren’t cancelling appointments then you are definitely in the wrong. Go direct to your midwife if you can’t get through to the hospital since you say she booked it. It’s not acceptable to just miss them.

What the receptionist said needs to be raised with PALS as a formal complaint.

I can’t imagine how this unfolded. What does “hinting you’re more likely to have SS involvement because you’re an ethnic minority” look like?

Did she say “People like you” and you assumed it was a racial slur?

It’s one thing to report rudeness but quite another to make allegations of overt racism.