AIBU to think the hospital is wrong?

[mmmmkakshch]

I had an appointment today at 8 30 am for a scan ive been waiting for for quite a while. It was at 8 30 am. I arrived at the hospital at 8 13 am. There was a giant queue waiting for the receptionist. It appeared they were down staff. I waited for over 30 minutes to get to the front to be told I was late and the appointment was now cancelled and id have to get a new referral via the gp. Ive been waiting over 4 months for this scan. I explained that i arrived in plenty of time and she said there was nothing she could do.
I dont really think im being unreasonable

Your experience is part and parcel of public hospitals. Yes, you had an appointment and arrived early but too many people on the queue and lack of staff, meant they couldn't see you and telling you, you arrived late was the easy way to say "we are overwhelmed".

Not much you can do

@Bumblebee72 thank you.

@askmenow a HUGE percentage of the people who turned up to work that day to do the OP’s scan are skilled immigrants.

Your rhetoric is tiresome. Stop it.

We've had self check in iPads for a couple of years now. They worked really well for a few months. Then they stopped working, haven't been fixed since and are covered with A4 sheets saying Please queue at reception....

Interesting people blaming the single, overwhelmed receptionist. It sounds like the 'computer says no' IT system is to blame for autocancelling appointments that aren't checked in 1s after they were due to start? That is what I would be complaining to PALS about rather than the poor receptionist.

wow! you're an unpleasant angry contributor. Presumably wanting to shut down the NHS & follow America's lead in an insurance based healthcare. Oh but without workers as we haven't trained enough in this country so have had to recruit from overseas (ie immigrants)

I'd have been absolutely furious, but would have been asking other people in the queue when their appointment is when it became apparent it was a long wait. Most places have a screen to tap on to avoid this nonsense. What on earth was the receptionist doing, having people tell her their life stories? I've never been anywhere that took more than a minute to check in.

I waited for an appointment with my very poorly mum for an hour one time and when everyone else in the room had gone in it became apparent that they had missed us, but at least they then still fitted us in. They must have had a lot of people with cancelled appointments, OP.

Quite apart from wasting your time, they are wasting their own time and public money, OP.

I’d put in a formal complaint. At the time I’d have also asked to speak to someone more senior and for it to be documented that I had arrived at the stated time. I had this happen recently and I took a photo of the clock in the department so it was time and date stamped and I explained it’s 15 mins to my appt I’m worried I will miss it and when the receptionist said I was late I said I’d need to speak to someone from the department and she was pissed off but agreed and the radiology tech agreed I wasn’t late and I was seen. Speaking up early and having proof helped.

But I live abroad and so they are a lot more tolerant and also don’t expect people will just say oh ok then. This is not ok at all.

I would be absolutely furious and I work in the NHS, I would be bombarding the gynae secretary with phone calls. Absolutely not acceptable.

She could have used her eyes, seen the queue and started calling people forward in time increments.
“Anyone with an appointment between 8 and 8.10, please come forward.” Then done 8.10 to 8.20 then 8.20 to 8.30, etc.

It’s lack of staff, but also the total apathy of the staff actually there.

I've just come back from a blood test at the GP, waited 3 weeks for it, used to be a couple of days pre covid.. Nurse told me that their whole dept has been sold off, so the whole area is now privately owned. The NHS is on it's knees, this isn't going to make it better when profit before patients starts happening again.

OMG! yup. Bombarding the secretary will sort it all out - also, you can stress the secretary, ruin their day (& possibly their week) as an added bonus. Always best to target the person not in a position to fix but junior enough to have to tolerate bombardment.......or..... go to PALS & speak to someone who can help. Maybe go to the gym for a punchbag

👏

Write to the CEO, ensure you put evidence and then show them how badly run their organisation is

I think you need to raise this as an informal complaint to support the need for more staff

It's quicker and more efficient to speak to the secretary rather than PALS, from both sides. The secretary can rebook the appointment. Regarding stress, it's their job.

Yup. Do this with the NHS and see how far you get. 🙄

secretaries rarely book appointments - thats usually the appointments team. If they do book, then they will only be able to give the next available. PALS will contact the service manager to find the best & probably the quickest date.

Also. Just because it is their job, doesn't mean that they should be "bombarded". NHS staff are already demoralised - having a go at a junior member of staff will not improve the system

I work in this area, I know how the system works.

no your comment was "if she complains it won't help her"

i had understood she already left the hospital, so not sure how much help PALS would be if she now went back?

That is 2 different thigs.

One thing is clear though: more people need to learn how to stand up and say "my appointment is in 10 minutes, please book me in now" and possibly receptionists facing long queues for appointments need to learn to either look down their list and call people to the front, or ask "who has an appointment at 8:30" etc

I am not usually assertive enough to kick up a stink in public, but I think in this situation I would have. I would have asked for a manager/ someone more senior to be called and if the receptionist refused, I would have just gone into the clinic waiting area itself and explained to the first nurse or doctor I saw that the check in system wasn’t working, but here I am , please do my long awaited scan.

As others have said, please go to PALS with this. It’s not on when you’ve waited for so long and your letter stated to only arrive 10 mins beforehand.

and the need for a revision of processes when there is not enough staff and/or a long queue

Typical NHS, I recently got struck off a waiting list for 'failing to attend' an appointment I had rearranged for a later date. Gave up and went private

Agreed. My appointment letters always say do not arrive more than 10 mins early.

I wouldn't have occurred to me that if I was in a very long queue waiting to be booked in (and the receptionist could see the very long queue), that if i reached the desk after my appointment time I would be sent away. You shouldn't have needed to go to the front and assert yourself. There should be some leeway.
Obviously their IT system has been set to reject any patients who are checked in after their appointment time, which is so ridiculous and a waste of everyone time and money.
Definitely complain to PALS, I have only had a complain to them once and got a resolution within a few days and an apology.