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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to have a very strong urge to go to my local dental practice and lock the practice manager in a room with me until she listens to me? Am very very cross.

27 replies

itsmeolord · 08/12/2009 09:56

I work away regularly, I called to book a hygienist appointment early November and purposefully asked for it to be as near the end of December as possible because I would be away for a few days end of Nov and have a busy diary for the first half of December. The lady on the phone gave me an appointment for 28th December.

On Friday I received a letter from the practice manager stating that they were appointing a debt collector to recover a fee of £33 plus costs as I had missed an appointment and refused to pay the fee.
I called, got the answerphone and left a message saying that I was quite cross and disappointed to have received this letter, I had not had my appointment yet and could they please confirm in writing that they had rectified this mistake.

I have just spoken to the practice manager, she has told me that they had the appointment down for 28th Nov, they would never have booked the 28th Dec as its a bank holiday and I am being deliberately rude by leaving answermachine messages stating they are in the wrong.
She wouldn't let me talk, she constantly spoke over me, I told her I felt it would be better for me to come and see her in person as she was unable to talk to me properly on the phone and she then told me to "find another practice, I don't want someone like you coming in here, take you kids as well,we don't want you."

I am fucking livid. It is not my fault they booked the wrong date, ie a bank holiday, that is the fault of the receptionist I spoke to and to my mind, a simple "sorry, there has been a mistake" would have been more appropriate than the practice managers reaction.
I am only 5 mins away, I am trying not to go there but I so want to go and see her in person.

I fucking hate being spoken to like that, their mistake and I'm in the wrong??

She also kept saying they had called and reminded me of the appointment, I was not there! I wouldn't have got any call from them! Am so cross, I now have no dentist. dd is supposed to be having her fixed brace fitted soon as well. Fucking cow.

OP posts:
Original poster
itsmeolord · 08/12/2009 09:57

Sorry, should add, I didn't realise it was a bank holiday when I booked it otherwise I would have queried it then and there.

OP posts:
paisleyleaf · 08/12/2009 10:06

It sound like a misunderstanding and you're right the way to deal with it would be for them to accept it as such.
Thing is, they don't need our custom and have waiting lists - no excuse for such bad practice though.

Original poster
itsmeolord · 08/12/2009 10:09

Thats what is annoying me so much, no customer care, just a "who cares" attitude.

OP posts:
ilovemydogandmrobama · 08/12/2009 10:14

Call your primary health care trust if it's an NHS practice as they cannot kick you off the list for a misunderstanding. The NHS pay for your treatment, and while a practice manager does have some discretion, she is being vindictive and nasty.

Seem to remember that there is a hotline that is independent of the British Dental Association, but got their number from them. It had to do with my (former) dentist insisting that I would have to 'go private' to have certain treatment.

GypsyMoth · 08/12/2009 10:17

do dentists fit braces??

my dd's both have all brace appointments with a separate orthodontist who doesn't even know our dentist.

yes. put this in writing

Original poster
itsmeolord · 08/12/2009 10:20

No, the dentist doesn't fit the braces, but she is at the orthodontist which is attached to the dental practice. If she has to go through the referral process again we will have to pay for her braces as the rules have changed.

Fantastic info ilovemydog, will try the primary health care trust. Will look for a hotline as well. Many thanks, ladies, am trying to calm down.

OP posts:
nobid · 08/12/2009 10:23

I had similar the other day. The orthodontist was being very heavy with DS because he had broken his brace and she was trying to make out that he was the only patient ever in the whole wide world to have done this. I made some sarcastic remark and she came over all offended and accused me of 'verbal abuse'.

I understand that some NHS staff get dreadful abuse in A&E of a Saturday night but they can't all hide behind this 'abuse' label. Will it get to the stage where, if anyone dares to question their actions, we are thrown out as 'abusive'? Where's the accountability?

notimetotidy · 08/12/2009 10:23

The 28th November was a Saturday - is your dentist open on a Saturday? If it isn't then is definitely their mistake about the date.

Flightattendant · 08/12/2009 10:24

Go round and sort it out. I always believe in doing this - if your gut says go round, go round.

She sounds like she's got other issues tbh and taking it out on you. Go easy and be like a cracked record. Show them your diary where you wrote down the Dec appt. Be strong and don't back down - they can't do this to you.

Original poster
itsmeolord · 08/12/2009 10:26

Nope, dentist is not open on a Saturday.
Definitely their mistake, I really want to go down there Flight but she said I was threatening her when I suggested that on the phone.

OP posts:
Flightattendant · 08/12/2009 10:28

You need to get some third party involved and calmly present your (very strong) case to them.

It sounds utterly ridiculous - huge overreaction. UNless you were swearing or something on the phone

Flightattendant · 08/12/2009 10:29

Or say you attended your appointment on the 28th but found that sadly the practice was shut

Original poster
itsmeolord · 08/12/2009 10:31

great idea!

Not swearing on the phone, she said I was shouting, I wasn't. It was one of those conversations where you know she has an audience.........

OP posts:
VicarInaTinselTuTu · 08/12/2009 10:38

could you not phone back and speak to one of the reception staff? tell them the 28th nov was a saturday?

if it were me id not be able to leave it!

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 08/12/2009 10:43

That is completely ridiculous and a massive over-reaction on their part.

When I missed a dentist appointment they phoned, I apologised and re-booked. End of story.

Original poster
itsmeolord · 08/12/2009 10:45

I can't call back, she ended the conversation saying any further contact from me would be seen as "aggression".

Definitely had an audience. Cowbag.

OP posts:
ilovemydogandmrobama · 08/12/2009 10:45

Do you still have the answering machine message with her saying it was Nov 28 or any written record? If so, then it's game, set and match to you!

Original poster
itsmeolord · 08/12/2009 10:54

They sent me a letter which arrived this morning and is dated 28th November .
Postmark is yesterday..... It states they are sorry I missed my appointment and it is practice policy that you have to pay for the appointment.
This letter was obviously sent out yesterday, after they heard my answermachine message.

OP posts:
nobid · 08/12/2009 10:59

If they are threatening to take you to Court, then do everything in writing. I would even go so far as to put it in your letter that you are writing because she (name her) refuses to talk you or try to sort it verbally - unreasonable behaviour like that makes her look bad to the Judge.

Flightattendant · 08/12/2009 10:59

is there a postmark on the envelope?

nobid · 08/12/2009 11:00

Does the letter say that the appt was 28th Nov?

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 08/12/2009 11:05

Hahaha what a load of idiots. I know it's tempting to call back but you would be better off getting 'evidence' and writing a very rational letter including copies of the postmarked envelope, print out of their opening times and a copy of november's calendar highlighting that the 28th was a sat etc. Honestly, I've written stuff in the wrong month plenty of times, it's easily done. Why can't they accept it wasn't their mistake? What do you want from them? Firstly you need written confirmation that they have withdrawn the debt recovery agency. Do you want them to keep your children on their books? There must be a dentists watchdog type thing that you can copy the letter in to. Send it recorded too so they can't claim they didn't get it.

I don't know about you, but this would become a crusade for me

Flightattendant · 08/12/2009 11:08

This says you can go through PALS, I didn't realise that - Pals are brilliant ime.

You can just email your local branch and they will liaise with the practice to get resolution.

It scares the patootie out of most NHS organisations to have pals on their back.

loobylu3 · 08/12/2009 11:13

I would put a formal complaint in writing to the practice manager and consider cc to the PCT. Even if you had made an error, there is no excuse for rudeness (even if you were rude to her).

BalloonSlayer · 08/12/2009 11:21

AFAIK the practice manager wouldn't necessarily be the person in charge.

Aren't dentists owned by partners, like Doctor's surgeries?

Can you not find out who the actual owner of the dental practice is and make your written complaint to them - she is their employee. And say that you are complaining to the PCT as well.

What a cow.

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