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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To write a letter of complaint because

46 replies

gumblossom · 19/03/2010 23:49

of a condescending doctor's receptionist?

I had to phone and make a docs appointment yesterday as my DD has had recurring impetigo (it's a bacterial skin rash) and despite three visits to the doc already, it still hasn't resolved.
Well, last week I'd made an appointment for Monday morning, but over the weekend it looked better, so early Mon morning I cancelled the appointment.
When I phoned this time the receptionist said she could get me in to see the same doc "just as long as you keep the appointmnet as Dr may not take to kindly to you cancelling again".
Am I right in thinking she was being rude and condescending? I actually said to her, "I would have thought you'd appreciate a cancelled appointment as I always have such difficulty getting one". Her reply was ,"no, not really".
Anyway I made an appointment to see a different doctor and promptly wrote a letter of complaint.Am I being unreasonable to feel annoyed? Should I just let it go?
It makes me feel so angry, because every appointment I have there I have to wait about an hour(which is no fun with toddler in tow) and I never complain about that!
I'd love to hear what you think.

OP posts:
nickschick · 19/03/2010 23:52

I think a lot of people make doctors appointment unneccesarily and the receptionists might think they dont need them.

I know a lot of people cancel early morning apps bcos they already told work theyd be off so they think well ill have a lie in and go to the pharmacist instead.

Im not saying thats you at all and I can understand exactly what your saying - but is it really worthy of your time???

Condensedmilkaddict · 20/03/2010 00:25

I think being a doctor's receptionist would be an extremely stressful job and you should just let it go.
My friend and I reackon they have to take a course in bitchiness to do their job.
Yes, they can be rude, but really, would you want to do their job?? Not I.

Condensedmilkaddict · 20/03/2010 00:25

reckon

Original poster
gumblossom · 20/03/2010 06:09

I agree, it would be stressful, however, their job isn't made harder by being polite. For one thing, I don't make a habit of cancelling appointments at short notice, and also, the way she spoke to me implied that the doctors time is more important than mine. I always wait up to an hour when I go to the doctor, but I don't complain.I stay polite. I can't see why she shouldn't do the same.

OP posts:
Condensedmilkaddict · 20/03/2010 06:21

Sorry Gumblossom I do think YABU. It was just one (not extremely rude) comment and you put her in her place when she said it.
I think a letter of complaint is a bit much TBH.

saslou · 20/03/2010 08:40

YANBU. The receptionist should mind her own business, not yours. It is not part of her job description to comment on your cancelled appt. I think I would write to the surgery.

Veritythebrave · 20/03/2010 08:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

gingernutlover · 20/03/2010 08:45

YANBU - maybe a bit OTT to actually send the letter.

whatever she says I would bet that there are lots of calls on a monday morning asking for appointments, if you called early i am sure it would have helped.

It is not up to her to reprimand you!

gingernutlover · 20/03/2010 08:46

no, changed my mind, do send the letter - it was an unnesessary comment on her behalf and maybe an indication of how she generally speaks to the public.

Her job is to manage appointments, and deal witht he public she should be polite and impartial as part of her job.

meatntattypie · 20/03/2010 08:58

Send it.
My job is stressful, but it doesnt give me license to speak to people like that.

She is dealing on a daily basis with people who are stressed, ill, worried, arsy, nasty and she is part of an organisation offering a service, she should be professional enough to deal with it.
If not she should shut up or leave.
send the letter.

About the hour waiting..afraid you are bieng unreasonable about that, the folk before you are abviously not aware that they only have a 5 minute slot with the Doctor and when the Doctor has to tell them that the results back from the hospital show an agressive form of cancer......sorry 5 minutes up now Mrs Smith.......some things just take longer than 5 minutes.
My point is, you dont know what has gone on before you, so waiting is inevitable and unavoidable sometimes.

Lovecat · 20/03/2010 10:05

YANBU. Thankfully our Dr's receptionists are lovely, but I have come across some rude little Hitlers in the past. I don't work with the public, but if I were that rude with my colleagues who are in effect my 'customers', I wouldn't last 5 minutes!

Re. the Impetigo - if you haven't already been prescribed it, Flucloxacillin although it tastes utterly vile, works wonders. Also Fucidin-H (not normal Fucidin, it's rubbish!) for the blisters themselves cleared DD up when she had recurring impetigo.

Unfortunately I still have it up my nose intermittently from when she poked me as a baby - I always know when I'm low/getting a cold as it comes right back again!

Hope your DD is better soon.

displayuntilbestbefore · 20/03/2010 10:10

YANBU to be annoyed at this but I think it would BU to put it in a letter of complaint.
As for waiting so long, that's par for the course I think and the only way round it is to try and get appts early in the day or early in the afternoon session so there aren't many people ahead of you who can slow timings down.

MissAnneElk · 20/03/2010 10:16

I don't think what she said was rude. You cancelled an appointment earlier in the week and she wanted to confirm that you would be attending the new appointment.

cornsilk · 20/03/2010 10:18

maybe the dr moans atthem about missed appointments? I don't think it was that rude

hocuspontas · 20/03/2010 10:36

I think she was being tactful! What the Dr probably said was 'bloody patients I wish they wouldn't keep mucking me about' or words to that effect. Can't see anything rude or condescending about what she said.

diddl · 20/03/2010 10:40

Perhaps the Doc had asked her to say something?

I think it was OK tbh.
You had recently cancelled, and she was pointing out the Dr might not be happy if you did again.

In UK, have patients been removed from lists for this?

BattyKoda · 20/03/2010 10:45

I think YABU. I've had much worse from my doctor's receptionist.

Original poster
gumblossom · 20/03/2010 10:53

What!!!? People are removed from lists for cancelling appointments? That is rediculous.

Should I have turned up and said, actually, I didn't need the appointment after all, but I wouldn't want to mess you about, so here I am, with my ratbag toddler in tow, but there's nothing to discuss? Okay, thanks for that, I'll pay my $30( in Australia we pay to see the doctor mostly) on the way out....
Why would I waste the doctor's time and mine if I didnt need to? And why would I make another appointment if I didn't need it?
Should the receptionist expect I will cancel again because in 14 years going to the same practice, I have cancelled this once?
As it is, I have a written the letter, mainly to get it off my chest, but I won't be posting it.I'll be taking it in when I see the doctor this week, and I'll discuss it with the doctor to get a feel of what he thinks. Then I'll decide whether he needs it in writing. I might even mention it to the receptionist or practice manager.
In the end I just don't think it necessary to speak to someone in that way.We should all be treated with respect.
As for the long wait, a poster mentioned about the earlier appointmant may have been given bad news, well, yes, that's why I have always been polite no matter how long I have had to wait.

OP posts:
LittleSilver · 20/03/2010 10:58

Well, I don't think yabu, but then I am still angry with a receptionist for telling me that I had to agree to be filmed when seeing the GP or I couldn't see the dr. I put in a letter of complaint but the practice manager wasn't that apologetic.

SPBInDisguise · 20/03/2010 11:07

exactly gum
In fact aren't we TOLD to cancel appointments we no longer need? Here I am, fine, but shall we chat about the weather.

To the people telling her she was BU, what should she have done, cancelled or not?

SPBInDisguise · 20/03/2010 11:08

LittleSilver

MissAnneElk · 20/03/2010 11:11

Well, obviously she should have cancelled the appointment that she didn't need, but I still don't think the receptionist was rude.

LittleSilver that is shocking.

SPBInDisguise · 20/03/2010 11:14

well she said
"just as long as you keep the appointment"

so obviously she'd rather the OP was a time waster

so she is an idiot, imo

Bucharest · 20/03/2010 11:16

YANBU, doctor's receptionists go on special courses just to pump up their egos and make them power crazed harridans with their appointments book.

I'd send the letter.

Indaba · 20/03/2010 12:29

YANBU. Am reminded of very sweet little old lady smelling of lavender, who must have been 80 if she was a day, getting into an argument with doctors receptionist in a very, very smart west London surgery over access to the GP....she pulled herself up to her full height of 4 foot nothing, tossed her lilliac hair back and shouted at the receptionists....."You are all Nazis here!" and flounced out. Rest of us sat there aghast and laughed (......cos they were). .