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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think my doctors surgery is extorting money out of its patients

107 replies

Abubu · 10/05/2010 09:16

OK, maybe extorting is a bit extreme but I'm really annoyed.

My doctors surgery have a procedure where you must call up at 8.30 in the morning to book an appointment for the day. If you dont call up pretty much in the first hour you can forget getting an appointment that day. You can book in advance but considering that most of the time you don't know you're going to be ill in advance, most people book their appointments on the day.

They have recently changed their phone number to an 0844 number. I've been on the phone for half an hour waiting in a queue before giving up.

Hubby drove down there for me (it is his last day of paternity leave and we were hoping to do something nice today after I've been to the doctor)

He booked me an apointment for lunchtime which was the earliest he could get as it was 9am when he got there.
However he said that reception had 3 people sitting there and they were making cups of tea and chatting while the phone just rang and rang.

I'm not saying the staff are not entitled to a cup of tea but why make it in the busiest half hour of the day, knowing that there are people hanging on to an 0844 number trying to get through?

I'm tempted to change my doctor over this. Am I overreacting?

OP posts:
Cannotfindaname · 10/05/2010 09:24

Unfortunately this is what doctors surgeries do, with regards to phoning in the morning to get an appointment on the day. I have had many different surgeries due to moving a lot and they ALL do this. Not so sure about the phone number though, that does sound a pain.

As for the receptionists sitting making cups of tea while the phone rings , I would be making a complaint in writing to the practise manager. That isn't on.

SoupDragon · 10/05/2010 09:28

Forgetting everything else, I think it is disgraceful to have an 0844 number for a doctor's surgery and would complain about that.

EnchantedWithGordon · 10/05/2010 09:30

Ours is the same with 0844 number too.

cattj · 31/12/2011 01:05

Any surgery that still has an 0844 number (in fact any 084 or 087 number) is now in breach of their NHS contract and you should make a complaint about it to the relevant PCT.

084 and 087 numbers cost more to call than 01, 02 or 03 numbers. GPs were told in April 2010 that no new contracts should be entered into and usage of all such numbers should cease by April 2011. Those deadlines have long since passed.

There's a handy list of non-compliant surgeries, grouped by constituency should you also wish to make your local MP aware.

See also the introduction and the comparison list of call prices.

lisaro · 31/12/2011 03:18

Aaargh! Same here - how can you ring for an appointment at 8.30 when you leave for work before then and work a fair way away. Just making an appointment for within a week shouldn't be impossible. It's just complete idleness andpossibly incompetence on behalf of the practice manager.

jasper · 31/12/2011 03:33

complete madness.
I run an NHS dental practice and I can't understand this at all.
My wonderful staff would never faff around while the phone rang out.

Can a GP come on her and explain this type of appointment system ? there must be some kind of logic to it that we ordinary folks have not seen

south345 · 31/12/2011 03:37

Ours had an 0844 number but have changed back to a local one recently. I would be complaining about not answering the phone.

fatcaaah · 31/12/2011 03:45

They will still have a normal landline number too, there's a website called no 0845 or something where you put the number in and it gives you the landline number.

My doctors was the same but I found the ll number and always use that now, it gets you though on the same line.

fatcaaah · 31/12/2011 03:51

It's www.saynoto0870.com

GwendolineMaryLacedwithBrandy · 31/12/2011 04:19

Interesting. My (extremely good) surgery still has an 0844 number and they're on that list. No alternative number listed on that website. Cheeky buggers Angry.

catsareevil · 31/12/2011 06:27

If it was as your DH said then I'd be tempted to change to. Was it really 3 people all with responsibility for answering phones sat in view of the patients drinking tea? Thats completely insensitive apart from anythng else, and doesnt project a good image.

Robotindisguise · 31/12/2011 06:36

Quite right to complain about the 0844 number.

However, I have to say that despite this system's issues, it is so much better than what we had in the mid-90s, which was basically "an emergency you say? We have an appointment for next Monday. Or you can go to A and E, where you'll wait forever because everyone else with an issue which can't wait four days is there as well".

There's no ideal situation - but really, getting an appointment for lunchtime on the day you call up is good service. It really is.

Noopypappy · 31/12/2011 06:45

Before my doctors surgery had a proper telephone queuing system it was just one line. I was late for an appointment once due to a delayed train and was trying to phone while on the train, for half an hour, to let them know and rebook. I couldn't get through. When I got there the receptionist was clearly on a private phone call. She said 'just a minute' while she dealt with my enquiry and then carried on the call afterwards. I complained to the doctor and shortly afterwards saw they were advertising for a new receptionist.

I would definitely complain. That is disgusting.

TruthSweet · 31/12/2011 07:21

Thanks cattj - my surgery has an 0844 no. which you have to call at 8.30 to get an appointment that day (they don't do advance appt without Dr's permission Hmm). I have to do the school run at 8.30 so always call on my mobile as we are walking. My phone bills some months are hugely more than others and it's always the months when I have had to call the Drs that are the more expensive....

I guess I'll be having a word with my MP.

marriedinwhite · 31/12/2011 07:26

It's dreadful. robotindisguise a 1pm appointment on the same day is good service. The fact that the patient spent 30 minutes on an 0844 number and her husband had to drive to the surgery to get the appointment and found three receptionists sitting looking at the phone and making tea is very much NOT good service.

In fact it says everything about the NHS. It's fantastic when you get to access it, the time wasted trying to do so and the lack of respect afforded by support staff to the patients is shocking.

Last time I went to the GP I was three minutes late - blocked road and then in the gp's road, I couldn't park because there was a massive lorry delivering and then couldn't back out because of three cars behind me by then.

I apologised to the receptionist:

recept: "it's up to her if she'll see you as your late"
me: "when I came with my son last week I was kept waiting for 45 minutes"
Recpt: "that's different they can keep you waiting, you can't keep them waiting"
me: "well, as there are 6 minutes of my appointment left and I only need a form for a blood test should be OK then"
recept: "probably she'll see you"

Sat and waited for 20 minutes - the three people already in the surgery went to see the doctor before me. Dr was lovely.

champagnevanity · 31/12/2011 09:13

My Doctors the same, without the 0844 number, but my god! Incompetence much?

You've got to ring up on the day, and the appointments go as a first come first serve, i rang up the other month, at 8.00 after being in a queue for 10 minutes they said can you get here for 8.30?
In 20 mins? no, as i had a baby to feed, change, dress ect and then walk down. to which they replied we cannot give you another appointment and you cannot book in advance, its either this or nothing the receptionist said.

The receptionist at mine are exactly the same! God awful, they never know anything, and they talk to you like shit aswell! Fantastic!

weevilswobble · 31/12/2011 09:39

Excellent info cattj! Love MN for this kinda thing!
Makes me feel very lucky to have the wonderful village surgery we have. When the phones busy after 8am when they open for appts, i use callback, works well.

roughtyping · 31/12/2011 09:46

I hate this as well. That's ridiculous that they've changed the number, I'm angry for you!

I used to work for the out of hours GP service, people were always using them instead of in-hours doctors because they were not able to take time off work. There must be a better system than this! (I don't know what it would be though...!)

Finallygotaroundtoit · 31/12/2011 09:52

I'm curious about an illness where you needed to be seen urgently and yet were well enough to go out that afternoon ?

Why is there no 'just being nosey' emoticon Grin - anyhoo hope your feeling better

chunkythighs · 31/12/2011 09:54

Consider yourself lucky. In Ireland you may not have the number thing but EACH visit to the GP is ?50 PLUS the full cost of the prescription which in my experience can cost ?100+. The way the medical card system is set up (free gp care) the non med card people are paying extra on their prescriptions to supplement the medical card patients! A trip to the hospital is over ?100 and if you need to stay overnight you need to pay a tax of some sort for each night.

Need I even point out that to qualify for a medical card you need to be as close to minimum wage as possible. In Ireland people literally can't afford to go to their GP.

1Catherine1 · 31/12/2011 09:59

When I moved to my new house I had the choice of 2 surgeries. I choose the one without the 0845 number.

I think the phoning at 8:30 is a pretty standard rule but at my surgery at least I usually find it is either, engaged or gets answered. I think appointments in advance tend to be less important things. Dr's don't tend to see you for a cold or anything anyway.

It is always worth complaining to the company with the 0845 number, regardless of the company. They will usually know an alternative one, I phone the likes of ScottishPower and never use their 0845 number.

mrspnut · 31/12/2011 10:00

Our GP's surgery whilst still having an 0844 number (I will bring it up with our MP when I next see him at rugby training) runs a triage system.

When you call in the morning and it runs until 11am as a rule - you are put on the list for the duty doctor to call you back. The doctor then decides whether you need an appointment, or whether they can just leave a prescription or fit note for you at the desk.
They also can decide that it's more appropriate to see the nurse or that it is more serious and you should go to A&E.
It works brilliantly and means if you do need to see the doctor then you manage to get a same day appointment.

jamdonut · 31/12/2011 10:01

Having been a hospital appointments officer, I know it is difficult that people have to take time off for appointments,but if you are truly poorly and need to be seen you have to make the effort. And I know everyone moans about receptionists, but the way "the public" speaks to you in the first place!!...it is a defence mechanism. If I had a pound for every time someone said to me " I pay your wages", when they couldn't get precisely what they wanted...Well, mate I pay National Insurance too, and therefore pay my own wages!!

Not excusing the sitting making tea, though...thats dreadful service.

LurkingBeagle · 31/12/2011 10:46

Jamdonut, many posters are saying that they can't book an appointment in advance, so have to ring at 8.30am after they would have left for work. They are not necessariy "truly poorly" but there are 100's of reasons why they might need to see a Dr (contraception? discuss test results? medication review?) and the system seems to be set up to make it as difficult as possible for them.

I don't really buy all this "but the public are really rude" stuff. I am unfailingly polite to NHS staff and still seem to lock horns with our GP's rottweiler receptionist every time I need to be seen! OTOH I am also lucky enough to have BUPA through work and all of their receptionists and support staff are IME very polite and helpful. In GP's and NHS hospitals - not so much... Hmm

tethersend · 31/12/2011 11:06

Well, I love my GP surgery even more after reading this... They operate a triage system, whereby the doctor calls you, has a telephone conversation and asks you to come in if necessary. Often, they are able to write a prescription for you to pick up.

In addition to this, they have some same-day appointments and it is rarely a problem to book an appointment within three days' time.

Why shouldn't all surgeries operate like this?