unreasonable health visitor?

[Sugarmag]

I got a call my GP's office (at 8:00 at night BTW, but that's another discussion!) to book dd's pre-school assessment including MMR boosters etc. They offered me an apt at 10am on a thursday. I explained that dd was in nursery in the mornings, could we have an afternoon appointment. Was offered 10am on Friday. No, I said, she goes to nursery EVERY day - can we have an afternoon apt!?!

I was told that the HV only makes morning appointments and I would be expected to take dd out of nursery. I thought this was outrageous and insisted she try and get me an afternoon appointment (still waiting to hear).

Just wondering if anyone else thinks this is ridiculous or if it's just me?

I think it's reasonable too. If the HV works in a clinic like ours, some other person (eg chiropodist, physio, continence nurse)will use the room that she has in the afternoon, so she couldn't give you a PM appointment.

BTW does dd go to nursery because you are working? If so, could you ask someone else to take her? How about asking if the GP/ practice nurse could do the boosters. The assessment isn't vital; if you have no concerns, then it could be put off indefinitely, it's not compulsory.

I am sure my HVs only see people about three mornings a week! They do have very hectic schedules.

Our clinic only does them on a thurs afternoon, no choice.

just you- completely reasonable!

afraid it's just you! She probably goes out to all the new mothers in the afternoon weighing newborns etc

imagine it like trying to see your doctor. they have appointments at set times, you fit in with those times.

Seems reasonable - ours only have clinics at set times.

hmmm, ok, fair enough. Maybe it's just that I don't like my HV anyway. I think she'd be completely useless doing any assessments even if I did have concerns (which I don't).

When I took ds in for his 2 year assessment he was standing there chatting away to me - 'mummy I sit on your knee', 'mummy play with me', 'look at bricks', 'i want car', etc etc. And the HV turns to me and says, "So is he stringing words together yet?"

Thanks for the suggestion Tissy that I ask if someone else can do the boosters - that might work.

Umm I agree, I wouldn't be very happy to be told that I was expected to take DS out of nursery for jabs/assessment. But then again our area is crap so I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised to be told something similar.

H x

At our clinic the HVs visit new mums, do house calls, hearing tests and visits/clinics for the elderly in the afternoons, plus baby clinic two mornings a week, so they're very limited in what times they can set up appointments for other things. Given that it's a huge practice and there are only two HVs, I think it's reasonable to have set hours for the services they provide, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if your clinic is the same.

If you're not concerned about her health you don't have to have the assessment, and as someone else already said, the practice nurses will usually do boosters. I'd trust a nurse with an injection far more than I'd trust an HV anyway!

Health Visitors are actually qualified nurses, as amazing as that might seem sometimes!

I can see both sides. Has the HV herself said that she can only do morning appts or was it a jobsworth administrator phoning on her behalf? Maybe if you speak to her directly and explain she might be able to see you in the afternoon - or maybe she really does have no leeway to offer a pm appointment.

I work in the NHS and we are meant to be moving towards offering patients a choice in when they are seen - although in practice for the clinics I book, it's a choice of times on a Wednesday am or nothing! Some choice, but apparently if I say "we would like to offer you a choice of when you are seen, would 10.00 am or 10.30 am be convenient" I have fulfilled the requirements of what they call "choose and book".

I digress.

PS: can't think of a halloween name so have gone posh for the first time in my life.