WIBU to send a complaint about this aggressive text message?

[TheNamesJames]

I have just received this from my GP (and yes, it was recieved in capital letters, I haven’t edited it):

COVID-19: FOLLOWING LATEST GUIDANCE, Edited out MEDICAL CENTRE WILL BE OPERATING A TELEPHONE CONSULTATION ONLY SERVICE. ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN ASSESSED, THE CLINICIAN WILL DECIDE IF A FACE TO FACE CONSULTATION IS NEEDED. WE ARE WORKING HARD TO PROTECT OUR PATIENTS AND STAFF. IF YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT BOOKED IN THE NEAR FUTURE, YOU WILL BE CONTACTED, DO NOT ATTEND THE SURGERY.THANK YOU FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.

Is that unnecessary and rude? I haven’t even seen a doctor at that surgery since eleven months ago, it’s not like I’m hounding at their door every day and a walking risk.

I get that it is important and needs to be clarified but wtf, does anyone else think it’s really rude to send spam messages to random people in that tone of manner?

Jesus wept

It's not spam, it's not rude, it's not unnecessary, it's not random, it has nothing wrong with the tone.

It is important.

It's about keeping patients and staff safe, lucky you not to have needed a doctor for 11 months, lets hope none of us will need one in the next few weeks.

im pretty sure its just a standard text from from nhs, our surgery has put the same message on fb, and texted it too, i didn't read it as rude, ive not been to the doctors for a long time either.

Spreading the virus unnecessarily is ruder

I’m not usually lost for words, but........

I get from your further posts though that you still don’t think YABU.

Well, you are! Completely and fucking utterly!!

Wow

YABU.

stop being a snowflakes, it's fine

Well if ever there was something to make me feel super sane this is it...

Obviously have sent it to everyone because everyone needs to know. They’ve kept it simple, polite and clear because you can’t underestimate the stupid out there (you only have to head over the the Coronavirus board to see some prime examples of that!). Some people have struggled with the ‘cough OR fever’ advice, goodness only knows if they’ll have grasped the ‘don’t go to the surgery’ thing!?

I can see you’ve accepted you are unreasonable, hopefully others who would waste their time and the valuable and limited time of NHS staff right now writing indignant and utterly pointless complaints might rethink it reading this thread - therefore you just helped rather than hindered the problem - result!

Adds spam to shopping list

How did you want them to communicate swiftly to all their patients, and get those patients to realise the importance of the message? Letter? Carrier pigeon? Personal phone call? It doesn't matter when you last went in, you might be planning to make an appointment, they don't know that.

My similar message from my surgery is riddled with typos. I don't fucking care, I know what they want to communicate to me, and they were clearly in a hurry and under pressure. Stop being precious and get over yourself.

I got a similar message from my surgery.

Mass texting is an effective way to reach people: it’s quicker than snail mail (and cheaper), emails might get marked as spam and lost or just generally not read if the receiver isn’t on top of them, phoning each registered person would take forever etc. A text will go directly to their phone and is more likely to be picked up. It’s not like they’re advertising services, they’re using it to communicate essential updates. How else would they reach people?

I don’t think the tone is abrupt or rude. It’s clear and leaves no doubt around what is expected from patients attending the surgery. Comms that are too wishy washy can be misunderstood/cause confusion and the most important thing is delivering the correct messaging.

It's not spam.

No.

"Spam" is that foul, ersatz ham stuff that they used to try to feed us in fritter form for school dinners in the early 80s. Also stuff that my grandparents ate during the war when there was, like, actual rationing and stuff.
You'd probably find you're intolerant to it, or something.

Going against some other posts, I'd suggest it isn't spam and was sent to you directly.

Seems a brilliant time to find an excuse to not have to see you.

In a slightly nicer vein, perhaps it shouldn't have all been in CAPS, but maybe it was done in haste and fiddling around between caps/lower case didn't seem the biggest priority.

God god, some people

Yes you really, really would be unreasonable to complain. Firstly there is nothing wrong with that message (I got a similar one from my surgery, and thought "fair enough"). Also complaining about something like that, right now, with everything that's going on is pretty staggering really. I think you need to take a look around and get some perspective, I can't imagine anyone at a Dr's is having anything less than a very tough and worrying time right now.

I'd suggest it isn't spam

Sorry.
Should have said I'd suggest it wasn't sent to everyone.

Obviously got into Monty Python mode:
Spam, spam, spam, spam...etc

You are not being unreasonable, you are being ridiculous.
They must be snowed under and have sent a message to everyone.
Get over yourself. They will have enough to contend with without your complaint.

FFS it’s not spam. What on earth is wrong with you?

@TheNamesJames

I haven’t even seen a doctor at that surgery since eleven months ago, it’s not like I’m hounding at their door every day and a walking risk.

That ^ is why people are pointing out the text isn't specifically for YOU!

That's fine- & our text messaging system the hospital use only seems to send in capitals if it's a manually inputted message. Regular appt reminders do come through in lower case though.

Actually, do send a complaint.

A proper, written one.

On paper.

I'm sure they can find a use for it in these Andrex-free times.

No biscuits but here op......❄️

I hate ageist and divisive generalisations of "boomer' and 'snowflake" etc, but this is just a prime example of snowflake.

People working flat out and putting their own and their families' health at risk; OP offended at tone of this important message.