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?

Lots of people have had the same message, my son 'phoned me yesterday and told me he had one. I am expecting one. There's nothing to complain about, it's sent to all patients regardless of whether they regularly see their GP or not, it isn't personal.

I actually have an appointment for Thursday morning and had a text this morning confirming it so obviously my GP surgery is 'business as usual'. However I'm thinking of cancelling, it's not urgent and I would do better staying at home as I'm 70 and considered to be in an 'at risk' group because of my age.

With Glasgowgin and pbdr here

I'm a hospital doctor. We're working overtime to organise how we're going to treat people, transport ventilated patients and keep our staff safe, and you want to complain about the tone of a perfectly rationally worded text message?

Why don't you try to find something you can do to help ?

If things like this upset you OP, you really must struggle with life generally. There is nothing in that message to get upset about. Nothing at all.

Ffs , I’ve had one too , it’s just protocol. Get over yourself ...

What the fuck is wrong with you

ChicChicChicChiclana

I assume this a pathetic attempt at a wind-up by this first time poster.

Ignore it and it will go away!

Very good point.

How dare frontline medical services try to operate in a way that keeps people safe! They're out of order. Bloody ridiculous isn't it OP.
🙄

Christ on a bike OP. We're in the middle of a pandemic and you're offended by the use of capital letters?
Why not put your efforts in to something more productive? I'm working with others in the community to ensure that people are not left without and I can't even leave the house because of on going health issues.

I guess you don't work in an office 😂 because small communicative faux pas miseries are pretty much day to day life and in any case many people choose not to go by the somewhat old fashioned notion that capital letters may indicate shouting.

That message is completely fine. Almost all doctors surgeries are sending out similar messages and the reason it's in capital letters is probably so it draws your attention to it and it isn't ignored calm down.

Do you know how many patients are registered at your GP practice? Do to know how much busier they are likely to get over the next few days and weeks?

Why do you think should be tasked with sorting through the entire patient list and decide who should or shouldn't be sent a text? If you didn't get the text, and then appeared into the surgery in the midst of all this, possibly sick and infecting others, or maybe healthy but then contract it from someone else who turned up at the surgery, who would you blame for not warning you of the risks? Or for not putting safeguarding procedures in place?

Although, actually..do complain. Please do. It'll give the stretched surgery dealing with an unprecedented health crisis a much needed laugh and distraction from the madness at the moment.

Go on, brighten someone's day!!

I had a similar message but it wasn't rude. It was factual and to the point.

Im loving the expression “tone of manner” it’s arsey and pompous and sounds like it should mean something but actually doesn’t 😂

I can't believe you thought that message was rude and considered complaining about it. Do you seriously think that at this time there are NHS staff free and able to deal with quibbles? Get real. The message was sent to everyone and is informative.

Get over yourself. There are far more important things to worry about.

It's in capital letters to show it is important. They are not shouting at you for goodness sake. Nor is it spam. It's not advertising goods, it's explaining to you and every other person registered with the practice that you can't just stroll into the surgery and expect to be able to book an appointment.

YABU it's standard NHS systems text.

”As a doctor working in a GP surgery, the idea of someone wasting our time with a complaint about the essential distribution of an extremely important public safety notice during a near unprecedented global health emergency makes me absolutely despair. Do you not think we perhaps have bigger issues taking up our time right now than having our focus dragged away from trying to keep people safe and minimise mortality because someone got offended by capslock?”

Reposting what @pbdr said, because it encapsulates exactly what @TheNamesJames needs to hear.

Anyone else speculating at how much concern it must be causing the OP to have a username that doesn't allow a possessive apostrophe in it?

I had a similar message except I got it five times!

Should the receptionist be calling every patient individually to ask politely? Or do you expect them to bake cupcakes and visit everyone?

Anyone else speculating at how much concern it must be causing the OP to have a username that doesn't allow a possessive apostrophe in it?

It doesn't need a possessive apostrophe - it needs one showing omission (name's = name is).

If you're going to try to be witty with pedantry, you need to get it right.

Wow...what would be the grounds for the complaint out of interest?

I got exactly the same from my surgery, and I was due to have an appointment today for ongoing mental health issues. That’s been cancelled as it’s not urgent, but the doctor will try and call me if he can...they’re so busy that they’re struggling to be able to even get a line out to call. Should I complain about that as well??

Just...wow

What you're not getting OP is that this is the time that has to be used to even get some attention from patients because anything that isn't with a underlying tone of telling off is totally disregarded and ignored.

How many messages have GP practices and hospital have been sending about cancelling appointments in advance and how many people just don't give a monkey because a cancellation doesn't impact on them at all in any way, so they don't care.

It is indeed very sad that people have to be considered like naughty kids because they do indeed act like this and will continue to do if you ask them to do things in a kind manner.

It might not apply to you, but sadly it will apply to enough patients registered that it has to be delivered that way.