I'm a bit shocked. GP just yelled at my 6 year old dd!

[handlemecarefully]

Have just been to see the doctor. Had 4 year old and 6 year old with me - I'm trying to describe things as objectively as possible:

I sat down and the two children both tried to sit on the one chair next to me and squabbled - I had stern words and they pretty much immediately stopped (took about 30 seconds). They then went over to the box of toys. We started the consultation...

3 minutes into the consultation dd came up to me having made a cat from lego and started to interrupt me (wanted to show me the cat) whilst I was talking to the doctor.

I was about to give her short shrift for interrupting, and to tell her to wait when, before I had the opportunity the Doctor erupted with:

SIT DOWN IMMEDIATELY AND DON'T INTERRUPT. I AM TALKING TO YOUR MOTHER!!!!

DD open and closed her mouth in shock a few times and then dissolved into floods of tears. I was a bit shocked and simply put my arm around her whilst trying to resume the conversation. The Doctor said nothing but looked a bit uncomfortable.

I have no issue with the content of what the doctor said but full scale bellowing . It was very heavy handed.

The doctor concerned is in his thirties and has young children of his own. He has always been pleasant on the two or three other occasions I have seen him. I imagine he must have had a very crappy day, but nevertheless he behaved inappropriately. The children weren't acting like little feral beasts

Not sure whether to just leave this or not....an RL friend thinks I should complain...I'm a bit torn because there is no real harm done, dd won't be scarred for life ...(she has just asked me to promise that we will never see him again if we have to go to the doctors in future),but on the other hand he was very wrong.

Probably would say you have made your point by asking for a complaint form.

it does sound like your dcs were being annoying though. He shouldnt have shouted but as you said, no harm done.

lol

This thread is just one big

blunt - rude and unpleasant more like. Anyway my usual approach to posters like you (who revel in making provocative barbative comments seemingly for the hell of it) is to blank them. So I will not be addressing any more comments to you

I wish someone would do this to ds2. He interrupts all the time and it drives me mad. It might make more of an impact coming from a scaryish stranger of sorts.

I can't see the point in complaining. I mean what would be the result? I'm sure he realises he lost his temper.

Complaining takes energy. I only take the time and effort to complain if it will result in an improvement for me (or in a very bad case prevent something terrible happening to someone else). I can't really see what you would get out of complaining here.

I would leave it TBH. If he is usually OK and has young kids I wonder if it was a sort of automatic response to the interruption, almost as if it was his own kids.
Not acceptable, but he is probably horrified.

Swoons at HMC.

There's no need to be so precious, either about the fact that I think you are being absurd nor about the fact that a doctor shouted at your dd because she interrupted, having already scrapped on a chair, during your v. short appointment.

[waits for lack of response]

I would'nt complain, he was probably having a bad day, may have been tierd and acted without thinking, they have alot of people to see in one day and it must be stressful when children are talking when he's talking.

I always leeve mine at home as dd1 loves our gp and does'nt stop talking to him.

Pretty poor GP to have shouted at a young child like that.

I probably wouldn't complain, but would avoid him in future, if possible.

Doctors have 10 minute appointment slots. Realistically, that means that to be able to talk through a cancer diagnosis and treatment options with a patient or do a physical exam on a wriggling child they have to deal with none urgent stuff as briskly as possible. The man was trying to diagnose/discuss treatment with you and was interrupted twice. He overreacted and your DD got upset.

Should he have done it? No. After a long week of work do I understand why he might have done it? Yes. What exactly would a complaint achieve?

I would have been horrified if he had shouted at my DCs too but she did interupt and maybe she'll think twice next time.

As others have said I think you lost the opportunity to say something at the (although I probably would have reacted the in the same shocked kind of way and come up with great retorts about an hour later!!!).

I think writing a complaint is maybe a bit too far. What are you trying to achieve by complaining?

Well I think the balance of opinion is to leave it...so I will. Yes you are probably right tiggerlovestobounce, I suspect he does regret it. He certainly looked a bit shifty afterwards...

at the time !!!

Is your DD ok about it now?

Yes, but she doesn't want to see him again. Still there are 4 other doctors at the Practice should the need arise.....

Incidentally the consultation was about them (so quite appropriate to take them I think)

I would have taken them even if it wasn't about them tbh. DH is a GP and always has children in with parents when it's nothing to do with his parents. It's my job to find good toys to buy for his toy box to keep them amused while he is consulting!!!

I've just re-read my post. Meant to say - pretty poor of the GP blah blah

Is he the usual GP you see, hmc?

Sorry - nothing to do with them (the children) - oh I really should check before posting!!!!

Friday afternoon, bad day/week, children being annoying and prolonging consultation....

I wouldn't complain, I mean he wasn't RUDE was he?

bet your dd won't interrupt again!

Fair enough HMC. I'm just surprised. When I was a child the onlt response I would've gotten from my mother would've been 'don't interrupt when adults are talking'.

I think some of you are being pretty harsh to HMC. She is hardly seeking out counselling for her dd or threating to report him to the GMC.

People "bellowing" at anyone, children or adult is rude and unnecessary. I personally don't think HMC should complain, but there is no need for anyone to be disparaging to the OP.

I think some people just like to be farking rude "witty" because they think it gets them noticed. Well it does, for all the wrong reasons.

She was talking about complaining to the Practice Manager. No one has said it's anything other than inappropriate to 'bellow' at anyone. Just that it would seem to be an over-reaction to report it.

I'm struggling with your OP because I just can't believe he REALLY "bellowed"

If he did, I would be worried that he was actually MAD because that would be really peculiar behaviour. And I would back out of the room and run screaming. So you SOUND like you are exaggerating.

If he genuinely bellowed then I would make a complaint. I assume that the waiting room/receptionists would also hear it if it was a genuine bellow, so I would ask them to back me up.

It raises questions though about whether we are able to tell our dcs to be quiet when appropriate and whether they will.

As child would have gotten the 'death stare' had I done this. It would have be 'wait till your father gets home'. My dd is awful at keeping quiet during things like this and I wonder if we haven't gone too far the other way letting our darlings express themselves and have any behaviour being acceptable anywhere.

I wonder if the GP is right now posting on gpsnet asking "Arrrggghh what have I done"