AIBU (or jusy unrealistic) to expect 'professionals' to ring me back.

[bigbluebus]

So far, I am waiting for a return call from DDs school about a query I raised 8 days ago (admin related not teaching). No one has even bothered to ring back or put a note in DD's home/school book to say, "we are looking into it, we don't know the answer at the moment, but will get back to you asap.

I am also waiting for a call from the District Nursing Team from Wednesday. Their answerphone says "messages left after 4.30pm will be dealt with the next day". I left the message at 2pm on Wed - so it's now the day after the next day. They are due to take over DDs care from the childrens nursing team next week and they should have ordered me some equipment. I also need to check they can provide me with all the supplies that I currently get from the childrens team. They have not yet met DD!

Then there's the call back I am waiting for from the Continence nurse. They delivered 12 weeks worth of the wrong type of nappies yesterday, which won't fit DD. I have exactly 5 days supply of the previous delivery left - and the weekend is upon us, when nothing will happen!!!

ANd that's just one week!

I know they are busy, but so am I!!! But the ball always seems to be in their court!

Rant over

How frustrating for you. Give them all a reminder call now.

I chased 2 out of the 3 again before lunch.

The receptionist at school said she remembered me ringing last week and apologised that no one had rung me back. She said she would chase it up - they still haven't rung 3 hrs later!!!

The continence nurses' voicemail was full, so I rang someone else, who confirmed that the person I need to speak to is working today. She said she would e-mail her and tell her it was urgent. Still no phone call there either.

Haven't bothered with the District nurses yet. Will chase them next week.

In contrast, I e-mailed a non-urgent query to DSs secondary school 2 days ago and got a reply from the HTs PA in less than 24hrs. His school is 4 times the size of DDs and DD's SEN school probably has as many admin staff!!!

Is it time for yet?

This drives me mad about all public services, they just don't seem to get that we, the parents, patients etc are "customers". They do actually seem to believe that they're doing us a favour if they help us out by doing their job.

And I say that as someone who works in a school office. I've come from a public sector background and (FWIW, I can't believe how cushy working in a school is compared to what I was used to). The first thing I do when I get to my desk each day is return any calls, it's what I've always done to provide a decent service to customers. But I am very much along among my colleagues at school, most of whom would leave those messages until they're chased at least a couple of times I spend a lot of my day fielding calls and making excuses for other members of staff who haven't called back or done as they promised.

No YANBU, but I'm tearing my hair out trying to change this attitude.

Glad its not just me then! Its enough of a struggle trying to cope with our complicated famiy lives without the professionals who are supposed to be there to help us, making life more difficult.

School have now rung me back (4pm) - no apology for not ringing sooner though! And the reply was only that the HT is looking at it and we should have letters out by the end of next week! 8 days to come up with that response!!!

You're right about that Durab (and I am a public sector worker).
God forbid that anyone should expect anything from those we, as a country, emply to do our bidding.
Oh and God forbid that anynoe do anything other than bow and scrape gratefully.

Don't stand for it.
Log an official complaint with their bosses.
That'll make 'em jump!

Anyone we contact regularly (paed, SENCO, teacher/TA, OT),we go through email. No phone tag, and if we there is repeated delays, we have it in writing, as we send follow up emails. With phone calls if they say they need to ring me back, I tend to say "ok, if I haven't heard back by X time, I'll ring back." Generally it works pretty well.