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Original poster

If you work part time should you arrange all doctors/dentist/hospital appointments in your day off?

39 replies

iwouldgoouttonight · 23/02/2010 13:28

Just wondering really. I work four full days a week and on my day off I look after my two DCs. I've recently found I have to take medication which requires me to go to the doctors to get a check up and another prescription about once a month. My line manager said I have to make my doctors appointments on my day off or take annual leave. Do you think this is right? On the day I don't work I usually take DS to playschool, go with DD to a baby group, fetch DS from playschool, sort out lunch, then they both have naps in the afternoon so if I have to go to the doctor every month I'm going to have to give up DD's baby group which is a shame, or try and rush to fit it in between things which will be a struggle.

Just wondered if I'm being unreasonable or if my work is being unreasonable. If you work full time you're allowed time off for medical appointments.

OP posts:

Northernlurker · 23/02/2010 13:38

If you worked for me I would expect you to try and get appointments for your day off. If it was an emergency I would give you paid time off for the appointment but expect you to work back the travel time. If you could get an appointment at the end of your working days say but just had to leave 15 minutes early I wouldn't ask you to work any back because I would allow you 15 minutes (at least) for the appointment. If you booked an appointment for 12 noon and were out of the office for an hour I would give you the 15 minutes and expect you to work back the 45 or take from your annual leave or not take a lunch break. This is applied to all staff not just part timers by the way.

In your case this isn't even an emergency. Why should your employer lose out on your time because you want to do babygroup etc? It's only once a month. I think you absolutely should go with the day off option.

havoc · 23/02/2010 13:41

Northernlurker just said what I was going to say, only better!

Fimblehobbs · 23/02/2010 13:44

I always make sure my medical appointments are in work time!

CMOTdibbler · 23/02/2010 13:45

Yes, I'd expect you to try and make these appointments for your non working day, just as I make appointments for my Friday afternoon flexitime early finish.

OrmRenewed · 23/02/2010 13:47

As far as possible yes. Or during lunch hour if you have one. Of course you are allowed time off for medical appointments but IMO only if there isn't an alternative.

Rhian82 · 23/02/2010 13:59

Hmmm, other people are harsher than I would have been, but I have to say a regular prescription check like that, yes I'd probably do on my days off (I work three days a week).

Normal doctors appointments though I'd do when I needed them, regardless of whether it was my time or work's, and I wouldn't rearrange a hospital appointment I was given.

Original poster

iwouldgoouttonight · 23/02/2010 14:12

Thank you - everyone seems to agree I should try to arrange them for my day off! I just wanted to check because I thought you were allowed time off for medical appointments, but I suppose thats only if you can't get them any other time. I think I'm just feeling as though I hardly have enough time as it is without now having to try to fit the doctor in as well. I know it sounds a bit pathetic but the baby group is one of the only things I enjoy all week so I feel a bit sad at having to miss it and spend my morning with DD in the doctors. I might try and take some annual leave for the appointments instead.

OP posts:

gizmo · 23/02/2010 14:15

Oh don't give up your baby group, Iwould! remember it's only 1 week out of 4 you need to go, so you won't miss out on most of what the group does, and you might find that after a few months of monitoring your condition calms down enough to require less frequent check ups. Does your surgery run weekend/sat morning appointments?

defineme · 23/02/2010 14:19

I only work thursday and friday as does my dentist. I make late appointments and get someone to look after the kids-would never go in work time unless it was an emergency. I take (sometimes 3)kids with me to routine drs appointments like blood tests -could you not just get the 830am appointment or whatever, take the kids and then get on with the rest of your day?

choosyfloosy · 23/02/2010 14:19

Really sorry to hear you have got to start medication, never a nice thing to do.

Was going to ask if you could perhaps go to the doctor one evening?

I would have a chat with the doctor about it - is there any chance of moving to a less frequent schedule quite soon?

But I'm afraid as regards the OP I would expect you to make as many appointments as possible in your time off. It's pants.

Hulababy · 23/02/2010 14:19

I work part time(every morning) and would make all doctor and dentist appointments in my time off, unless emergencies or there really is no other time available. However, in that case, I make up any hours missed either before or after.

Hospital appointments are different though as they are out of my control. If they occur in my work time I have never been asked to make up the time, so long as I have the card/letter stating when the appointment is.

When I worked full time then I never had to make the time back up. Let's face it - how do you? When can you make the time up? Or do you have to have a holiday to go to the doctors?

15 mins for an appointment seems very very tight IMO. I can be sat waiting for an hour in my GPs surgery, and in hospital and dental appointments they are rarely less than 15 minutes in duration. My last hospital appointment I was at the hospital for 2.5 hours!

LIZS · 24/02/2010 11:00

If it isn't possible to go on your day off (and you may have to forgo baby group to do so or find someone else to take her or have someone babysit them while they nap) then I would make it for first or last thing offering to make up time. I don't think it being a "shame" is a strong enough argument otherwise, sorry.

lilolilmanchester · 24/02/2010 23:03

I think you need to work out some compromise with your manager. If people working full-time get time off for appointments (cos when else could they have them) then it's not right for you to have to make all your appointments on your days off. But also not right that you make them all during working hours. Do you have an HR department you could speak to? If not come to some arrangement with your manager - e.g. if you were full time, you'd need to come out of work once a month for an appointment. Work out pro-rata for your hours what is fair. It might mean giving up babygroup or disrupting your family routine - that's life I'm afraid.

gaelicsheep · 24/02/2010 23:12

We're expected to take holiday or flexi leave for medical appointments. In reality though people generally pop out and book it as business absence, and managers turn a blind eye. I think allowing time for the medical appointment itself but expecting travel time to be worked back is a bit harsh to say the least! You may as well come out and say people can't have the time off.

I always have to take half a day's holiday as the drs is 20 miles from work and they're always running really really late. If I had a day each week when I wasn't working then I probably would try to make appointments for that day to avoid taking leave. But I do sympathise with your position OP. I think that people confuse not working a day a week with having a day's holiday every week. You are fitting in a lot of other things on that day, and having to go to the doctors with children in tow is not ideal.

tortoiseonthehalfshell · 24/02/2010 23:16

When I worked fulltime, I would make medical appointments for lunchtimes or at the end of the day unless I was home sick anyway. Ditto when I was pregnant; I saw my GP on Saturday mornings for checkups, and scheduled USs for first thing in the morning/last thing in the afternoon wherever possible. So I think it's fair enough to schedule appointments for your day off now.

It is a huge pain, though. I find it really hard to get to the dentist now, because my daughter won't sit through a whole hour's cleaning appointment. I hope you don't have to give up playgroup.

honeymom · 25/02/2010 12:37

I think that is horrid, but it is only once a month you could easily schedual the doctors apointment for before the group you go to, or on a day before work, My doctors starts appointments at 7.30am is that a possibility?

I work part time and I hate the assumption that you can always do it on your day off, perhaps your doc could make the appointment bi monthly? so its not such a disruption?

jamaisjedors · 25/02/2010 12:42

I am a bit at people making appointments in work time, especially non-emergency ones!

I know I had friends who did it when they were pregnant because it was their 'right' but I never did (but my hours are quite flexible).

Can't you go on a Saturday morning?

islandofsodor · 25/02/2010 12:44

I was expected to make appointements on my days off when working full time on a rota.

Hospital appointments are different as often you have no choice but for doctors and dentists unless an emergency I would expect it to be annual leave or on days off, even more so for part time workers.

NoahAndTheWhale · 25/02/2010 12:44

I used to make dentist's appointments for when I was at work as I was having major work done which was not compatible with two small children being there. I was able to work from home though which helped.

Ordinary doctor's appointments (and I would include yours in that type) I would do on my days when not at work. Try and get an early or late appointment .

islandofsodor · 25/02/2010 12:47

However for hospital appointments in work time I would either have to make up the hours, book a half day holiday or lose half a days pay

upahill · 25/02/2010 12:47

I can go to appointments in work time but there would be (quite rightly ) an expectation for the appointment not to clash wiht a group session unless it was a very important appointment (with a consultant for xample) then I would be able to get anothre instructor in for me. If it was in my admin time no problems as long as all my work is up to date.

cazzybabs · 25/02/2010 12:50

I am a teacher and try and only go in the holdays

cazzybabs · 25/02/2010 12:50

I am a teacher and try and only go in the holdays

choppychopster · 25/02/2010 12:58

I'm in the same situation as you OP, as in I have to take meds that require monthly blood tests for monitoring and work four full days a week. I always make my appointment for first thing on a workday so that I'm not more than a few minutes late for work or otherwise I have my blood tests on my day off and take DD along. The nurse at my GP is very accommodating in making sure that her "regulars" get the timeslots they need. There's no way that I'd be able to get away with having my appointments in the middle of a working day.

I also have to go to the have to see the consultant at the hospital every six months or so. Inevitably they give me an appointment in the middle of the day and there's a long wait, so combined with the 45 minutes journey each way from work, it's just not practical to leave the office to go. I usually take this as a day's annual leave and spend the rest of the time having a nice mooch around the shops or go to the cinema or something.

2old4thislark · 25/02/2010 13:09

Advice given at out local hospital was that if you work full time they have to give you time off for medical appointments. Part time (though you work four full days!) you are expected to arrange appointments in your own time. Emergencies obviously are treated differently.

Our surgery now does have some appointments at 7.30 am and up to 7.00pm!

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