Doctor receptionists **** me off

Neil79 · 18 May 2011 at 08:53

This stupid rule nowaday's that you have to phone in at 8.30am in the morning to make an appointment and you can't make one for the day after is such a pain in the rear.

I was contacted by a family member to make an appointment for my two younger sisters, who couldn't do it today because they were both in school. An appointment could be made for tomorrow or friday so we would let the school know. Won't go into why they need the doctors!

It went like this
" Hi there, could i please make an appointment for tomorrow or friday for my little sisters "
- " You can't make an appointment for the day after, you have to call on the day "
" I can't do it on the day because i have to take them in to school "
- " YOUR DOING IT NOW AREN'T YOU? " <- Nasty tone
" for ffs "
- " Please do not swear at me sir "
" I have tried to call on the day at 8.30am many times before, and it's been so busy within 5mins of being in a queue that i've not been able to get an appointment "
- " you need to call on the day "

I found out from a much nicer receptionist at my Doctors, that people actually queue up outside at 8.30am to get that appointment on the day. I did not like her tone and she has a habbit of talking down to people, thankfully it's not my doctors. The only reason i'm able to call is as i'm not taking them into school. I've got my aunt dieing of cancer, my mum is breaking down and you can't get people to do simple things even for children!. Then I got my dad, having a go because apparantly he would've gone down there and done it differently and got that day after appointment, another argument :mad:

I don't need this, i really don't

Cuchulain · 18 May 2011 at 08:56

Complain about her to your local NHS trust.

Cosimo · 18 May 2011 at 08:57

The doctor’s firewall, you just have to hate ’em the horrible little Hitlers.

Vonhelmet · 18 May 2011 at 08:59

Blame targets. I remember an interview with an MP on the TV about this. He was utterly incredulous that Labour's "an appointment within X days of calling" was being implemented by doctors simply refusing to book appointments for later days. Appointments same day as you call = targets met. Job done.

Rainmaker · 18 May 2011 at 08:59

Cuchulain said:
Complain about her to your local NHS trust.

Asking to speak to the practice manager might be a better idea in the first instance, unless she IS the practice manager. Even then I'd simply raise it with the senior partner instead. You'd be surprised how effective a quiet word can be in these circumstances; I had a similar issue (albeit for a different reason) with our local GP recently.

A two minute chat later and the senior partner had issued a full and grovelling apology and assured us that policy would be reviewed and changed at the earliest opportunity. It won't hurt to try, and the PCT will likely ask if you've done this anyway.

Xordium · 18 May 2011 at 09:00

Go private and choose yourself lets face it you'll have to in a few years anyway.

antijoke · 18 May 2011 at 09:01

You broke the first rule of phoning somewhere.

You swore at them on the phone, that accomplishes.

Neil79 · 18 May 2011 at 09:02

vonhelmet said:
Blame targets. I remember an interview with an MP on the TV about this. He was utterl incredulous that Labour's "an appointment within X days" of calling was being implemented by doctors simply refusing to book appointments for later days. Appointments same day as you call = targets met. Job done.

Ahh so that's why i see that thing scrolling across the screen when i'm at my local doctors

" THERE HAS BEEN 300 MISSED APPOINTMENTS IN THE LAST XXX " " 30 THOUSAND POUNDS IS LOST EVERY XXX "

:rolleyes:

So there's me trying to make an appointment and you can't

anticonscience said:
You broke the first rule of phoning somewhere.

You swore at them on the phone, that accomplishes.

No i did not, read it again. I swore yes but not at them, I'm getting pushed to the edge by what's going on and her talking down to me like i'm a child isn't on. Teachers have a habbit of doing this, people in power have a habbit of doing this.

4T5 · 18 May 2011 at 09:03

Why swear at a woman because you don't get what you want ? You're lucky she didn't put the phone down on you. Poor show I say.

Vonhelmet · 18 May 2011 at 09:05

Schools will be au fait with the way these things work, so just call the school on the day after calling the doctor.

Also, never swear at people like this. It just gives them carte blanche to be difficult with you, so it achieves nothing.

Neil79 · 18 May 2011 at 09:05

She said to me " YOU'RE DOING IT NOW AREN'T YOU ? "

So talking down to me, when i was being polite is ok?. And again i did not swear at her!

Please get away from this you swore at her lark

Garonazz · 18 May 2011 at 09:06

She started being cocky at him, and he was obviously ****** off about the entire thing, so how is it a poor show ?

Hank_Marvin · 18 May 2011 at 09:08

It's such a pain how they do it now, you gotta be so quick at 8:30 to get one.

Neil79 · 18 May 2011 at 09:08

Garonazz said:
She started being cocky at hi, and he was obviously ****ed off about the entire thing, so how is it a poor show ?

Exactly, she had a right tone with me and spoke down to me as if i was a child.When i was polite and wanted a simple appointment. I did not swear at her but swore in anger nor did i shout this down at the phone.

Hank_Marvin said:
It's such a pain how they do it now, you gotta be so quick at 8:30 to get one.

Same at yours then?

Xordium · 18 May 2011 at 09:08

So you said "Eff Eff Ess" then I take it - even then I am sure she knew what you meant. So quite hard to get away from the swearing when you typed it in your initial post eh?

Cuchulain · 18 May 2011 at 09:10

maustin said:
So you said "Eff Eff Ess" then I take it - even then I am sure she knew what you meant. So quite hard to get away from the swearing when you typed it in your initial post eh?

There's a difference between swearing and swearing AT someone.

Neil79 · 18 May 2011 at 09:11

^ This

Azza · 18 May 2011 at 09:11

" for FFS "
- " Please do not swear at me sir "

Errr, who were you swearing at then?

Greenlizard0 · 18 May 2011 at 09:11

That's the system I'm afraid, don't blame the doctors or the receptionists for adhering to it!

4T5 · 18 May 2011 at 09:12

Well I don't swear in front of women or kids or to women or kids either way the woman on the end of the phone does not & should not have to hear your foul mouth.