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Docs at 8.45 this morning.
Dentist 2pm
I arrived a bit early at the docs and waited. And waited. And waited. Until the lady who was (Unknown to me) the 8.30 appointment asked why she was waiting, as she was the first slot of the day, and she need to get to work some distance away.
Oh
Err
Nobody's seen the doctor.
(That's right, they've not seen him, there's people waiting, nobody has bothered to look, and there's obviously no system of him logging in each day)
I suggested they should ring him up.
Can't do that. He might be stuck in traffic
I suggested that being a doctor he's probably got a nice car with a hands free kit.
So eventually after much confusion they tried to ring him. (Why this is hard defeats me)
No answer.
More confusion. Is his car there? No. Is he in his office? No. Maybe.... Err no.
Then someone shouts a name (first name, I don't know if it connects to out doc or not) who has just texted (Yes, text) in to say he's ill and won't be in for two days. (I'd hazard a guess he should have been in an hour ago by now)
"Is that the doctor we're waiting for?" I ask
No straight answer, just a lot of excuses
I ask again
No straight answer
It was the forth time of asking before I got my straight answer. It wan't difficult question.
In the meantime another lady comes up and says she's been waiting for Dr XX (not ours) for too long and she'll cancel and one of us (3-4 waiting now, I'm second in line) can have her appointment. As the lady in front of me needs to go to work and it's my day off I suggest she should take it, but I MUST have an appointment today as I've been waiting since last Monday (Couldn't get one last week)
After a more faffing, excuses, not listening and time wasting I get one for 4pm today.
Absolute shambles. It took 10-15 minutes to get this sorted, that were all running round like headless chickens.
Yes, I appreciate they're busy. I get it, I do honestly. I don't mind being late, being rescheduled, whatever. I can do that.
But if I played around like that, just didn't turn in, and only sent a text conveniently 2 minutes after ignoring his phone, I'd expect a few questions should be asked.
If I was in an important position like a doctor I'd fully expect a bollocking and rightly so.
I think I'll be swapping doctors.
So cycled off to town, where I got a text from my Dentist apologising and saying they'd need to reschedule my appointment, with the number to call. I call. I get an apology, an explanation (Dentist in hospital!) and a new appointment for next Wednesday.
I'm gonna give my doctor's surgery my dentists number and tell them they need to take some instruction on correct customer service.
Sorry, moan over.
[i]If I was in an important position like a doctor I'd fully expect a bollocking[/i]
If the doctors a partner the only person to give them a bollocking is themsleves...
Pretty poor not to organise locum cover etc though.
i'm just disappointed the dentist's appointment wasn't half an hour later
:0) those are my favourite dental appointments, start as you expect to continue.
Boom tish! For JoB, i put your coat on the doorstep to save time. My doctor is pretty efficient, reception staff bit po faced but good at what they do.
It ain't much better when the doc is actually there!
Dr Google is your friend!
As the husband of a doctor I know I'd be ringing in sick all the time, there is no way I could put up with the stress of general day to day paperwork stuff never mind trying to tell people they'll be dead in 6 months or having someone barge in with a baseball bat and knife after you had them struck off for being violent, or being the only person a 90 year old woman has spoken to in 2 weeks as she's housebound & her kids don’t give a toss or knowing that you’re in a profession with one of the highest suicide rates and the highest rates of being sued, I'd also have it at the back of my mind to fit a bluetooth set to my perfectly underwhelming 10 year old family car but as I've not made it home for 2 weeks in time to spend more than 5 minutes a day with my child, I’d probably leave that at the back of my mind and continue listening to people moan about me running late all the while making other people late then realise they are asking for antibiotics for a cold.
and if I did ring in I'd expect the reception staff to have some kind of sense to tell you absolutely cock all what was wrong with me just like you'd expect the doctor not to tell anyone else what was wrong with you.
How dare you say that podge. Doctors are paid for by the public purse, they MUST work for us and take all the sh*t we can throw at them, without any consideration to themselves.
You are publicly paid for machines, your efficiency is our only concern. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FAIL.
If the doctors a partner the only person to give them a bollocking is themsleves...
Fair comment.
As the husband of a doctor I know I'd be ringing in sick all the time, there is no way I could put up with the stress of general day to day paperwork stuff never mind trying to tell people they'll be dead in 6 months or having someone barge in with a baseball bat and knife after you had them struck off for being violent, or being the only person a 90 year old woman has spoken to in 2 weeks as she's housebound & her kids don’t give a toss or knowing that you’re in a profession with one of the highest suicide rates and the highest rates of being sued, I'd also have it at the back of my mind to fit a bluetooth set to my perfectly underwhelming 10 year old family car but as I've not made it home for 2 weeks in time to spend more than 5 minutes a day with my child, I’d probably leave that at the back of my mind and continue listening to people moan about me running late all the while making other people late then realise they are asking for antibiotics for a cold.and if I did ring in I'd expect the reception staff to have some kind of sense to tell you absolutely cock all what was wrong with me just like you'd expect the doctor not to tell anyone else what was wrong with you.
Very much this.
While there are sick people around the figure isnt actually all that high, from a population of 60 million people disease, disability etc isnt endemic in our society.
Most illnesses and injuries people seek help for are self limiting, it means the illness will go away because your immune system will see to it....or the injury will heal without the need for intervention, just some rest.
I stood next to someone booking into A&E yesterday because they had a sore throat and the antibiotics the GP had given them two days earlier hadnt sorted it...it was telling that this mouth breather hadnt gone back to his GP because he knows deep down he is wasting time and would get a telling off from the DR....much easier instead to present at A&E and start the whole unnecessary process again....best treatment for people like that is a bolt gun to the forehead, we could then ship their ****less carcasses out to wherever the current famines in the world happen to be....two birds one stone and all that.
I suspect that the missing dr may have been a locum.
I suspect that the missing dr may have been a locum.
Nope.
[i]best treatment for people like that is a bolt gun. [/i]
that seems a proportionate response to someone else's inadequacy.
If the doctors a partner the only person to give them a bollocking is themsleves...
Well apart the CQC that is.
and if I did ring in I'd expect the reception staff to have some kind of sense to tell you absolutely cock all what was wrong with me just like you'd expect the doctor not to tell anyone else what was wrong with you.
surely it's not breaching medical confidentiality to say "the doctor is not coming in today"? That reception sounds shambolic.
As you are such an expert on office work, perhaps you should get a job there and sort it all out for them.
I could do, quite easily. It's not hard to check wether your staff are in or not. I ran fleets of trucks for 11 years....
That's the thing, I'm not expecting anything of anyone I can't do or wouldn't expect of myself. If I'm ill, I call in. If I'm asked a question, I answer it. That sort of thing. The receptionist doesn't even know who's in the building, that's poor.
I stood next to someone booking into A&E yesterday because they had a sore throat and the antibiotics the GP had given them two days earlier hadnt sorted it...it was telling that this mouth breather hadnt gone back to his GP because he knows deep down he is wasting time and would get a telling off from the DR....much easier instead to present at A&E and start the whole unnecessary process again....best treatment for people like that is a bolt gun to the forehead, we could then ship their ****less carcasses out to wherever the current famines in the world happen to be....two birds one stone and all that.
Clearly not everyone has been blessed with your level of intelligence. 🙄
[i]Well apart the CQC that is.[/i]
for phoning in sick an hour later than they should have?
harsh.
I expect if it had been dereknightrider's doctor he'd have snitched him/her up to the ctc before you could say 'knife' 😉
for phoning in sick an hour later than they should have?
Well that depends how often it happens, what other issues there are.
However, the practice manager can bollock them partner or not they have to provide the service they have been paid to provide.
I'm a GP
[b]PP[/b] - that's awful. No excuse for the way it was handled.
[b]CG[/b] - that wasn't an accident or an emergency. The clue's in the name. And even if the muppet walks away without being seen the A&E department charges the NHS £48...
Stoatsbrother - When you deal with the public expect the unexpected. I would really like to see more 'life skills' taught at school and that includes health. It's a very long time since my kids were at school so possibly things have changed but we need educating on basic health matters and the crux is that it needs to be relevant. Biology lesson doesn't cut it for many.
We're individuals and not everybody 'gets' whatever it is they're supposed to 'get'. That's life and it won't change.
And even if the muppet walks away without being seen the A&E department charges the NHS £48...
So if they leave them hanging around so long they get bored or better and wander home, it makes financial sense? That explains why they never seem able to just treat 'em and street 'em.
[i]Clearly not everyone has been blessed with your level of intelligence.[/i]
You know, I've noticed this myself.. 😀
Vaguely relevant, when I saw my GP yesterday he apologised for the wait and "complained" that it was hard to get rid of some people even when you made hints (the couple in before me had been about 45 mins). I apologised in advance that I was likely to be a bit longer than the normal slot, but he was actually quite happy to spend time with me on my medical issues - I made sure to leave promptly as soon as we'd covered it all though, and commented that I'd get out rather than wasting his time.
I like my GP - he is very friendly and happy to chat (also on a similar wavelength to me - that rare gem of a GP who has actually done competitive sport), which may be part of his problem with timekeeping! I'd always try to get as early a slot as possible, given the wait can be quite extended later on.
[i]As the husband of a doctor I know I'd be ringing in sick all the time, there is no way I could put up with the stress of general day to day paperwork stuff never mind trying to tell people they'll be dead in 6 months or having someone barge in with a baseball bat and knife after you had them struck off for being violent, or being the only person a 90 year old woman has spoken to in 2 weeks as she's housebound & her kids don’t give a toss or knowing that you’re in a profession with one of the highest suicide rates and the highest rates of being sued, I'd also have it at the back of my mind to fit a bluetooth set to my perfectly underwhelming 10 year old family car but as I've not made it home for 2 weeks in time to spend more than 5 minutes a day with my child, I’d probably leave that at the back of my mind and continue listening to people moan about me running late all the while making other people late then realise they are asking for antibiotics for a cold. [/i]
A bit like someone in retail complaining he has to serve the public.
What did you expect when you trained for the job?
Avoid doctors surgeries like the plague but sometimes needs must. My own GP is very very good - helps that he's a very competitive cyclist so knows that "take a couple of pills and rest it" isn't ideal or well received. My mum has had occasion to call on them too and they'll make house visits (!) for her and the out-of-hours service is pretty good too, generally get local GPS anyway who know us.
Just for balance like.
[quote=b r said]
What did you expect when you trained for the job?
"Take 2 weapons into the Doctor's consultation room ?"
What did you expect when you trained for the job?
having someone barge in with a baseball bat and knife
Probably not this.
I agree Pete - that sounds a bit off!
I mean, people are allowed to get ill, and I suppose had you been informed, even if they were unable to cover teh appointment, you'd at least have known.
It's so obvious - communication needs to be clear and truthful at all times, even if the 'news' is good or bad.
It sounds like the reception team didn't know what was happening!
Anyway, thanks for the picture you emailed me at 0930. I can confirm it's a nasty case of crabs and I'll put some cream in the post for you. Hope it heals quickly.
DrP
What did you expect when you trained for the job?
Not that. I think that's the point.
😆
DrP - MemberAnyway, thanks for the picture you emailed me at 0930. I can confirm it's a nasty case of crabs and I'll put some cream in the post for you. Hope it heals quickly
Just in case anyone missed it 😆
I've not made it home for 2 weeks in time to spend more than 5 minutes a day with my child,
Not that.
[i] I can confirm it's a strawberry growing out of your bum [s]nasty case of crabs[/s] and I'll put some cream in the post for you.[/i]
if you're going to do a Doctor joke...
TTIWWP
[i]I can confirm it's a strawberry growing out of your bum nasty case of crabs and I'll put some cream in the post for you.
if you're going to do a Doctor joke..[/i]
Have you no tact - Pete's fungating genitals are no laughing matter - i take my job very seriously you know 👿
DrP
o have it at the back of my mind to fit a bluetooth set to my perfectly underwhelming 10 year old family car
The 3 doctors surgeries I've attended over the years have all had new BMW/Jags/RR's type cars parked in be doctors reserved spots, at the very least a brand new Passat IIRC so not sure what's going wrong there..... And that's only Huddersfield.
Pete's fungating genitals are no laughing matter
I disagree. 😉
[i]that's only Huddersfield.[/i]
I think they get paid the same wherever they are so if you practice somewhere that houses only cost 4p you get a lot of change for a posh car 😉
so, to summarise the OP, your doctors are seeing you today and your dentist isn't ?
😀
I don't get why the NHS hasn't modenised their appointment booking system years ago.
My wifes hairdressers has text updates/reminders etc. for bookings. I've been there. I am pretty sure there isn't a GCSE among them. But they can still sort out an automated text booking system. They are a tiny independent business so it cannot be a cost issue.
Surely if the NHS took this on it would save a fortune. Both in reducing missed appointments and in improving patient service/reducing staff stress.
Not everyone wishes to make their mobile number available, if they have one that is. I haven't passed on my number.
You're quite right. The NHS has a fantastic track record of implementing IT systems 😉
I book my GP appointments online and get text reminders. Online bookings uses a system I thought was used by lots of practices https://patient.emisaccess.co.uk/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=%2f
It actually works very well.
Performance issues aside, this is a fire/evacuation risk. I'm petty sure there should be at least one person on site responsible for site safety in the event of a fire and they should know who is/isn't in the building (of the regular's at least) in case of an emergency.The receptionist doesn't even know who's in the building, that's poor.
You can't account for all the wanderers in & out but you should always be able to account for the staff.
I don't get why the NHS hasn't modenised their appointment booking system years ago.
Aah, I think it has, and we've just had out first encounter with it. A quick google suggests it may be named 'Doctors First' (I can't quite decide which is the correct interpretation of the phrase), but I could be wrong.
New procedure is:
Phone reception and explain symptoms. They will prioritise and allocate a time for the GP to call back for a telephone consultation.
If the phone consultation warrants it then a face to face appointment can be booked.
Our experience of the system, after a head injury was pretty grim, and very protracted.
Well my experience of NHS IT was very good today. They gave me all my MRI pics on a CDROM in a format I could actually view and unencrypted for no additional money and on a couple of days notice.
Was disappointed when they didn't ask me to pay as I'd lined up all 'but I already have' taxation lines in readiness.
I'm very happy with my recent experiences of the NHS 😉
Although I maybe shouldn't, I regard the NHS and my doctors practice as two completely separate entities.
Despite my doctor insisting I had acid reflux I took myself to A&E in a lot of pain and was kept in for 10 days with acute pancreatitis followed by a gall bladder removal op.
The NHS rocks and my doctor blows.
From a work POV I've found doctors to generally be a bunch of tight-wads who prioritise their bank balance over the efficiency of their practice.
This is just my experience of about 40 practices but YMMV.