Today Mark 2

[Just One More]

Excellent work Snoopy

I think I'm going to have to rehearse those lines

[Uncle Mort]

TBH Berek I went spoiling for a fight anyway ~ or I probably wouldn't have bothered.

All very well as you obviously didn't particularly care whether you were seen or not and it appears for a somewhat non-urgent appointment

That's not always the case.

[Mrs TG]

Well I've been and now I'm back. It went like this.
I arrived in clinic at 11.22 for an 11.30 appointment.
Me: "Good morning Miss (I would have used her name had she bothered to wear her badge but as usual and in common with almost all of them she hadn't) My name is Mr Snoopy and I have an appointment to see Dr XXXXXX at 11.30"
She "Take a seat" as she ticked my name off her list.
Me "There aren't any, the waiting room is full ~ just how late is the clinic running today?"
She " 'Bout 45 minutes"
Me "And what time does this afternoon's clinic start?"
She "12.30 ~ why?"
Me "So how are you going to attend to all these people currently waiting plus me and the three others I can see on your attendance sheet that have yet to turn up in time to get the clinic cleared and ready for this afternoon's clinic which is a different clinic all together, by 12.30 if at (glance at watch) 11.27 you are already running 45 minutes late?"
She "That's not your concern"
Me "Oh yes it is because, like these good people waiting, I do not want a rushed consultation, I want the doctor's undivided attention and I want to feel confident that he is able to give it to me"
She "You'll have to speak to the doctor about that"
Me "Tell me, how many doctors are working in this clinic today?"
She "One 'cos MR XXXXXXX is off sick"
Me "Then since my appointment is with him there is little point in my being here is there?"
She "The other doctor will see you"
Me "Oh no he won't I'm not waiting for an hour for a rushed consultation with a substitute, send me another appointment, good day"
She "I'll have to tell the doctor"
Me "Tell him what?"
She "That you wouldn't wait"
me "Tell him also that punctuality is the courtesy of kings"
She "Y'wot?"
Me "Never mind, just send me another appointment, good bye"
She "I'll tell doctor"
Me "You are repeating yourself"
I headed for the door as an angry looking crowd left their chairs and advanced on the receptionist. As I opened the door the first to reach her was saying: "Look here Miss, I have been here for an hour and a half now. That man is right. How much longer are we going to be kept waiting"
I left the building and returned to my car and as I drove off the angry man was coming out of the door with his car keys in his hand.

"If I can please somebody" I sang as I drove home 

Do remember though it not her fault personally! They should have tried to contact as many patients before they come an changed appts if someone off sick etc, but our drs often run late, we just apologise and say its out our hands see dr about it.
but we have a bit more common sense than hospitals! so glad i dont work in one. 

ps u stopped taking you happy pills then!!! 

[Uncle Mort]

It may not be the receptionist's fault personally but it happens enough times that you'd think that she (it's always a she ~ I've never met a male receptionist at either the hospital or GP) would have a vested interest in getting the problem sorted.

It doesn't have to be 'out of their hands'

[Snoopy]

TBH Berek I went spoiling for a fight anyway ~ or I probably wouldn't have bothered.

All very well as you obviously didn't particularly care whether you were seen or not and it appears for a somewhat non-urgent appointment

That's not always the case.

By definition as it was an outpatient appointment it was a routine matter. Another one with a different clinic next week and another with yet further different clinic the week after.

Nobody goes to an outpatient clinic for an urgent matter ~ that's what A&E is for.

[Uncle Mort]

I attend a number of outpatient departments for regular checks. While they may be non-urgent they are necessary to monitor ongoing conditions and I wouldn't want to risk a deterioration because I couldn't be arsed to wait.

I've also recently been attending a hospital skin clinic that required me to be there on specific days. A couple of times there was a hours wait. I couldn't go swanning off on my high horse (!) because I didn't like the delay. Conversely once I arrived and didn't even get to sit down before I was in.

[Snoopy]

Each to their own Uncle, each to their own but I am too old to put up with being p*ssed around because the NHS cannot get their act together. I have suffered from their incompetence for long enough. They are the ones that claim to be a service and insist that I am a customer. Well I now want to see a bit of service and I am going to act like a customer not a doormat that they can walk over when they feel like it. Patient/Hospital contracts work two ways.

The NHS has more managers than ever before ~ why can they not manage? Answer, because they are all in meetings working out how to achieve their targets. These are the clowns that have stuck notices all over the local hospitals, repeating the message in every appointment letter sent out, telling patients how much it costs if you miss an appointment and don't tell them. Sorry but that is also a two way street. They were unable to keep my appointment. They failed to notify me when they had adequate opportunity. I have no remorse at having walked away, leaving them the opportunity to (i) catch up a bit on their delays today (ii) give a better, less hurried consultation to those prepared to wait and (iii) make a more sensible appointment for me at a time when they can provide the right doctor who at least knows my case.

[Mrs TG]

It may not be the receptionist's fault personally but it happens enough times that you'd think that she (it's always a she ~ I've never met a male receptionist at either the hospital or GP) would have a vested interest in getting the problem sorted.

It doesn't have to be 'out of their hands'

What do you suggest? kicking dr up arse etc, we do have a friendly banter with our drs an put messages on screen to say patient is asking how long/got another appt etc just to hurry them up, sometimes its not the receptionist fault but we are always polite an try to help as much as we can, but cant barge into drs rooms i am afraid...

[Mrs TG]

Each to their own Uncle, each to their own but I am too old to put up with being p*ssed around because the NHS cannot get their act together. I have suffered from their incompetence for long enough. They are the ones that claim to be a service and insist that I am a customer. Well I now want to see a bit of service and I am going to act like a customer not a doormat that they can walk over when they feel like it. Patient/Hospital contracts work two ways.

The NHS has more managers than ever before ~ why can they not manage? Answer, because they are all in meetings working out how to achieve their targets. These are the clowns that have stuck notices all over the local hospitals, repeating the message in every appointment letter sent out, telling patients how much it costs if you miss an appointment and don't tell them. Sorry but that is also a two way street. They were unable to keep my appointment. They failed to notify me when they had adequate opportunity. I have no remorse at having walked away, leaving them the opportunity to (i) catch up a bit on their delays today (ii) give a better, less hurried consultation to those prepared to wait and (iii) make a more sensible appointment for me at a time when they can provide the right doctor who at least knows my case.

You are very right, but will it ever be perfect, not on the nhs i doubt, only time we get good service at hospital appts if we were to pay, which i cant afford to do, so if i need (gladly not yet) a hossy appointment i will take my sandwiches an a good book with me, not much else we can do is there! 

[Snoopy]

It may not be the receptionist's fault personally but it happens enough times that you'd think that she (it's always a she ~ I've never met a male receptionist at either the hospital or GP) would have a vested interest in getting the problem sorted.

It doesn't have to be 'out of their hands'

What do you suggest? kicking dr up arse etc, we do have a friendly banter with our drs an put messages on screen to say patient is asking how long/got another appt etc just to hurry them up, sometimes its not the receptionist fault but we are always polite an try to help as much as we can, but cant barge into drs rooms i am afraid...

I would suggest that you make your feeling known to your line manager at one of those "We will not be opening until 10am today due to Staff Training" sessions that seem to happen everytime I go to my local surgery rather than hang on the phone for hours waiting for a free line.

[Mrs TG]

It may not be the receptionist's fault personally but it happens enough times that you'd think that she (it's always a she ~ I've never met a male receptionist at either the hospital or GP) would have a vested interest in getting the problem sorted.

It doesn't have to be 'out of their hands'

What do you suggest? kicking dr up arse etc, we do have a friendly banter with our drs an put messages on screen to say patient is asking how long/got another appt etc just to hurry them up, sometimes its not the receptionist fault but we are always polite an try to help as much as we can, but cant barge into drs rooms i am afraid...

I would suggest that you make your feeling known to your line manager at one of those "We will not be opening until 10am today due to Staff Training" sessions that seem to happen everytime I go to my local surgery rather than hang on the phone for hours waiting for a free line.

we dont have them we open at 830am each day as normal!

[Snoopy]

Can I register with your practice then? ~ It must be as easy to get to Leicester for an appointment as it is to get one with the part time surgery here.

[Mrs TG]

Can I register with your practice then? ~ It must be as easy to get to Leicester for an appointment as it is to get one with the part time surgery here.

you would be very welcome if you become a student at our university!
Cant beleive you have so much trouble we fit in, help do what we can to make the patients requests available, after all if you ill you want to be seen by your dr asap, i cant beleive there is places that dont do this, seems mad to me, maybe you need to be very forceful as i would not take any crap if i was trying to get something in my own surgey.

[Snoopy]

   Mind you students don't usually get very ill do they ~ well no age related ailments like yours truly.

Most of their problems can be solved with detol and a wire brush or penicillin ~ Prolly 

[Uncle Mort]

Each to their own Uncle, each to their own but I am too old to put up with being p*ssed around because the NHS cannot get their act together. I have suffered from their incompetence for long enough. They are the ones that claim to be a service and insist that I am a customer. Well I now want to see a bit of service and I am going to act like a customer not a doormat that they can walk over when they feel like it. Patient/Hospital contracts work two ways.

The NHS has more managers than ever before ~ why can they not manage? Answer, because they are all in meetings working out how to achieve their targets. These are the clowns that have stuck notices all over the local hospitals, repeating the message in every appointment letter sent out, telling patients how much it costs if you miss an appointment and don't tell them. Sorry but that is also a two way street. They were unable to keep my appointment. They failed to notify me when they had adequate opportunity. I have no remorse at having walked away, leaving them the opportunity to (i) catch up a bit on their delays today (ii) give a better, less hurried consultation to those prepared to wait and (iii) make a more sensible appointment for me at a time when they can provide the right doctor who at least knows my case.

I don't disagree, however some of us don't have the luxury of being able just to walk away.

Not that I'm a doormat, I can and do make my feelings known if I'm not happy about something.