Elle-Kay
13-06-12, 13:11
Last week when I saw my Dr (for workplace stress & worsening of anxiety/panic as a result) he told me to call on Monday if I needed a sick note, and make an appointment to see him again for a follow-up late this week. In reception the receptionist said that no advance appointments were being booked, so I left it and thought I would call to book for this Thurs/Fri when I collected my sick note. Well apparently that was a mistake, and gives the receptionist cause for speaking to you like an idiot.
I just spoke to them and said that the Dr wanted to see me on Thurs/Fri. She said there were no appointments available with him until 27th June (I don't believe this as I know the GPs have a mix of same-day and advance appointments in their calendar each day). I explained that I was advised to come this week, and my sick note will expire before 27th. She said I could see another Dr. I explained again that I was asked by the Dr specificially to see him. She said again that there was nothing until 27th. I said that I would ring on the day then. She said that I wouldn't necessarily be able to see the Dr I requested doing it that way. I explained for a third time that the Dr had specifically asked me to see HIM, on Thurs/Fri THIS WEEK. She then said I should have booked that appointment at the time then. I said that the receptionist at the time had said no advance appoinments were being made. She then tried explaining the difference between an advance appointment and an advance appointment..... (no, you are not seeing things, she did actually try to tell me that me asking last week for an appointment this week is NOT an advance booking..........)
Long story short (too late?) I'm now waiting for a call-back from the Dr himself, but not before I had to insist that she change the wording of the memo she left him from "Patient wants appointment this week. None available" to "Dr requested patient be seen by him this week. No appointments available" -- she just couldn't understand that all I was trying to do was follow the Dr's advice, not be a pain in the arse! I mean, I don't actually NEED the Dr to call me - he has already told me the plan of action, and all I NEED is for the receptionist to respect that!
I just don't understand it. Surely as the surgery works (supposedly) in the best interest of the patient, what the Dr advises should be acted upon?! Instead, what you get is a stroppy receptionist intent on sticking to the rules, and leaving you with a no-win situation. I'm now feeling really cross, agitated and anxious because I'm scared stiff my note will expire before I can see a Dr and I'll have to go back to work, and all because the receptionist isn't prepared to be flexible to abide by the Dr's instructions to me :(
I just spoke to them and said that the Dr wanted to see me on Thurs/Fri. She said there were no appointments available with him until 27th June (I don't believe this as I know the GPs have a mix of same-day and advance appointments in their calendar each day). I explained that I was advised to come this week, and my sick note will expire before 27th. She said I could see another Dr. I explained again that I was asked by the Dr specificially to see him. She said again that there was nothing until 27th. I said that I would ring on the day then. She said that I wouldn't necessarily be able to see the Dr I requested doing it that way. I explained for a third time that the Dr had specifically asked me to see HIM, on Thurs/Fri THIS WEEK. She then said I should have booked that appointment at the time then. I said that the receptionist at the time had said no advance appoinments were being made. She then tried explaining the difference between an advance appointment and an advance appointment..... (no, you are not seeing things, she did actually try to tell me that me asking last week for an appointment this week is NOT an advance booking..........)
Long story short (too late?) I'm now waiting for a call-back from the Dr himself, but not before I had to insist that she change the wording of the memo she left him from "Patient wants appointment this week. None available" to "Dr requested patient be seen by him this week. No appointments available" -- she just couldn't understand that all I was trying to do was follow the Dr's advice, not be a pain in the arse! I mean, I don't actually NEED the Dr to call me - he has already told me the plan of action, and all I NEED is for the receptionist to respect that!
I just don't understand it. Surely as the surgery works (supposedly) in the best interest of the patient, what the Dr advises should be acted upon?! Instead, what you get is a stroppy receptionist intent on sticking to the rules, and leaving you with a no-win situation. I'm now feeling really cross, agitated and anxious because I'm scared stiff my note will expire before I can see a Dr and I'll have to go back to work, and all because the receptionist isn't prepared to be flexible to abide by the Dr's instructions to me :(