Doctor's Receptionists...Arghh
I am going to rant for a few moments about the above, below is the conversation I had with the receptionist this morning....
ME
Morning my name is Emma I need to make a repeat appointment to see Dr Burke for next week.
REC
Dr Burke is on annual leave next week and won't be back until 5th June.
ME
Ok can I see another doctor then?
REC
No he is on annual leave until 5th June.
ME
Forgive me but are there not other doctors available until 5th June.
REC
No I have already told you he is on annual leave.
ME
Ok forget it I will ring back later when I can get someone to talk to with some sense.
Now bear in mind my doctor's is one of the biggest medical centres in the area and probably at any one time houses about 20 doctors or nurse practioners so even I know that out of all of those one of them must be available before the 5th June.
Tonight I did something really stupid, when I left hospital I was given nose drops which had to be used four times a day, right picture this, because in hindsight it was quite funny, I squeezed sufficient liquid in the pipet to put up my nose as I put my head backwards to insert the drops I also threw the other hand backwards with the bottle in, so at 5.30 I am stood covered in nose drops having also missed my nose with the pipet......phone call required to doctors which shut at 6pm.
Thankfully my doctors is only at the top of street, I rang up and the lovely receptionist sorted me out another prescription which after turning the oven off where my curry and rice where bubbling nicely I went up and collected it, whilst I was there I handed in my discharge notice from hospital and was asked straight away if I needed to see a doctor...how ironic but I had tried to do that earlier which I explained....so after profuse apologies from the deputy practice manager I now have an appointment with my, Dr Burke at 4pm on Friday.
How easy was that???
Having worked in the Customer Service Environment in some way or other most of my working life it still amazes me how people carry on, they don't deserve the job and if they worked for me they would be told just that.
If the REC that I spoke to this morning had asked my name she would have seen it said on my notes about being seen this week or next, but she just decided to be totally obstructive instead. Maybe she had got out of the bed the wrong side this morning, but if she had she should have given her head a damn good shake before answering the phone.
ME
Morning my name is Emma I need to make a repeat appointment to see Dr Burke for next week.
REC
Dr Burke is on annual leave next week and won't be back until 5th June.
ME
Ok can I see another doctor then?
REC
No he is on annual leave until 5th June.
ME
Forgive me but are there not other doctors available until 5th June.
REC
No I have already told you he is on annual leave.
ME
Ok forget it I will ring back later when I can get someone to talk to with some sense.
Now bear in mind my doctor's is one of the biggest medical centres in the area and probably at any one time houses about 20 doctors or nurse practioners so even I know that out of all of those one of them must be available before the 5th June.
Tonight I did something really stupid, when I left hospital I was given nose drops which had to be used four times a day, right picture this, because in hindsight it was quite funny, I squeezed sufficient liquid in the pipet to put up my nose as I put my head backwards to insert the drops I also threw the other hand backwards with the bottle in, so at 5.30 I am stood covered in nose drops having also missed my nose with the pipet......phone call required to doctors which shut at 6pm.
Thankfully my doctors is only at the top of street, I rang up and the lovely receptionist sorted me out another prescription which after turning the oven off where my curry and rice where bubbling nicely I went up and collected it, whilst I was there I handed in my discharge notice from hospital and was asked straight away if I needed to see a doctor...how ironic but I had tried to do that earlier which I explained....so after profuse apologies from the deputy practice manager I now have an appointment with my, Dr Burke at 4pm on Friday.
How easy was that???
Having worked in the Customer Service Environment in some way or other most of my working life it still amazes me how people carry on, they don't deserve the job and if they worked for me they would be told just that.
If the REC that I spoke to this morning had asked my name she would have seen it said on my notes about being seen this week or next, but she just decided to be totally obstructive instead. Maybe she had got out of the bed the wrong side this morning, but if she had she should have given her head a damn good shake before answering the phone.
Rant over!!!
12 comments:
Customer Service is not what it once was... I took mum to the bank this morning to discuss a missing statemennt the second time in about 4 months it's happened, after mum threaten to change banks and transfer her money elsewhere (she's been with his bank for 52 years!)... she was ushered into the bank to chat and we where met by THE most ignorant customer services girl ever... she wound me up so much I wanted to hit her!
Sometimes I think its a pre requisite of the job that they have to have had a personality bypass first!!
It takes me a fornight to get an appointmnet at my surgery, and even then it's never with my doctor. In fact I've forgotten what he bloody looks like.
Poor customer service makes me want to vomit! Whether I'm paying for a specific service or it's on the NHS, the person giving the service needs to remember what their job is.
And if they don't like it or can't do it well then perhaps they might want to do something a little more in keeping with their personality.
Prison guard?
miss - It so annoys me when you can't have a little continuation of care, I like to see my doctor because at least he doesn't have to ask my name when I walk in, and as you are aware what we have been through the last thing you want to do is repeat yourself everytime you go....arghhh..xx
TTB - Welcome!! thanks for stopping by, I actually used to believe the NHS was about the only place you got decent customer service but I have had problems with my Doctor's receptionists before, don't get me wrong there is a lot of them and most are lovely, as the one was who sorted my script out when I threw it done my front yesterday...lol xx
Alison - I find it is often an age thing with banks! They all seem to young...maybe me getting old xx
ASW - They don't improve the reputation they have built up over the years at all do they?? xx
I think the receptionists are there to prevent anyone seeing a GP! I hear tales like this from my mother, she is caring for my father with Alzheimers and its very difficult for her to co ordinate appointments with my Pa's moods and sometimes they hae to be cancelled and re-booked, they just don' listen to her when she explains, with a strapping 6' tall 16 stone bloke refusing to get dressed for an appoitment, my Ma needs help and not rudeness.
Here in Spain, the service is just as bad, telefonica, the only telephone provider, once put the phone down on me because I was telling them what service I should be receiving, so I rang them back, knowing who I'd spoken to, told them that putting the phone down on someone was reserved only for the customer, and put the phone daown on them! Within days my issue was resolved with compensation!
funny - they just don't seem to realise they are working in a industry which most of the time deals with vunerable people. If they can't be caring and considerate then they shouldn't be doing the job.
I do also appreciate they have to put up with some flack at times but not from me unless it is warranted.
It was one of the questions I was asked at interview how important I felt first impressions where in caring sector. My answer was you are only setting yourself up for a fall if you don't treat them right in the first place because it will come back and bite you the minute they have to fill a feedback form in. And any subsequent dealings afterwards will be judged on that first phone call....waffling now..xx
This is private, right? Not NHS? And they STILL behave like that?!
I'm almost afraid to actually tell you all this, but where I live, If you ring between 8.30 a.m. and 9.30 a.m. you get to see a doctor that day. And, you can see who you like.
I tend to stick to the same doctor,but if he's off on hloiday or something you can see somebody else that day.
This isn't private as I don't believe in it to be honest.
This is the N.H.S.
Vi - no it is NHS but it still infuriates me..
Annette - we have to have something hanging off to see one the same day...
I hate that kind of behaviour, and specially when we are talking about our health.
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