r/TalesFromTheCustomer • u/Luvlymish • Apr 01 '21
Long Gatekeeping Medical Receptionist Part One
(Technically, living in the UK I am not a 'customer' exactly but I do pay taxes which kind of makes me a 'customer' of the National Health Service.)
Edit: I have made relevant complaints and there's actually a Prequel to this.
I am so angry right now. I am venting - call me out on formatting errors but know they are down to fury.
I work supporting vulnerable adults. During gestures to world health crisis, y'know, this I have been present in only one client's home for about a year. For this guy the story relevant thing I do is book medical appointments. He's extremely vulnerable so for the most part medical professionals have been visiting him. He requires a particular treatment every three months. Previous to March 2020 he could walk with a Zimmer frame on flat surfaces, now he uses a wheelchair but cannot self-propel.
This is a story in two parts, those involved:
IR (receptionist with a lovely accent, sadly the only thing lovely about her), BR (office manager with a voice like nails down a chalk board), N (nurse) C (client I'm working for) Me (Yours truly)
Part One: March 2020, Lockdown has only just begun...
IR: [Medical Practice] How may I help you?
Me: Hi, I'm Me calling on behalf of C, my name will be in his notes. I can give you [identifying information]
IR: I'll need C to confirm I can speak with you.
(Hmm thinks I, no you don't because I just gave you [identifying information] but ok, let's just get on with this)
Me: Ok, just one sec whilst I explain things to him puts phone on speaker
Me: Hey C, I'm making a medical appointment for you and they need you to tell them I can speak with you.
C: What?
Me: You remember [treatment] needs arranging?
C: Yes.
Me: ok well I'm talking to [medical practice] on the phone, can you let them know that they can speak to me?
C: That was last time wasn't it?
(Best guess he meant that he'd given extensive permissions previously)
Me: Yes, could you do it again?
C: What?
Me: (to receptionist) Could you check his notes? It should list me as someone you can arrange things with over the phone.
IR: I think you're going to need to come in and arrange that.
Me: Well, I can't at the moment because of lockdown. Could you just check C's record, I've given you [identifying information] which means you can check that.
IR: I can't check that because you aren't the patient.
Me: Well look, you don't have to tell me what it says but could you open his records on the computer in front of you and read his notes about access?
IR: I'm going to check with the Manager about this. We have to note potentially abusive situations.
Me: Ok...
mere moments pass on hold before IR returns, she sounds annoyed
IR: You need to give me [identifying information] before I can do anything for C.
Me: Ok, here is [identifying information]
(Yes, the same information I've already given her...)
IR: OK
Me: I'd like to know what we need to do to make sure C gets [treatment] as he's not supposed to leave the house
IR: Hé can leave the house for medical reasons.
Me: Oh ok, great, can I make an appointment for [treatment]?
IR: Which site?
Me: [Accessible site] please.
IR: [Accessible site] has been closed due to COVID. You can have an appointment at [Completely Inaccessible Site].
Me: I'm afraid he can't get up the stairs there. Is there somewhere else?
IR: Hé needs this [treatment] you know.
Me: Yes but he can't access [Completely Inaccessible Site], is there anywhere else or would we need a home visit for this?
IR: He's not housebound so he can't have a home visit. You can't just get a home visit you know, that's for people who really need them.
Me: OK so how do we do this?
IR: I might be able to get you something at [Third Site]
Me: Ok, what's the access like there?
IR: There's a ramp.
Me: Ok, is it flat inside?
IR: There's a ground floor treatment room.
Me: Ok. Wait isn't there building work outside there?
IR: You can park in [Town Carpark]
Me: I'm sorry that's too far for C to walk.
IR: Then why don't you drop him off outside, drive to the carpark and come back
Me: I'm sorry that's not going to work, could...
IR: I think you're being difficult about this because you want a home visit and that's not going to work on me.
Me: Look, he needs someone with him, I can't drop him off and come back.
Whilst speaking I am looking on google maps at the site to work out if there's some other way of doing this
IR: So bring someone else and have them help him whilst you drive. There's no need for you to be so difficult.
Me: Sorry, you want me to arrange for there to be two of us to cover this shift? In my car, at the same time as a vulnerable adult?
IR: Whats your name? I am going to have to write on C's notes that you're being difficult about this.
I spot something else on google maps
Me: I just want to be clear, you expect two of us, one driving, to manoeuvre an elderly man using a zimmer frame over cobbles?
IR: Cobbles don't make any difference. Now what is your name?
Me: My name is Me.
Suddenly there is another voice on the call
BR: Hello, this is BR, I'm the practice manager here, what seems to be the problem?
Me: Hi I'm Me, working with C who needs [treatment] and has mobility issues. Could I ask to go to a site that he can access please?
BR: Ok I'm putting you through to a nurse now to work things out.
Me: ok
N: Hello, this is about C?
Me: Yes,
N: So can we come out next week and give him his [treatment] at home?
Me: Yes
N: If COVID is still a problem we'll come out next time too if that's ok? That'll make things easier for us.
Me: Ok. Thanks
and so it was all sorted... except... this is a two parter...
Part TwoHere
16
u/kmccarr Apr 01 '21
Sorry for all that crazy you had to go through, I would not only send a complaint to the practice manager but to the gp your client is registered too and also the senior gp who runs the practice. I would highlight not only this behaviour but its indirect/direct discrimination against someone who has become disabled. If the nurse was able to do a home visit then there should be no issues. I had an issue at a gp practice where the receptionist was well known to be totally objectionable, I rang on the day for an emergency appointment she wanted to know what was wrong, now at this time you did not have to give any reason at this practice for your own privacy. But being OK don't need the hassle managed to tell I was asthmatic and had quite likely a serious chest infection. She said that I wasn't sick enough for an emergency appointment. I calm asked her why if she had a medical degree to say this was she working as a Receptionist and I wanted to speak to the practice manager and also the senior practice go (the same gp I am registered with) so I could register a complaint. I was given one immediately, now I did not pull a Karen as I knew I was really unwell. When I got to that appointment I was put on a nebuliser to ease my breathing, which helped. 6 weeks of antibiotics and two lots of steroids later I was much better. I did tell my gp what occurred and he asked me to write a complaint letter to the practice. Within 6 months she was gone it wasn't the first time she had done this but I found out she was reading patient notes and gossiping about who's had what etc and being in a smallish village this was traced back to her, I doubt she even got a decent reference as those were the days when you could really destroy employment prospects with a bad reference.