Appalling treatment from receptionist

General
1

Today I had my injections. 22 of them. They were painful, very painful but they were necessary.

The consultant gave me a letter to take to the doctor to give me some lidocaine patches for my injection sites and hands. I phoned ahead to the doctors to tell them I needed to see a doctor and was told that it was not an issue. When I got back to Bute I got a taxi up to the surgery. A different receptionist was there. The conversation was pretty much as follows:

Me: I have a letter from the hospital, can you get a doctor to take a look and print me a prescription?

Receptionist: No, the doctors are in surgery.

Me: I am happy to wait.

R: They are fully booked today

Me: It will only take a few seconds. I have phoned up and told it is fine

R: Well I am telling you it is impossible.

Me: I have just had injections and the prescription is for patches to go over the injection sites. It is important.

R: Well it does not look important to me.

Me: Well with due respect you are not a doctor.

R: No but I am not putting you through to see one.

Me: I am hurting like mad, my legs are bleeding, really I should be at home. I am only here because the consultant told me to come and see you.

R: Then the consultant should have written you a prescription.

Me: They cannot do that for an outpatient. It is to stop you getting medication there and more at the GP's surgery. You should know that working in a surgery.

R: I am not going to trouble the doctor. This needs to be scanned in and then looked at by [doctor x]

Me: So you are going to send me home in pain?

R: Well looking at you I am sure you will get by.

I go outside to calm down then go back into the surgery and ask them to phone me a taxi because my phone has died.

R: I would love to but we are not allowed to. I suggest walking. Exercise is good for you.

I have to walk about 1/3 mile into town... This feels like a marathon. Thankfully a neighbour spots me just as I get there and gives me a lift home.

Second part of why I am so infuriated is this: When I get the ferry there are two lifts at the Rothesay side and One at the Wemyss (Pronounced Weems) Bay side. I go to board the ferry and both the lifts are out of order. Now one of them has been out of order for over a year. They are the councils responsibility. Now the council think nothing of fining businesses that do not comply with the law on disabled access (The Equality Act 2010) yet show no signs of complying with it themselves. Anyway I make it up the ramp to get over... Coming back was the issue

When I was coming home the lift is still out of order so I have no choice but to ask if I can go down to ground level on the ships lift and disembark from the car deck. Apparently that is not possible because of "health and safety". This despite the fact I didn't intend getting off with the traffic... I was perfectly content to wait for them to leave first. The final straw came when I was sarcastically asked I would like them to summon a wheelchair for me. I am furious.

All in all not a good day to be disabled.

2

I am so sorry you had to go through all that today or any day. I would make sure to report that receptionist to the Dr. or whom ever is writing her pay checks. You should also give a call to the Council about the lift. I am praying they get the lift fixed. Tomorrow is a new day so kick back and relax...a better day is coming!

HUGGS, Belinda

3

I hope you are resting then I hope you call the manager of the office and speak with them about your treatment and call the doctor who sent you their and tell them what happend. Also call your disability board and report it. Probably a good thing I live so far a way.

I can not stand when people do this to other people.

4

Thank you all for your support. I have been in touch with my MP today and spoken with the practice. The medication I needed has been dispensed so that is ok... The lidocaine plasters are massive! I have to cut them to size. As for the lift I have been told that it is a temporary problem... my response is to send a lot of letters to various people. With any luck I will get some responses to share with you.

Mike xx

5

Hi Mike, I am disgusted to hear how you were treated especially by that receptionist in the doctor’s surgery. In Canada receptionists and medical assistants who work in doctor’s offices and who aren’t already regulated by some association fall under the doctors accountability, and the regulatory body for the doctor may accept and process complaints against the doctor for what that doctors’ staff does. Although it seems that this matter is something you have moved forward from, I suggest you check into the complaints process for medical professions, should such a painful and medically incompetent situation arise again, you may have immediate recourse. If the receptionist is regulated by a separate body, then the complaint can be made there. I am unaware of regulated receptionists or assistants in Canada.

In regards to the lifts not working on the terry and the council just repeatedly fining the ferry for non compliance with no repairs taking place for over a year is unacceptable too. Is there a human rights body you can go to about your rights as a person with disabilities, who is not being provided reasonable accommodation? Once again I can only speak from a Canadian position, but our human rights commission deals with non compliance issues such as this and personally I think the complaint goes against both the ferry and the council. Again this is just suggestion. Stepping off my soap box now, LOL.

I hope you are doing better. Hugs!!!

6

Hi Mike,

It sounds to me like these people are judging you to be "healthy" because you are a male, and everyone knows that males never get sick. What rot! Alas, we females have the upper hand on these issues, as we can burst out crying and saying that the treatment we've just received is causing us great physical and emotional distress...which would be true.


I would be ready to kill the receptionist. You showed a lot of restraint by not punching him/her out. But I hope you report this person ASAP as they have no right working with sick people. I really am sorry and appalled that you received such awful service. Do you walk with a cane? If not, I suggest that you get one just so that idiots like this might be more prone to believe that you truly are ill. I get treated much differently since I had to start using one.

You had every right to ask for assistance on the ferry ramp. Too bad if someone there didn't understand that you're sick.

You really are cursed with some oafish people in your health plan. Did the receptionist know that you had 22 injections? My God, I can't believe that he/she talked to you in such a manner! Exercise is good for you, except that recent research shows we have something wrong with our mitochondria, so that getting energy and also expelling it isn't functioning properly for us, ergo we have a build-up of lactic acid in our muscles even without exercising and it hurts like heck! Exercise would only increase the build up of lactic acid, ergo, more pain! Stupid, stupid, stupid. PLEASE report this person.

I have your coins, need to find a way to wrap them to send them safely. Hopefully this week! Past 2 weeks have been in a lot of pain so didn't do much.

Hugs,

Petunia

7

Hey there, I am doing much better today. I have made a complaint about the receptionist and have agreed with the practice manager the wording of a memo reminding reception staff where their duties stop and the doctors begin. Hopefully it will have an effect.

As for the ferry... the pier and the lifts are owned by the council itself. They have the responsibility to fix it. That, I think, is what is upsetting me so much. They have the cheek to harass local businesses who, in my opinion, offer a perfectly acceptable service for disabled people (although there is no permanent ramp there is a portable one for example). The council do nothing about its own failings though!. I ended up disembarking by the car deck today because it is STILL not fixed. Still, at least I could use the ships lift and was offered help with my bag etc.

Mike xx

8

Hey there,

I have reported the receptionist... fingers crossed appropriate action will be taken. I also was able to help approve the text of a memo to all reception staff reminding them that they are not doctors and their job is administrative, not medical. Fingers crossed it will have an effect

I do walk with a stick... I sometimes have wrist braces on too. Oh and now I need to have this lidocaine plaster all over my hands. Anyone with any common sense can see that I struggle to walk but some people chose to look past that. I think I am also unfortunate in that I am young. Some people like to think that disability is something that happens only to the elderly...

Mikexx

9

Hi Mike,

I am glad you were able to initiate some positive change at the doctor’s office, that will benefit so many. Good for you!!

In regards to the Council, is there any way to bring about some change here? Are there enough people in the community who can put pressure on them to fix the lifts? Are there any human rights or disability groups who could intervene?

Thinking of you! Take care.
ST

10

I have taken the matter up with my Member of Parliament, and usually they are very good at forcing the council to behave itself. I have also contacted the ferry company again and as well as contingency plans for times when the lifts are out of order they have agreed to chase up the council as well. They have confirmed that the most recently broken lift is awaiting a part for it to be fixable. They also have told me, although understandably they do not want people on the Island to know in general, that the second lift is actually twisted in its shaft and will never be fixable.

Mikex

11

!! Oh my goodness! What a horrible experience, I am so sorry! :(

If you can, I would report her. That kind of treatment is absolutely unacceptable. I hope you are feeling better today. :(

12

I am so sorry Mike you were subjected to this horrendous treatment from some very insensitive people! That receptionist should not even be associated with the medical profession! Her lack of compassion and treating you with respect as a human being with feelings. Have you considered reporting her? Or would you rather put the whole experience behind you? I hope you managed to get the patches and are feeling a bit better after all those injections. They say in life what goes around comes around and without malice or wicked thoughts towards these people, perhaps one day they will experience something similar. Yesterday, I had a extremely horrible experience with a government appointed doctor in regard to my disability request...maybe if you have time you can read my experience on the discussions board and give me your input as to whether this is normal practice when examining a Fibro patient. Sending you hugs and positive energy!! Sue

13

Hey there,

I did make a report and have been able to help the NHS draft a memo to its staff reminding them that their role is an administrative, not a medical one. Hopefully this will have some affect. I got my plasters the following day as the prescription was called down to the pharmacy to me.

I will go and read your discussion now and comment on it.

Mikexx