john banks

Dear ....

According to our records you have missed 3 appointments totalling 40 minutes in the last week. We have also had to write to you in the past about the same.

This has wasted our time and deprived other patients of considerable resources. The time we’d booked for you would be enough to see several emergencies.

When your name comes up in our appointments lists now we can’t plan around whether you’re coming or not.

This sort of waste is ruining the NHS and bankrupting the country.

If you miss another appointment you will be removed from our list without further warning.

Yours sincerely,


Dr John Banks

The last time I did actually remove a patient for this, they punched a wall and fractured their hand in frustration/anger (obviously costing the NHS more money), so for some stupid reason I relented.

SJ_Skyline

Are they muslim?

urban

iTrader: (1)

Ha Ha

bigsinky

do you do euthanasia? shipmann stylee

Mitchy260

Can you not charge them for missed appointments?

My NHS dentist charges me £10-15 if I miss an appointment, can the same method not be used for doctor surgeries?

john banks

No we can't, and if we did, how do I put this, it is usually people that couldn't pay that would kick up the biggest fuss about it and become physically threatening.

If this was all private, it would run far better IMHO. I always worried about how the poor would get cared for, but that (arguably biased) programme last night that I saw a bit of seemed to suggest they manage in Germany.

95% of my patients are just awesome. 5% give me 50% of my trouble, usually do to their attitude to life.

I actually enjoy and thrive on managing genuine medical problems and being busy doing it, but I can't take all this ****.

David Lock

But you must allow for patients not turning up surely and book the odd extra patient in?

They are are only 12 min appointments anyway.

And get them to write their own appointment times at the reception as that will make them more likely to turn up.

I get e-mail reminders from my dentist and a bill for a no-show.

dl

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

The last 2 times I have made an appointment to see my doctor I have been told they were too busy and have rang back to diagnose me over the phone.

The Zohan

Maybe they died or where too ill to come into see you, or their problems cleared up by the time they actually managed to get an appointment

ScoobyDriverWannabe

Me old man got a letter like this the other week from our GP.

Problem was he hadn't even been notified about having an appointment.

Receptionists at our local GPs are a bunch of idiots, 3 times we have had cards through the door notifying us of a letter with unpaid postage waiting for us at the sorting office.

Every time they have been letters from the Drs that they have forgot to put stamps on.

john banks

We telephone triage, but everyone who calls on the day that wants to be seen gets seen. These three appointments were made by the patient, usually after missing the previous one, so to be able to make and miss three separate appointments all within a week shows that the fault is not ours I think.

If I double book people I run late when they all turn up. I usually run on time, and most of my patients appreciate that. They tell me that, and write it down in their surveys. Usually if I run late it is because like yesterday, someone gives me four problems and then asks me to look at their daughter "whilst I'm here" and I'm too soft to say no. The other most common reason for me being late is a previous patient being late who I then fit in, which puts the whole thing behind. Only a small percentage of the time am I late because of a genuine medical emergency where someone needs to be hospitalised, which most people readily understand.

When challenged about being 25 minutes late for an appointment when I was ready to see at their appointment time, they just get abusive.

If we all went private I'm certain it would all be much better.

john banks

I don't expect sympathy, thanks for letting me rant.

The state is interfering in things and making it worse for us all though, I'm convinced of that.

What I really need is one of those "give a toss meters" that barely flickers no matter what happens. But then I'd be crap at my job, always run late, not care about anything etc.

Clarebabes

What type of doctoring do you do?

Dedrater

Damn right, I would be pissed off aswell.

john banks

Bottoms, criminals, drug addicts and benefits cheats I think.

oldsplice

I feel your pain, John!

I have to say, when I worked at the surgery it was a real eye-opener. And it was always the ones who were really ill who never made a fuss. Ooh, I could tell some stories........but the confidentiality thingy.......

Butty

iTrader: (2)

Sounds like you need a bottle of wine

njkmrs

I dont need to book appointment to see my doctor .On the rare occasion I go to him ,it is a sit and wait in the queue scenario .This works for me .I cant see how booking an appointment for a couple of days time is much use .

This seems to be rare these days though by the sound of things .


Anyway get back to work ,I dont pay you to rant on here .!!

zip106

It's not early enough in the morning for that.

Clarebabes

You could start the sentence, "my friend.......", or "I heard this story once about....." then you're covered.

ChefDude

Didn't realize you were a doc John. That's certainly raised the median IQ on this board

Clarebabes

IQ as in "Income Quotient"

oldsplice

Nice try Clare!



Butty..........you'll have him being accused of having a drink problem next!

SJ_Skyline

John,

If you were to develop a more abrasive bedside manner and recommend a lot of unnecessary surgery I would bet that you would see a lot of the malingerers sod off

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I can sympathise with that John, so annoying, I suspect most get to a point where they think they dont need the appointment any more so its off their radar, too selfish and lazy to call and have the common courtesy to let the receptionist know.

These self same people will then moan like **** when they cant get an appointment next time.

FlightMan

Not just those at the lower end of the social scale.

I know of a now, Govt minister, concerned and willing to look into his constituents issues, who willfully never turned up for several meetings with not a phone call to apologies, either before or after the event.

bigsinky

Just as a point to note, that was the answer to one of the clues in The Sun two way crossword yesterday. i got it as well. mightily chuffed i was.

john banks

Don't worry njkmrs, the day is not turning out so bad now, I've caught up with all my work quite early and have spare appointment slots this afternoon.

I'm now just eating a sandwich. My last piece of work was actually private re a 16 year old who is completely well:

"To Whom It May Concern:

I see no medical reason why she should not be an actor/performer."



Carefully worded of course. What it really means is, "Sue me when something goes wrong, I'll cover your ***."

Not as ridiculous as the tracheostomy patient that wanted to swim...

oldsplice

Was he 'acting' he was well?

john banks

I do, I've not had a drink for 9 days. Mind you, I'm going to the Cat Shelter buffet tonight. THAT will be interesting Strange choice of Friday evening entertainment perhaps, but I like ***** cats, they sent an invite, there is a tombola... what can possibly go wrong?