Private health appt - doctor not even there!

[Deleted User]

Fire_Fox wrote: »

:rotfl: But it's acceptable for you to spout off about the evils of the NHS? It's not the NHS that made you an appointment with a doctor on maternity leave AND showed you to the waiting room, is it? :rotfl:

Lets leave this argument for another thread shall we?
To be honest, some of the negligent behaviour shes experienced recently at the hands of the good old NHS has been the cause of this private appointment. Glad you find it funny....

[Deleted User]

bris wrote: »

There is no consequential loss because you were not the patient your wife was.

Now apart from that this wouldn't have happened if you didn't waste your money on a private doctor, there would have been cover in an NHS practice so she would have been seen.

You reckon? Some of you need to wake up and see the NHS for what it is I think. Thats the problem its held up there as a god like institution but in reality the service provided is substandard.

Fire_Fox

[quote=[Deleted User];59453043]You reckon? Some of you need to wake up and see the NHS for what it is I think. Thats the problem its held up there as a god like institution but in reality the service provided is substandard.[/QUOTE]

I thought we were leaving that argument for another thread? Some of us have plenty of experience of the NHS, thank you, no rose tinted spectacles, nor slagging off the entire organisation based on one person's experience in one Trust. I don't see it held up as God-like, the media are pretty harsh.

Equaliser123

Have to say OP, you are not coming across very well on this.

I agree with you that the NHS is woefully inadequate in a number of areas. I also agree that the private experience ought to be much better. I have no hesitation in having private medical care for my family and myself as I want specialist care (always consultants who are experts in their field), with minimum delay using the latest equipment.

The point I have issue with though is that surely you should focus your attention on getting your wife to see someone quickly rather than worrying about the financial losses you have suffered.

pimento

[quote=[Deleted User];59452953]Wife made appt with consultants secretary directly and then asked GP for referral letter.[/QUOTE]

Then the consultant (or the secretary) are remiss here. They should not have made an appointment for you knowing that the consultant wouldn't be in a position to keep it. At the very least they should have contacted your wife prior to the appointment to re-schedule.

If it's being paid for by insurance, make sure they know not to pay an invoice for the consultation should one be sent to them.

Country_Cousin

So when it became clear that the Dr was not available - what happened, what did they say. Presumably you did not just leave without any explanation or apology? Surely there is another doctor that they can recommend in the same specialty at the hospital. And did you ring the doctor's secretary for some sort of explanation?

mountainofdebt

[quote=[Deleted User];discussion/4454129]
Turned up for appointment, showed us to waiting room, sat there for 30 mins. I went back to reception - turns out doctor wasn't even there, she'd been on maternity leave for 7 weeks!

[/QUOTE]

So let's get this straight......you and your wife turned up, said here to see X, you got shown to the waiting room and only after a 30 minute wait you were told that the consultant was on maternity leave?

I've had my suspicions but now I KNOW you're a wind up merchant

[Deleted User]

mountainofdebt wrote: »

So let's get this straight......you and your wife turned up, said here to see X, you got shown to the waiting room and only after a 30 minute wait you were told that the consultant was on maternity leave?

I've had my suspicions but now I KNOW you're a wind up merchant

Yes spot on. Very hard to believe but thats what happened. I can assure you I have better things to do than make up stories...

I have since spoken to the Chief Executive of the hospital. Apparently, doctor had been on maternity leave but was due back that day. As such, hospital were expecting her to be there and made the appointment (apparently wife was the only appt).

Reception staff did not know what was going on. All they knew was that patient had appointment and assumed doctor would be there.

Chief Executive has spoken to doctor and advised her what happened. Whether it was a mix up or whether doctor thought stuff it, first day, one patient, not going to drive there for that - I don't know.

Either way it is very unprofessional indeed. Do you really think if the situation were reversed (i.e. doctor had come in for one patient on first day back and then patient hadn't showed) that we would not have been charged a cancellation fee?

Also, wife ended up admitted to hospital 24 hours later. Not saying any recommendations for drugs/treatment the consultant may have been able to make on the monday evening would have made a difference in time but still. Their incompetence has caused a delay....

I'm seriously tempted to send the doctor an invoice for the hassle. Not that I need the money - I don't. But I want to prove a point and hopefully the doctor and hospital will think twice and someone else will be saved the same hassle as my wife has had.

I am truly sick of people thinking they can screw up and a simple 'oh sorry about that' fixes things.

halibut2209

I'd suggest you spend the time you plan to "fight" this on caring for your wife instead. A doctor wasn't there. It's not the end of the world.

[Deleted User]

halibut2209 wrote: »

I'd suggest you spend the time you plan to "fight" this on caring for your wife instead. A doctor wasn't there. It's not the end of the world.

If you want to bend over and take it then feel free to do so...

Like I said, this appointment was very important to my wife, she was very upset about it. Its not acceptable behaviour from a professional person. Not sure what you do for a living, but if I did that even once in my line of work I would no longer have a client.

But I don't see why a small amount of time sending a complaint is going to mean that I'm not caring for my wife? Weird attitude.