In a vain bid to lose weight and avoid almost unavoidable risk of contracting diabetes I begin this blog in hope that exposing my self to the harsh virtual world I can get some perspective on my addictive personality and beat the choc attack. Of course I possess a myriad of other problems which I won't divulge now that may well affect my clarity and lack of judgement when it comes to sugar. But I thought rather than make this a boring health/weight based blog I'll just blog about what I do best, being bitter. Rita is bitter. About everything. Almost.
So already this morning before 12.00 I consumed a belgian chocolate cornflake square and a slice of Sainsbury's hot fudge cake. I justified the cornflake square by replying "yes" when the starbucks barista asked if that caramel macchiato was to be skinny. Skinny my arse. Anyhow it gave me a glimmer of hope that I could consume my drug of choice without guilt.
But of course, life as Rita doesn't allow justification for chocolate through a simple interaction with skilled baristas deskilled in the art of personability. No, Rita had already this morning had an altercation. London is full of shitty shitty people. I was feeling particularly uneasy and ill this morning and decided to go to the Doctors having not visited them or even registered as I hadn't needed to and besides about to qualify as one myself I feel licensed to deal with my own problems. So after NOT abusing the service and NOT taking advantage of it even though I have in the space of 3 months had serious back pain, sprained my ankle, required physio etc etc I decided to perform the "simple" task of calling the GP to find out how to register.
I received in reply a bark that said "Grufffff wooof come anytime between 9.30-12.30, register, maybe we make appointment same day grrrufff wooof.click brr".
I trundle along the paths laden with black ice, performing some kind of precarious invalid ice dance having just argued with boyfriend about his direction in life behind me. not waiting to catch me if I fall but just keeping out of my way. Get to surgery and stride to reception eagerly hoping the NHS is not going to fail me. How wrong could I be. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE WITHOUT YOUR NHS NUMBER OR PROOF OF ADDRESS? WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITHOUT THIS" says Barky McNasty.
I explained that it would have been nice to have been told on the phone the items to bring, to which Barky bark's "ARE YOU TELLING ME I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY ON THE PHONE I SAY IT EVERY MORNING", I in return say that it is quite possible that people make mistakes not everyone's perfect.
I trundle back, falling twice for good measure and return where Barky reads my rent contract (I'm a student. at halls. I don't get fucking bills) "OHHH E1 that's not our catchment".
Short of punching this motherfucker in the face I calmly point out that she's reading the wrong part. And finally after 2 hours DTN (that's door to needle time) I am registered. A process that should have taken 20mins given that there were no queues when I arrived at 9am. If Barky McNasty could do the right thing.
Why are such evil people the gatekeeper's to the GP? I don't want to tar everyone with the same brush but how often have you had to divulge your personal affairs to the receptionist under duress in order to get an appointment the same day - "I have been bleeding out of my bumhole for 72 hours and I don't know why". In clear earshot of all in the waiting room. London GP reception areas definitely don't cater for privacy.
Sure I understand that they can't possibly fit everyone in but there have been countless times when I have said I prefer to tell the GP about this but they insist that its on a need to know basis, and they need to know...
Just as graduate medical students are "handpicked for their personalities" (Read obnoxious, type A, ball busting bitches (with exceptions)) is this how GP receptionist's are picked? To date there has only been one practice where I have found that the receptionists adopt a people friendly approach to, well, people. This may be because they're in the midst of one of the most notorious estates in East London and the likelihood of tipping these people over the edge is high, or it could be because the Practice Manager had a customer focused approach to training the front desk?
Whatever it is I just wish that more receptionists had people skills. I don't think its a lot to ask but I just wonder if its an unwritten rule that GPs must employ Barky McNasties? Is it a phenomenon local to London and other inner city areas? What are the receptionists like in leafy suburbs? I am interested in your thoughts.
So already this morning before 12.00 I consumed a belgian chocolate cornflake square and a slice of Sainsbury's hot fudge cake. I justified the cornflake square by replying "yes" when the starbucks barista asked if that caramel macchiato was to be skinny. Skinny my arse. Anyhow it gave me a glimmer of hope that I could consume my drug of choice without guilt.
But of course, life as Rita doesn't allow justification for chocolate through a simple interaction with skilled baristas deskilled in the art of personability. No, Rita had already this morning had an altercation. London is full of shitty shitty people. I was feeling particularly uneasy and ill this morning and decided to go to the Doctors having not visited them or even registered as I hadn't needed to and besides about to qualify as one myself I feel licensed to deal with my own problems. So after NOT abusing the service and NOT taking advantage of it even though I have in the space of 3 months had serious back pain, sprained my ankle, required physio etc etc I decided to perform the "simple" task of calling the GP to find out how to register.
I received in reply a bark that said "Grufffff wooof come anytime between 9.30-12.30, register, maybe we make appointment same day grrrufff wooof.click brr".
I trundle along the paths laden with black ice, performing some kind of precarious invalid ice dance having just argued with boyfriend about his direction in life behind me. not waiting to catch me if I fall but just keeping out of my way. Get to surgery and stride to reception eagerly hoping the NHS is not going to fail me. How wrong could I be. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE WITHOUT YOUR NHS NUMBER OR PROOF OF ADDRESS? WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITHOUT THIS" says Barky McNasty.
I explained that it would have been nice to have been told on the phone the items to bring, to which Barky bark's "ARE YOU TELLING ME I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY ON THE PHONE I SAY IT EVERY MORNING", I in return say that it is quite possible that people make mistakes not everyone's perfect.
I trundle back, falling twice for good measure and return where Barky reads my rent contract (I'm a student. at halls. I don't get fucking bills) "OHHH E1 that's not our catchment".
Short of punching this motherfucker in the face I calmly point out that she's reading the wrong part. And finally after 2 hours DTN (that's door to needle time) I am registered. A process that should have taken 20mins given that there were no queues when I arrived at 9am. If Barky McNasty could do the right thing.
Why are such evil people the gatekeeper's to the GP? I don't want to tar everyone with the same brush but how often have you had to divulge your personal affairs to the receptionist under duress in order to get an appointment the same day - "I have been bleeding out of my bumhole for 72 hours and I don't know why". In clear earshot of all in the waiting room. London GP reception areas definitely don't cater for privacy.
Sure I understand that they can't possibly fit everyone in but there have been countless times when I have said I prefer to tell the GP about this but they insist that its on a need to know basis, and they need to know...
Just as graduate medical students are "handpicked for their personalities" (Read obnoxious, type A, ball busting bitches (with exceptions)) is this how GP receptionist's are picked? To date there has only been one practice where I have found that the receptionists adopt a people friendly approach to, well, people. This may be because they're in the midst of one of the most notorious estates in East London and the likelihood of tipping these people over the edge is high, or it could be because the Practice Manager had a customer focused approach to training the front desk?
Whatever it is I just wish that more receptionists had people skills. I don't think its a lot to ask but I just wonder if its an unwritten rule that GPs must employ Barky McNasties? Is it a phenomenon local to London and other inner city areas? What are the receptionists like in leafy suburbs? I am interested in your thoughts.
No comments:
Post a Comment