****** Doctor's office

Right, bit of a rant. I work for the NHS, it used to be one Trust for Mental Health and Acute care but now they've separated. I work for the Mental Health Trust and my Doctor's surgery is now a separate Acute Trust. Same staff though so we know each other quite well from being the same Trust.
Right, since they've separated to the Acute Trust, the quality of staffing is horrific. I went a few weeks ago and booked everything in one appointment so I could get it all over with at once. Blood pressure check, smear and blood tests. Appointment was for 4:50 so I could go after work. The only thing they could do was the blood pressure check as they'd messed up the appointments and also failed to tell me that they had no one doing smears til November...so why did they book me an appointment in October?
Went back last week and got the blood test done and another blood pressure check as my blood pressure was high the first time...gee I wonder why, maybe because they had c****d up the appointments
Got a letter on Friday and they needed more blood taken, phoned yesterday and booked an appointment for 8:30 this morning, told work I'd be late, arranged for a lift to work etc.
Got there at 8:30 this morning to be told my appointment was actually for tomorrow They'd done it too me again. This time they got a piece of my mind! Anyway they agreed to see me. Appointment was with the phlebotomist (blood test nurse) Warned her that I had really deep veins and there was always a problem getting blood out of me. Gave her my good arm....needle goes in...not a drop comes out. Gave her my not so good arm...needle goes in...not a drop comes out. Only other option was the back of my hand. Now I know there's a good vein there as there has always been a prominent vein on that hand since I had an IV in it after an operation some years ago. Now, yes she did get the blood this time, but it hurt like a b*****d and I'm now going to be black and blue on the hand and both arms. I'm going to look like a drug addict for the next week Not a happy bunny.

aww bless you being messed around like that aint nice at all

I'm not particularly brave at the best of times...been feeling a bit sick all day

Oh Jackie - how totally naff for you - grab Cassie and have a nice cuddle........then some hot chocolate - always makes me feel better. Hugs honey xxx

aww bless you have loads of hugs from cassie and my boys hope they make you feel better

its crap isnt it -

I sat at the doctors 34 weeks pregnant yesterday and waited 2 HOURS to be seen - i had gone in for severe shortage of breath and feeling faint - good job I wasnt dying huh ??

i was seriously contemplating faking labour pains at one point just to get taken !!!

Thanks guys for the support. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal in the grand scheme of things but it's so annoying. I'm medicated for my blood pressure and they always wonder why it's high when I go there....hmmm, can't imagine why!

Awww... Dani, that's terrible. Should have faked those labour pains, would have paid to see the looks on their faces

It's awful that something like our health is thought so little of - have to say though my GP surgery is pretty good, have been with bad ones though.

Hope the bruises aren't too bad. xx

Thanks Trish. Ours has always been a nightmare and me wearing my NHS i.d. badge. You'd think they'd at least try to be efficient.
Hopefully I won't bruise too badly but I bruise in a strong wind