Resolving complaints - Case study
This case study is not intended as a prescriptive approach, but provides a guide based on the principles of good complaints handling.
Dear Dr Busy
I am writing to you because I am very angry about what happened at my consultation with you Tuesday. I rang for an appointment the previous week and your receptionist was very rude and unhelpful. She said I couldn’t have one and had to ring back at 8.30 am the next day.
When I did ring at 8.30 I was told there were no more appointments. This is ridiculous, I pay my taxes like anyone else. I did my bit for my country and this is how I am treated!! Old people are always “discriminated” against and you should be ashamed with the way your staff run the practice. I eventually got an appointment on Tuesday and was seen by you.
I told you about the pain in my chest and how terrible I felt but you weren’t interested. You didn’t examine me properly and fobbed me off with some tablets saying it was just indigestion. You made me feel like I was making a fuss about nothing and I left feeling that it was a waste of time making the appointment. I felt unwell again overnight but because of how you made me feel I decided to go to hospital and a very nice man there said I had angina not indigestion as you said.
I could have died because of your negligence and total disregard for my symptoms. This is not the first time I have had problems with your practice. Two years ago I saw a locum who gave me penicillin even though my records say that I am allergic to it. Luckily the pharmacist picked this up before giving me the tablets. I never received an apology for this. I have since spoken to lots of my friends and they have said they have had similar problems with you and your staff.