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"Ignored for iron infusion after long wait outside"

About: GPs in the Hasluck Electoral District

(as the patient),

I have very low iron and vitamin D. Because of this I am having issues like dizziness, tiredness, body aches, bad headaches. After my blood test, my GP recommended me an iron infusion and Vitamin D supplements. 

Recently, I called and made an appointment for an iron infusion at a doctor clinic, for the following week. They asked if I am their regular patient, and I said no. They confirmed the booking. 

The morning of my booking, I gave them a call to make sure that I need to buy the iron infusions beforehand and I was shocked that there was no booking under my name. I re-booked again and got an appointment on the same day, in the afternoon. The receptionist said they will send me a text to fill an online form beforehand as I am a new patient. I got there before my appointment and called the receptionist. They asked if I have filled the form, I said I did not receive any text. They sent me the text a few minutes after my scheduled time. I filled out the form outside and then I waited for them to call me in. 

The doctor asked me to come in about 20 minutes later. The first question they asked was why I am not doing this with my GP. To which I said because the nurse is on leave for two weeks and I really need an infusion as early as possible. In my opinion, the doctor already looked confused, like they do not want to do it. The doctor said they will need the report before the infusion and then told me to wait until they get reports. Meanwhile, the doctor asked the nurse to find the right vein. The nurse checked on my left arm and hand and then said they will just wait for the reports before they get started. Doctor asked me to wait in the waiting room.

I am not sure if or when they called but it was 10 minutes and no report received yet. They asked me to go home and come back after three to four days. I asked the doctor to wait as I will call my GP to send the reports as I really need an infusion that day so that I can start recovering asap. I called my GP and the receptionist said they did not even receive the call in the first place. On my request, they sent the reports via email. They also faxed my reports to the clinic because I thought sometimes emails take some time to get through.

I called again from the car, the receptionist said they have received the reports but said they cannot do it that day because I have missed my appointment timings. I asked if I can talk to the doctor but the receptionist did not allow this and said I should come another time with a new appointment. 

I refused and said I will be waiting outside it is already late in the afternoon and no way I can get an appointment anywhere else. The doctor came outside for another patient, and I requested the doctor again and they said I have missed my appointment. I asked them who's fault this was. I was here on time and have been doing whatever told by them and now they are saying to go home and come with a new appointment. I explained again to the doctor that I rushed to the emergency department the night before because I thought I was having a stroke. They did all the blood tests, X-rays and ECG and said it happened only because of low iron and they let me go home because I have an iron infusion appointment the next day. 

The doctor said they will see if they can do anything and went to their colleague. They were standing outside the clinic, started discussing, and without even looking at me, suggested to send me home and tell me there are no veins on the left arm and on the right arm, they cannot do it because the night before they already took samples. I came home humiliated, shivering with weakness and feeling scared because of the incidents from the night before. 

My question is - Who is responsible if something happens? Why it seemed they did not want to do it in the first place and in my opinion, started with excuses? I believe this medical practice has doctors and staff to help the patients, not to humiliate them, making excuses or asking the patient to wait for nearly 2 hours and then tell them to go home without any compelling reason.

In my opinion, I should have gone to a real doctor and get this thing done without getting more tired and annoyed. Shame on you guys, really! 

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