Receptionist attitude should I complain

I think you should stay out of it.

People in doctors are already feeling vulnerable so yes .

So are front line staff quite often.

There must be a Doctors receptionist that isn’t a complete Dickhead but I am yet to meet one.

Feel utterly ashamed of myself, today I watched a doctors receptionist speak so appallingly to two patients and, instead of challenging her, or mentioning it to another staff member, like a coward I froze in fear.

long story short, long queue at surgery for the last appointments of the day and one late 20s girl and another maybe 50s, asked something rather innocuous, as I heard blood test and referral. Each time the receptionist was talking to them both like they committed a crime.

The younger girl took her bollocking and said she would call back on Monday after 2pm. The woman though, fair play, tried to give it back but the receptionist used her leverage as staff to make the woman back down.

maybe both patients had done something so terrible to illicit such a response but the receptionist appeared that she quite enjoyed belittling them, loudly and publicly. The thing is, most of what I heard in the queue was from her tone not theirs.

Most of us were shocked and we did the rather British thing of tut and shake our heads.

However, I am ashamed because I would have desperately wanted someone to stand up for me if I were being baited and humiliated it public and instead I froze (I’ve had an incident where I was reduced to tears so I know how demoralising it can be) instead of being a good human being and standing up for them.

Being so cowardly in that moment, is really affecting me to such an extent on a Friday I’m on MN writing this thread.

should I report what I saw? I know I couldn’t help in the moment but would it be reasonable to report it via an online reporting form or a call on Monday?

or should I let it go and hope she doesn’t humiliate any other patients.

I think you should stay out of it.

That’s untrue and if you’ve found it so then it’s a “you” problem rather than every receptionist being awful.
Consider your tone when speaking to people.

Why do you care? Or.. is it less of you caring and more of you wanting to lord it over someone to make you feel better in your life?

It most certainly is true. It’s very well known that a staggeringly high proportion of Doctors receptionists are horrendously vile people.

There must be a Doctors receptionist that isn’t a complete Dickhead but I am yet to meet one.

We should all put them all in their place, at all times - they are NOT wealth creators, NHS GPs and their receptionists are tax scroungers, living off the taxpayer. You are the boss, not they. I do not understand this NHS worship - you froze in fear? How dare they speak to people like that. You should act. But act politely. I never disclose why I want to see a GP to the receptionist - just say 'this is private' on repeat. I never allow a receptionist to triage me - 'this is private' on repeat. I know they can be vindictive and push my appointment back, but I am not allowing a typist to triage me, sorry. This is madness.

There is this new trend that GPs address their patients by their first names, whilst keeping themselves to strictly 'Dr Smith', 'Dr Miller'. This needs to be nipped in the bud - patients should say 'We are not friends or family, kindly keep it Mr/Mrs'. Do not allow them to call you by your first names - what is next? Bowing and scraping?

We should all put them all in their place, at all times - they are NOT wealth creators, NHS GPs and their receptionists are tax scroungers, living off the taxpayer. You are the boss, not they. I do not understand this NHS worship - you froze in fear? How dare they speak to people like that. You should act. But act politely. I never disclose why I want to see a GP to the receptionist - just say 'this is private' on repeat. I never allow a receptionist to triage me - 'this is private' on repeat. I know they can be vindictive and push my appointment back, but I am not allowing a typist to triage me, sorry. This is madness.

There is this new trend that GPs address their patients by their first names, whilst keeping themselves to strictly 'Dr Smith', 'Dr Miller'. This needs to be nipped in the bud - patients should say 'We are not friends or family, kindly keep it Mr/Mrs'. Do not allow them to call you by your first names - what is next? Bowing and scraping?

Bloody hell you’re a bag of delight!!! If you feel so strongly about NHS staff then surely you should go private?

If healthcare professional has, for example, their hand up my vagina I don’t care what they call me. All I care is, have they washed their hands, are they empathetic, can they diagnose me or refer me on if not and can I get a follow up appointment.

I was thinking that this afternoon, after a bruising encounter with my (usually lovely) GP last week. He insists on being called Dr Rude but calls me Muddy. Next time I shall suggest he calls me Mrs Ford. Thinking of swapping within the practice as I'm too old to be treated poorly.

I am sorry, I already pay tax and council tax so other people's children could go to state schools (mine go private), so I think it is a bit unfair to suggest I should do the same with the NHS? Like pay taxes and go private? Pay for a butler and and make your own tea? Also, you know that to go private you have to have your NHS GP referral, right? Like 'may I please please please see a private doctors I shall pay for?' and see if the NHS GP allows it. Did you know that? Not many private consultants accept a self-referral.

Loads of Consultants accept self referrals, as do private scan providers.