AMA
I'm a doctors receptionist
MrsG841 · 10/07/2018 18:44
What would you like to know?
ElizabethDarcy88 · 10/07/2018 19:18
Braver than I am (also doctor's receptionist) how long have you been one
MrsG841 · 10/07/2018 19:28
Only 8 months but was a theatre healthcare assistant before that. You?
jusdepamplemousse · 10/07/2018 19:31
Do you think the stereotype of a dr’s receptionist (dragony, unhelpful, rude) has any grounds in reality? Presumably you aren’t like that (!!) but from colleagues or your own experiences as a patient?
guiltynetter · 10/07/2018 19:33
do you ever give out emergency appointments and then think ‘you definitely didn’t need that’ or have people lying/exaggerating their symptoms so they can get seen on the day?
MrsG841 · 10/07/2018 19:33
From experience I have been treated appalling by a receptionist. I personally am always nice to patients and do go out of my way whenever I can
YearOfYouRemember · 10/07/2018 19:33
Why don't all receptionists in the same practice stick to the same rules?
Person A on being asked for an appointment says yes, come at 11.
Person B says what's wrong? Does it need to be for today?
MrsG841 · 10/07/2018 19:36
Our practice always tries to triage whether an appointment is an emergency or not(if in doubt we just give an appointment)
All the reception staff sing off the same hymn sheet so we all are consistent which is how it should be
MrsG841 · 10/07/2018 19:37
No it's none of my business what is wrong with them. If I know them really well and they are enquiring something I pass them over to a colleague
ElizabethDarcy88 · 10/07/2018 19:41
11 years, (same practice) but done some health care assistant work for past 8 years. It's shocking sometimes the way people treat me when I'm doing a clinic to when I'm on reception.
SonggBird · 11/07/2018 18:11
Do the phones going constantly stress you out? Assuming that they do that is 
At my surgery you have to call at 8am on the dot and already the lines are full and we're put into a queue, sometimes while I'm trying to book an appt the receptionist will say that it's been booked as we've been talking by a colleague.
I can imagine that being so stressful if the phones are like that from the second you walk in!
Also - have you ever encountered any very rude or aggressive patients?
MrsG841 · 11/07/2018 18:37
Yes the phones can be extremely stressful. People forget we don't just a swear the phones at 8 we are also talking to patients at the desk, dyeing with prescriptions, emails, clinical notes, doctors requests. These are all happening at the same time.
I have had some very rude patients. One made very racist comments when I was speaking to him so I refused to help him.
You certainly need thick skin to do this type of job
ColdCottage · 12/07/2018 01:33
What is the worst case of over sharing you've had?
Rudest moment.
Strangest thing happened
MrsG841 · 12/07/2018 09:32
I haven't had a strange moment yet.
Rudest was a retired Dr who used to shout down the phone at us constantly (he didn't know how to talk calmly ever). He was always so rude so in the end he was struck off.
We ask patients the reason for their appointment when booking an emergency and some people do tend to over explain their symptoms
roseblossom75 · 12/07/2018 12:08
Does it feel awkward when someone you know calls the surgery?
Obviously everything has to be kept confidential, but does it make you feel unneasy knowing personal information about them that you wouldn't otherwise have been aware of?
MrsG841 · 12/07/2018 12:34
Yes... But if I know that person really well I try to pass them onto another colleague if possible
RaininSummer · 12/07/2018 12:37
Do you think a better system of trying to get an appointment could be created. I can never get one as the phones are engaged 8-8.30 and then I have to go to work. They will not make an appointment if you actually go in and ask for one, you have to phone???
MrsG841 · 12/07/2018 13:08
It's very difficult tbh. There are are lot of factors to consider. I know we as a practice are currently coming up with new ways to help with appointments and availability etc but we are so restricted by funding so difficulty to find the balance.
We also only take emergency bookings via the phone as you need to follow one system. It not fair to have ppl queing on the phones for the appointments to all be taken by ppl walking into the practice so we say only by phoning up unless booking an advanced appointment
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.