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"What your GP receptionist REALLY thinks about you" article on DM

31 replies

buzzbobbly · 27/03/2019 12:11

I know this is a fail article, but I have to say, this person doesn't exactly make herself sound less than the dragon types we have seen on posts here so often!

(I have a GP receptionist in my direct family, and she's very different in tone to the woman here when she refers to her job/environment etc.)

Comments like:
"I get paid £8 an hour — I’d get more if I worked in Primark — so I’m not going to stand for any nonsense."

  • you are frequently dealing with sick, worried and scared people. If you can do better for your wages in Primark, off you pop!

"I don’t feel ashamed of our surgery because I know that the doctors, nurses and receptionists work so hard to see as many patients as possible. But it’s a numbers game — we can’t possibly see everyone."

  • YOU don't see patients, the medical staff do.

"As receptionists, we’re exposed to more germs than most and I’ve had at least four colds in the past year. The difference is with us, we take a couple of paracetamol and work through it."

  • What a noble angel-martyr she is. Bringing her infectious diseases to a place where people are already ill. And sod those teachers, public-facing workers and everyone else who is exposed to germs and direct physical contact with people, not behind a desk!

"When you have worked in the same surgery for years you get to see people at key moments in their lives — the births of their babies, the deaths of their loved ones. It’s touching when people bring in cards, flowers or chocolates to say thank you."

  • those thank yous are more likely to be for the HCPs who helped them directly. I'm sure you were polite enough to them, but you didn't actually have a direct effect on their health issue.

"If I was in charge of the health service, what would I change? We need more doctors for a start"

  • gee, thanks for your genius input there. That's a brand new idea nobody has considered before Hmm
OP posts:
MigThePig · 27/03/2019 16:34

Most of ours are ok but there's one particular woman who everyone hates, she has such an attitude problem and acts like the simplest request is too much like hard work.

My DH has complex medical issues and knows more about his own condition than most GPs do but obviously Twatty McReceptionist knows better Hmm

ALongHardWinter · 27/03/2019 16:38

There are 3 receptionists at my surgery,2 of them are fine,the other one is a bit of a nightmare,to be honest. I dread having to deal with her. She is obstructive about making appointments,mucks up my repeat prescription requests with monotonous regularity,and to my mind,seems to make up the rules as she goes along.
An example of this was in October last year,my DD tried to make an appointment for her annual flu jab. She has had the jab every year since she was 7 years old,as she has mild asthma,and suffered from two bouts of pneumonia as a child. This receptionist was adamant that she wasn't entitled to one. My DD tried reasoning,pleading and arguing,but she wasn't having it. My DD came with me when I had my flu jab,and the nurse asked her if she'd had hers yet. DD said no,and explained why. The nurse was Shock and said she'd give her the jab anyway,there and then. She actually said the receptionist was in the wrong and totally out of order for refusing my DD it.

joyfullittlehippo · 27/03/2019 16:45

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SeventhWave · 27/03/2019 16:46

I've had a receptionist refuse to book my dd1 in for a routine jab - apparently she decided that dd didn't qualify. I knew she did, so said perhaps we could book an appointment to see a GP to explain. She refused to do that as well. I had to point out (in an 'I'm not going to take no for an answer' kind of way) that it was down to the GP to make a decision whether or not dd could have the jab, and not a medically untrained receptionist.

She doesn't work there any more, thankfully - the rest of the receptionists are lovely.

Dontgiveamonkeys1350 · 27/03/2019 17:16

I am lucky to have two doctors surgery to chose from as I live in the middle of nowhere. My closest one knows my name and is lovely. The one further away have always been really helpful. So I don’t have any problems. But I’m sure that isn’t the deal everywhere

HavelockVetinari · 27/03/2019 17:44

To be fair, the Receptionists refusing flu jabs to asthmatics who don't require steroids are completely correct according to NHS guidelines - due to cost, if you only require blue inhalers you don't qualify. However, GPs will often bend the rules, for 2 reasons:

  1. Asthmatic patients are at greater risk if they get flu, regardless of whether the NHS seems that risk cost effective; and
  1. Giving flu jabs is lucrative for GP surgeries, and helps them break even. If you want to support your local GP, make sure you get your flu jab there rather than at a high st chemist like Boots.
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