Something happened at work and its ruined my weekend

[user1475002412]

I work for the NHS in an admin capacity. However due to all our reception staff leaving I was told by my manager that I now have to do all my work whilst working on reception one day a week. So there I was on Friday, on reception.

A man approached. I smiled, said good morning and asked if he had an appointment. He said yes but didn’t know who the appointment was with. The reception area is for about 5 different clinics. I asked his name. I didn’t catch it, i asked again and he replied but again it wasn’t clear. So I asked his date of birth. I managed to find him on the list and saw straightaway he was 15 mins late. I told him to please take a seat while I checked whether the doctor could see him. Knocked on doctors door, explained patient had arrived. Doctor said no way was he seeing patient as patient late and he was due another patient in 5 minutes.

I went out to reception and told the patient doctor unable to see him because he was late. Patient became aggressive, shouting, leaning over the desk trying to grab my name badge, screaming that now he knew my name he was going to make trouble for me as it was my fault the doctor wouldn’t see him. I explained it was the doctors decision not mine. Eventually he left.

He then came back an hour later and started verbally abusing me. Again saying it was my fault and it shouldn’t matter that he was late, that he knows who I am and not to think I’ve “got away with it”. He swore at me and basically humiliated me.

I can’t stop thinking about it. Keep going over it in my head, can’t sleep, worried he may do something ie find out where I live. I just feel shaken up. I feel angry that I just sat there and let a man scream and swear at me.

I know it’s extreme but I don’t think I can do the job anymore. I am a very shy person and there’s no way I would ever have applied to be a NHS receptionist (2 of our receptionists left due to stress from dealing with angry patients). And yet through no choice of my own I find myself having to do this.

"He was typing my name into his phone. One of the reasons I feel shaken up."

OP, I agree with a formal report to your manager and HR.

Also to the boss and Hr add at the end that you already raised verbally concerns about lack of glass and confidential paperwork being visible and in light of this you are requesting a full investigation into glass for staff safety and also confidentiality. State you want a reply.

If you're in a union, speak to them about it too.

Lock down your SM.

Ask for a first name only name badge.

In the event this person does start harrassing you, then get it reported to police asap. If they've actually gone to the trouble of trying to harrass you, they could escalate, as most people would just sound off at home and do nothing more. It's unlikely he'll bother, but there's always that tiny chance.

It's absolutely in no way your fault, you won't get into any trouble for it (if you do it's a union matter). If he comes in that late he shouldn't expect to be seen, it's at the GPs discretion. What is worrying is that there doesn't seem to be anyone at all to come and back you up.

Definitely Datix it so there's a record and a named person will have to follow it up, or at least have it on record in case it happens again. The person involved should at the very minimum be sent a letter warning them of any repercussions.

They should ideally also have a panic button or screen installed, even if it's expensive - it would cost them a lot more if you were attacked and you sued them for providing a workplace that wasn't secure.

You can also point to the Datix report if he does try and escalate it - they will be on your side, and honestly, you shouldn't get abuse for doing your job.

I thought there was a zero tolerance for abuse of NHS staff across the board.

I'm so sorry you had to experience that though. I very much doubt they will blame you, especially if there's CCTV (is there?).

I thought after posting that this wouldn't faze me that I didn't express myself well.
Nothing you have done or felt here is wrong. It's a shameful situation that any of us see this as par for the course.
In early days in the role, I used to get scared, upset and angry a lot. After a while, it didn't affect me. I'm not saying that is right.

I’m more worried that when the complaint comes in (the patient kept screaming over and over how it would be going “to the top” they will just gloss over the fact he was late and somehow blame me

Awful. You should email your PM, copy in the senior partner & GP’s and say how shaken this has left you and that you would like it logged on Datix -or your equivalent- and stress that, as reception is not your job, you are no longer happy to try and complete your actual work there.
So sorry this has ruined your whole weekend
The PM should write to the PT explaining why they need to find a new practice. Shockingly unsupportive reaction.

I'm so sorry OP, I work in healthcare and I know what it feels like. You were just doing your job and someone verbally abusing you is the absolute last thing you want or need. Work is stressful enough it is.
Firstly, i agree that this does need to be reported as an incident and you need to speak with your manager about what the protocol is if this were to happen again toy or anyone else. They should be supporting you with this and give you a little debrief session and a chance for you to tell them how it made you feel and what they are going to put in place (eg screens/security etc) to make sure it doesnt happen again.

Secondly, please dont take it personally- this wasnt about you, it was entirely about whatever angry dialogue was going on in that man's head. He was clearly wound up already and your response gave him the opportunity to explode. If it hadn't been you, it would have been someone else. Try to let it go now as the more you focus on it, the bigger it will become in your mind.

I'm shocked at how shitty the front staff are treated, OP! Sounds like the manager is a shit. I hope you get somewhere with complaining. I had a PA role like this (not in medical). They wanted me to do reception work and also act as a fucking door person. I got another job.

you shouldnt have to go through this and im really sorry.
your body and mind is still in fight or flight mode right now.plus noone has come to your aid to resolve this so its not letting you get over it.
you wont get into trouble.you did nothing wrong.you can repeat what happened twenty million times calmly and factually if needs be because nothing you mention points wrongly in your viewdirection.
like a bully he new you were sensitive once he started.ive seen receptionist at my medical centre quickly shut this shit down.and once stood up to these paitents quickly have backed the hell off.but that still not on your fault for not being able to do this.many would be as frightened as you.
keep talking.dont internalize it as that will make the fear grow and grow into something it never was. fear grows off fear when faced alone.
your dc will be fine.perhaps just tell him to think about when he is hurt or upset about something,how he might lash out and yell at mum. well this is what this man did.but your all ok,and your all very safe now.

Secondly, please dont take it personally- this wasnt about you, it was entirely about whatever angry dialogue was going on in that man's head. He was clearly wound up already and your response gave him the opportunity to explode. If it hadn't been you, it would have been someone else. Try to let it go now as the more you focus on it, the bigger it will become in your mind. brilliant words.

Report him to the police

“It sounds as though a simple complaint to management is likely to be brushed aside!”

But at least it’s logged pending further action

Call the police - that's assault and threatening behaviour, and you don't have to put up with it.

Make sure your social media is locked down, so you don't have public posts etc. Google yourself and see what comes up.

Sorry this happened to you. It sounds scary.

Also sounds Like your manager might not be managing very well.

Please do a dating for this incident (and for any other incidents) or if you think the lack of screen has lead to a data breach.

In my trust datix forms go to a huge list of people. Many really quite senior. We look for patterns. High staff turnover on reception and this incident should prompt a response.

In my trust we have a behavioural contract system. Behaviour like this reported via datix generates one.

Ask your manager about this. But get something contemporaneous recorded either via datix (which I think is best) or in an email to your manager (to their manager).

I suspect the patient won’t complain...it isn’t going to read well.
“I turned up late for my appointment and then acted like an abusive twat”

Did I understand correctly that you were a lone member of staff with no other admin or reception staff present? No other staff in earshot? No glass panel or secure booth for you and your confidential paperwork? You should not be on your own in that type of role. When I was an NHS CBT therapist working in primary care with no reception on the premises, no member of staff could open the door to someone who used the intercom and wasn’t on our appointment list. If someone did come to the door without an appointment we had to go and speak to them in threes. No one was ever isolated with a patient (for everyone’s sake). It was exactly the right policy as it turned out on a number of occasions. I know your set up is slightly different but it is unacceptable to leave you vulnerable.

I last less than a year as an nhs receptionist. Get out. You won’t be supported.

No one will blame you. I know you have reported it to your manager however I would email her, saying that you know you have already spoken to her about it but you wanted something documented and want written proof that you have reported it so here are the details again.

I would also consider going to the police. It doesn't matter if he has physically assaulted you or not. He verbally abused you, I'm not sure what it would be classed as, breach of the peace, intimidation/harassment, verbal abuse. But whatever they class it as, it is a crime. You do not need the support of your manager to do this, even if they explicitly advise against it. You have the gentleman's details so the police can take action. Was no one else around to come to your aid?

I'm a nurse and we put up with such behaviour on a regular basis. I would always advocate for people reporting. The more reports that go in about NHS staff being abused and assaulted, the more they have to take notice and hopefully start to put steps in place to put a robust system in place that deals with those who abuse staff in their line of work.

What a horrid situation
Tell your manager tomorrow that you won't be on reception anymore. Its not the job you applied for. You are worried, your partner is worried and your son is worried
It's the managers problem to solve not yours
Contact your union too

OP this is awful. Having previously worked in the NHS at the management side it depresses the shit out of me that

a) posters like @happygertie are saying “meh this is normal” and

b) you are manning reception on your own never mind being made to do all of the other work too.

My advice is find another job and leave. You still need to datix this but get out of there. Even if you were a Band 9 I’d still be saying you’re not prod enough to be put in that level of danger.

This is actually a breach of Health and Safety redulations if you are left vulnerable in the work place to aggression from patients or others. Security is required via some sort of help button to which managers or security respond and take the issue off you and remove you from the situation.

Is there cctv in the reception area ?
If so, check the incident was on it as further proof and to show police / HR.

Sounds like you're in a hospital rather than a GP practice as you mentioned Trust.

Report on Datix - it gets logged and they have to review and feedback.

This is bang out of order. The least your manager should be doing is considering your wellbeing, sitting down and discussing how it made you feel and reassuring you that you did nothing wrong. Then, they should be writing to the patient advising zero tolerance approach and putting alert on the record to show he can get aggressive to pre warn others. Also, arranging for his appointments to only be made when there are 2 or more receptionists on duty to support each other. there is more and they should be doing it for you. Really sorry your manager is rubbish.

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act your employer has a legal responsibility to provide you with a safe place to work, so far as is reasonably practicable. Please make sure you log the incident with HR and your H&S Manager if you have one and remind them of this piece of legislation.

On a personal note, it must have been very frightening for you, I hope you get a satisfactory resolution

all staff should be wearing photo Trust ID clearly displaying their full name and job title

Yes , but we were adviced to tuck ours into our top pocket . If someone requests to see the ID then of course we show it , but I can think of 2-3 occasions where someone has actually said "Can I see your ID"

(Mainly it's a hello, I'm 70 and I'm one the XYZ Trust Staff

Definately DATX and go to HR .
The patient is very unlikely to pursue - anything he says can be checked . Time of arrival/you asked the GP/ it was their clinic their decision.

Coming back to harass and abuse you - he cannot even begin to justify !

Sorry posted too soon, what I meant to add, is that an employer can't eliminate the risk of aggressive patients but they can mitigate it by using wide desks, erecting glass screens, making sure no-one is left alone on Reception for example