Why are so many GP receptionists rude?

[Jenna2212]

I don't think I've ever heard of a surgery where people have positive things to say about the receptionists. At a time when people are most vulnerable and in need, why do GP surgeries tend to recruit such hostile people to greet sick people?

Have you had any bad experiences with your GP surgery? Feel free to post below. 💊

True. Theres a legal requirement to be seen by a clinician of some sort within 48h of request in urgent cases. If too urgent for that then shouldn't be seeing a gp surgery for the issue

Why would they need to give you an appointment for a repeat prescription. That’s mad. Shocking they are rude considering in the US you are paying.

I don’t think they are.

I think they generally deliver news people don’t want to hear I.e no appointments today. They then usually receive a barrage of abuse so can become defensive.

GP Receptionists are viewed as nosey, untrained fools who shouldn’t ask what’s wrong.

They are however trained in triage to ensure the GP’s time is utilised.

Of course they make mistakes and of course some are rude, but generally they are just trying to do their job.

The receptions have strict guidelines to adhere to due to appointment shortages so if someone is screaming that they need an urgent appointment but it’s for something that’s actually medically minor, they can’t give them one.

When DD was a baby we had one where I cried when we changed surgeries. She was so lovely, did everything to accomodate parents with small children, always a smile on her face and really willing to go the extra mile to help.

What I am more miffed about then the inability to book an appointment is when you need a question answered and they can't help. I get that they are not medically trained but then at least have an idea where I can get information about a procedure you phoned me to book me in.

I grew up in Germany and all the staff in a GP surgery have basic knowledge, they may do lots of admin but they also can change bandages, draw blood, give vaccinations, answer questions about procedures. Their training makes the running of the surgery a lot better.

Thankfully the ones at my current surgery are lovely and very helpful. Same at the previous one I used to go to. Mostly older ladies.

I’ve came across some horror ones before who are clearly on a power trip and believe themselves as more important than they actually are.

I know of one who used to be screwing most of the GPs in the surgery my ex included. 😆

I feel your pain but you will get a more balanced picture if you ask for any stories.

The receptionists at my GP are great. Helpful, polite, responsive.

I did call my friend's GP once as her son had cut into his ear lobe and we wanted to know how best / whether to hold it together while I drove him to A&E. I hit their "I need to talk to someone urgently" button and they answered and said, "Do you need an ambulance?" and when I said no they hung up on me...

So what are the doctors doing if they aren’t seeing anyone?

My GP receptionists are either fine or lovely, never had a bad one.

We have moved around the country a number of times and have had to use Dr's surgeries because of our multiple health conditions.
The problem with receptionists are that they treat callers as if they are idiots and do not alter there tone or demeanour to suit the person who is calling.
What they forget is simple, what if you were calling,how would like to be spoken to?
We lived in the West for some time and there was one particular receptionist who was very rude and when she left the atmosphere when ringing or visiting the surgery dramatically changed for the better!
The only positive thing that is occurring at our local surgery is that the 0800hrs scramble is over next week. You have to complete an online form from 0700hrs and they will be triaged by health professionals.
Your are not permitted to attend the surgery and request an appointment unless its a blood test. This is stop divulging personal details at the counter.
If you are unable to complete the form then you can still call the surgery and it will be done on your behalf.

Ours are all lovely but for years there was a receptionist who wasn't pleasant at all. I saw a patient being aggressive and I realised she'd likely been subjected to this many times throughout the day. After the local Facebook group commented on her as "the dragon", I never saw her again.

Exactly! My friends who encounter rudeness daily say it's mainly because people can't get appointments exactly when they want, which is hardly the receptionists' fault.

I worked as a GP receptionist in the 1990s. Most of us were kind and polite, but there was an elderly one (semi-retired) who covered for absences and she was unbelievably rude! She had worked there for about 30 years and had a particular problem with young people.

I remember a young girl, maybe about 15, came in one day and very politely asked for an appointment. The receptionist was extremely rude to her, but did eventually make her an appointment. As soon as the girl had left, the receptionist complained about how rude she was! We just looked at one another in despair!

Were the GPs all male and hot? Or was it a same sex situation?

most GPs are women.

Being a GP receptionist is a really tough job. They are expected to be gatekeepers, and get into trouble if they give away precious appointments inappropriately. They have literally zero input in the number of appointments made available. That’s all decided by the doctors. But the receptionists take the flack for it. I’ve been a GP for nearly 30 years and all the receptionists I’ve seen start off keen and eager to help. But after a few months of being sworn at and moaned at, most of them develop a hard edge.

Ours are rude but I can imagine it’s probably as a result of having people be rude to them? Don’t really know since the entire practice is a mess. Impossible to get an appointment to the point I’ve given up and use a private gp, where the receptionists are lovely.
I do have to go into my gp regularly though to collect prescriptions and the receptionists are often stood around chatting while the phone rings and rings. Or they will stand and finish their conversation (last one was about Coronation Street!) before they serve you. That is annoying and might explain why people are being rude if they are?
They often mess up the prescriptions and one particular time they didn’t have it in, I asked when it would be, because I really needed it. The receptionist replied “ well I’ve never heard of it so it can’t be essential”. It’s prescribed by my cardiologist and yes, is absolutely essential!

My GP surgery has turned administrative obstruction into an art form.

• you can only make appointments via a website.
• If you phone to request an appointment you will be directed to the website.
• If your need is urgent you will be directed to phone for an ambulance or go to the 'local' urgent care unit which is on the far side of the county and is a 2 hour multiple bus ride away
• test results and prescription requests are handled through a different website

Registering to use either website took me several days despite having been registered with the practice for 20 years.

If your request for an appointment is successful (and there are no guarantees) you are directed to a key pad check in. You will almost certainly not be seeing an actual doctor.

If you have multiple blood tests done you will receive a text back for each test telling you either it was 'normal' or that you need to make a follow up appointment. However, the text message doesn't tell you which of your blood tests was abnormal, you have to go onto the second website to work that out for yourself.

I'm not quite sure what the receptionist is for these days except to tell supplicants to 'go on the website'.

For one, they have to deal with general public. And sick and frustrated people are the worst.

Secondly, they can. The service they provide is something that the client can't take elsewhere so there is no incentive for them to be nice or their managers to make them.

Most at our surgery are lovely but there is one who is so rude I don’t understand how she is employed. I saw her once at the cinema and smiled at her in the general way you do at people you recognise but can’t place where from and it was only when she glared back that I clocked who she was.

Yes some people are arseholes but in this instance the OP is correct. The GP practice I used to be at was fantastic (still gets a full 5 star rating). The doctors were fab and the receptionists knew the patients and were kind and responsive. I moved to the adjacent small town and it was entirely a different kettle of fish, patient demographic was the same but the GP practice was inefficient, fraught and distressing to deal with. The staff were rude and the amount of test results that were lost, the way they would speak to people was awful and cold, although the medical staff were pretty good themselves but the office staff were appalling, people dreaded having to go.

They have recently been bought out and the system and new staff have been transformational. Perhaps it’s a chicken and egg thing where rude staff lead to rude patients and so on and so on?

It’s mixed bag round here, most are great but one or two are very rude. One in particular you know if she’s on the phones because it’s about 7/8 mins between each queue spot going down so your on hold an hour just being 10th in the queue. I’ve been so close to making a complaint about her because many times I’ve asked for a same day appointment for my medically complex infant, he’s under multiple teams at great ormand street and any infection he gets becomes serious quickly. This is all flagged on his file as he needs to be seen if mum calls. Last time she asked me nothing short of 14 questions as to ‘have you tried calpol’ ‘when did he fall ill’ ‘if it’s only been 24 hours why don’t you see if he gets better himself’ before finally giving me an appointment it’s such a waste of time and she could easily stop someone less persistent being seen. They are not medically trained and should not give such advice

My GP surgery sent a text to all patients asking them to stop abusing the receptionists as they are now understaffed due to the receptionists constantly leaving

Not a prob with my new gp's receptionists. Explain that.

Our GP receptionists are lovely. Incredibly kind and helpful.

I’m in Ireland and all our GP receptionists are great in my local practice. I can usually get a same day appt. for my DH if he needs it. (He has several medical conditions).

They are unfailingly helpful and will signpost you correctly plus when I was trying to find out what had happened to my son’s neurology referral (potential autism diagnosis), she gave me the direct phone number for the neurology clinic staff and I managed to get an appt. for him within 2 weeks.

I agree with PP that it’s how the surgery is managed that’s key. If the management are rude and officious, that passes down the chain.

I am a receptionist but not for a GP surgery (psychiatric unit)

We get so much shit from entitled people who normally have not made an appointment but insist on seeing a Dr. The Dr won't see them. They then moan to anyone passing that SHE won't let me see the Doctor. I always see the Doctor (nope!). Or, they arrive late for an appointment and wonder why the person is otherwise engaged. They clearly think we all sit there waiting upon their visit!

Yes I had a shitty interaction with a receptionist at my mum's gp service when I tried to get a Dr to come out to my disabled mum.

Funnily enough next time I went there I think she had left!