Would two 12-hour GP receptionist shifts a week be manageable

[Team187]

Do you think working 8-8 as a GP receptionist 2 days a week would be manageable (this shift pattern obviously includes breaks)? This seems preferable to working 5 days a week for 5 hours a day, but I wonder if anyone with experience of the role would suggest otherwise.

What an absolute joy you are. Poor maths, judgemental and I see from the OP, actually wrong 🙄

So DH cooks one day and DS the other. They should be cooking anyway, I hope they are.

I agree it can be a good thing to get all your hours done in 2 days instead of 5, you'll likely have more free time as less commuting and only needing to get ready for work twice a week instead of 5 times.

But I'd imagine that a GP receptionist job is a thankless task for low pay, being on the other end of the morning scramble for appointments and dealing with people who are upset or angry there's no appointments available, worried they might be seriously ill or the entitled time wasters.

@Team187 I know many people who work 12 hour shifts. They're carers and therefore their work is very hard and tiring. But they manage well and are happy in their work. Most of them work 4 x 12 hour shifts.

I think it will be hard but then most of your working time will be crammed into only two days and that gives you most of the week free! I’d do it. If you really hate it ask to change

I would say it’s doable, since you won’t actually be on your feet all that time.

Go for it :)

Yea it's fine. Drs tend to do 1-4x 13h shifts weekly and runs of up to 70h before days off. It's tiring but we manage. I'd love to just work those hours a week. Tbh I love receptionist work too I did it for years in a private hospital whilst at uni

They can change it - either agreeing through consultation or (currently but not for much longer) fire and rehire.

it’s a receptionist role. If she leaves after 8 hours there are 4 hours not being covered! Have you seen the state of the jobs market? If she won’t do 12 hours there are plenty of others that will!

for around 10 years I have done 12 hour shifts, it’s fine. I prefer it as you get more days off. Long but worth it in my opinion but I guess not everyone is cut out for it

I think with a bit of planning you'll be fine. I've managed a lot of people over the years who wanted to do a compressed week so doing three days of 12 (often consecutively) and they found they needed to make sure washing/shopping/teas planned either prepped/slow cooker/or someone else cooking as they said they often couldn't face doing anything on the work days. They also often found doing three together too much so swamped for two and a days break then last day so they have a reset day in between if that makes sense so would imagine doing two be fine

Yes, there isn't the option for me to choose as the job is advertised 8-8, 2 days in a row. By the sounds of it, the work is varied, so that interests me. It is minimum wage though, which I find surprising given the responsibility and potential upset from patients.

If I didn’t have small children then yes I would prefer to do 2 longer days rather than 5 shorter days. The commute home will be quiet too, no rush hour traffic coming back.

My GP has several receptionists. She was making it sound like there were options. I was giving my thoughts, no need for exclamation marks.

Another positive is it is a 5 minute drive from my home.

That job sounds better already. A 5 minute commute is an absolute dream!

I’m confused, why would it be an issue? @Team187

I do longer 4 days a week.

Yes if they are not consecutive days and you don’t have children to look after. Also depends what your age. I work in a surgery full time(not reception, although I do occasionally) and a ten hour (when I have to) day kills me now at 57.

I wouldn't as it's too much time sitting down. You'd have to factor in activity (walk to work?) around those hours even in the dark winter months.

Two consecutive days of 12 hours. But then 5 days off so that appeals!

Gp reception is very often minimum wage. It’s mentally draining too. I see they are two days together. I couldn’t do it if there was a choice.

The hours wouldn’t bother me but the job itself would. Have you worked as a GP receptionist before? Some people are absolutely perfect for the role but it’s not for me personally. It’s really tough what you have to deal with.

Yes, this is what I worry about. Is it the patients particularly or just the demands of the role? I wonder if for minimum wage there might be less stressful options out there.

Oh do shut up. OP doesn't even claim UC.