To think all GP support staff are rude and evil!

[higgle]

Grr. Just come back from my GPs. On Monday I telephoned to ask for a GP apointment before Friday, the receptionist gleefully told me there were none. She then insisted there was only one nurse's appointment all week free and that was in my working day. When I said that was not convenient she moaned and groaned and fond me another at 6pm today. When I go;t there the nurse told me the receptionist should have asked me to make a AP's appointment, then proceeded to give me advice which contravenes the NICE guidance on the subject. When I pointed this out she was very stroppy with me. Why are receptionsists so rude and unhelpful? and why do nurses, who want to assume a professonal role never have up to date clinical evidence to support the nonsense they spout at you! And lastly why did they tell me they had no appointments when one of the lovely GPs came out ofhis room and announced to the receptionist that he was pleased he could go home early as it was quiet!!!

My surgery is fabulous the receptionists, nurses, Doctors and the HV's when they were there. They offer a top rate service and really care.

Not all are obviously, I have been with several practises in my life due to many house moves and my experience is a lot of GP receptionists are convinced we have to feel privileged they actually picked up the phone.
Topper was the one where you could only make an appointment on the day at 8am. Fair enough,started calling dead on 8, redialling numerous times as line red hot. GP practice is a stone's throw away so ran round the corner to make an appointment only to be told you can only make an appointment by phone not at the desk. Stepped outside,rung using my mobile only to be told there were no more appointments available for that day!! It was 8.07am....... . Still wondering if that might have had something to do with the fact she could see me making the call just outside the door.........

manky...how is that stupid system the receptionists fault ?

and I doubt she deliberately sabotaged your appt...don't flatter yourself, seriously

Actually I have a pretty good experience with our staff at the surgery. One even called me back to offer a cancellation one time when I was really unwell.

Sometimes they are crap though.

I moved 6 months ago and notified them straightaway that I was a new patient.

I went in with a chest infection a couple of weeks ago and asked the Dr if she could prescribe me my asthma meds as well as antibiotics. She said they had no record of my prescription (I've had asthma since I was a child, I'm 32 now) but if I brought in the inhalers I have the receptionist could make a note of what I'm on.

I did that and the receptionist started bollocking me because although the strength was on the inhaler she didn't know how many puffs were prescribed.

Now that's fair enought, but DON'T BOLLOCK ME because YOU have no access to my medical history after me transferring SIX MONTHS ago. And if you're pissed off with Dr for giving out that advice, again, DON'T BOLLOCK ME!!

I just want to be able to breathe, I couldn't give the tiniest of gnat's chuffs about your fecking admin procedures or office politics.

yes, sometimes they can be crap, nobody disputes that

this clever lady 'ere thinks they are all crap because they have lesser qualifications and are incapable of an "adult conversation" or summat

And they want to turn her into an old crone!

(that's what we learn whilst we study for our lesser qualification)

AF,not flattering myself. She was looking me straight in the eyes when she told me there were no more appointments and YOU didn't witness the smirk on her face. Have dealt with these ladies before and since and they are about as flexible as a concrete wall. Unfortunately they are in the position where they have nothing to lose by the way they treat their clients/patients. If I treated my customers that way in my business they would soon go elsewhere.

are they all the same then, manky ?

every single one, throughout the whole of the UK, without exception ?

they are all out to get you ?

there is treatment you can get for that you know, but best make your appt in plenty of time and get someone else to do it for you since she has a personal vendetta against you

AF would you kindly read my first post (21.07pm) Why the sarcasm? That was just an example I gave.

manky...this thread was startd to slag off all GP receptionists

would you kindly read the OP ?

do you think what she said (and subsequently added) was fair ?

if not, why would you add your one -off experience, because that isn't what she was saying at all

we have all had one-off experiences of poor treatment, but can usually put it in perspective

My surgery is the busiest in the city I live in, when phoning for an appointment you normally have to wait at least a week and for a doctor or time of day of your choice it's about 2 weeks, although the staff are very friendly happy and professional and they gps are absolutely great! (probably why it's such a popular clinic?!)
Makes it worth the wait when you know they've done everything they can to get you in and they offer 'walk in' surgeries every morning and Saturday surgeries for commuters, see if you can find a better surgery before slating ALL receptionists

My GP and medical receptionists are very good. I am lucky as there is neve a problem getting an appointment.

cos AF when i was a gp receptionist i had bitch training. its compulsory. all receptionists have to have it, it like a qualification. i left cos i was no good at it. and then i joined the police cos obviously im some kind of masochist who loves being hated because of the job they do!

i do wish people who dont have a clue what they are on about would just fuck off. or change their doctor and stop whinging about protocols that are decided by those lovely wonderful gps. no one has a bad word to say about them do they but heres the thing - they make the rules! no the nurses. not the receptiionists. the bloody gps - so go moan at them people! go on, i dare you.

AF,good point,did start with saying experiences varied and of-course not ALL Gp receptionists are rude. Kind of veered off topics by using the one off experience I mentioned apols for that. Just didn't get why you told me to get treatment for having been given poor service and taking that personally.

They are not all crap but (as with lots of jobs - mine included ) there does seem to be a higher attraction rate of arseholes.

How does doing a breast exam turn you into an old crone

I bet if you are found to have advanced breast cancer at some point then you'll wish you'd done breast exams.

manky, I apologise, have just re-read my own posts to you, and they were OTT compared with what you posted

you gave a personal negative experience, like so many others have given positive ones

my anger is with the OP, you just got in the way

not fair of me, sorry

can I offer you a in conciliation ?

AF apologies accepted,I can be a bit clumsy in the way I say things,I know. Never mind eh. Off for a now.

AF,cross posted !! You making it? 2 sugars and a strip of chocolate please. Ta muchly

While the OP's generalisation is clearly a bit OTT (the receptionists and nurses at my doc's are LOVELY) the doctor's receptionist profession does seem to have a higher than average proportion of know alls and professional blockers ime. I have said many times in the past "No, I don't want to tell you what it's about thanks!" when trying to get an appointment. I have also had the amazing miracle of the "found" appointment when 5 minutes earlier there had been none

But no, not all of them are vile

Sorry you've had a crap day OP