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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do GP's receptionists have ti be so bastard rude?

163 replies

OHforDUCKScake · 02/04/2013 16:22

Ive just had some blood results for my 22 month old that was like a punch in the fucking stomach so I may well be projecting my rage on the bitch that called me.

So, she calls, is this Ducks Mum?

Yes.

We have his blood results can you pick them up?

I say yes but I have a broken so I wont be able to for a few days, can she just give me the numbers now. (Im poised with a pen)

She literally sighs a big sigh, tuts. She fucking TUTS at me, says in a huffy teenage voice "we're really busy."

I say no problem and hang up.

I call their sister surgery and ask the receptionist there if she has time to read some blood results for my son, she does it takes 20-30 seconds.

Then mrsh Huffy Puffy calls me back again, she said I didnt let her finish. i said no, she made herself quite clear and I got the results from the other surgery so its no problem now. She starts tutting and huffing and puffing again, "oh well then, ."

I told her that she was incredibly rude on the phone and hung up.

Dont they fucking know some of these results are the difference between life and death? I quality of life?

Fcking bitch.

OP posts:
Original poster
OHforDUCKScake · 02/04/2013 16:28

Sorry this was meant for AIBU. I'll get it moved.

As ou can see I am raging.

OP posts:
Isitme1 · 02/04/2013 16:42

The answer is yes. They are all almost ignorant bastards with their heads so far up their arse it comes back out the other way. . [buangry]
:)

AJBthesecond · 02/04/2013 16:53

Yes I think it's the law they're total bitches.

YoothaJoist · 02/04/2013 16:57

Brace yourself, OP. There'll be a load of receptionists along in a minute telling you that they're lovely fluffy bunnies.

The ones at my surgery are all dreadful! [bugrin]

ISingSoprano · 02/04/2013 16:58

Oh there's nothing like a gross generalisation is there - something Mumsnet seems so good at Angry

Original poster
OHforDUCKScake · 02/04/2013 17:02

ISingSoprano, Ive lived in many places, Ive belonged to many surgeries and Im yet to belong to one where I find all the staff pleasant and never rude.

There is a young woman in my current surgery who is lovely, patient, pleasant. Shame the same cant be said for her battle axe colleagues.

OP posts:
MandragoraWurzelstock · 02/04/2013 17:04

I had only encountered nice ones till about a month ago when I got the mother of all obtuse, rude, ignorant people at our Drs. I was shocked, I'm always nice to them and thought that was the way to get a good thing going on, you know, I'm polite, they are polite. Not this one.

Sadly it is hard to avoid her as she seems to be there all the time.

ISingSoprano · 02/04/2013 17:08

OhforDUCKScake I am genuinely sorry you had such a trying experience today. In all occupations you will get the good, the bad and the ugly and I am really not going to try and justify anything to you today. It was more the comment by ABJthesecond 'Yes I think it's the law they're total bitches' that really irritated me.

Schlock · 02/04/2013 17:09

I know that you're annoyed and distressed by the reason that you're calling them but please cut them some slack today. I am not a receptionist (thank gawd) but I do work in a GP surgery and after four day weekend all the staff are absolutely inundated with work today so might be feeling a little under pressure. No excuse to be rude to you though.

BackforGood · 02/04/2013 17:13

What a ridiculous generalisation. OK, you've had a bad morning, but it's just a ridiculous leap from that to "All GP Receptionists are rude". I've NEVER met a rude one - despite some strong provocation they sometimes meet, and my current GP practice staff are all lovely.

TryDrawing · 02/04/2013 17:27

There is one lovely receptionist at my GP's. There are 4 others. I have never in my working life felt the need to be as shirty and unpleasant to anyone as all of them have been to me at one time or another.

My GP's comment was "I know, they're awful. But we don't pay them very much..."

Original poster
OHforDUCKScake · 02/04/2013 17:40

Ive got to say, I said 'receptionists' plural but I was raging at this one.

At no point dd I specifically say all receptionists are bitches.

I said "fucking bitch." Singlular. Her, bitch. One. Uno.

OP posts:
Original poster
OHforDUCKScake · 02/04/2013 19:21

Thanks.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 02/04/2013 19:29

No need for huffing and tutting and saying they are busy. Not helpful. At least you did find a nice one at the sister surgery. I suppose they were v busy today due to the 4 days they were closed but that's not your problem. Sad

Hope Duckling is ok.

Wibblypiglikesbananas · 02/04/2013 19:31

Another one here who hates generalisations but I've also never had a good receptionist experience. In fact, I wrote a letter to my old surgery's practice manager to complain last year when they wouldn't give DD a same day appointment, which they're meant to do for under 3s.

It got quite ridiculous at the time as when she wouldn't make me an appointment, I went to the local walk in centre, who told me I should have gone to my GP. When I said I had done, the walk in centre manager rang the surgery, bollocked the receptionist and lo and behold, an appointment was made. Sadly, it did give me a perverse sense of satisfaction when I went to the desk to check in and it was the same receptionist who'd sworn blind there were no appointments at all, whatsoever, under any circumstances, but now I had one.

The practice manager did respond to my letter of complaint and basically said if this were to happen in future, demand an emergency appointment, even if it's not an emergency. I changed surgeries so not sure if that tactic ever worked.

I'm sorry you had bad news OP and that your experience didn't make your day any easier.

Cherriesarelovely · 02/04/2013 19:38

When you or someone in your family are very ill and you get treated rudely and dismissively by the Drs receptionist or Dr for that matter it is deeply upsetting. I completely understand OP. I have just recovered from 15 months of a really horrible, horrible virus which gave me very frightening symptoms and meant I ended up in hospital several times. The vast majority of medical staff were absolutely fantastic but some were truly horrible and I dread my symptoms returning in case I have to encounter people like that once again.

I really hope your Dc is ok, it sounds like you are having a really tough time.

Snoopingforsoup · 02/04/2013 19:58

Sorry for your bad news OP.
Do you think there's a special Reception college they go to where they learn their special (witch)craft?
I've met one decent GP's receptionist in my life and I'm in my 40's.
I had to explain something quite personal to one the other week in order to speak to a GP and save them the expense of me going to a walk-in centre.
I heard one of them ridiculing a new patient the other week too.
I feel your rage OP.

Bakingtins · 02/04/2013 20:06

I work at a vet surgery and our receptionists would NEVER get away with the rudeness and generally being treated as an inconvenience that I routinely get at the GP surgery. The difference being that our clients are paying customers (and I know we indirectly fund the NHS but it doesn't have the same immediacy). I got the same "we're very busy" today - well don't close for four days then, we were open for at least a couple of hours every day over the bank holiday!
OP I hope your son is ok.

Sparklingbrook · 02/04/2013 21:09

Plus at the vets you get bloods taken in the morning and the results back in the afternoon Baking. Wink

Can'y imagine Vets receptionists having a bad attitude.

AngryGnome · 02/04/2013 21:17

I have yet to meet a polite gp receptionist. However, I'm sure there must be one out there. Somewhere.

macdoodle · 02/04/2013 21:20

Ours are all lovely, and yes we were exceptionally busy today.
Unless the results were indeed life and death (in which case really you should have been speaking to the dr), I can quite understand why she didnt have time.
I may have huffed and puffed and in fact tutted at a relative today who harangued me for 15minutes.

Sparklingbrook · 02/04/2013 21:22

Ours is lovely. But the patients aren't always.I have heard her get some real attitude, but she smiles and treats everyone very nicely.

ChompieMum · 02/04/2013 21:28

I don't think all doctors receptionists are rude but I will bet that there are a greater percentage of rude doctors receptionists than there are in other jobs. This is I guess because:

  1. They don't have to please people to get them to come. People have no choice but to go there when ill. Choosing a different surgery is not an option for everyone if they can't drive etc. So no matter how rude they are, people will still come.
  2. They probably have quite stressful jobs and have to deal with some very difficult people as well as those who have had bad news.

2, however is a reason and not an excuse. Plenty of jobs involve dealing with stressful situations and if you can't be

ChompieMum · 02/04/2013 21:29

Whoops sorry -

...polite, you should not be doing the job.

Flobbadobs · 02/04/2013 21:30

Well I was a lovely receptionist, some of the patients were twats though... Fancy being threatened with having your head put through a window because the Dr hadn't signed a repeat px?
Having said that she was rude and you need to have a word with the practice manager about the impression she is giving out, a good manager should have a quiet word about her phone manner.