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

[OHforDUCKScake]

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.

[Emilizz]

You mention that the blood results were like a punch in the stomach. I assume that you got some bad news or abnormal results?

Im surprised that a GP receptionist would have been calling to give these to you but theres no excuse for her attitude.

Hope all turns out well for your lo.

[PacificDogwood]

Bear in mind that the receptionists are likely to reflect the general climate in the surgery.
We have regular staff training including simulated phone calls and how to talk to potentially worried/stressed/unwell/in pain patients.

Don't rage at the receptionist, when you feel calmer put your concerns in to writing, addressed to the practice manager.
At the very least you should get an explanation, or an apology.
More importantly, the practice may take this forward and in include in future staff training.

Yes, I am a GP and our receptionists are all without exeption always and without fail lovely nope, not always. They are human beings afterall, with husbands who run off and children who give them great concern for worry and unwell relatives and sometimes just get out of bed the wrong side. None of this is an excuse for being rude, but possible explanations

And yes, I agree, it's a bit odd to be giving such important blood results over the phone by reception staff. Hope your LO is ok.

[SantanaLopez]

I'm starting to think it's a job requirement. Hope the little one is alright.

[Almostfifty]

I have nothing but love for doctor's receptionists.

When my boys were small, one year I was in and out of the surgery every week for six months with one or the other of them ill. Not once did they huff and puff, in fact they just heard my voice on the phone, and booked me in. One day that sticks in my memory was when I just walked in to the surgery, looked at them and they sat me down (with all four children) and slotted me in immediately, as they knew I was at the end of my tether. They could not have been more caring, lovely people. They saw me through all four pregnancies and crooned over my babies.

We then moved away and obviously moved doctors. The next ones, though not in the same mould, have always been extremely helpful and kind. Our surgery takes appointments on the day, so you ring first thing for your appointment. It works very well.

I also have a pal who is a receptionist in another practice far, far away from where we live. The tales she tells of some patients would make your hair curl.

[XBenedict]

I've just started work as a practice nurse and part of my induction was to sit in with the reception team. OMG what an eye opener that was! The abuse especially on the phone, not a job I would ever want to do.

It doesn't excuse rudeness but I do not envy them at all!

[Noideaatall]

Most at our surgery now are nice - but the ones at the antenatal clinic are horrors.....and I've definitely met more nasty than nice in general. Also, who doesn't get busy at work? That's no excuse to treat people badly.

[Kyyria]

I work in a GP practice - not a receptionist at the moment, but I have been in the past. I do deal with complaints from patients.

I would like to say I'm sorry you've had a bad experience, and from what you've said I agree that it was out of order. If any of my staff had acted like that then I would be pulling them and having words.

HOWEVER...
Enough - from everybody - about the generalisations. Yes, some GP receptionists can be rude, but so can any other receptionist. I'm not sticking up for those that are rude - it is one thing that really annoys me, a few members of staff giving everyone else a bad name, but they do have to put up with a lot.

I have never had a complaint against me (have worked in GP surgeries for 11years), always go the extra mile and try and do my best for the patient - regardless of how rude they are toT me (because, of course, most patients feel it's ok to be rude to me).

In the 11 years of working in GP surgeries I get sworn at on a daily basis, I have been spat at on several occasions (including by a drug addict who was full of all sorts of nasty diseases),I have been grabbed by the neck over the reception desk and threatened with being strangled (all because it would take me 30mins to organise a prescription that the patient had forgotten to order as all drs were out on visits and I had noone to sign it). I've had patients trying to kick in doors, thrown bricks through windows and threaten to "come back after work" to get me.

The staff get abused so it's no wonder they are sometimes on a short fuse themselves.

[Iwantmybed]

I think I'd make a good GP receptionist, I have an ability to be rude, sarcastic and patronising on the phone but then I'd also like to be a traffic warden if it weren't for all that bloody walking and in the rain.

[holidaysdistantmemory]

Mine are (without exception) all really lovely. As is the doctors surgery, and the town where I live. When I lived in London, they were foul.

[LynetteScavo]

From the attitude I get from my GP's receptionist, I guess they receive an awful lot of abuse.

For the record, if you keep me waiting agesfor an appointment one day (yes, it was the receptionists fault because she was creating a cue by not dealing adequately with one person), and I'm 2 minutes late the next day for a 5pm apt because of DS1 leaving his glasses in the cinema in the next town and really need DD's test results before we go on holida,y don't get arsy with me for being late. You told originally the results would be in at 11 am. I will hang around your desk until I get those results. Thank you.

[OHforDUCKScake]

I know they get abuse, and Ive often thought myself what a shit job it must be.

But do they have to be rude to the regular patients or reps of patients?

I also understand they are very busy, she could have told me that and that wouldnt have been fine, Id still have called the sister practice and got the results. Its just the huffing puffing attitude that went with it.

[OHforDUCKScake]

*would

freudian slip?

[Sparklingbrook]

Exactly Ducks. It was the way it was said and tutting and telling you they were busy was out of order.

[breatheslowly]

I've never had a problem with one, but it is probably easier to work in a rural practice which is well resourced and has an easier population to deal with than an urban practice with a population with far more complex needs.

I don't understand why you attending in person to collect the results would have lightened her work load in any way, it just doesn't make sense.

[Kasterborous]

Ours at our GPs are lovely, however the ones at my dentists are the most unhelpful ones I have ever known.

[MDA]

Much as I don't like generalisations, its true that GP receptionists have a reputation for being very brusque and that doesn't come from nowhere. I have encountered it myself.

Having changed surgeries, I cannot fault the ones in my current surgery, nor the doctors.

As what is probably another generalisation, I have encountered quite a bit of "we are doing you a favour even being here" type attitude from the Nhs. Not just receptionists; sometimes doctors, sometimes midwives, it depends. There can be a slight culture where it is acceptable to have this attitude. A sonographer once said to me "naughty naughty" because I hadn't brought an appointment card with me - well, it was an emergency appointment so I didn't have one, and she rolled her eyes and said "riiiiight". I just don't think you'd get that in a private hospital so it might be the free at the point of delivery that drives this slight culture.

I still think its a minority though in the overall scheme of things and most are polite and professional.

[MDA]

Can I add that the appointment allocation system in our surgery is fair, logical and effective. I can't help feeling if you turn up at 10 to 8 on a Monday morning and 5 minutes later the phone goes berko and everyone on the end of it is frustrated, been cut off, heard an engaged signal, etc etc its just a recipe for disaster. Whereas our one releases 75% of appointments on the day, has a queuing system, and if you ring at 8am on the dot you WILL get an appointment. Less dissapointment, less desperation, less rudeness from patients and more pleasant receptionists as a result.

[timidviper]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience and do think you should write to the practice manager about it to enable them to do something about it. That attitude is not excusable.

Having said that... I work in a GP practice and rely heavily on good reception staff to be able to do my job. Today we have been extremely busy after the bank holiday, we have had people off as they or their children have been ill and I have seen the amount of hassle and rudeness the receptionists have taken almost uncomplainingly. During today I have faced rudeness, attitude and been called a dickhead, that is what our reception staff deal with every day.

What I am trying to say is that I do not excuse at all any impatience, rudeness or attitude from receptionists to patients but do wish they could be shown a bit more kindness and understanding in return by patients.

[Doha]

Our receptionists are lovely but l am amazed at the abuse that is thrown at them by some of the patients.
no l am not a receptionist
l think they do a good job in very difficult circumstances especially when the public have very high unreasonable expectations.

[musicposy]

One of ours is lovely, the rest are battleaxes who make it their mission in life to ensure you never see a doctor, ever.

One time I was on holiday and had a very severe burn that required hospital admission. They let me go home on the understanding I would go to the GP immediately. Once home, I phoned, told the receptionist what had happened and said I'd been told to get a nurse appointment that day. Her response? "We've nothing until next Friday." (Ten days later - for a 3rd degree burn!) No amount of telling her the hospital said it must be looked at today would make any difference. In the end I said, fair enough, I will go to A and E with my hospital notes and tell them you won't see me. "Come at 4.30 then" she practically spat at me.

I need blood tests now and then. Their nurse has tried numerous times to extract blood from my weedy veins but always ends up sending me to path lab. She told me to get the form next time and go straight there. However, receptionist says "The nurse does blood tests." I explain the situation but she will not budge. I have to see the nurse, who cannot get blood, who sends me to path lab. This is an utter waste of NHS time - no wonder there are no nurse appointments!

I had thrush after some antibiotics. The receptionist says "can a nurse deal with it?" I say I think it is thrush but I am severely allergic to some antifungals so have been told before to see the GP (ended up in hospital once). The receptionist point blank refuses to let me see GP and will only make a nurse appointment. I get there and the nurse says "I can't deal with this as I cannot prescribe you the normal stuff - why didn't you make an appointment to see the GP?"

It once took me 4 months - yes 4 months - to get a routine appointment. I first tried to make an appointment in May last year and it was well into September before I could get seen. I only got seen in the end because I threatened them with complaints.

It shouldn't be this hard. I am sure less articulate people get an even worse deal. It's they way they do it as much as anything else. They take such a pride in telling you to fuck off. I wonder how many people have died at their hands, I really do.

[idococktailshedoesbeer]

The ones at my doctors are nice enough. One in particular is so sunny and friendly, she's great. The doctors themselves are lovely though, think they're just a happy practice. It's luck of the draw I guess.

[redwellybluewelly]

I unfortunately have had more than my fair share of dealings with various paediatric secretaries and also GP receptionists.

I value their help in getting my DD the help she needs but there are four receptionists at our surgery, two are phenomenal ans two are horrid. I hear them laughing at patients and they are brutal on the phone. Same at our last much bigger practice, one in particular if she could make life more difficult she would make life more difficult.

And as for one of the obstetric secretaries recently, by eck, she wound even my MW up!

I hope smallDUCK gets better soon

[musicposy]

I could think it was me that elicited this rude "fuck off" reaction from them, but I never get it at the vets! Our vets receptionists are lovely. The other week I phoned them in shame as our dog had eaten a load of vitamin tablets while we were out. The receptionist phoned the poisons line, spoke to the vet, was absolutely wonderful over something that, in truth, was my own stupid fault (unlike when I see the GP).

She then said dog didn't need an appointment and should be OK but to bring her down straight away if I was in any way worried later - so all that for no fee!

The vet receptionist gives the dogs treats and seems genuinely delighted to see them. Last time when we were there one dog lifted its leg on the display case (thankfully not mine!). They cleaned it and even after the dog was gone the receptionists didn't so much as murmur a complaint over it. I would happily pay to see the vet when I am ill.

[elastamum]

Some receptionists are lovely, but others are apalling. Unfortunately many receptionists dont seem to understand that the public indirectly pay their wages.

When I graduated I worked as a medical rep for a couple of years and I can honestly say I have never before or since experienced such routine rudeness on a daily basis as I did then. I was But there were also some practices who were welcoming and where I got to know all the staff really well.

I am unfailingly polite, but now if I need an appointment I dont ever discuss my medical history with recptionists, as not only are they totally unqualified to make judgements and triage patients, it is none of their business.